Only the Blog Knows Brooklyn

Reis 100: New Sandwich Shop on Fifth Avenue in Park Slope

Fans of Bar Reis will be thrilled to know about the new sandwich shop next door. I just got back from there because my friend, Mo, a bartender at Bar Reis, told me to come by and try a sandwich.

When I got there I met Reis Goldberg, owner of Bar Reis and Reis 100. He told me that the shop will be selling 100 varieties of small sandwiches. Reis showed me around the attractive new shop next door and even let me sample two delicious sandwiches. The bread, from Caputo's Bakery is a perfectly sized soft baguette. I had the gruyere, bacon and carmelized onion sandwich which was incredbily delicious. I also tried the cream cheese with Lemon rhubarb berry jam, also delicious. Stay tuned for my interview with Goldberg.

Reis 100 is opening soft with sandwiches at the bar but the new place opens officially on Thursday night. It is on Fifth Avenue between 5th and 6th Streets in Park Slope.

 I love it already.

Seems that Mo, that multi-talented young woman, is making the jams. Here's an email I got today from Heather, a friend of Reis.  

Reis Goldberg, owner of 5th Avenue's Bar Reis, is preparing to open a new shop called Reis 100, which will serve 100 varieties of small sandwiches, all priced at either $3.50 or $5.00. The offerings, served on custom rolls, specially baked by Caputo's in Carroll Gardens, will feature homemade jams and kimchee and the delicacies from local purveyors, such as kielbasa from Jubilat Provisions. Though Banh Mi is not on the menu, there are some combinations that include veal or duck pate. In adddition, there are some great vegetarian options, and a few sweet concotions, including one with a homemade Lemon Rhubarb Berry Jam. Bar patrons will be able to  enjoy sandwiches at the bar, or in the garden that connects Reis 100 to Bar Reis, until the wee hours.

La Bagel Delight Move Is Imminent

According to one of the guys at La Bagel Delight's store on 7th Avenue and 5th Street, they will be moving to their new store on 7th Avenue between 6th and 7th Streets "on Saturday, Monday the latest."  The date depends on when their gas service is working.

Now this is not just a move this is a major expansion. In the new space they've added a salad bar and tables and chairs for eating in. 

Also, the rumor that a new restaurant was going in to the former laundromat on the southwest corner of 7th Avenue and 8th Street is no longer a rumor.  A work permit posted at the site states that the renovations going on at the site (a worker was seen there Tuesday) were "to accommodate an eating & drinking establishment (less than 75 persons)."

Motorino: Pizzas Made to Order in a Wood-Fired Oven

Jessica at Motorino in Greenpoint sent this to me:

I want to make sure you were aware of Motorino, a new pizza spot that opened on Monday in Williamsburg. Chef Mathieu Palombino (BLT Fish, Bouley, Cafe Charbon, Cello) has created a menu that includes a focused selection of local Brooklyn salumi, salads, antipasti and cheeses in addition to 10 pizzas made to order in the wood-fired oven. 

Pizzas include the neopolitan classics: margherita, marinara and three varieties of pizza bianca, in addition to several others that will change seasonally.  For dessert, Motorino features over 10 flavors of house-made gelato and sorbetto to be served on house-baked brioche.  The restaurant is located at 319 Graham Avenue near Devoe Street.

 

Barrio Opens and It's Good!

Tonight Hepcat and I had dinner on the patio of the new Mexican restaurant, Barrio, on Third Street and Seventh Avenue. We sat next to Paul Auster, who was there with two friends.

I asked the waitress, a very nice young woman from Oregon, to tell us about the people who own the restaurant. I didn't have a pad with me and so don't remember their names. It's a couple and they own part of BLT Steak, quite a fancy place in the east 20's in Manhattan. They also owns Rice; a Japanese bento box place; and three other restaurants she couldn't recall.

She told us that the couple bought a house in Park Slope and it's been their dream to own a neighborhood Mexican restaurant and live nearby.

Good sign.

The fact that the food was very good is also a good sign. I ordered a glass of sangria, which was very fruity. Hepcat had beer.

They served us excellent chips and very delicious homemade salsa.

I ordered the vegetable enchilada and Hepcat had pork tenderloin with peanut mole sauce. Both were delicious and Hepcat and I concluded that Barrio is NOT your typical beans, rice, and over-cheesy enchilada and tacos place.

It's gourmet Mexican, I think. The prices aren't cheap. But they're not crazy either (considering the rent on Seventh).

It's very pleasant sitting in the orange tented area with the nice chandelier and the pretty Christmas lights with a nice view of Third Street and Seventh Avenue.

I think I'm going to like Barrio.

Best of all: the restaurant is offering a 15% discount until their real opening on May 1st.

Bar for Civilized Beer Geeks

In today's Dining Briefs in the Times, The Beer Table, on 15th Street and 7th Avenue got a veritible rave from reviewer Peter Meehan.

The list of 25 or so bottled beers, which changes daily, is the focus. It is a fabulously succinct, remarkably reliable document, and most beers on it are not just unusual but unusually delicious.

Instead of organizing the list by country or price or style, Mr. Philips has organized it from “most delicate” to “most rich.” It is a testament to his palate that the organization works, and that his descriptions of the beers are so reliable.

Leipziger Gose, a beer I could drink by the bathtub full, is, per the menu, “super refreshing, herbal, somewhat briny.” Schlenkerla Urbock, a smoky brew from Bamberg, Germany, is “sausage in a glass.”

The Philipses offer few, but worthy, companions to their beers: artisanal cheeses, malt-flavored ice cream and a spread of charcuterie — pork belly rilletes, chicken liver terrine and so on — that a friend makes a few times a week in Beer Table’s nook of a kitchen.

A friend called the charcuterie and beer pairing “the perfect antidote to Bar Boulud.” I’ll call the place a fantastic spot for Park Slopers looking for a civilized way to wind down and a new pilgrimage site for beer geeks citywide.

Staff Meeting at Barrio

I walked by Barrio at noon on Wednesday and it looked like they were having serious training session for the staff in the outdoor/tented area of that new restaurant on Seventh Avenue and Third Street.

They had printed materials and everything.

Looks like they're taking things very seriously over at the new place. Bodes well, I'd say.

Barrio: More than a Canopy and a Phone Number

The orange canopy with the name, Barrio, and a phone number on it, has been up for a week at the restaurant in the space formerly occupied by Tempo Presto the corner of Third Street and Seventh Avenue.

The pinkish background for what will be the Seventh Avenue sign has been painted for weeks, too. Workmen have been installing doors, including a Mexican style wooden door on the front and french doors that lead to the patio.

Today, there are orange vinyl bankettes being moved in. Now I'm guessing that the place is going for a groovy Mexican diner vibe.

Here's a crazy hunch: I thought I saw the owner of Bubby's in the store yesterday but I might be crazy.

If it was him, I am relieved that Barrio will be run by an experienced and very solid restaurant guy. The diner style bankettes do suggest a Bubby's vibe, don't they.

So there's my unfounded rumor based on a hunch. I'm just going with it for now.

Restaurant Week: How's it Going?

New York Magazine's Grub Street warns about Restaurant Week: Use it, Don't Be Used By It:

Brooklyn Restaurant Week begins today, and while there are bargains to be had, be on the alert — too often, small restaurants sign on to get business, but then put the weakest things they have on the special menu or make up for the deal by relentlessly upselling bottled water, overpricing wine, and other tricks of the trade. That said, the good thing about Brooklyn Restaurant Week is that it tends to bring Brooklynites out of their neighborhoods. (Getting Manhattanites to come to Brooklyn to eat is patently out of the question, with a few ironclad exceptions like Peter Luger and the River Café.) We’ll skip over the places that, while of undisputed excellence, are basically just Manhattan restaurants that happen to be located in Brooklyn, like Chestnut or La Lunetta, in favor of restaurants such as Korhogo 126, the African restaurant on Union Street, or the always underrated Waterfront Ale House, where chef Ralph Yedinak does some of the city’s ablest barbecue and game cookery. Embers, one of our favorite steakhouses, is so cheap that you don’t even need Restaurant Week to get you out there — though if it helps, so be it. And after what Rob and Robin wrote about Bay Ridge’s magnificent Tanoreen, this week should be the excuse you need.

But I'd love to hear from YOU. How is your Restaurant Week going? Where have you been? How was it? If you own or work at a restaurant, tell us what's going on.

Daily Ethnic Specials at The Moxie Spot, New Kid-Friendly Eatery on Atlantic

I got this tip from my good friend Adam about a post on Brownstoner called, Kitty Grub on Atlantic Avenue about The Moxie Spot, a newly-opened, kid-friendly restaurant on Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn Heights.

Looks like The Moxie Spot serves a wacky, fun, cross-ethnic, cross-region range of food, including wontons, quesadillas, New England clam chowder, philly cheesesteak, panini sandwiches, fish fry,

They have a daily ethnic special:

Monday: Lamb & Chicken Tandoori
Tuesday: Latino, Tacos & Quesadillas
Wednesday: Carribean, Jerk Chicken w Red Beans and Rice
Thursday: Eastern European, Pierogis & Latkes
Friday: East Asian, Clam w Black Bean Sauce
Saturday: Mediterranian, Italian Ring Sausage & Ind. Pizza
Sunday: Old School American, Clams, Lobster, Mussels, Corn.

Their entire menu is on their website. 

Hint About Future of Night and Day/Biscuit BBQ

The word a few weeks back was that Biscuit BBQ was going out of business and many wondered about the fate of the Night and Day Starlight Room (I think that's what it was called). It was the site of many literary reading, performance by Mary Cleere Haran and Deborah Barsha, and many more interesting events.

Well, Carl Rosenstock, who schedules a literary reading series there had to cancel a March 16th reading. But he did reveal this in his email:

To any & all, & other faithful followers of the Night-&-Day Reading Series

Due to the ongoing renovation of our venue, Biscuit BBQ (soon to be renamed and re-launched with a new cuisine), I must regretfully cancel the reading next Sunday, March 16th, that was to feature Marilyn Hacker, Pamela Laskin, and Yerra Sugarman. We hope to re-schedule this event at the earliest available opportunity.

I have been assured (by all & sundry) that all the changes will result in the venue becoming the pearl of Park Slope. So please be patient with everyone involved. ... And I look forward to seeing everyone at our next schedule reading (Sunday April 20th, featuring Daniela Gioseffi, David Evanier, and Laurel Blossom).

The pearl of Park Slope? Is it an oyster bar? Pearl Oyster Bar? That's a rumor, I'll be the first to admit it because I'm starting it. But I think poet Carl is giving us a hint.

Pearl Oyster Bar, also of Cornelia Street, coming to Park Slope? Why not.

COCOTTE: SORRY TO SEE YOU GO

I am sad to hear via Gowanus Lounge that Cocotte, that romantic French restaurant on Fifth Avenue and 4th Street is going out of business.

The life of a restaurants in Park Slope can be so unstable. Cocotte really made a try of it—they've been around for five years or more. I remember after ZuZu's Petals had the fire at their Seventh Avenue Store, there was a lovely fundraising party at Cocotte, an event which helped them finance their Fifth Avenue store.

My friend Jerry, who knows everything about food in Park Slope, said that Cocotte had gotten really good in the last year (he liked it better than the new Belleville). I must speak with Jerry about this. What's the word Jerry?

According to Bob at Gowanus Lounge, rising rents are to blame for the death of Cocotte. But I think they've been having a hard time for a while. The original Cocotte was opened by the couple who owned A Table, a wonderful, defunct restaurant on Lafayette Avenue in Ft. Greene, with some friends.

