BWW Preview: ZURILEE PIZZA BAR in Flatbush has New Offerings

Brothers Jermaine and Paul Burrowes have lived in Flatbush for over two decades. Originally from Guyana, they opened their first restaurant in BK, MangoSeed, nearly ten years ago. With Jermaine managing FOH and Paul helming the kitchen-creating recipes inspired by his talented home-cook father-MangoSeed has become both a neighborhood staple and a destination for lovingly prepared, wholly delicious Caribbean fusion food. They followed up in 2015 with ZuriLee Pizza Bar, the first authentic Caribbean wood-fired pizza restaurant in the city. Highly active community members and elite professional cyclists with their own team (the MangoSeed/ZuriLee Cycling Team), the brothers can often be seen riding around prospect park training for their next race when they're not at one of their restaurants.

Named for the combination of Jermaine and Paul's childrens' middle names (Zuri and Lee), ZuriLee is an ode to the brothers' favorite food: pizza. Frequent pilgrims at legendary spots around the city like John's and Di Fara, they were inspired to create their own unique version of an NYC pizzeria, featuring chef Paul's wild creativity with a hint of Caribbean influence, and an emphasis on scratch cooking and quality ingredients.

The main attraction at ZuriLee is the roster of one-of-a-kind wood-fired pizzas. One of the top pies is the oxtail, a blistered, airy crust topped with mozzarella, shaved Grana Padano cheese and flavorful oxtail ragu, made in-house by braising whole oxtails, hand-cutting and seasoning them, then cooking them down for 5 hours. It's a labor-intensive process that yields a truly spectacular and unexpected pie. Another standout pie is the Bake + Saltfish, a riff on a traditional Caribbean breakfast in pizza form, with a thicker crust topped with salted Pollock, stracciatella and Grana Padano. Other standouts include the Columbia (ricotta, gorgonzola, grana padano, stracciatella and house made ZuriLee spicy honey infused with scotch bonnet peppers), the Funky Flatbush (kimchi, taleggio, mozzarella, provolone) and the South American (mushrooms, mozzarella, beet + arugula salad, spinach pesto). There are also more traditional options like the Bre[a]d 1, a classic margherita pie. Side note: the Burrowes Brothers are avid sneaker collectors; sneakerheads may recognize some of these pie names as references to classic Jordans.

Non-pizza dishes feature the same level of creativity and attention to detail, including a variety of veggie-centric options all roasted in the wood-fired oven; edamame is seasoned with truffle oil and sea salt; Brussels sprouts are fire-roasted and tossed with pearl onions, smoked trout and a lemon drizzle; and cauliflower is bolstered with jerk chicken, gorgonzola and house made Flatbush hot sauce. Burger lovers will find a worthy choice in the Angus + lamb burger with grilled pineapple, caramelized onions, chipotle aioli and cheese, and wing fanatics will enjoy the Flatbush wings, tossed in the house made buffalo-bbq sauce.

New at ZuriLee is the MangoLee brunch menu, featuring original creations, in addition to some favorites from sister restaurant MangoSeed's popular brunch. The idea came about when MangoSeed's weekend brunch began drawing lines out the door, and the brothers wanted to offer their customers a unique alternative next door at ZuriLee. A dedicated waffle section features toppings like jerk salmon, jerk chicken and fried chicken-magic happens when you pour sweet syrup on the spicy, savory proteins. Parmesan grits come either with ox or coconut smothered fish, and other dishes include shakshuka, everything toast (salmon pastrami, smoked fish, scallions, avocado, fried egg). Beverage options are sangrias, Bloody Marys, prosecco and tropical mimosas in flavors like mango, guava and hibiscus. A live DJ playing everything from dancehall to top 40 keeps the vibe fun.

Cocktails/Beer/Wine: The bar offers an extensive list of creative craft cocktails. Standouts are the Crooklyn (bourbon, lemon, strawberry black pepper jam, ginger ale), Casablanca (vodka, rose syrup, orgeat, lime, Peychaud's bitters) and For a Few Dollars More (smoked pineapple, cinnamon infused bourbon over slow melting pineapple spheres). There is a sizeable selection of craft beers, vermouth, amari, bourbon, rye, scotch and cognac. Happy hour runs everyday from 5pm-8pm, and features $5 cocktails, wine and beer, with a special on Tuesdays offering all-day happy hour with unlimited sangria, beer and wine for $20 per guest.

The eclectic interior features a funky, whimsical mural opposite the bar in the front, and a back dining room with wooden tables made from converted sewing stations. The ZuriLee logo-a bicycle crank-adorns the large wall separating the kitchen from the back dining room, and trophies from Jermaine and Paul's many cycling wins can be found on shelves throughout.

ZuriLee Pizza Bar is located at 755 Flatbush Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11226. Call them at 718.513.6084 and visit: https://zurileepizza.com/. Their hours are: Mon-closed, Tues-Thurs 4pm-12am, Fri 4pm-1am, Sat 11am-1pm, Sun 11:30am-11pm, Brunch: Sat 11am-4pm, Sun 11:30am-4:30pm

Photo Credit: Courtesy of ZuriLee Pizza Bar

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