When a neighborhood restaurant closes, the best thing that can replace it is another one. Inevitable grousing about the way things were aside, those pleasant, easy spots are preferred over the alternative million dollar condos, bank branches, or even overpriced, underperforming food and drink businesses seemingly sprung fully formed from social media. So Cotra, a new self-billed izakaya that opened last month in the space long occupied by red sauce spot Monte’s is a welcome new steward of the address. It arrives on the block from the operators of Trad Room in Bed-Stuy.
Inside, the brick walls are still exposed, and the wood-burning oven is still in the back; visible as before, but now framed by sleek windows. Up front, the white marble-topped bar remains on the right, and the whole rouge banquette to the left has been swapped with similar but untethered, segmented seats a bit better for smaller parties, if a little wobbly. The rest of the formerly blush color scheme around the actual banquette and booths have been redone in swipes of light gray, charcoal and blue for, once more, a modern-Gowanus aesthetic, as the place’s previous owners aimed to achieve when they redid the room in 2011 style.
Sushi varieties like the nori-forward tamago roll ($7.25), its bright interior egg overly firm, and the spicy salmon ($9) with too-chewy crispy rice, are quick to arrive for speedy drink pairing, but might be more welcome after you’ve had a few. Opt instead to linger a little longer for fun and nicely done fried apps like the golden panko-encrusted oysters ($14) and the mochiko karaage’s enjoyably juicy chicken ($15).
Another fried bite, this time from the menu’s shared plates section, the soft shell crab $24, is both smaller than the karaage and considerably less flavorful for an easy skip. That category’s yakiniku skirt steak ($28), perfunctory greens aside, is a tastier, adeptly prepared to medium rare, alternative.
Vitals:
The Vibe: Fun, friendly, neighborhoody and casually stylish.
The Food: Nice fried oysters, chicken karaage and skirt steak; a wide variety of smaller plates.
The Drinks: Abundant, with cocktails, wine, beer, sake, shochu and zero-ABV options.
Cotra is located at 451 Carroll Street. It is open Wednesday-Sunday from 5pm to 10pm.