Thank goodness for OTBKB readers. One just wrote in with the real story:

Cocotte was opened by my former next door neighbors. Their first and other restaurant was Lou Lou on Dekalb Avenue , not A Table. They sold the coop next door, bought a house across the street, sold it and last I knew had moved to New Jersey . I lost touch with them, but it could be that the commute, on top of the high rent, suggested it was time to move on. If they could open 2 restaurants and make a go of both, they could surely be doing it again. I hope they’re doing well, wherever they are and whatever they’re doing. They’re great people. I remember that special event they hosted for Fonda. I met her that night for the first time. We really do live in a community full of extraordinary people.

In a later email, she wonders if perhaps they sold the restaurant when they moved to New Jersey.

As recently as last week, I recommended Cocotte for a romantic Valentine's meal. It was, indeed, the perfect place for onion soup, Long Island Duck Breast with root vegetable couscous, picholine olives, quince (YUM), delicious crepes, Steak Frites, and hamburgers.

According to Paul Leschen, who briefly penned Only the Blog Knows Brooklyn Restaurants, Cocotte had one of the best burgers on Seventh Avenue (after Stone Park Cafe and Bonnie's Grill):

The burger across the street at Cocotte is pretty good, too; it’s bigger than Stone Park’s, and it too is made with a high quality beef. But the meat at Cocotte is too lean, and as such, it wasn’t overly juicy or flavorful. I had been told it could be served with Gruyere, but I was only offered Swiss. The fries, on the other hand, were Belgian-style and flecked with fresh herbs and, along with a great glass of house Cote du Rhone, made up for the burger’s minor deficiencies.

Cocotte made a great go of it. I for one am very sorry that they'll be leaving the block across from the The Old Stone House. First Living on Fifth, now Cocotte. Hang in there Brooklyn Mercantile, Serene Rose, Razor and the rest...

ALATURKA BECOMES MEDITERRA; FATOOSH ON FIFTH, TOO

Middle eastern cuisine seems to be the thing on Fifth Avenue. First there was Alaturka, which went out of business in November only to be replaced by Mediterra, a pretty place that's reviewed this week's Brooklyn Paper.

Over on Fifth Avenue near 9th Street, Fatoosh has just opened. They have a branch on Hicks Street near Atlantic in Brooklyn Heights. Here's a rave among raves from Yelp:

It's true, perhaps the best falafel around. I mean, it's on the spicey side, especially with the mahammarah sauce (a red pepper spread of some sort), but wow, what flavor and texture. I wish I had a camera, I'd put a picture of it here. At any rate, they make their own pitas on site, so you get a hot fluffy pita with most every meal. They have all the basics, without much flair, but its got this homestyle goodness. The couscous salad is pretty simple, but the subtle spices they use bring out something beyond the traditional halal-cart fare. It's worth a shot, but I'll bet you'll be back. 2nd only to Damascas Bakery in my opinio

Mediterra (381 Fifth Ave. at 6th Street in Park Slope)

Fatoosh ( address to come; Fifth Avenue at 9th Street in Park Slope)

JOLLYBE BAKERY: DECORATIVE AND DELICIOUS CAKES

In case you're wondering who made the Chagall cake in today's No Words_Daily Pix.

Just like this cake based on a painting by Marc Chagall created for a friend's 20th anniversary, your Jollybe Bakery cake can be a work of art! Designer/baker Ruth Seidler will work with you to create the altogether perfect cake for your special occasion.

For Hepcat's 50th, she did a photography cake. Probably the first birthday cake ever with a Diane Arbus photo painted on in frosting.

For a friend's 40th, she did a North by Northwest cake. And for my father's 75th, she created a beautiful cake based on Matisse's jazz series.

Take a look at some of the most recent cakes on these pages and contact JollyBe for more information. Jollybebaker(at)gmail(dot)com

THE DRAM SHOP: NEW NABE BAR ON 9TH STREET

The Yelpers are yelping about it. I stopped in for a look yesterday and it looked like a fun bar with good-sounding food (I read the menu).

The Dram Shop is located on 9th Street between 5th and 6th Avenue (is it the old pet shop?) They've got loads of beers on tap, burgers, board games, and shuffle board?

Dram shop is a legal term referring to a bar or a place where beverages are sold. According to Wikipedia, "traditionally it referred to a shop where spirits were sold by the dram, a small unit of liquid."

I was wondering.

I got a good vibe about the place, which has a dark, comfortable, nicely designed bar and restaurant seating in the back.

I'm guessing that the food is good because the bartender was talking it up...

If anyone has been there let me know.

The Dram Shop
339 9th Street
between 5th and 6th Avenue

VALENTINE'S DAY RESERVATIONS

Brooklyn Based reports that you're already too late to get a Valentine's Day reservation at three of Brooklyn's most romantic restaurants. The Grocery, the River Cafe, and Applewood are all booked, but there are still plenty of other places. Check out BB's recommendations for places that still have space.

But for a cozy, romantic meal on heart's day, Stone Home Wine and Restaurant in Ft. Greene gets my vote.

SWEET MELISSA IN FOOD CHANNEL COMPETITION

Melissa Murphy is the owner of the  Zagat-rated Sweet Melissa's, OTBKB's favorite patisserie and hang for latte and oatmeal with her sister and friends.

I loved Sweet Melissa's even before it came to Park Slope; I used to meet a friend for tea there when it was just a tiny store on Court Street in Cobble Hill, which opened in 1998.

What a selection. What incredibly delicious and beautifully presented dessert items. That place just blows me away.

Recently, Murphy competed in the Food Network Challenge: “Edible Ornaments” which was filmed at The Grove Park Inn Resort & Spa in Asheville, North Carolina. The resulting show will premiere at 8 p.m. Nov. 25 on the Food Network.

Murphy was one of four chefs/designers selected from around the county to decorate an 8-foot holiday tree with “Edible Ornaments.”

The contest consisted of three categories: Garlands, Ornaments and Tree Toppers. All had to reflect the show's theme: Holiday Memories."

Let's all root for Sweet Melissa's and watch the show (while eating a Sweet Melissa Pommier or Madeleine) on November 25th (that's the Sunday after Thanksgiving).

THE SLOPE'S BEST OATMEAL

It's oatmeal season. Or at least it is for me. Cool Autumn mornings just shout out "Oatmeal," don't they?

Yesterday I got mine at Grand Canyon on Seventh Avenue. Nothing fancy with milk, butter and salt added but it sure does the trick. Four bucks, including coffee.

Sweet Melissa's is a tad more expensive but it's Irish style served with strawberries, apples, and maple syrup. I haven't tried Tempo Presto's oatmeal. Cousin John's doesn't have it (but they do have a tasty yogurt served with granola and fruit).

Where do you get your oatmeal?

DINNER AT ELEMENTI: VERY GOOD

Last night my mom friends and I had dinner at Elementi, the new restaurant on Seventh Avenue near Carroll Street. It's the one that replaced Snooky's.

We sat in the back room, a pretty room with attractive lighting and a floral mural in the back.

"This ain't no Snooky's," one of my friends said as we sat down.

The waiter, a handsome man from Egypt, was very helpful and attentive. We took forever to order and he came by at one point and said:

"I just want you to know I'm here whenever you need me."

We swooned.

My three friends each ordered Tagliata Di Manzo, grilled angus sirloin steak, sliced, balsamic-red wine reduction.

"Do you think he'll think we're crazy if we all order the same thing?"

When the food arrived everyone ooohed and ahhhhed.

They devoured their steaks said they were delicious.

I ordered the Coda De Pescatrice, sautéed monkfish filet, oven roasted, yellow cherry tomatoes, sun dried tomatoes, green olives, garlic, virgin olive oil. It was ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS, light and savory, served with mash potatoes and green beans. I will definitely order it again.

For an appetizer we had the Affettati E Formaggi Misti, imported cheeses and cured meats, which we enjoyed immensely.

We were not thrilled with the one dessert we ordered, the Crostata Di Pesche puff pastry, fresh peaches, cinnamon ice cream. That was unanimous. Didn't like the frozen peach. The ice cream was tasty, though.

And the white wine recommended by the bartender was fantastic. It was an Italian Chardonnay.

The bill came to $54 per person (including tax and tip) and that included a very filling meal and two bottles of wine for the table.

I will definitely be back. A perfect spot for an evening with friends, Elementi's back room is an attractive, private-feeling, spacious space with good acoustics -- perfect for conversation and good eating and drinking.

 

MOIM GETS ONE STAR IN THE NEW YORK TIMES

Moim, the Park Slope Korean restaurant on Garfield Place just off of Seventh Avenue, was very well reviewed by Frank Bruni in the New York Times this week.

Kudos to Moim

Bruni loved Chef Park's Korean Korean appetizers, main dishes, especially Dol Sot Bi Bim Bop, vegetables, meat and rice served in a steaming hot stone rice bowl and her signature use of the Korean national condiment, Kimchi.

He wasn't as crazy about Park's take on American restaurant staples like duck breast. AND Bruni most emphatially did not like the service.

The service is a serious issue. On several visits the time that elapsed between our waiter’s visits to the table was so great — and those visits took on such a rare, eventful air — that my companions and I came to think of him as a comet. More than once one of us asked another: “Any idea where Halley is?”

It was the kind of review that that dropped hints about the way the restaurant, with some improvement, could one day get even more stars.

With a little more maturation, a rethinking of a bit of its menu and better service, Moim could join the increasingly populous club of Brooklyn restaurants, like Franny’s and Al di Là, that Manhattanites rightly and badly covet

. OTBKB reviewed the restaurant in late July.

Well, something very special has come to Park Slope and it has an interesting Park Slope twist to it.

Moim is owned by a Korean couple who live in Park Slope. He is a CFO of a Queens hospital and she is the restaurant's chef. They bought the brownstone that Moim is in and did a MAJOR renovation to the space where the Chinese laundry used to be.

But that's not all. The owners dug a new foundation in the former backyard and added an elegant back room for the restaurant and a patio for dining alfresco. The addition also houses the wife's high tech kitchen.

Not only did this couple put an enormous amount of money into the restaurant but also real architectural elegance and Asian style. For the extensive renovation, they hired a noted Tribeca architect, who did an incredible job.

Stone, black brick, Asian screens: beautiful architectural touches abound. Moim, which means "gathering" Korean is an exceedingly nice place to be.

Enough about the decor. The food and service were very good. The moderately priced menu is a a mysterious collection of Korean classics and what I think must be new Korean cuisine.

Still Bruni says that the restaurant wasn't blogged about much. I know my review is on Yelp.

IN an age of countless food bloggers and tireless restaurant scouts, I’m not sure how a worthy restaurant winds up flying under the radar anymore. But that’s where the new Korean restaurant Moim finds itself, no doubt against its wishes, certainly against its interest

After the Times review I don't think Moim is going to have any trouble attracting customers. The only problem is that people are unfamiliar with Korean food. It's a largely unexplored cuisine in the US.

Bruni seemed to have nothing but respect for Chef Park's cooking. Slightly less for her abilities as a restauranteur. But that will come for this gutsy Park Slope chef.

She’s new to this. A Korean immigrant who worked for 13 years as a graphic designer, she decided six years ago to become a professional cook, enrolling in the French Culinary Institute. Jobs as a line cook at Spice Market and Café Gray followed.

And in June, at the age of 48, she dared to open her own place. Its shortcomings suggest she has a way to go as a restaurateur. Its strengths demonstrate that as a chef she has traveled an impressive distance already.

