jmh's Profile
That New Place on Court St. Near Mezcal's Whose Name I Forget
Looks like it's called Palo Cortado, and it is indeed a tapas place: http://www.brownstoner.com/brownstoner/archives/2010/10/streetlevel_spa.php
And it looks like it opened last week. Anyone been?
Lucali's 2 aka Giuseppina's
According to the blurb in Time Out, "Early September" --
http://newyork.timeout.com/articles/restaurants-bars/88352/fall-restaurant-and-bar-openings-in-nyc
Cafe on Clinton closed?
Brownstoner had a post back in March saying the replacement for Cafe on Clinton will be a "locavore" place called Breuckelen: http://www.brownstoner.com/brownstoner/archives/2010/03/streetlevel_loc.php
Anyone been to the new Montreal Smoked Meat deli in Brooklyn, called "MILE END" ????
I don't have any links saying Lucali ever ran out of dough -- maybe they exist, maybe they don't. I'm really not interested in proving anything to you. I personally experienced the "out of dough" situation in October 2006. When some friends and I ordered a second pie Mark came out of the kitchen and told me they only had one dough left and they had put it in the oven for their staff dinner. We smiled and told him that was fine, and we left wanting more. Presumably since then they have started making more dough so they don't run out. I wasn't at Peter Luger or Katz's two weeks after they opened, so I can't comment on that.
I'm not saying Mile End didn't screw up creating all the buzz. I agree with you that they did. My only point is that they obviously need some time to get it right -- and I hope they do.
Anyone been to the new Montreal Smoked Meat deli in Brooklyn, called "MILE END" ????
I think fourunder's point is that if the owners are selling out of product every day, and if selling out of product daily brings in enough cash from their point of view, then business is good whether the fact that they run out of product annoys some people or not. Whether they would do better to make more product is another question.
I know Lucali's hours are "6 pm until we run out of dough" -- presumably they turn some people away at the end of most nights because they don't have anymore pizza dough, and presumably they're comfortable with that. I don't know whether they make more dough each day now than they did when they opened three years ago, but the model seems to be working for them. It takes time to smoke meat, just like it takes time to make pizza dough -- it's not just a matter of throwing another burger on the grill.
Of course, Mile End's growing pains might have been less if there hadn't been so much hype (which I'm sure they welcomed at the time), but I have to think that a new place opening up in a bad economy -- with inexperienced restaurant folks at the helm -- is really just hoping *anyone* comes. I have a feeling the crowds are beyond all expectations. Let's hope they adjust and get the balance right.
LE PETIT MARCHE CLOSED!
Brooklyn Heights Blog now has a follow-up post and a link to the menu:
http://brooklynheightsblog.com/archives/15723#more-15723
Los Paisanos, Smith Street--RIP-OFF ALERT
Or it was an innocent mistake. In any case, there's now a post titled "RIP-OFF ALERT" that may or may not relate to any actual rip-off. I'd say the point has been made without additional speculation about what hypothetical tax might or might not have been passed through to the government if tax had been charged. How much wood could a woodchuck chuck...
To keep the focus on the chow, I'd like to add another voice to the chorus of happy Los Paisanos customers. Having shopped there fairly regularly for several years now, I have been consistently impressed with the price, the service, and most importantly the quality of the meats.
Henry Public
We checked out Henry Public (Henry St. b/w Atlantic and Pacific in Cobble Hill) last night. It was the first night open, and the place was already busy. The transformation of the space from its former incarnation as a tv repair shop is amazing. You would think it had always been a pub. The lighting is dim and the music is mostly jazz. There's a smallish bar area and a few booths in the front room and tables in the small back room.
We tried the burger, which was very good (grass-fed beef ground on premises, and cooked to order). The food menu is limited here; the drinks seem to be the main thing. The cocktail list has some interesting house creations, and they have several beers on tap (I had an extremely fresh Six Points Oatmeal Stout).
This place is a welcome addition to the neighborhood -- definitely worth a look if you're in the area.
Help! Brooklyn Heights Delivery...
Welcome to the neighborhood. We're still a little behind the curve in terms of seamlessweb, so finding the delivery places is a bit more of a challenge. A few options you might not think of for delivery are: Queen on Court St. for very good, but pricey, Italian (718-596-5954) and Tutt Cafe (718-722-7777) or Fatoosh (718-243-0500 ), both on Hicks, for Middle Eastern. When we're in the mood for Chinese delivery, our go-to is Lichee Nut on Montague as the best of a fairly mediocre bunch -- but others prefer Andy's or one of the Henry St. places.
Good luck exploring -- there's actually quite a bit of good delivery to be found. One helpful resource is menupages, where you can search by neighborhood and then filter for places that deliver: http://www.menupages.com
Hip, moderate-priced places in Carroll Gardens, Cobble Hill, Gowanus, or Park Slope?
Maybe Buttermilk Channel (at Court and Huntington)? Or Hibino (at Henry and Pacific)? Also, second the Bocca Lupo rec. if you're looking for small plates and a wine bare vibe.
Eton Dumplings - New Location
This is a second location, not a move. More info here:
http://newyork.grubstreet.com/2009/07/eton_opens_second_cafe_serving.html
Lucali Temporarily Closed
We ate there last night -- it's open again. No back garden seating yet.
