Wood-Fired Fish Makes Theodora One of the Hottest Reservations in Brooklyn
Open fire is at the heart of one-year-old Theodora, a Brooklyn restaurant where the showmanship of cooking over a live fire and Mediterranean dishes with smoke-filled flavor draw in hopeful diners that wait in line for the chance to sample owner and executive chef Tomer Blechman's menu. 'There's so much we can achieve with caramelization and umami, and the creation of what it makes is amazing,' he says.
Related Theodora, the New Restaurant from Miss Ada, Opens in Fort Greene
The menu itself is split into five sections: crudo, breads from sister bakery Thea, wood-fired vegetables, and mains like chicken and dry-aged fish cooked on the grill and in a high-heat oven. Prep begins with marinating a spatchcocked chicken that stands out on the fish-heavy menu. The chicken sits in a marinade of lemons, olive oil, Serrano peppers, thyme, and rosemary for three days, instilling a deep flavor. The chefs cook lima beans overnight in a sealed oven with two burning logs of woods and then combine them with chicken broth to make the perfect accompaniment for the grilled chicken. Jumping over to the bakery, only two doors down, Blechman checks in on the sourdough that is used for his ever-popular brown butter toast with whipped ricotta.
Dry-aged fish turns into crispy roasted branzino and red snapper ceviche with grilled pineapple, basil, and a lime vinaigrette. The entirety of fish are used throughout the restaurant, with the gelatin from cooked down fish heads turned into a creamy sauce and dried out fish bones combining with dry seaweed to make a slowly simmered dashi broth. As the line begins to fill up outside, Blechman prepares a Moroccan fish stew with peppers, onions, tomatoes, and the more untraditional ingredient of gochujang (Korean red chili paste). Everyone gets amped up for service as the fish stew is finished with a quickly seared tilefish that is placed on the slow-cooked vegetables and topped off with toasted cassava flour. More mains fly out of the oven: butterflied trout covered in harissa and chermoula, bone-in branzino that is dry-aged for four days with rosemary, and the slow-roasted chicken tossed with charred carrots in an anchovy sauce.
'When guests come here, I think that our hope is just like for them to really be together, enjoying their company of each other, enjoying the food, exploring their palates,' Blechman says.
Watch the latest episode of Mise en Place to see how Blechman and his team thoughtfully prep every incredible sauce, dry-aged piece of fish, and fresh slice of sourdough at one of the hottest restaurants in Brooklyn.
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This and the moisture-sealing lotion work ridiculously well together; they're the most magical duo ever for curls. My braid out turned out so perfectly, I'm still in disbelief. Plus, my hair isn't oily!! It absorbed so well. I put it on one side of my hair at a time, and its definition difference was wild. My curls haven't looked this curly in years, and when I add this to my straight extensions, it helps my hair blend so much better. Also, it smells so freakin' good, it's ridiculous. Cécred literally never disappoints. This oil is liquid gold. I'm obsessed. I stand ten toes behind this oil and literally every product I've tried from the line. These are my all-time favorite hair products, no competition. Promising review: "I absolutely adore this hair oil. You get a very generously sized bottle that will last you a long time. The bottle feels heavy and luxurious, and the oil always fixes whatever frizz I've got going on and smells incredible. I'm on my third bottle already, and I will never stop. I will rebuy this until my last days. Worth every penny." —KayGet it from Ulta or Cécred for $22+ (available in two sizes; here's the travel-sized one at Ulta!). A Flamingo razor with four five-blade refills that'll serve you up a *reaaaally* close, comfortable shave. The blades are surrounded by water-activated aloe and shea butter strips to help it effortlessly glide across your skin and protect you from irritation. Plus it comes with a shower holder! Promising reviews: "Ladies, if you're looking for a new razor, stop wasting your time and purchase the Flamingo 5-blade razor right now. I've tried countless other brands of razors — disposable, high-end, you name the Flamingo is by far the very best I've ever used. I'm totally OBSESSED with this razor — the quality of the razor, blades, and mount is superb, and it delivers the closest, smoothest shave ever! Plus, it leaves you feeling moisturized after and never irritated. And, I haven't nicked myself even once with this razor, which is some kind of miracle. You want to try this razor — it just exceeds anything else out there!" —CeCe Silver"I absolutely LOVE this razor. It's perfect for those of us with sensitive skin. This is one of the few disposable razors I've tried that doesn't break me out. I'll forever buy this razor." —Tonya it from Amazon for $15.99+ (available in four colors). Tirtir foundation that won't betray you four hours after applying it by becoming all cracked, cakey, and creased. Makeup nightmare. This bad boy lasts up to 72 hours and delivers buildable coverage that'll conceal redness, blemishes, and dreaded dark circles. And if that doesn't already have your finger hovering over the *add to cart button*, it helps boost skin elasticity and will help give you the coveted ~glass skin~ look. An under-eye brightener because you aren't sure if you'll ever actually not be exhausted, but you can def stop looking like