THIS JUST IN: INAKA SUSHI CLOSING AT END OF OCTOBER

An OTBKB reader just sent an email saying that Inaka Sushi is closing at the end of October. Wow. That's the end of an era. Hepcat and I used to eat there when the restaurant was located where Sotto Voce is now. I ocassionally eat lunch there.

My wife and I were sad to learn this week that Inaka Sushi House on 7th Avenue will close at the end of October.

The owner tells us the landlord sold the building and the new owner plans to renovate, forcing her out. She
plans to retire.

Fans of the restaurant are encouraged to pay it one last visit this week.

PIRAMIDE SERVING MEXICAN, RACHELS SERVING LIQUOR NOW

There's a new Mexican restaurant on Fifth Avenue between 12th and 13th called PIRAMIDE. A member of Park Slope Parents (who says she has no connection to the place) says that the food is GREAT, the prices reasonable, and the people are really nice.

I peeked in a few weeks ago before they opened and it looked like a nice renovation and a nice interior.

As of Friday, they have their liquor license.

While we're on the topic, the new bar at RACHEL'S TAQUERIA looks really nice and the joint is hopping. Rachel's on Fifth Avenue between 7th and 8th Streets is now an attractive bar/restaurant serving everyone's favorite burritos.

And one more thing, next door to Belleville and Superhero Supply Store, a take-out organic food shop is set to open. They're doing renovations now. I forget the name but the gist is: prepared fresh ingredients ready to be heated up at home.

BROOKLYN SCORES BIG IN ZAGAT'S

This from the Daily News:

Customers and food critics alike have raved for years over the Middle Eastern dishes served at the Bay Ridge restaurant Tanoreen.

Now chef and owner Rawia Bishara can claim even bigger bragging rights. Zagat's 2008 survey has just named Tanoreen the top Middle Eastern restaurant in all of New York City.

Tanoreen scored 27 out of a possible 30 points for food that was described as "extraordinary," "fantastic" - and considered a bargain at an average of $26 a head.

"I'm speechless," said Bishara, who opened the restaurant 10 years ago. "You work 14 hours a day, not thinking about it. It's great."

Five other Brooklyn restaurants got top food ratings and made the top 50 in the 29th Zagat Survey of city restaurants, meaning diners considered the food somewhere between extraordinary and perfect.

The Peter Luger Steak House in Williamsburg was proclaimed "the No. 1 chop shop for the 24th year running," with a score of 28. DiFara of Midwood got a score of 27 for creating pizza pies that are "pure heaven."

Saul in Boerum Hill scored 27 for "sophisticated," "unpretentious" New American dishes. Over in Park Slope, Al Di La scored a 26 for its "superlative" Italian cuisine. The Grocery in Carroll Gardens and the River Cafe in DUMBO were both once again on the top 50 list.

But getting a good meal in Brooklyn doesn't always mean a big bill.

Also considered a good value were Lucali and Zaytoons, both in Carroll Gardens, and both charging $18 per customer for mountains of food.

Tenzan in Bensonhurst was saluted for its sushi sliced in "huge slabs for modest tabs" while the Garden Cafe in Prospect Heights was cited for its $32 prix fixe dinner. Henry's End's $23 prix fixe made the cut, too.

In downtown Brooklyn, lunchtime standby Hale & Hearty was noted for its "variety of hit-the-spot" soups and salads for $11.

Serving "excellent roast beef sandwiches," Roll-n-Roaster in Sheepshead Bay is considered "an institution." At $14 a person, it's also a "quick bite at a good price."

Among dessert spots, the Chocolate Room in Park Slope scored 25, the highest-ranking citywide.

"We're thrilled," said Naomi Josepher, who shares ownership of the decadent treat shop with husband Jon Payson. "It makes our staff and us want to continue to be creative and strive to be the best."

In Cobble Hill and Park Slope, Sweet Melissa also tempted with "delicate" deserts, tea and sandwiches at about $16 per customer.

Newcomers PT in Williamsburg and Cheryl's Global Soul in Prospect Heights also scored well.

"I hadn't even thought that we would get into the Zagat for a while," owner and chef Cheryl Smith said as the restaurant gets ready to celebrate its first anniversary next week. "It's thrilling."

TWO STARS FOR FRANNY'S IN THE TIMES'

And I've never even been there. Reviewer Frank Bruni goes hog wild for the place. Franny's is located at: 295 Flatbush Avenue (Prospect Place) in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn; (718) 230-0221.

So was Franny’s essentially a glorified pizza parlor? For those outside Brooklyn, did it really warrant a water crossing?

To the first question the answer is no; to the second, an emphatic yes.

Other restaurants have honorable pies, admirable lettuces or noteworthy salumi. But take it from a cranky Franny’s doubter, now a besotted Franny’s believer: not many do all three with as much joy and distinction as Franny’s.

Besides which, Franny’s does more. In June it reinstated pasta dishes on its menu. A few had been there in the beginning but were quickly jettisoned, because Franny’s chef, Andrew Feinberg, didn’t think he’d mastered them.

Now his kitchen has new equipment, while he has new confidence. So it’s pasta once again, and the rigatoncini with peppery pork sausage and sweet cipollini onions will have you hoping it’s pasta forever.

HERE'S WHAT THEY SAY ABOUT TWO BOOTS IN LOS ANGELES

These are the comments that went with the Chowhound post about a Two Boots coming to Echo Park. Keep in mind they are written by Chowhound readers, who can be pretty testy and negative. Someone better set them straight. I don't like what they're saying about Two Boots in L.A.

--Have had it a few times in NYC, it's pretty ubiquitous. But don't get your hopes up, it's rather average. Head West to Vito's instead.

--Concur to a tee. I'm happy it's here and I'm sure it will be a definite upgrade to what exists currently but, in comparison to other NYC pies -- and we're only talking just Manhattan -- it was merely serviceable. I thought Vinny Vincenz down the street rated better and he's just slightly better than average. That said, thank you for the head's up, Suebee.

--I'll have to ditto the yawn. Two Boots made its name back in the `90's with "creative" toppings (by old school NYC standards of the time). Now they're bringing creative pizza toppings to Newcastle.

--I put more priority on the quality of the crust, and I can't believe that a move to California is going to improve their meh crust in any way, but I hope I'm wrong. Broadening the NYC pizza gene pool in this town can't be a bad thing.

--That's too bad, Professor Salt. I have to say it was hard to find gushing reviews on the NY boards but maybe they'll get their act together for us here in LA!

--Don't get me wrong -- I like Two Boots, I went there regularly when I lived out there and I'll make a point to stop in to try it when they open -- but the good Professor has hit the nail on the head, it's coals to Newcastle.

--Besides, something about Two Boots will be missing unless I eat the food directly outside, and Silver Lake Boulevard's a poor substitute for curbside pizza eating compared to Astor Place.

--Now, if you told me that Lombardi's was opening a coal-oven pizzeria in L.A., I (who think "camping" is just a kinder, gentler term for "pretending to be in abject poverty") would be camped out there TONIGHT to be the first one in the door.

--Not that it's an improvement, but Two Boots is going to be on Sunset Blvd., not Silver Lake.

--I lived near two boots for 15 years and never cared for it. people go crazy for thier po'boys that i think are yuck

          

                

SNOOKY'S BECOMING ELEMENTI

And it's a far cry from Snooky's, the classic Seventh Avenue sports bar/restaurant that closed its doors a couple of months ago to some cries of: Not Snooky's, too.

It's not that anyone really ever ate there. It's just, well, it kinda belonged on Seventh Avenue, a symbol of the old, the true, the origins of pre-gentrified Slope.

Elementi's renovation is close to complete and the new restaurant is starting to become visible. Looks like an upscale Italian place.

Gowanus Lounge thinks there's going to be a pasta war and that "the linguini will fly to and fro between Sette, Sotto Voce and Tutta Pasta? Or are they all far enough apart that they get their own territory?"

Judging by the crowds at Sotto Vocce and Sette, there is probably room for one more. I, for one, have never understood the appeal of Tutta Pasta. Hepcat, Teen Spiriti and I went in there around 1993 and promptly walked out. It wasn't as child-friendly as Two Boots and we never came back. Now that we don't need child friendly because our kids are older, I still haven't been back.

I think I had a drink there once with a friend after a poetry reading at the Community Bookstore.

Sette is, I think, in a class all by itself. That said, there is quite a bit of pasta on Seventh. But people do seem to love it. None for me, thanks. I'm on Weight Watchers...

TREATS TRUCK IN BROOKLYN

A new mobile bakery serves fresh, wholesome treats with a retro flairbad I'm on a diet. Oh well

THE TREATS TRUCK has finally hit the streets of New York City.  This newmobile bakery, which is based in Red Hook, serves fresh, wholesome treats with a fun, retro flair.  The Treats Truck, which is named Sugar, is filled to the brim with freshly-baked cookies, brownies, and goodies galore, andcan be found parked in various locations throughout NYC and the surrounding boroughs. 

The Treats Truck is excited to spend its first day in Brooklyn!  On Friday,
June 15th, Sugar will be parked in the Brooklyn Heights/Borough Hall
vicinity.  The location can be found at www.treatstruck.com or by calling
(212) 691-5226 for the exact sweet spot.

The Treats Truck has standards such as Oatmeal Old-Fashioned Cookies (with
raisins, of course) and Chocolate Chip Brownies, but they've also added
their own special touches to such classics as the rice crispy square and
brownies with their Cran Almond Crispy and Mexican Chocolate Brownie. The
Treats Truck also features peanut butter sandwich cookies, caramel creme
sandwich cookies, frosted sugar cookies called Sugar Dots, chocolate chip
cookies, and a rotating list of seasonal, holiday, and customer-inspired
specials.  A portion of the proceeds from the daily special will be donated
to different charities; for the first month, the recipient will be New York
Cares (http://www.nycares.org).

The rotating list of specials will include Junior Cakes - more than a
cupcake, this treat is iced on all sides with frosting, like a full-sized
cake - and the Peanut Butter and Jelly Cake Sandwich, peanut butter and jam
sandwiched between two slices of vanilla cake. Gift boxes and custom orders
are also available.

Her love of baking, treats, and New York City inspired founder Kim Ima
(official title: owner/baker/driver/eater) to launch a bakery.  But, she had
a vision - the Treats Truck! "Baking and serving treats on the streets of
NYC... What could be better than that?" she thought.   Ima's
partner-in-sweets is baker/driver/eater Sekiya Billman, and the two now
spend their days concocting, baking, delivering, and eating lots of treats.
"Treats are good," is their philosophy.  "Hurray for treats!"

The Treats Truck is not only friendly to mouths and hungry bellies, but also
to the environment, as it runs on Compressed Natural Gas (CNG).  CNG is one
of the most environmentally-friendly fuels available.  It is a gas much like
air, rather than a liquid, and is very clean.  "We feel so lucky to have
been able to get our hands on a truck that runs on CNG. Not only is it a
clean burning fuel, but in addition, carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides are
significantly reduced," said Billman. "It's good for the environment and
good for our cookies too! 'Sugar' is a clean, green, baking machine!"

Check The Treats Truck web site to see the updated schedule and route or
call (212) 691-5226. The Treats Truck is also available for catering and
private parties.

www.thetreatstruck.com <http://www.thetreatstruck.com/>
(212) 691-5226

SAVE SOCCER TACOS: A BLOG AND A MOVEMENT

Gowanus Lounge reports that there's a Save Soccer Tacos blog. People are mad as hell and they're not going to take it anymore if anyone messes with those food trucks. Everyone I know LOVES them.

