Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern Season 13 Episode 12 Brooklyn: Schmaltz & Sea Robins

Andrew Zimmern, the globetrotter and food connoisseur, is back with the 13th season of his famous show Bizarre Foods. In the 12th episode of this season, Andrew explores the food scene in Brooklyn, New York. As always, he is on a mission to discover some of the weirdest and most exotic foods in the world. This time, he is on his own turf in the United States, New York City's culinary capital, where he hopes to find some strange and innovative dishes he has never tasted before.

The episode has been named "Brooklyn: Schmaltz & Sea Robins". As the title suggests, this episode features two distinct types of food, schmaltz, a Jewish condiment made out of rendered chicken fat that has been elevated by trendy restaurants in Brooklyn, and sea robins, a rarely consumed fish that is considered a pest but one that chef's are trying to turn into a delicacy. Andrew starts his food adventure in Natlmeat Deli in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood where he samples traditional Ashkenazi Jewish fare, like matzo ball soup and borscht. His next stop is Solomon and Kuff, a Caribbean bar, and grill in the West Harlem neighborhood. Here he tries some locally caught seafood that is prepared with an island twist, served with some libations made from Caribbean rum.

The episode then takes Andrew on a culinary journey through some of the most innovative and creative restaurants in Brooklyn. He visits Win Son, a Taiwanese restaurant known for its fantastic menu options like the scallion pancake and pan-fried chicken dumplings. Andrew also samples a fusion of foods at the restaurant Llama Inn, where he tries Sichuan sauce with pumpkin chips. He then visits Olmsted in the Prospect Heights neighborhood, famous for its large and bountiful garden right outside the restaurant. There he samples dishes such as collard green dumplings, “radishes in dirt,” and even squash tempura made from ingredients grown in their garden.

The show doesn't only feature food, Andrew also visits a neighborhood in Brooklyn called Bushwick where artists create beautiful street art murals. He tries his hand at graffiti art and learns about its importance in the community. Later he meets with his friend Steve Hindy, who founded Brooklyn Brewery, one of the first craft breweries in the country. The two explore how Brooklyn Brewery makes its beers, and Andrew learns about the history of the brewing industry in Brooklyn.

As a unique, bonus feature, Andrew makes a house call to local Brooklyn comedian and food lover, Wyatt Cenac. Together, they make Jewish deli sandwiches, and Andrew learns about the comic’s culinary background and what food makes him happy.

Brooklyn: Schmaltz & Sea Robins is a fascinating episode that highlights the variety and innovation of Brooklyn's food scene. Andrew’s journey is fascinating, and he takes us on a culinary adventure, showcasing how diverse and surprising Brooklyn's culinary scene can be. It's an excellent opportunity to learn about the foods that are peculiar to Brooklyn and how local chefs experiment with ingredients to create unique dishes that embody Brooklyn's diverse cultural experiences.