Lokal: Euro-inspired eating

Our favorite Euro-inspired bistro, Lokal, is just down the street. We went there for dinner last night, toting Baby Max along in his beloved car seat. I put on my best pair of Euro jeans from Spain. They were always a bit loose on me in some places, a.k.a. rump and hips if you know what I mean, but fortunately (or unfortunately??) I fill them out better now, post-baby.

During the day, Lokal is a low key brunch spot; at night it becomes a trendy lounge/resto with live music, with strategically placed "club" lights illuminating the otherwise dim, intimate brick-walled space. It's chic yet comfortable without being "shi-shi." It reminds me of small neighborhood bars in the West Village. I was afraid we would be looked on as pariahs with a baby in tow, so we booked the earliest dinner slot at 6pm and kinda shuffled in apologetically. New parents deserve to eat out, too! 

Anyway, we were warmly received by the Polish owner. She cooed awhile at Baby Max––gotta love those Europeans, especially in the Midwest––before serving us the most spectacular braised pork belly with lentils as a starter course, followed up by my duck confit, watercress salad and honey barley. The Fella had a giant pork loin the size of Max's head, bone-in, which was absolutely uh-MAZ-ing and I don't even like pork that much!! Our dessert of apple crumble was a bit on the lean side for my liking, but maybe that's normal for Europeans??

{ Baby Max, club kid }