This from Gowanus Lounge:

We don't know if this is going to be an ongoing blog--we hope that it is--or just something with one or two entries, but the awful Parks Department threat to the beloved Red Hook Soccer Fields food vendors has even spawned a blog called Save Soccer Tacos. It has contact information for Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe and other elected officials as well as sample language for an email to the gentleman who could put a quick end to the one of the worst ideas we have heard so far this year.

HI MOIM: NEW KOREAN DINING

Park Slope: MOIM Opening

Park Slope welcomes a brand new Korean restaurant to the neighborhood today. Stop by Garfield Place, just east of Seventh Avenue, for the grand opening of MoiM and check out their menu of "Modern Korean Cuisine."

I ATE LIKE A BONOBO APE YESTERDAY

Really. I had lunch at Bonobo's, a raw food lunch spot, on 23rd Street east of Broadway in Manhattan, that is named for the Bonobo ape.

Bonobo apes are the closest to humans of all the great apes, They  live in Africa and are an endangered species. They are very healthy and live long lives, dying from old age, accidents or predator. Their diet is predominantly raw, wild and plant based: fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds. I had tahini pate with beans, nuts, seeds, carrots, and cabbage, rolled into five small nori rolls. It was delicious and I felt good all day.

All food is served in the most healthful delicious and nutritious manner with live enzymes intact as Mother Nature intended.  All vitamins, minerals and other food components are not changed by heat. We always try to serve tastier and more healthful Organic and naturally grown foods from earth-friendly natural mineral rich soil. Our food is free from toxic chemicals. We support local farmers.  Appropriate nuts and seeds are soaked or sprouted to aid digestion and increase nutritional value. We do not add any processed cooked fats, salt or sugar to any of our food. We use natural healthful sweeteners.  Our "salt" is used sparingly and is Celtic Sea Salt or specially filtered Sea Water with live ionic full spectrum minerals from whence we came.  There is no cholesterol nor harmful heated fat in any of our food.  All fat in our foods has been put there by Nature and is needed by our bodies. Bonobo's food has an abundance of fully assimilable nutritional components such as protein and calcium.  Everything is harmonious with our bodies. Since most food choices are made from social habit, we suggest being adventurous and trying new things.

OTBKB PICKS FOR DINE-IN BROOKLYN

Here's a list of the Park Slope restaurants participating in Dine-in-Brooklyn: Lunch and dinner for $21.12. I have made a few picks -- places I know and love. Those are in bold with the words OTBKB PICK before them. But you can't really go wrong at any of these places. Make your reservations soon. Dine-in-Brooklyn lasts until March 30th. D = Dinner. L = Lunch.

12th Street Bar & Grill (D)

1123 8th Avenue

718-965-9526

200 Fifth (D) #

200 5th Avenue

718-638-2925

Alchemy Restaurant & Tavern (D)

56 5th Avenue

718-636-4385

Anthony's (L/D)
426A 7th Avenue
718-369-8315

applewood (D)

501 11th Street

718-768-2044

Aunt Suzie’s Restaurant (D)

247 5th Avenue

718-788-2868

Bar ToTo Italian Bistro (L/D) #

411 11th Street

718-768-4698

OTBKB PICK: Belleville (L/D)

330-332 5th Street

718-832-9777

Beso (D)

210 5th Avenue

718-783-4902

OTBKB PICK: Blue Ribbon (D)

280 5th Avenue

718-840-0404

OTBKB PICK: Blue Ribbon Sushi (D

278 5th Avenue

718-840-0408

Bogota Latin Bistro (D)

141 5th Avenue

718-230-3805

OTBKB PICK: Brooklyn Fish Camp (L/D)

162 5th Avenue

718-783-3264

Cocotte Restaurant (D)

337 5th Avenue

718-832-6848

KitchenBar (D) #

687 6th Avenue

718-499-5623

Long Tan (D)

194 5th Avenue

718-622-8444

Los Pollitos II (L/D)

148 5th Avenue

718-623-9152

Magnolia Restaurant & Bar (D) #

486 6th Avenue

718-369-4814

Maria’s Mexican Bistro (D) #
669 Union Street
718-638-2344

OTBKB PICK: Melt (D)

440 Bergen Street

718-230-5925

Miracle Grill (D)

222 7th Avenue

718-369-4541

OTBKB PICK: Miriam (D)

79 5th Avenue

718-622-2250

 

OTBKB PICK: North of New Orleans NoNo Kitchen (D)

293 7th Avenue

718-369-8348

OTBKB PICK: Palo Santo (L/D) #

652 Union Street

718-636-6311

Red Café (D) #

78 5th Avenue

718-789-1100

OTBKB PICK: Rose Water (D)

787 Union Street

718-783-3800

OTBKB PICK: Sakura Café (D) #

388 5th Avenue

718-832-2970

Santa Fe Grill (D)

62 7th Avenue

718-636-0279

OTBKB PICK: Scottadito Osteria Toscana (D)

788A Union Street

718-636-4800

OTBKB PICK: Sette Enoteca e Cucina (D)

207 7th Avenue

718-499-7767

Sotto Voce Restaurant (L/D) #

225 7th Avenue

718-369-9322

OTBKB PICK:

Stone Park Café (L)

324 Fifth Avenue

718-369-0082

Tempo Restaurant & Wine Bar (D) #

256 5th Avenue

718-636-2020

Trattoria Mangia (L/D) #

119 5th Avenue

718-636-5259

67 BURGER: ONLY THE BLOG KNOWS BROOKLYN RESTAURANTS

Hepcat and I happened upon 67 Burger (67 Lafayette Avenue near Fulton) a short hop from the  Brooklyn Academy of Music (open 11 am to 11 pm daily). It's got a cool modern look that appealed to us right away. But we had more than 90 minutes to waste before our movie, Volver, the new Almodavar, at BAM.

"It's not gonna take two hours to eat there."

So we went looking for Chez Oskar, which is on a quiet stretch of Lafayette Avenue, near the church. It was farther away than we thought it was going to be.

"It feels good to walk," Hepcat said. He, of course, kept doubting me. "Are you sure we're going the right way."

YES, I'M SURE.

Well, when we got to the site of the old Chez Oskar A Table it was called something else and is now a Mediterranean style restaurant. It was packed, the menu looked great, and everyone looked very happy in there.

"We'll never get back to the movie in time," Hepcat said. "We only have an hour.

Somehow we had whiled away a half hour walking slowly through Ft. Greene.

"Let's go back to the burger place," he said. "A long walk and a burger. Sounds great."

Well, we're glad we did. Burger 67 is such a cool place. We ordered upfront and selected burgers from a large menu of burger styles. I was torn between the Parisian Burger and the Western Burger. I could have banked on Hepcat ordering the Blue Burger.

One Western One Blue. 

They have good beers on tap (Blue Moon was Hepcat's pick) and an interesting/odd selection of beverages like Bosco Chocolate Soda and Diet Rite Cola (Royal Crown Cola).

The front of the shop is a cool, high-tech garage door. The back of the shop also has a glass gargae door facing an interesting brick wall, which will be real nice in the summer whey they can open the doors and have sidewalk seating. There are beautiful high-tech looking ceiling fans and the place is painted an industrial baby blue. The kitchen is out in the open and the manager runs a tight ship.

"We start over fresh every day. Great fresh ingredients. I am very concerned about the temperatures (of the meat), we have great seasonings. It's all good." the very friendly and professional manager told us.

And boy is it good. The burgers are, well, delicious. It's a wide, thin style burger with delicious toppings. The four and a half inch bun (very important to the  kitchen manager) is delicious. 

Mine -- the Western Burger -- came with caramelized onions, BBQ sauce, tomato and onion and it was scrumptious.

Hepcat liked his so much he didn't say a thing or offer me any. Afterward he paid it a big compliment. "This is as good as McBells."

Whoa. McBells was an old Irish bar in the village that had a fantastic restaurant in the back decorated with stained glass windows. And they had the bestest burgers in New York.

When I was pregnant, I swatted Hepcat's hand away when he tried to take a bite. It was that good. I wasn't giving any of it away.

"The only burgers that I think are as good as this are the one's at Stone Park and Fanelli's in Soho) with honorable mention to Bruce's Burgers in Penn Plaza>"

I think Burger 67 has nailed it. A diverse crowd filled the restaurant. And for those who don't eat meat or want something other than burgers there are delicious salads. We had the house salad, which goes WAY beyond the call of duty of the usual house salad. It had olives, red beans, tomatoes, onions, and more...

Impressive. As is the rest of the place. An easy, fast place to eat before or after a movie at BAM. No fuss. No muss. And really, really good. Check it out when you go t to Pan's Labrynth, Volver, or Dreamgirls at BAM. You can't miss with those movies, either.

 

THE SMOKE JOINT IN FT GREENE

THE SMOKE JOINT:

This friendly cafeteria-style place in Fort Greene, Brooklyn, is owned by Craig Samuel ,who bring pedigree to pulled pork, hacked chicken, ribs and other smoky pit barbecue staples. Mr. Samuel is executive chef at City Hall and Mr. Grossman has worked at Picholine and La Grenouille. Seating is at bare wood tables inside and on a glass-enclosed porch. It opened briefly last weekend and will reopen to the public on Friday: 87 South Elliott Place (Lafayette Avenue), (718) 797-1011

--the NY Times

TEMPO PRESTO: SECOND AND THIRD IMPRESSIONS

OSFO really likes the Chicken Caesar Salad at Tempo Presto. She had it two days in a row for a snack (she come out of afterschool ravenous).

She ordered the Cookies and Cream gelato two days in a row and refuses to give me a taste.

I had the Corned Beef Reuben Sandwich for dinner on Thursday night and it is FANTASTIC.

DIaper Diva went in yesterday and was duly impressed with the decor. All she had was a Diet Coke.

Some neighbors from the building came in. They'd been avoiding the place because they thought it was a fancy franchise. They did, however, enjoy their gelato.

The only blemish: On Thursday. OSFO and her lunch pal came in with their Ooodle of Noodles soup from the newstand and sat at a table. They were fully planning to buy gelato after they finished their soup. "If you are not going to buy anything, you can't sit here," the owner told her. Just the night before he'd been super friendly with OSFO and me. They left. They were too shy (or upsetP to mention that they were planning to buy gelato after they finished their soup.

"He picked the WRONG kids to kick out of his store," OSFO told me when I picked her up from school.

She seems to have forgiven the owner, who is a very nice guy. And it seems he made nice with her on Friday. Phew.

TEMPO PRESTO: FIRST IMPRESSIONS

Tempo Presto staged a surprise opening—PRESTO—on Wednesday afternoon (pictured left is their shop on Fifth Avenue not the new one on Seventh Avenue).

At 2:30 p.m., the gates were up and—PRESTO—there was a sparkling new restaurant on the corner of Third Street and Seventh Avenue.

OSFO and I went in there at 4:30 and we were not disappointed. Owner Michael Fiore was on hand taking notes, making lists of things like Hot Chocolate that will be added to the menu.
The staff is super friendly and enthusiastic and that's key on Third Street.

To say that we've been eagerly awaiting the opening of our new hang out on Third Street would be a serious understatement.Third Streeters need a place to hang out, get coffee, breakfast, last minute lunch, etc. for kids. We needed an easy place to be.

And we've got it now. Tempo Presto is zippy. Bright colors, orange chairs, nice signage, stainless steel tables. It's high design with lots of fun factored in.

And it's designed for action. Gourmet fast food made with care, great ingredients, and expert preparation.

