Flatbush Farm & the Farm on Adderley.(Restaurant review)

In these increasingly urban times, restaurateurs seem to be leading a back-to-the-land revival. Greenmarket produce and locally sourced meats have become so commonplace that it's nearly impossible to simply enjoy a tomato without considering matters of pesticides, provenance, and sustainability. So when, last year, two restaurants with agrarian appellations opened in Brooklyn, both emphasizing seasonal ingredients and regional purveyors, it hardly caused a stir. And though there are surface similarities--neo-rustic decor, spare and lofty, with earthy details like big, plain cupboards, dark wainscoting (at Flatbush), and pressed-tin ceilings (at Adderley)--each perfectly reflects its own distinctive neighborhood.

At the Farm on Adderley, in Ditmas Park, this means a relaxed, friendly atmosphere; it's the kind of place where you can bring your yoga mat to dinner and not feel awkward. One Sunday evening, big tables held families with jostling children; nearby, two silver-haired women sipped glasses of scarlet-tinged rose. The food is precise and unpretentious, served on mismatched china: a chilled cucumber-and-avocado soup, sea-foam green and laced with olive oil, had a tangy sweetness that was juxtaposed with a salty dollop of crab salad; the buffalo-mozzarella salad was a pleasing variation on the standard caprese, pairing green apple ...