"If you ever doubted that this phenomenon of beach roast beef is at least partly Irish, look to Brennan and Carr, founded at the end of Gravesend Neck Road in 1938 when this part of Brooklyn was mainly farms. The place looks like a stockade from the Civil War crossed with an English Tudor cottage, and boasts two darkish dining rooms inside. Order at the outside window, or traipse through the open kitchen and sit down. Once again, the sandwich ($8.75) is served on a kaiser roll — the unofficial bread of NYC — though one not quite as good as RNR’s. The beef is piled on with a more generous hand as befits the slightly higher price. Both sides of the bun are first dipped in beef broth, so it isn’t necessary to order the broth separately, which is good because a cup costs $4.50. The beef here is as much steamed as roasted, but that’s not a bad thing, since it develops a bouncy texture. The hacks: Reflecting its maritime location, a bowl of very good New England clam chowder is offered for the same price as the beef broth, and it’s well worth getting. And while RNR offers soft serve for dessert, this place has some pretty good blueberry pie ($4.60, a la mode $8.95)." - Robert Sietsema