The shop itself is super efficient, too. They've got an ATM, a self-service soda machine, take-out food, salads and sandwiches at the ready. A clean, efficient milk, sugar, hot water area, an express line, a sandwich and/or dessert ordering area, a gelato line.

And take a look at the menu - Tempo Pesto is so totally about the food. This is not your run of the mill  salad and coffee place. They've got some fabulous sounding sandwiches and hot dishes on the menu:

Thanksgiving Day
Grilled skirt Steak
Marinated broccoli di rape
Presto Cuban
Hot and Sweet Sopresatta
Pastrami and Melted Swiss
Corned Beef Rueben
Proscuitto and Granny Smith Apple

OSFO had a delicious and fresh caesar salad with chicken. The dressing (and parmesan cheese) was incredible and it was served on the side so that a kid who doesn't like dressing can skip it.
The chicken was not your usual dry, grilled chicken. It had herbs in it and was very tasty and moist.

For Teen Spirit, I got the Grilled Skirt Stead with rice noodles, asian mixed greens, bean sprouts, mandarin orange and peanut soy dressing. We haven't tried it yet but I'll let you know.
($8.75 each salad).

But the sides are the thing: I got the Chickpea Salad with black olives, roasted peppers, basil and Sweet Corn Fregola Sardanian pasta, roasted mushrooms, garlic and olive oil. ($3.00 each).

Tempo Presto is SO totally about the food. But I think the atmosphere is easy, durable, and fun enough to be a regular hang for Third Street regulars.

NEW RESTAURANT IN DITMAS PARK

There's a new restaurant in Ditmas Park (actually it's been there since the summer) and Brooklyn Papers says that it's darn good, just what the neighborhood needed. It's called THE FARM ON ADDERLY here's what wwners, Gary Jonas and Allison McDowell, have to say about the name -- OTBKB

The Farm on Adderley comes from an expression that Gary's family used when something was a long shot. They would say, "If that ever happens, I'll buy you a Farm on Adderley." Adderley is a busy, commercial street in Cape Town, South Africa where having a farm is impossible. For Gary, this restaurant has always been a dream, something he never thought would happen...but finally its here "The Farm on Adderley"

By drawing ingredients from local and sustainable sources, The Farm on Adderely is bringing back "the farm" to Ditmas Park, Brooklyn, which was once occupied by farmland. Chef Tom Kearney's seasonally inspired menu features ingredients from Shelbourne Farms, Golden Ridge Cheese Co-op, Sheldon Farms, local Green Markets, and others..

New Bar and Restaurant
1108 Cortelyou Road
Brooklyn, NY 11218
Click here for map.
(718) 287-3101
Contact Us

Open for Dinner 5:30 to 10:30
Bar open until 1:00
7 Days a week
Brunch served Sundays 11:00-4:00
Reservations for 6 or more

PAN LATIN BISTRO TUCKED INTO A BROWNSTONE ON UNION STREET

From the New York Times: Palo Santo

652 Union Street (Fourth Avenue), Park Slope, Brooklyn; (718) 636-6311.

BEST DISHES Fish and grits; pupusas; rabbit stew; tamales; asopado (soupy rice); conch stew.

PRICE RANGE Appetizers and small plates, $2 to $12; lunch entrees, $6 to $12; dinner entrees, $14 to $26; desserts, $6.

CREDIT CARDS Cash only.

HOURS 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday to Friday; 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; 6 to 11 p.m. Wednesday to Sunday.

GOOD SPOT THAT V-SPOT SAYS GOWANUS LOUNGE

Nice pix of the V-Spot's patio out back on Gowanus Lounge, another great, new Brooklyn blog Sounds like he liked the food a lot, too.

...checked out the V-Spot, a five-week old vegan dining spot on Fifth Avenue between Douglass and Degraw, for brunch on Sunday. We are happy to report that our limited food sampling yielded good results and that we were content at V-Spot. Best of all, it's a welcome addition for the vegetarian- and vegan-minded. GL had the Breakfast Wrap--which is tofu scramble, cheese and sausage--with a side of tostones. GL's sidekick has the tofu scramble. We both liked the tofu scramble, although I found the tostones too dry. The deserts are superb. (In fact, we took a slice of Chocolate Covered Strawberry Shortcake and one of Chocolate Chocolate Cake to go...

Read more at Gowanus Lounge

POSTCARD FROM THE SLOPE_NIGHT AND DAY

Strike night, friends and I walked over to the restaurant,  "Night and Day" on Fifth and President. Robin Hirsh, who owns the restaurant with Judy Joice told, us that he'd been in the restaurant since 6 a.m. "doing the dishes and doing everything" because no-one made it in until much later.

There were two waiters on-duty last evening, a busy night at the restaurant. Still, spirits were high. Robin fussed over our wine choice and gave us tastes of some of his favorite wines. A table away, he pointed discreetly, "is Mario Batali's wine guy. I'll find out what he's drinking." Minutes later, Hirsh came over with their bottle of wine, an incredible Burgundy, and gave us each a taste. "This is a real, very serious Burgundy," Robin said. It was delicious we all agreed. "I love all my wines, they're my babies."

The food was fantastic. My friends ordered Garlicky Escargot with diced veal marrow, parsley, and house made  farfallini & herbed veal jus (not my thing) but it smelled amazing. We ordered Hangar Steak, Oven-Roasted Duck Breast w/ baby carrots, brussels sprouts, roast fingerling potatoes & a green apple- mustard seed reduction, and a Crisped Skin Wild Striped Bass and they were all incredible. We even met the chef, Simon Glenn, who is from New Orleans (there must be a story there).  He has developed a superb bistro-style menu. If you went to Night and Day during the summer or early fall before Chef Glenn came on board: YOU MUST GO AGAIN. "Back then the food was, let's just say, spotty," Robin told us. "Now it's spot-on. Hey, I should be a writer or something," he added.

Well, he is. Robin, a witty, convivial host, is a published writer and poet and the owner of the  Cornelia Street Cafe, a legendary west village restaurant. He is also a truly cool New York impresario. Night and Day has a terrific performance space in the back, which features music, theater, literary readings and more. His partner, Judy, owned the also legendary Lions' Head on Christopher Street. Together, they have the experience, high standards, and cache to bring something really great to Brooklyn.

Night and Day is just what Fifth Avenue needed: a top notch restaurant open night and day - lunch through dinner with brunch on the weekends AND a performance space. With Robin at the helm, it is a fun place to be, a friendly place to drop into any night or day of the week.

YAY FOR NIGHT AND DAY. You are the one.

NEIGHBORS HONOR THE MEMORY OF FIREMAN DAVE

This piece was published in the Bergen Record yesterday. Coincidentally, the same day that the plaque was stolen from the tree on Fourth Street.

By William Tucker

WE LIVE on a very close-knit block in Brooklyn, the kind of which they say "We've got one of everything." There are old people, young people, black people, white people, Christians, Jews, atheists, crazy people, sane people, prosecutors, defense attorneys, and people who've spent some of their time in jail.

We stick together, though, and every fall there's a block party. In December we have a Christmas/Hanukkah gathering, usually at our house.

About eight years ago a young couple showed up at the party and caused quite a stir. They had just moved in as tenants two doors down. Both had big families in the suburbs and seemed to bring their own entourage. As word got around, the new couple seemed to embody all the wild improbabilities of Park Slope. He was a fireman and a sculptor! She was a writer and a stand-up comedian!

Young and talented, almost penniless, they were making a go of it in the city with little more than their enthusiasm, talent and ambitions. She had a droll personality with caustic candor that made people laugh.

Onstage this transformed into a one-woman act with a bassoon and a side-splitting routine with her sister as two girls discussing the ins and outs of beauty school.

He was unbearably handsome (as she liked to say), a rugby player, and a rising star in the fire department. At the Fourth Avenue station he had noticed a picture on the wall and found it was of two members of the company who had died in World War II. They had never been honored. He tracked down the families, some as far away as Texas, and brought them back for a memorial services, for which they were tearfully grateful.

He took every type of special training and was obviously headed for big things. One of his sculptures adorned the firehouse. They had one child and were thinking about another. He moved up to Squad 1, an elite rescue unit on Union Street, and was the only member who still lived in the neighborhood. Every October he brought the fire truck around to our block party. Their son was rapidly becoming the most envied kid on the block.

Then came Sept. 11. Dave was 10 minutes from the end of his shift when the first plane struck. He had just called to tell Marian to meet him at Connecticut Muffin, on Seventh Avenue. It was their eighth wedding anniversary. They were headed for the Whitney to see some sculpture and celebrate. About 6 that evening, when there was talk of 20,000 dead and everything was still in chaos, I met Dave's landlord at the grocery store. It hadn't even occurred to me that Dave was involved, but my neighbor said he was missing downtown.

Maybe he just hasn't been able to call, I said.

"No, I've got a bad feeling about it," he said.

My wife was at Marian's apartment around midnight when two firemen came to the door. Dave and 10 other members from Squad 1 had been shepherding people out of the second tower when it collapsed. Rescue workers were searching for survivors but they didn't have much hope.

"He was a hero," my wife offered. "He was in there helping other people."

"I don't give a s--t about those other people," Marian said. "I just want my husband back." They didn't find Dave's body until December.

Marian eventually attracted a lot of press attention. Transparent, strong and funny, even in her grief, she was always good for a quote. One New York Times reporter virtually fell in love with her and wrote story after story. She founded the Widows and Victims Family Association, met Rudy Giuliani and President Bush, and wrote for The New Yorker about attending the State of the Union address with Hillary Clinton.

This year she has published her memoir, "A Widow's Walk," released Sunday by Simon & Schuster. She's featured in Vanity Fair and was on the front page of Sunday's New York Post. She's moved back to Staten Island and seems much happier than she was four years ago - although you know she'd trade it all for five minutes with Dave.

Two years ago, at our holiday party, we placed a plaque beside a young tree that's struggling to survive on the sidewalk between our houses.

It reads "In Memory of Firefighter Dave Fontana - Beloved Husband, Father, Neighbor, Artist, Hero."

On Sunday several people placed flowers on the little iron fence that guards the young sapling's life. Fourth Street hasn't forgotten.

William Tucker is an associate at the American Enterprise Institute. His column appears Tuesdays. Contact him at billtucker@nyc.rr.com. Send comments about this column to opedpage@gmail.com.

Copyright © 2005 North Jersey Media Group Inc.
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ONLY THE BLOG KNOWS BROOKLYN RESTAURANTS_TV DINNER

by Cathy Hannan
OTBKB Guest Writer

Da Vincenzo
256 Prospect Park West
718-369-3590
Hours: Tuesday through Friday 5-10pm
Saturday and Sunday 2-10pm
Closed Mondays

Da Vincenzo is  a  new Italian restaurant at Prospect Park West and
Prospect Ave.  The menu seems promising: pastas, salads, a nice selection  of
appetizers and entrees, and a kids' menu. Prices range from about $6 dollars for a salad to $22 dollars for a veal dish. There's also nightly specials that the grandfatherly waiter had scribbled on a notepad. They've got a decent wine list, some at just $5 a glass, 6 beers on tap, about ten in bottles. No liquor.

Formerly a bakery, it just opened last week. As Regina  Bakery, this
was the place in the last scene of As Good as it Gets when Helen Hunt and
Jack Nicholson were on the street "looking for warm rolls" at 4am.

I really wanted to like this place! We need a nice Italian restaurant
over here. I think it has "Hit or Miss" syndrome like the Japanese, Thai,
Mexican  and Indian places on Prospect Park West. Some dishes are good,
some are awful, like you think maybe the cook is trying to weirdly Americanize
the cuisine and failing miserably. The Thai place down the street serves
its egg rolls with Kraft barbeque sauce...

