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When the mood for raw meat strikes, the Roebling Tea Room in Brooklyn is a great place to go for its untraditional take on steak tartare.

Here, you can order the dish as an appetizer, but if you’re smart, you’ll double-up for an entrée-sized portion, made for frequent diners like me, who just can’t get enough.

This seasonally-focused American restaurant draws a casual, yet lively, crowd who come to enjoy high-quality comfort food in a warm, wide-open, modern rustic space.

Chef Dennis Spina first introduced his steak tartare in 2006. It is different and unexpected, with crispy, fried chickpeas. It reminds some people of a deconstructed roast beef sandwich.

The restaurant use high-quality beef sourced from local farms. They chop it all by hand too, starting with a portion of lean top round and breaking it down, just small enough to not be too chewy.

The chef starts by placing a portion of beef in the center of a plate. He then drizzles Kewpie mayonnaise, which is a creamy, rich mayo from Japan, very generously over the meat and tops it with deep fried chickpeas. He then adds small capers, minced chives, flaky sea salt, seasonal leafy greens, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and, lastly, a quarter lemon.

The final plate is colorful and inviting. Squeeze a little lemon, and let the flavors and textures do the rest!

The coarse salt and crunchy, almost wafer-like chickpeas balance out the fresh, soft beef. The capers add a nice pop and pickled punch. The chives and greens add a touch of clean, crisp brightness. And the sweet mayo and fruity olive oil help complete the dish with a smooth, velvety finish. It’s so good that you forget that you’re eating raw meat.

Roebling Tea Room is located at 143 Roebling Street in Brooklyn. For more dining recommendations visit chow.com.