<p style="text-align:center;"><img class="aligncenter" style="border:0 none;" src="http://www.remain-silent.com/cm/YumReview/castello-plan.jpg" alt="The Castello Plan" width="450" height="300" /></p>
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castello_Plan">The Castello Plan</a> is an early city map of Lower Manhattan (New York City) from 1660, created by Jacques Cortelyou, surveyor of New Amsterdam at that time. <a href="http://www.thecastelloplan.com/">The Castello Plan</a> is a wine and tapas bar in Ditmas Park, Brooklyn. Both statements are true but the second one decidedly tastier. With an outdoor space that lends itself to the type of informal conversation that  evokes community spirit established by the neighbouring farmers market; by time we sat down we'd already shared a giggle with a toddler dining with his parents and the patrons of the neighbouring table.

<p style="text-align:center;"><img class="aligncenter" style="border:0 none;" src="http://www.remain-silent.com/cm/YumReview/castelloplanmontage.jpg" alt="Castello Plan Montage" width="450" height="450" /></p>
The vibe was spot on, very laid back, very local, and without pretension. The food was well presented, my friend had a charcuterie served on a chopping block and I had a roasted beet salad. We followed up with 'espresso cups', tiny fluted chocolate cups filled with warm Belgian chocolate spiked with smoky paprika, sweet lime &amp; spicy cayenne sauces. They were surprisingly good and exotic enough to be a real conversation item and tongue pleaser! I'm pretty sure all five areas of my taste-buds were activated with this dessert!
<p style="text-align:center;"><img class="aligncenter" style="border:0 none;" src="http://www.remain-silent.com/cm/YumReview/espressocups.jpg" alt="espresso cups" width="450"><span style="font-size:xx-small;"><strong>espresso cups</strong></span></p>

I will definitely be going back here..the decor is very woodsy - quite literally as the pictures show - and in winter it will be perfect for nice warm glasses of mulled wine and nibbles. Oh, and not to be forgotten - the wait staff were super lovely and appropriately conversational, I hope the waiter wins the 'inside game' he let us be privy to...The Castello Plan is a great example that good eats and a kewl atmosphere can be had outside of the Slope and 'burg.
<p style="text-align:right;"><span style="font-size:xx-small;"><em>images via <a href="http://brooklynhearth.com/press.php?section=3">brooklyn hearth</a>, <a href="http://www.brownstoner.com/brownstoner/archives/ditmas_park/">brownstoner</a>, <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/7563962@N06/sets/72157623803262304/">flickr</a> &amp;<a href="http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=156295094404105&amp;set=a.156294951070786.31311.108725789161036"> the castello plan</a></em></span></p>