The stuffed mushrooms were a little strange, they reminded me of a
Salisbury Steak TV dinner.  The delicious house special is Tubettuni Da Vincenzo:
small tube pasta with tomato sauce and eggplant, baked in a eggplant shell.
But the pesto pasta was inedible: overcooked, and flavorless. The
sirloin steak was nice-- flavorful, cooked as ordered, served with simple
sides.

Overall, the portions are large and a good value. Desserts range from
fair to okay.

But they commit the ultimate restaurant ambiance sin: There's a TV! I
could understand if there was a proper bar area,  but they don't have one. 
Is it really necessary to watch sports above the bar? Are the neighborhood
guys really that reluctant  to talk to their wives during dinner? They were
playing some nice cheesy Italian rock music, so I suppose I should be
grateful that they at least had the television's sound turned down.

The crowd is a  mix of young hipsters and older Windsor Terrace
couples. They have outdoor seating, when I went it was a beautiful cool night
and its very open, you can actually enjoy sitting outside.  Service is
attentive. I'm sure they'll work some of the kinks out of the menu, once they've
been open a while longer.

ONLY THE BLOG KNOWS BROOKLYN RESTAURANTS_Eels, Dogs, and Curry

Taro Sushi: 446 Dean St. b/w 5th and Flatbush.
Nathan’s: 1310 Surf Avenue, Coney Island.
Nio’s: 2702 Church Avenue at Rogers Avenue. 2 train to Church Avenue, walk one block west.

by Paul Leschen

The heat got to me. I was dehydrated once again, and I didn’t want to drink water anymore and was too tired to go to the corner store to find something more interesting to refresh myself with. My drummer canceled on me again for band rehearsal, and I was hallucinating and wheezing from the heat, and the baby German roaches were marching down the Reichstag in my kitchen sink, and…I needed to dine, and good. Only sushi could save me from melting into a puddle.

Taro Sushi brought mild, temporary joy back into my life. I ordered omakase, leaving the decision-making in the hands of the chef. It was $35, (if you spend more you’ll get a more elaborate meal) expensive enough to be considered self-therapy.

Taro is perhaps the least glamorous Japanese restaurant in the area. It’s small, and there’s nothing fancy about it except for the fish and the skill and devotion of the sushi-master. These folks didn’t open a sushi bar just for the money; they’re pesca-artists. Even so, most of the orders that passed by me at the sushi bar were for California rolls and Sushi Regular platters. Can’t vouch for the quality of the standard stuff, but my omakase was great fun.

I was served a monkfish liver appetizer, a raw oyster, shrimp, and scallop—after I ate the shrimp I was asked to return the head so that it could be fried. Yessss! A slice of fish and a sublime bite of sea eel, both flown in from Japan. Slices of salmon and fatty tuna. With each presentation, the guy admonished me to either use, or omit, soy sauce. The junior sushi chef (the soux-sushi chef?) yelled at me for not eating sushi in one bite. It was educational…

After the final spicy scallop roll I turned over and smoked a cigarette paid the check and left with a new lease on life. Thanks, Poseidon.

Summer in New York means the obligatory visit to Nathan’s with out of town guests. Rumors are true: the original Coney Island Nathan’s is superior to any other franchise location, especially those along the New Jersey Turnpike. It has something to do with a different, snappier casing for the hotdogs. The fries are better as well, and they’re still serving up frog legs and fried clams.

The crowd at the picnic tables is always amusing. This time it was the little kid, couldn’t have been more than six, who screamed (SCREAMED!!) toward his mother, “Get me a God d**m soda!!!!”

After some of us rode the cyclone, which is also fierce as is it ever was, we took a driving tour of Brooklyn and ended up at Nio’s Trinidad Roti Shop in East Flatbush. I wouldn’t say Nio’s is the best roti I’ve had, but this place is way up there. 

If you’ve been living in denial of the largest Carribean population in the U.S., and haven’t had a Guyanese or Trinidadian roti, I’ll explain. It’s like a curry-filled “burrito” made with a starchy skin that is somehow stuffed with ground yellow split peas. It’s filled with your choice of meats, usually still on the bone, and curry chickpeas and potatoes. Hot sauce is optional but recommended, but unless you were raised in Thailand, beware the red hot sauce at Nio’s.

I had a glass of mauby with my chicken roti, which I had confused with sorrel, the sweet red hibiscus drink. Mauby is bitter, and clear-colored, and likely made from some kind of root. I loved it. You can also opt for a bottle of Peardrax, a delicate pear-flavored soda from Trinidad.

Paul Leschen is currently musical director of The Great Official Subway Musical, which is part of FringeNYC 2005, a theater festival in lower Manhattan. He has written restaurant reviews for the New York Press.

ONLY THE BLOG KNOWS BROOKLYN RESTAURANTS_GETTING OUT OF BROOKLYN

Culinary Institute of America
Hyde Park, NY
http://www.ciachef.edu

by Zachary Borovay

Like many Slopers with cars, my girlfriend Marna and I often find ourselves entangled in the great "Alternate Side of the Street" debate on a Saturday morning: should we go out of town for the weekend and give up our prized Friday spot? Well, last weekend we thankfully did. Only two hours away from the Slope, we found ourselves on a windy old two-lane highway with cows to our left and tree covered mountains to our right.

Marna called ahead to see if there were any cancellations and managed to land a reservation at Ristorante Caterina de' Medici, the Italian restaurant at the Culinary Institute of America's "restaurant row" (the other restaurants at the school are French, American, a bakery/cafe, a family cafe and a restaurant specializing in California wines).

Ristorante Medici is part of the Colavita (yes, the olive oil company) Center for Food and Wine. In fact, it was fun to see the different schools and they respective sponsors, like the General Foods Nutrition Center and the Shunsuke Takaki School of Baking and Pastry.

A few summers ago, we discovered that many of the high-end culinary schools have student-run restaurants where aspiring Bobby Flays and Mario Batalis perfect their craft. These restaurants usually offer 4 star service and food quality, while�maintaining very low prices. And as an aspiring chef (well, at least as a Food Network addict), it is always interesting for me to� chat with the students about what they are learning and how they are applying it to our meal.

Our meal began with a lovely white bean spread and some rustic toasted bread. I find it is always a nice change of pace when something other than butter is presented with the bread at the head of the meal. Our server was quite friendly, and really provided an interesting window into what her studies were like. When we inquired about a particular white wine, she informed us that she had just tried it that afternoon in her wine tasting class. Oh, if only I could be in that class too!

For the antipasti course, we selected the Tagliere di Salumi Misti con Sott'Aceti (Italian cured meats with house-made pickled vegetables) and the Cicchetti Misti, a selection of tastings including fresh mozzarella in olive oil, panzanella (bread salad), grilled strawberries in balsamic vinegar and very thinly sliced fried zucchini with crushed chili flakes. The generous portions of prosciutto and other meats were pretty tasty, but definitely not house-cured. The tastings were small, but all bursting with flavor. Each was also very different in texture, color and sweetness/tartness than the next.

For our primi piatti (first course), we had the Orecchiette Baresi con Salsiccia e Rapette (orecchiette pasta with Italian sausage and broccoli rabe) and Gnocchi con Pomodoro, Basilico, Ricotta e Grana Padano (gnocchi with cherry tomatoes, basil and ricotta cheese). The orecchiette with sausage, a favorite dish of mine, was executed to perfection. The pasta was perfectly al dente, while the sausage was sweet and savory, and the broccoli rabe added just the right amount of tartness to the dish. The gnocchi were also quite good, again though seeming to have been store bought pre-fab, while the sauce surrounding it was light and crisp with delicate cherry tomatoes that had a pleasant pop when eaten.

Our secondi piatti included the Costolette Di Maiale con Peperoni Agro Dolci e Scarole (roasted pork T-bone chop with sweet and hot peppers and escarole) and the Denitice Rosolato con Verdure alla Griglia e Olive Siciliane (red snapper with Sicilian olive dressing and grilled vegetable ragout). The pork chop was prepared very simply, which allowed the flavor of the perfectly cooked meat to shine through. The surrounding escarole was a very nice complement to the sweet taste of the pork. The red snapper had a nice citrus flavor to it, with olives and capers providing some nice saltiness to balance out the dish as well.

When it came time for dolci (dessert), we asked our server about a particular almond paste and pine nut cookie I enjoyed at Sette on 7th Ave. here in the Slope recently. She came back from the kitchen explaining that the chef knew of that kind of cookie, but that the baked goods had already been prepared by the pastry students earlier in the day and she gave us a little sample of the cookies they had made (all good, but none as remarkable as the Sette cookie). We settled on a nice little bit of gelato to finish the meal. It was flavorful, not overly sweet, and featured that extra bit of creaminess that separates gelato from traditional American ice cream.

While our server was very professional, her knowledge seemed a bit limited in the pairings of foods and wines, and her recommendations seemed a bit unsure. But I can hardly hold it against her, as she was a student learning about these things. Those kinds of experiences come with the territory at a culinary school restaurant. Overall, the service was very good and our server was very pleasant and attentive. The food was definitely worth the trek. While it wasn't cheap, it was probably about half the price of a meal of equal quality in NYC.

If you are looking for a high-end meal without the high-end price, check out the local cooking school and see if they have a restaurant! (Boy, that sounded like Rachel Ray, didn't it?)

When he's not producing award winning projection designs on and off Broadway, Zachary Borovay, a Food Network junkie and Park Slope foodie, is eating or writing about it.


 

ONLY THE BLOG KNOWS BROOKLYN RESTAURANTS_NIGHT AND DAY

BRUNCH AT NIGHT AND DAY
Fifth Avenue at President Street

by Paul Leschen

We all know someone who has had a difficult time adjusting to his or her move to Brooklyn. Yeah, the R train sucks, and one might have to walk ten blocks to buy fresh Mozzeralla in the middle of the night. But after a visit to Prospect Park in the early days of spring, and a sudden realization that they are allowed to walk slower here, they all become diehards (or boring suburbanites, in the eyes of their old Sex-and-the-City crowd).

Two weeks ago I marveled at how a Manhattan import, Brooklyn Fish Camp, felt so at home in Brooklyn. But when city restaurants come to town, sometimes they carry a little too much city with them.

In Manhattan, sometimes, brunch is, well, brunch. Something that happens every week. For 20 years. After so many brunches, all you expect is poached eggs atop an English muffin with some kind of yellow sauce and either a bright green vegetable or a piece of pork. You’re probably too busy thinking about next week’s business trip to Charlotte to even care.

That is just the brunch I experienced at Night and Day, the new place on the corner of President and Fifth, that is still finding its way.  The menu is a syllabus for Intro to Brunch. The dinner menu, which I had the pleasure of reading while waiting to be offered a glass of water at the bar, did little to awaken me from my Saturday morning (alright, it was 2:30PM) coma.

Service was Manhattan-esque, too. There was too much distance between staff and patron; transactions were executed in a way that implied that they didn’t expect to see us again, as if people from other neighborhoods, or other boroughs or countries, were coursing through the doors. The staff wasn’t at all mean, or incompetent, just a little too detached.

In the kitchen, I pictured a hard-working group of cooks with no head chef. The sautéed ham, or prosciutto or what have you, on the eggs benedict was the lone ingredient that was supposed to make this dish unique. And it was gray, and not very delicious. Someone should have realized that there are hundreds of more tempting porky things to put in an egg sandwich—how about chorizo, scrapple, spam, pork tenderloin, or apple/hazelnut wood-smoked thick-sliced bacon or something like that. The rest of the dish was fine; eggs were properly poached, and the plate was pretty, replete with the usual sliced strawberry and field greens garnish.

