Nights And Weekends Bar N.Y.C.

The best thing about Nights and Weekends, the new Greenpoint watering hole from the Five Leaves team, is its ability to dance on the periphery of–but not fall victim to–the trends of the moment.

For instance, the triangular building stands like a marooned sailor, surrounded by streets on every side; open doors along two of the three walls capture the unfettered ambiance of eating outdoors. Airy and casual, it has many of the perks a food truck offers married with the comforts of traditional dining.

The line-straddling continues with the menu. Chef Ken Addington finds the harmony between junky sports-bar favorites (mozzarella sticks, nachos) and overwrought gastropub fare in simple, delicious dishes such as the provoleta ($7), in which a slab of provolone is seared in olive oil and soaked with chimichurri and red pepper flakes. The oozing cheese satisfies, and the biting sauce refines.

Finally, the drink menu smirks with almost-but-not-quite-recognizable creations that hover between classic and tiki. The refreshing Perulep ($10) is the peppy offspring of a julep and a pisco sour, while the Improved Malecon Old Fashioned ($10) substitutes two types of rum for the characteristic whiskey.

All in all, the tweaks are slight. But they're just quirky and delicious enough to warrant a return visit–or a few of them.

Nights and Weekends, 1 Bedford Ave. (at Manhattan Ave.), 718-383-5345 or nightsandweekendsny.com