Yelp Brooklyn Digs Dassara!

Last night Yelp Brooklyn banded together for some Rockin' Ramen! The NYC Elites gathered to celebrate the scrumptious new Dassara Brooklyn Ramen and raise a little cash to help our neighbors in Red Hook recover from the recent storm. Despite the small space, we raised nearly $500 for Red Hook Initiative (which will be matched by the Yelp Foundation for a cool $1K total), a testament to how strong and dedicated yelpers are to working together to rebuild what we've lost even better than it was before.

And really, how could you blame anyone for showing up at the stellar Smith Street spot? Only a few months old, this Brooklyn original is already gaining a following in the community with their distinct Dassara flair. Blending cultures and flavors, this isn't your traditional take on the Japanese treat. They've taken the playful approach of Japanese chefs and combined it with the eclectic and ethnic nature that sets Brooklyn apart. 

The Yelp Elite got an exclusive look at this unique and marvelous menu and Monique R wasn't alone in exclaiming, "I LOVED the deep fried chicken hearts!" Not to mention several different types of baos; everyone enjoyed the turkey confit and cranberry sauce (perhaps an homage to Thanksgiving?), as well as the undeniably delicious fried chicken. Of course, the curried goat ramen carried the day for many, and JP B notes that the "nuance and homey satisfaction made the dish worth pining for."

These tasty samples were combined with complimentary cocktails courtesy of small-batch rum Due North, which is carefully created by Van Brunt Stillhouse with fair trade, organic, unprocessed sugar grown on small family farms and dried in the sun in the foothills of the Himalayas. This spirit is aged in American Oak, and blends perfectly in cocktails like The Flux Capicitor; as Phil H reports, it's "as if crazy Doc Brown himself invented this sweet but deceitfully potent concoction!"

Obviously, the cash raised for Red Hook Initiative hit home for the folks from Van Brunt Stillhouse, as many of their neighbors are still struggling to get back to normal. If anyone out there is interested in contributing either time, money or anything at all, please check out their website and take the Yelp Builds Back pledge to help rebuild and spend your money locally this holiday season.

A huge thanks to Justin, Josh, Hadji and the rest of the amazing and accommodating Dassara staff for welcoming us with open arms. I'll see you guys there again soon for more chicken hearts and that bone marrow ramen! Whether or not you made it out, make sure to check out the charity, all the reviews of the event, the photos from the lovely Melanie Fidler, and what folks are saying.

Cheers,
Peter D and the rest of the Yelp NYC Team