The frittata was quite good. The edges had crisped up a bit, the salting was right on. It was filled with an array of complementary goodies (which, I’m sorry, I’ve forgotten—hey, it’s just a blog…) including fried potatoes. Lots of potatoes. And it was served with a large side of—potatoes. How strange! Why serve potatoes with potatoes? And they were the same exact potatoes, too. Which were, incidentally, fabulous.

Could Fifth Avenue be over? With Smith Street a total bore these days, we may be well on our way. Exciting, modern restaurants are popping up all over Fort Greene/Clinton Hill and Prospect Heights, but we’re getting something as laid back and plain-Jane as this Night and Day place. Those places have slate walls, menus written on chalkboards, hip-hop infused world music to set the mood, and dark, subtle lighting to make sagging faces appear youthful and vibrant. Night and Day has yellow walls, an imposing wooden bar, and, gosh, even the font on the menu is uninteresting. And if you didn’t care to notice the fine lines around your features, too bad…there are mirrors on every wall. 

There are hints of greatness here: the coffee was absolutely wonderful, the mimosa was out of this world. But right now, let’s think of this restaurant as a blank slate; the proprietors own the building, so with a little tweaking the restaurant may someday blend in seamlessly with the world around it. Right now, it’s still searching for its soul. Godspeed you, Night and Day.

Coming in September:  Dinner at Night and Day.

ONLY THE BLOG KNOWS BROOKLYN RESTAURANTS_BROOKLYN FISH CAMP

by Paul Leschen

Mary had a little Fish Camp whose clientele was…OK, I won’t go there. A certain blogger and I met for lunch last week at Brooklyn Fish Camp, a bright baby-blue beacon of the seafaring life on the formerly raunchiest block in Park Slope. It is an offshoot of Mary’s Fish Camp, in the West Village, and because of its proven track record, is an instant classic.

Along with the Blue Ribbon restaurants and the brand new Night and Day, Fish Camp is part of a West Village migration to Fifth Avenue. These dining spots have an advantage over the homegrown competition in that they have already played the game on even more dangerous turf and won. To pay West Village rent and be able to afford to build a second home in occupied Brooklyn is a hell of an accomplishment. It can also mean a shrewd business sense…but no matter what corners Fish Camp cuts (small wine list, only one type of oyster, small cramped space) they’ll make it up to you by providing fresh, generously-portioned and dependably tasty seafood.

Dinner on a crowded night proved impossible for me the first time I tried to eat there. The line couldn’t fit in the small bar area, and fists were flying. Lunch was another story; the room seemed calm, the pace relaxed. I was able to appreciate the cool black and white photographs on the walls that serve as an NYC-stylized replacement for ropes, anchors, and wooden steering wheels.

Start with a beer; the tap selections are perfect for clams and fishes. The wine list is small and familiar—I’d rather a more varied selection of whites, maybe a Gruner Veltliner or something austere from France. Appetizers lean toward the unkosher. We shared a half dozen firm, saline Malpeque oysters—nothing wrong with ‘em.

I had to get the lobster roll. It’s famous round these parts. Maybe a lesser-known lobster roll would cost less than $23. The trick, I think, is that the lobster chunks are removed from the shell and tossed in a relatively light mayonnaise-based sauce right before being served. The roll itself is fresh baked and holds up to the salad. I can imagine paying $15 up in Maine somewhere for a scoop of premade lobster salad atop a dry commercial-quality roll. Still, Brooklyn Fish Camp’s lobster roll is the most expensive sandwich I’ve ever had and many of you, despite the unquestionable deliciousness, will feel ripped off. It’s a sandwich. Served with a mound of fries. Which are addictive.

My highly literary and congenial dining partner ordered the Mako Shark BLT. There weren’t any flaws, it was well built and the shark filet was expertly grilled. But I didn’t see stars. Maybe more profound bacon like that available at Stone Park would have put this one over the top. The spicy onion rings get an A for effort, but onion rings are greasy and there are only so many square inches of them that I can ingest without having visions of myself splayed face-down on the floor of a small rural house while photographers point wide-angle lenses at me for my photo spread in the supermarket tabloids as “world’s fattest piano player.”

Everyone’s food looked better than ours, especially the catch-of-the-day entrees, and yet we both enjoyed ourselves. I can trust these guys, at least during off-peak times. And I’m finding more and more that dining in the neighborhood is all about trust (when it’s not about being adventurous).

ONLY THE BLOG KNOWS BROOKLYN RESTAURANTS_PAN-LATIN BISTRO

by Paul Leschen

Bogota
Fifth Aveue at Douglas Street

As promised, I headed out to Brooklyn Fish Camp on Friday night, hoping to find briny oysters and a lobster roll that lives up to its mighty reputation. I wasn’t the only guy in the neighborhood with these plans. The miniscule restaurant was so crowded that everyone in line at the bar starting pushing, shoving, and accusing one another of cutting in. I would rather eat oysters from a sardine tin than to sit in one with these other crabby seafood lunatics.

So much for lobster rolls. My friend and I exited left onto 5th Avenue, confident that we could find a table at one of the 58 (see Chowhound article, below) restaurants along the strip. Seems that Bogota, a pan-Latin bistro, had just flung open its doors days before. It was glowing with promise and had seemingly cleansed its two storefronts, which used to belong to the Fifth Avenue Committee, of their sour disposition.

I know, and if you don’t know I’m a tellin’ you now, that you should never visit a restaurant until they’ve been open for at least two weeks. But I made an exception because I was hungry and feeling rather tropical in my Carmen Miranda outfit. Due to the newness of Bogota, I’d consider this blog entry as only an early report, and in all fairness, I won’t say too much about the service except that for a first weekend night things ran fairly smoothly (maybe not for everyone else in the room, but at least for my table.)

We ordered a caipirinha and a glass of white wine from Mexico. The caipirinha, a Brazilian cocktail made with sugar, lime juice, and cachaca, was strong, sweet, and went down easy. So too was the Mexican wine--I should have gone with Manischevitz instead. Yep, it was easy drinkin’ for the both of us, encouraged by the subtle lighting and festive but tastefully hip décor. Not hip like Williamsburg, but more in an awkward, homemade 5th Avenue kind of way, like a Latino Long Tan.

A large plate of cornmeal battered fried calamari came in slightly cold, but had a decent kick and contained a fair amount of tentacles, my favorite part. The fresh, soft corn arepa topped with avocado salad was a real winner, the avocado salad being the only item I ordered that night that tasted just right…blissfully salted and perfectly ripe.

My skirt steak entrée was nice sized, cooked medium-rare as requested, but was covered in a piquant chimichurri sauce that easily overtook the flavor of the meat.

With each entrée, priced from $12 up to $19, you get to choose red beans or black, white rice or yellow, and one side. I chose sautéed garlic spinach for my side—not enough garlic, and virtually unsalted.

The red beans were very good, as they should be in any Colombian restaurant. I was warned that they would contain pork...you know, in Queens, where Colombians are now the largest immigrant group, it’s common to dip your fork into a bowl of red beans and pull out a slice of a pig’s ear. I didn’t find any offal in Bogota’s beans, but they had that same complex porcine taste. The black beans, which are vegetarian, weren’t nearly as good.

The strangest food perversion here was the “chicharron” that came with the Bandeja Paisa, the ubiquitous Mountain Platter that you can find in Jackson Heights for six dollars. Colombian chicharron is usually a denture-shaped hunk of half skin, half pork meat with a crispy texture and plenty of fat. At Bogota, instead of this tasty treat, you get a piece of lean sausage, cut into the shape of chicharron, that tasted suspiciously like Hillshire Farms kielbasa. And here is the Catch-22 of the food at Bogota as I see it—it’s a bit too rustic to merit the fancy bistro treatment, but not authentic enough to beat the cheap Queens places at their own game, especially at double the price. Still, Bogota adds a welcome new dimension to our diverse dining options, and can be a fun place to hang out and party (cheap drinks) with a group of friends.

Paul Leschen recently moved back to Brooklyn from Durham, North Carolina. He is a pianist and composer who has worked with the Scissor Sisters, Hedda Lettuce, and Murray Hill, among others. He has written about food and restaurants for the New York Press and the Portland Mercury. His food column will appear on OTBKB every Wednesday and Friday. Contact him at: foodntunes@yahoo.com

THERE ARE 58 RESTAURANTS ON FIFTH AVENUE

From Flatbush to 12th Street, Ellis Aponte, Jr. on Chowhound says there are 58 restaurants on Fifth Avenue. Most of them have opened since 2000.

To the best of my knowledge only 16 of the 58 have been open since the 1990s (four of these are pizzerias).

In five and a half years Slopers have gone from being chow-deprived to being aswim in chow. With respect to the notion "too much is never enough" the question now is, what else do we need? What cuisines are poorly represented in the Slope or missing from the area altogether?

It's also rather interesting how few failures 5th Ave. has seen recently. Of the places that have opened since the Al di la revolution, I can only think of Vaux, Mexican Sandwich Shop, Bibi's, Surreal Café, and Café Fuerte, and I doubt very many people miss those last three.

For the record, these are the 16 places I believe have been open since the 1990s:

El Viejo Yayo; V/M Pizzatown; Calexico; 200 Fifth; Fifth Ave. Pizzeria; Mezcal's (the older one); 5th Ave. Bageltique & Café; Aunt Suzie; Al di la; Coco Roco; Fifth Ave. Café; JFK Fried Chicken; Uncle Liao's; Aniello Pizza; Joe's Pizza; Tacos Nuevo Mexico

-From Chowhound

ONLY THE BLOG KNOWS BROOKLYN COFFEE_AGAIN

Apparently, the strong outcry for Mojo and Connecticut Muffin from some OTBKB readers really got to food writer, Paul Leshen, who left his apartment at approximately 5 p.m. on Friday afternoon to see what all the fuss was about.  But not before he posted this on OTBKB.
OK, OK...I'm on my way to Mojo. I'll drink a half cup of coffee from Mojo and half cup from Connecticut Muffin. My apologies for leaving them off the list...I'll have to make it over to Prospect Heights as well. Remember, coffee is often a matter of personal taste; many people prefer Dunkin' Donuts coffee to the strong, locally roasted stuff at Gorilla.

Some of my favorite coffee places are outside the neighborhood, including Atlas and Gimme Coffee in Williamsburg, Fall Cafe in Carroll Gardens, and Joe on Waverly in the Village, which has what I believe to be the best drip coffee in NYC. More later!"

Clearly, our man Paul takes his job writing for OTBKB seriously. At 6:17 p.m. Paul sent this missive after sipping coffee at both the Mojo and Conn Muff, as it's sometimes called in these parts.

"I'm back. And high on caffeine. Congrats, OTBKB. You're right...I approached Mojo with the same trepidation as George did, and came away similarly impressed. They have great coffee. They're at least in the top three on the list now. I gave Connecticut Muffin another shot, and I think they're headed south in the rankings.

"Heights Coffee Lounge, on Flatbush Avenue, uses Kobricks Coffee, which has improved a bit over the years, but is still not very strong or distinct tasting. Seems like a good place to hang out and surf the web."

Later, when I spoke to Paul on the phone he said, "I really owe you an apology! Mojo is the second or third best coffee in the Slope." I was pleased that Paul and I are on the same page when it comes to coffee. My husband hates the coffee there and schleps all the way to Conn Muff for a Hazelnut iced coffee or an expresso, which he says is top- notch.

