Robert Newton is the chef and owner of Nightingale 9, a restaurant specializing in Vietnamese classics, street food and seasonal specials, and Wilma Jean, a casual Southern spot named for his grandmother. Both are located in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn.

Newton and his restaurants have been featured in The New York Times, Vogue, The Wall Street Journal, New York Magazine and Garden & Gun and on The Barefoot Contessa and Martha Stewart Radio. He has earned a reputation for supporting Brooklyn greenmarkets and tri-state area farms and for championing American wines, especially those from New York and Virginia.

Newton, who believes a commitment to local includes community involvement, is a supporter of the student vegetable garden program at P.S. 58 and of Carroll Park, both located across the street from his restaurants. Among the special events he has participated in are Blackberry Farm’s Taste of the South, Meatopia, Le Fooding, Bon Appetit’s Grub Crawl and the NYC Food & Wine Festival.

Before striking out on his own, Newton worked in several top kitchens, including Le Cirque 2000 and Tabla in Manhattan, and at Simon Pearce Restaurant in Queechee, Vermont. Newton also spent time as a private chef, first for a legendary TV icon, then for an Upper East Side financier.

MENU:

carrots | coriander seeds | mint | anise | toasted chile
crab | lotus root | rau ram | cucumber | peas
onion ring | spiced chicken thigh | yogurt | greens | tomato
rice dumplings | beef | fermented black beans | shaved mushrooms | chile oil
crispy pork | yunnan salsa | vinegar | sticky rice in corn husk
frozen vietnamese coffee | chocolate | milk caramel | torn angel food cake | fried peanuts