it. It's ~enriched~ with shea butter and hyaluronic acid to give your dark circles a more ✨radiant✨ look. The pinkish tint helps balance out the blueish tint under your eyes as if you said a spell to make your dark circles *poof* away. A Summer Fridays lip butter for anyone who can't stand dry lips and needs hydration and moisture instantly. This TikTok beloved balm can also double as an overnight lip mask and it comes in *delightful* scents like birthday cake, brown sugar, and sweet mint. Promising reviews: "This has quickly become my go-to lip product. The balm is incredibly hydrating and leaves my lips feeling soft and smooth. I love the subtle shine it gives without being too glossy. The formula is lightweight, non-sticky, and lasts for hours, which is perfect for all-day wear. Plus, it has a pleasant, natural scent that isn't overpowering. The packaging is sleek and easy to carry around, making it convenient for on-the-go use. Overall, the Summer Fridays Lip Balm is a must-have for anyone looking for a high-quality, moisturizing lip balm. Highly recommend!" —Linda J Boss"I love the colors available and how they feel on my lips. Will forever repurchase." —MEP2014Get it from Amazon for $24+ (available in nine scents/colors). An Anua heartleaf pore-clearing cleansing oil perfect for all skin types and will effectively get rid of makeup residue, blackheads, and sebum while also helping to prevent your pores from clogging up. In fact, it's so effective, some reviewers say you can actually see the gunk and oil leave your face. You'll be kinda grossed out by the ick seeping out of your pores while also being shook by the way it literally did a magic trick on your face. Blackheads, be gone! Some bioactivo, a deep conditioner treatment that can also be used as a leave-in that'll help strengthen your hair and leave it all soft and ✨shiny✨ *Tomatoa voice*. According to TikTokers, it's a Dominican hair secret for healthy, flourishing hair. We love a beauty secret. Check out how to make it on TikTok!Promising reviews: "I go to the Dominican Salon in my area and every time I leave there, my hair feels luxurious and sooo soft. I can never achieve this at home. My stylist gave me a vial of this product at her shop and said I could only get it from the DR. Well, this is it! I can finally have the same soft, moisturized, luxurious look at home, this has been a godsend! If you have brittle hair or it's hard to keep moisture in it, then this is your holy grail. Just mix half water with conditioner in a spray bottle, then blow dry or roll up and heat. You will not be disappointed. I almost feel bad giving away this secret because when I go to order more, it may be all gone. Amazon, please keep this item in stock. I will be an avid buyer! Thank you!" —Meechie"This product is something I always keep in stock for myself and my friends. The slip is amazing, it is so healthy for hair, and the results are great! If you swim and need help with minimal to no tangles, this is the stuff to use. Friends from all cultural backgrounds agree and convert the second they use it. This is by far one of my best hair care regimes I will always keep." —Constance GeeGet a 12-count from Amazon for $28.89. A Touchland misting hand sanitizer that you'll quickly realize is far superior to all other sanitizers. First of all, it's a spray (genius), it's hydrating, not sticky or greasy, and will leave your hands sanitized and smelling good as heck. Whether you like fruity smells like watermelon and mango, or warm smells like sandalwood and vanilla, these'll serve as the most perfect sanitizers ever. You'll def want 'em all. Promising reviews: "I have fallen in love with this product, it smells like pure happiness if that makes sense, and it is a must-have! Also, the product doesn't dry out my skin. It helps sanitize and lasts forever!" —SanFill"Love this sanitizer! I'm a Bath and Body Works kind of girl, but you really can't beat the sleekness of these. I'll forever repurchase!" —KiababyyyGet it from Sephora for $10 (available in 11 scents). A K-18 leave-in hair mask to help bring your dry, bleach- and color-damaged hair back to life. And yes! You leave it in, no rinsing it out! Shampoo, skip conditioning, towel dry, throw this in, wait four minutes, and then just do the rest of your normal styling routine. I know, you're suuuper close to just cutting your mane off, but give this a try and the results will be more dramatic than Dance Moms. "Get your finger out of my face." *Kelly voice*. A Byoma hydrating serum, a barrier boosting complex with squalane and glycerin in it, which are *basically* the Avengers of hydration. This stuff'll serve up some dewy, bouncy results almost instantly, leaving you with happy, healthy skin. Promising review: "I'm a PCOS girly (so, super dry skin) and I have rosacea, and this serum is a ✨slay✨. It gives my skin the hydration it so desperately needs without feeling heavy or sticky. I confidently walk away from my bathroom mirror with skin that is as hydrated and bouncy as Moo Deng's, so this will forever stay in the skincare lineup. 10's across the board, hunty." —Ginny Sacrimoni's MoleGet it from Amazon for $15.99. A daily facial spray that'll help balance skin pH and help minimize irritation, redness, and flare-ups. Formulated to mimic the makeup of our bodies, this bad boy delivers ✨hypochlorous acid✨ (no, it's not a spell for incredible skin), which is found naturally in white blood cells. The Summer Fridays lip butter showing up in your life to help with your always cracked kissers: The reviews used in this post have been edited for length and clarity.