Clearly, making lists can get you in lots of trouble. But it's a great way to get readers involved. Because EVERYONE has opinions about coffee in Park Slope. That's for sure.

When I first read Paul Leschen's list of Slope coffee spots, I was surprised, if not dumbfounded, that he left off two OTBKB faves: Connecticut Muffin and Mojo. I e-mailed our intrepid food reporter and he responded by same. "I guess I should amend it to include Connecticut Muffin after Ozzie's," Leschen wrote. So here goes:

Connecticut Muffin. I once drove to Norwalk to try some real Connecticut muffins, which are actually shaped like a hexagon and contain rosemary, chocolate chips, and dried figs. I’m not a big fan of the drip coffee, and I’ve not yet had a cappuccino there. The Prospect Park West location is a suitable place to kill time before a film and chat with local seniors. I don't know much about Mojo...is that the place with the Carvel ice cream and the big patio?

Yes, Paul, it's the place with the Carvel ice cream and the big patio. Seems that Mojo, a veritable Third Street institution, isn't on Leschen's radar. But why should it be: he doesn't live on Third Street or have children at PS 321. It may be hard to believe that a cafe crossed with a Carvel could be any good at all, but Mojo, against all odds, does a nice cup of Joe. For my summer coffee needs, I like their light iced coffee. And the morning staff, especially Cory, who has been there for years, is excellent.

While I'm thinking about it, it does seem only fair that Cousin John's, probably the oldest coffee and pastry joint on Seventh Avenue, deserves a mention for their coffee, lattes, and cappuccinos. Their large selection of breakfast pastries, muffins and croissants is really good and very buttery.  The whole wheat croissant is also worth a try.

And while I'm at it, an honorable mention might go to the coffee cart on Lincoln Place and Eighth Avenue, right in front of the Montauk Club. The coffee is, well, not much to speak of. But the guy in the cart is quite good natured and he's got a good selection of classic New Yawk breakfast fare: buttered hard roll, french cruller, non-Krispy Kreme glazed donuts

It seems that OTBKB readers also have strong feelings about their coffee. Here are some of the places they think Paul Leschen left off his list. The ommission of Connecticut Muffin seemed irksome to many. Readers also added lists of their own. In some cases they didn't remember the name of the place.

Zak wrote: Don't forget the little french bakery next to Steve's C-Town on 9th Street between 5th and 6th ave. They have some tasty coffee options. And any comprehensive list should probably also include Connecticut Muffin, Java Joes, The Charcuterie, Dizzy's (lot's of people grab a Dizzy's cup before descending into the F train), Little Red Hen, and of course, the cart in front of Barnes & Noble on 7th Ave. Sometimes you need a cup of Joe just for it's basic "joe-ness!"

Michael Bradley wrote: How could you leave out Connecticut Muffin, across the street from Starbucks? not only is the coffee better, but the atmosphere is less oppressive.. and they deserve a lot of credit for not folding before the monolith.

Susan wrote: How sad is it that Park Slope has changed so much since I lived there, that I don't know one single place you mentioned. How long has there been a B&N on seventh ave??? I do know where Connecticut muffin is, so I guess I could find the Starbucks if I needed it the next timeI visit friends.You are right about the coffee in the south though. After drinking Carluccio's while living in London, the NC coffee places just can't make it strong enough for me.

Stephanie wrote: Ansade on 5th is pretty good. And free wireless, too.

And someone named Daybird wrote: The new place on the Prospect Heights side of Flatbush at 7th Ave is really good. Strong coffee, free wireless. Forgot the name dammit. It does say "Heights" in the name; of that I am sure. You Slopers better keep yo' asses on the SPF 50 side of Flatbush and not ruin this place!

Thanks to all you OTBKB readers who responded to Leschen's call-out. This is not the end of the story. Only the beginning....

Keep those cards and letters coming. We want to hear from you about....

Coffee.

ONLY THE BLOG KNOWS BROOKLYN RESTAURANTS_COFFEE ROUND-UP

Editor's note: Stay tuned on Friday July 8 when OTBKB-Restaurants presents an even more comprehensive look at Park Slope coffee.

by Paul Leschen

Just back from a trip down to Wilmington. Obviously I’m delighted to be back home. Now I can get good coffee again.

The one thing that irked me the most about Wilmington, even more than the apparent political apathy and incredible lack of openly gay people, was Port City Java, the local coffee chain. Twice I bought beans and had them ground for my stovetop espresso doo-dad, and both times the grind had the consistency of Folgers crystals. And every coffee drink I bought from them, from straight espresso to their frozed frappa-type beverage thing, was weak. Naturally, the joint is wildly popular with the locals. The South really has a weakness for, well, weakness.

Here’s a half-baked list of notable Park Slope coffeehouses. Let me know if I forgot anyone!

1.Gorilla Coffee. Roasted in-house, served up by skilled baristas on a fancy espresso machine. I like their drip coffee the best. And the clientele has a nice rawk style too ‘em.

2.Café Regular. Like Paris, only with good coffee. Also great for an early morning OJ, indulgent pastries, and cheap hard-boiled eggs.

3.Naidre’s. But I never go there… it’s too expensive.

4. Has Beans. Stupid name, but great location…on 18th and 5th, right near my house. The drip coffee is dependable, the espresso inconsistent.

5. Parco. More of a French pastry shop, but the coffee ain’t too shabby.

6. Tea Lounge. Coffee is passable, couches are comfortable (but dirty) and they have beer. But enough with the Grateful Dead. Union Street location has a clientele that somehow makes every neighborhood demographic feel like an oppressed minority.

7. Starbucks. Yes, I like the coffee at Starbucks better than those lower on this list. Of course, drinking Starbucks in a neighborhood with plenty of better local choices is plain silly.

8.Ozzie’s. Original location has cute old pharmacy fixtures. Sometimes it takes a long time to get your drink there. They charge for Internet use at the 5th Avenue location.

9.The Place By The Q Station on Flatbush.

10.Dunkin’ Donuts. Blueberry iced coffee is a threat to traditional values. There should be a law. If these people get their way, all coffee in America will be blueberry-flavored. Have you tried this stuff? Yeeccccchh. It tastes pre-dunked.

11.Postmark Café. This little shop on 6th Street and 5th Avenue serves some of the weakest coffee in America. I’ve had stronger coffee at a soul-food joint in Hillsborough, North Carolina made with a quart of boiling water and a teaspoon of Taster’s Choice. When I inquired as to whether this batch was weaker than the norm, I was told with a straight face and glazed-over eyes that they like it that way.

Paul Leschen recently moved back to Brooklyn from Durham, North Carolina. He is a pianist and composer who has worked with the Scissor Sisters, Hedda Lettuce, and Murray Hill, among others. He has written about food and restaurants for the New York Press and the Portland Mercury. His food column will appear on OTBKB every Wednesday and Friday. Contact him at: foodntunes@yahoo.com

ONLY THE BLOG KNOWS BROOKLYN RESTAURANTS_Seafood

by Paul Leschen

Wilmington, North Carolina is a mid-sized coastal Southern city on the banks of the Cape Fear river, best known as the location for the filming of Dawson’s Creek and One Tree Hill. I’d been dreaming in a nautical color scheme for weeks before I headed down I-95, and now I’m happy to report that the place does indeed have a hell of a seafood scene. And a rockin’ nightlife, if you’re a hip-hop loving Nascar fan who does coke and dropped out of college.

All of this goes on behind closed doors, of course (the seafood—not the drugs). One shouldn’t leave fresh, affordable, locally-caught fish in the hands of a southern cook in a restaurant—they’ll fry it. In the same oil as yesterday’s hushpuppies and chicken strips. For a long time. The secret down here is to find a fisherman who sells his daily catch from the side of the road, at fair market price with no middleman, and cook it at home. Hopefully (I know you’ve got it in you) you can do a better job than the in-prison-as-recently-as-last-week cook at the fry shack.

Here in New York, we do things our own way when it comes to seafood. We simply go to Le Bernardin. Or, if you didn’t just sell your brownstone or propose to your lover, somewhere like the Brooklyn Fish Camp that recently opened down on Fifth Avenue and DeGraw Street, the site of my first Park Slope apartment where a kind old lady smoked crack next door until the wee hours of the morning. I’ll be sure to pay a visit when I get back into town next week. And I’ll check out Brooklyn Fish Camp, too.

I ate fairly well down South…cooked up a mound of whole head-on shrimp (I even ate a few of the heads), a couple of soft-shell crabs, and a supersized portion of mahi-mahi that I picked up for seven dollars. I also managed to find pretty good Korean food, at a place called Hanguk Garden. Now I’m no linguist, but when I see a word like that appear in a restaurant window, I know there’s gonna be some Kim Chi buried in the yard somewhere. The owners were totally entertaining, and too keen (and too Korean) to be from Wilmington. When I told them that I knew about Korean food because I lived in Queens for a year, they told me to check out their sister restaurant in Flushing.

Paul Leschen recently moved back to Brooklyn from Durham, North Carolina. He is a pianist and composer who has worked with the Scissor Sisters, Hedda Lettuce, and Murray Hill, among others. He has written about food and restaurants for the New York Press and the Portland Mercury. His food column will appear on OTBKB every Wednesday and Friday. Contact him at: foodntunes@yahoo.com

ONLY THE BLOG KNOWS BROOKLYN RESTAURANTS_NIGHT AND DAY

NIGHT AND DAY
230 FIFTH AVENUE (at President Street)
PARK SLOPE, NY 11215
718-399-2161
knightanddame@aol.com

Look what I found in my in-box. Robin Hirsch, part-owner of the Cornelia Street Cafe and Judy Joice, owner of the Lion's Head, have joined forces to bring a Greenwich Village-style eatery and performance space to Park Slope. Well, the Cornelia Street Cafe happens to be one of my favorite places in Manhattan. I have spent many a night there with a friend or two, drinking Chardonney. I couldn't be happier about this turn of events.

Once upon a time there was a legendary watering hole in Greenwich Village called the Lion's Head. Every writer in America hung out there, not to mention half the politicos, theater people, musicians, and sports figures.  It had a glorious run for twenty-eight years.

Twenty-eight years ago this July, three young artists opened a little one-room cafe on Cornelia Street, also in Greenwich Village, a stone's throw from the Lion's Head.  Slowly it grew, acquiring two more rooms, a kitchen and a downstairs performance space.  Every poet and performer in America, not to mention half the scientists, stiltwalkers and ventriloquists, developed new work there.

Now Judy Joice of the Lion's Head and Robin Hirsch of the Cornelia Street Cafe have joined forces, together with master chef David Lopipero, to create a new gathering place in Park Slope, one of  the most vibrant and vital communities in New York today. 

NIGHT AND DAY is a song by Cole Porter, a play by Tom Stoppard, and as of tonight a restaurant/bar/performance space at the corner of Fifth Avenue and President.

Well, not yet a performance space . . .

We will open in stages.  As of tonight, July 1, at 5pm dinner.  Then, in a week or two, brunch on the weekends, followed by lunch and eventually breakfast.

Meanwhile in the back on President Street, on what was a carport (the death of yet another parking space sorry!), we are building a beautiful skylit dining room and performance space, where we expect some of the literary lions, musical heroes and acrobats of creativity who give Brooklyn in general and Park Slope in particular its unique character, will find a place to play.

Then, in the fall, when we all have our act together I'll have a real opening.

So  . . . if you're in town over this stifling weekend, we have a really expensive air conditioning system, not to mention a gorgeous space, terrific food and a beautiful bar.   We'd love to see you.

Robin Hirsch   Judy Joice