Largely inspired by Anthony Bourdain and Eric Ripert, I went to Marseille, France years ago simply to eat bouillabaisse and panisse. So when I heard of BABA On Withers, a wine bar in Williamsburg that focused on shareable plates of Marseille-inspired cuisine, I texted a close friend and headed there on a cold Monday night.
It doesn’t take much arm twisting to get me to a wine bar, but what really drew me specifically to BABA On Withers was that they served panisse. I hadn’t had the crunchy fried chickpea fritters, which most closely reminds me of a marriage between French fries and Sicilian panelle, since my time in Marseille two summers ago.
Despite the frigid temperatures, when my plate of panisse arrived, I closed my eyes and felt like I was in sunny southern France instead of freezing Brooklyn.
The panisse had a textured remoulade sauce with a nice citrusy kick. Each fritter was so thick and almost meaty, with its crispy exterior and custard-like interior, I found two full pieces to be plenty. After our panisse, it was time for what would end up being the most enticing dish of the night: bouillabaisse toast.
Bouillabaisse was pretty much the incentive that brought me to Marseille, but I quickly learned that the dish is always served in a portion meant for sharing. As a solo traveler, I didn’t want to let my lack of company crush my dream of eating bouillabaisse in its birthplace, so I bit the bullet and ordered it my last night there. I was completely surrounded by couples sharing soupy bowls of the seafood stew while I dined alone.
At BABA On Withers, the bouillabaisse toast easily solved this French solo dining dilemma for me, because it was portioned out on two manageable pieces of toast, something I could easily consume on my own but still ideal for sharing since there are two pieces.
As a food writer, I don’t love describing things as being cooked “perfectly,” but there’s really no other way to describe the shrimp in this dish. Perfectly tender and succulent shrimp is placed on crispy toast with sliced fennel, and a thin enough layer of sauce to get that classic bouillabaisse taste without making the toast a soggy mess. The bouillabaisse toast was, by far, my favorite bite of the night, and I would solely return to BABA On Withers to eat it again.
Since Marseille is a port city, it has an abundant immigrant community and its position roughly 500 miles from both Tunisia’s and Algeria’s coasts means the city offers some great northern African cuisine. BABA On Withers highlights this characteristic of Marseille in their tagine romanesco. Made up of cauliflower, quinoa, pickled peppers and preserved lemon yogurt, the dish doesn’t shy away from those quintessential North African spices, making every bite warm and comforting.
While the bouillabaisse toast took the cake for me as the best dish of the night, the tagine romanesco was a close second. The friend who joined me for dinner has texted me plenty of times saying that dish lives in his head rent-free. We also ordered the duck confit, which is a fan favorite at BABA On Withers for good reason — the tender duck can be picked apart with just a fork, which is then best when smeared with the slightly briney eggplant sauce layered on the bottom of the plate.
While Marseille-specific cuisine might sound niche, like every great New York hidden dining gem, there’s a story behind it. BABA On Withers owner Gabriella Mann has lineage in the coastal French city.
“My grandmother Lucienne was born and raised in Marseille,” she tells me.
We haven’t even addressed the wine list yet, but as its designated a wine bar, you will have no problem getting your vino fix here, too. If you’re looking to impress a date on a budget, BABA On Withers has you covered. Every night, from 10 p.m. to close, they offer $11 margs, martinis, and “baba” bites.
- Address: 47 Withers St, Brooklyn, NY 11211
- Phone: (929) 295-8424
- Hours: Mon 5 p.m.-10 p.m.; Tue-Thu 5 p.m.-11 p.m.; Fri 5 p.m.-12 a.m.; Sat 10 a.m.-12 a.m.; Sunday 10 a.m.-10 p.m.
- Prices: To Share $13-$17; Mains $17-$28; To End $10; Cocktails $16; Natural Wines $14-$18; Late Night Happy Hour $11; see website for brunch and happy hour menu prices
- Takeout and delivery available. Reservations via Resy.
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