The story
Bonnie’s, on Manhattan Avenue in Brooklyn, is chef Calvin Eng’s tribute to the Cantonese food he grew up with. Named after his mother, the restaurant is a direct expression of his own story: born and raised in Brooklyn, Eng spent years trying to be “as American as possible.” Now, he writes, he is finally embracing the culture he once rejected as a Chinese American kid. Bonnie’s is his contribution to a new wave of cooks pursuing the evolution of Cantonese food. Everything he knows about the cuisine, he learned from his mom.
The menu at Bonnie’s is a personal and playful take on Cantonese-American cooking. Dishes are organized in numbered sections, from oysters with a ginger white peppercorn mignonette to a chrysanthemum green salad with creamy soy sesame. You will find classics like wun tun (shrimp and pork wontons with shacha peanut sauce) and a wok salt and pepper crispy squid with Chinese ranch. There is also an Italian combo fried rice, a cha siu baby back rib sandwich with Chinese hot mustard, and a chilled poached chicken with green chili ginger scallion. The beverage program includes cocktails like an MSG martini and a yuen yeung espresso martini, alongside a thoughtful wine list. The restaurant’s recognition with a Michelin Bib Gourmand speaks to the quality and value of this cooking.
The space is a small restaurant that welcomes walk-ins daily and offers heated and air-conditioned patio seating. Bonnie’s also offers takeout and a cookbook, Salt Sugar MSG, co-authored by Eng. The tone is direct and unfussy, much like the food itself. This is a restaurant rooted in a specific place and a specific family history, and it shares that story through every dish.
Recognition
Details
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