Jeffrey's Restaurant: One of Bed-Stuy's Secret Gems

, located at 426A Marcus Garvey Boulevard, held a tasting Saturday night, unveiling its new menu.

“Basically, we’ve scaled everything down to offer our most popular items, changed a few of the sauces and made the entire menu a la carte,” said co-owner Michelle Johnson. “Some of our customers wanted certain entrees, but not always the sides. So we’ve changed the menu so that the customer can choose exactly what they want, and improved on some of the other items.”

The food at Jeffrey’s was so astoundingly good, the service so exceptional, and the environment so warm, after the appetizer – Goat Cheese Crostini with Cranberry Balsamic Glaze ($6), a Romaine Salad with Garlic Parmagian Dressing ($8) and one glass of wine (brought over from Olivino Wines), I was ready to grab a pillow, curl up and go to sleep until morning when I could start all over again with breakfast.

But I didn’t. Instead, I also tried the Pan-Seared Tilapia with Citrus Fish Fumét ($14), one of their most popular dishes, and it was easy to see why: The fish, braised in a light punchy sauce, nearly melts in your mouth and gets better with each bite.

For poultry lovers, their White Truffle Chicken Marsala ($15) is also to-die-for, a breaded chicken breast pan-fried in white truffle oil, Marsala wine and Carmini. I feel confident in proclaiming it possibly the most tender and well-seasoned chicken breast I’ve eaten in Brooklyn to date.

My favorite entrée, however, was the Steak Diane with Cognac Cream Sauce (yes, I was still eating). For $17, this dish finally sent me over the top: steak medallions with cognac, mushrooms and shallots in a very light cream sauce.

Diners also will notice, there are no salt or pepper shakers on any of the tables. But you don’t miss the seasoning – not for one second – as everything already is seasoned with precision and… dare I say, “love?”

Yes, in fact, I did taste love, and that’s probably because Jeffrey’s is a family affair. The restaurant is owned by a young brother-sister team (Michelle and Jeffrey), while their father works as the head chef. And it’s not unusual for the cooks to drop unexpectedly by your table and ask how you’re enjoying your meal.

If it sounds like I was thoroughly impressed by Jeffrey’s, that’s because I was. But I’m not the only one.

“Their food is great, their pancakes are the best I’ve ever eaten, and their coffee is the best. I send a lot of my friends here for brunch, and they love it. My mom comes here with her church group every Sunday, and she loves it! I send all my friends here, and they love it,” said Sharron White, a self-professed Jeffrey’s regular. “They’re very friendly, as you see they called me by my name. And you will see the same people in here, because once you taste their food, you’ll be back.”

“I love their service,” said Tameka McNeil, who was eating with Sharron. “They’re really friendly, their menu is diverse, and their pie is really good.”

For vegetarians, there’s the Artichoke Ravioli – artichoke and ricotta-stuffed ravioli with fresh tomato and basil sauce and fresh Parmesan ($16) and the Jeffrey’s Broiled Veggie Burger ($12).

I count Jeffrey’s as one of Bed-Stuy’s secret gems. Why more people are not hailing it, is somewhat of a mystery to me.

Perhaps, it is because Jeffrey’s is not on one of the main commercial strips in Bed-Stuy where many of the restaurants thrive. In fact, if you don’t reside close by or have not heard about the restaurant through word-of-mouth, you might miss it altogether, because from the street outside, it’s rather non-assuming.

But now that I’ve sampled nearly half of their menu, I’ll be back. Already, I’m coveting another order of their romaine garlic Parmesan salad and the Steak Diane. And I’m also looking forward to trying their famous pancakes.

Jeffrey’s seats about 25 people, ideal for small, private events, and it also caters. Also, it is B.Y.O.B., so if you’re heading there for dinner, don’t forget to swing by Olivino’s and grab a bottle of wine beforehand.