Mala Strana Prague
We ate at V Zatisi last week based on this recommendation and a few others -- we were very impressed. The description "lighter Czech" in another thread captures this restaurant's menu. Dinner here was a nice break from the heavier traditional Czech meals we had elsewhere. The wine list was also impressive with some good Czech options as well as a nice selection of bottles from France, Italy, and California.
Note that V Zatisi is in the Stare Mesto rather than Mala Strana.
what's your favorite byob in brooklyn (preferably on the f line)
My vote for best byob in Brooklyn goes to Lucali, a short walk down Carroll Street from the Carroll stop on the F. Great pizza, but you need to get there early (6:00) or be prepared to wait a while.
Trader Joe's Brooklyn?
I'm glad to hear Sahadi's is doing well, even with the new TJs open for a month. I agree about supporting the local places -- we are blessed to have so many fresh, high quality options available from local merchants.
On the other hand, for pre-packaged items like boxed cereal, nutrition bars, ready-to-cook refrigerated/frozen foods (where TJs shines), etc. I have no problem giving my business to TJs over a place like Key Food. The prices are generally better, the employees (real people, mostly real Brooklyn people, despite the funny titles) are generally more pleasant, and the store is about 10 times cleaner. I think the best side effect of TJs' arrival has been that the Key Food on Atlantic has finally started to clean up its act to compete.
Just moved to Cobble Hill
For very good, inexpensive Middle Eastern takeout, try Waterfalls Cafe (Atlantic b/w Henry and Clinton). Chip Shop (also Atlantic b/w Henry and Clinton) does takeout (and delivery) if you're in the mood for fish & chips. You can get burgers, salads, sandwiches, etc. to go from Waterfront Ale House (call ahead to order, then pick up from the bartender).
Two new Restaurants on Atlantic Ave.
We tried the brick oven pizza place over the weekend. Apparently it's owned by the same folks who own Caffe Buon Gusto on Montague. The staff was very pleasant, but the pizza didn't wow us. We'll try it again in a few weeks after they've had some time to work out the kinks and see if it improves. By the way, they apparently intend to have a pretty extensive wine/beer list, but the license is still pending so for now it's BYOB.
New to Carroll Gardens, what's good fellow hounds?
Welcome to the neighborhood. Another place to check out is Bocca Lupo, at Henry and Warren. This is a wine bar, with very good small plates (salads, soups, cheeses, panini, bruschetta, etc.). It's not a "health food" place per se, but it's definitely possible to make a meal of the lighter options.
Baked Bakery in Brooklyn?
The poster who called these "middle of the road homemade" must have had some awfully good homemade baked goods. This isn't a fancy French patisserie on the Payard model -- it's basically a cake place (although they have other things). In my opinion, these are some of the best cakes/cupcakes in the city. I think it's definitely worth giving it a try so you can decide for yourself. If Red Hook (359 Van Brunt Street) is too far out of the way, Tazza in Brooklyn Heights usually has cakes and cupcakes from Baked available.
best brunch in BK Heights/Cobble Hill
For a special occasion brunch, I would go with Jack the Horse Tavern. Great food, pleasant atmosphere, and a more relaxed feel than some of the other places mentioned for a leisurely Sunday brunch.
Trader Joe's Brooklyn
Brooklyn Paper reports that they will open on Sept. 26th. http://www.brooklynpaper.com/stories/31/37/31_37_mm_trader.html
Any one check out Eton for dumplings yet?
They were open last Thursday when we stopped by for shave ice. It looked like the interior renovations were done.
Red Hook Soccer Fields - Any less crowded?
Went last Saturday around noon to avoid the lines. And there were no lines. We had the elote (grilled corn) which was astoundingly good just as in years past. We also had pupusas, huaraches, and a couple fruit juices. I didn't notice any decline in quality from last year. I do think the experience of the ballfields is diminished now that the vendors are in trucks along the streets rather than in tents in the park, but that really doesn't affect the food in my view. And it definitely still had the feel of a local scene when I was there.
I guess I can see how the long lines might take enough away from the experience to make some say it just isn't what it used to be. And I guess it's possible that the quality declines when the vendors are trying to move the long lines. But I think it would be too bad if we wrote the ballfields off as a tourist trap just because they are drawing a larger audience. These are the same people making the same food as before, and in my experience there's still some good chow to be had.
Any one check out Eton for dumplings yet?
I think the ice Eton is selling is a subspecies from Hawaii. Eton is quoted in the article quoted above saying: "We went to Hawaii for our honeymoon and fell in love with Hawaiian shave ice." It appears that when referring to the Hawaiian ice the preferred nomenclature is "shave ice" not "shaved ice" -- see the following from http://whatscookingamerica.net/History/ShaveIce.htm
"Shave ice can be found everywhere in the Hawaiian Island - in coffee shops, mom and pop stores, shave ice stands, lunch wagons, crack seed stores, and especially at any and all public events. In Hawaii, shave ice is thought of as a snack and a thirst quencher. No trip to Hawaii is complete with tasting shave ice.
Mainlanders call them snow cones, but locals in Hawaii call it shave (not shaved ice). Unlike a mainland snow cone, shave ice is not ground ice. The shave ice is so fine that flavorings are absorbed into the ice rather than settling to the bottom of the cup as with a snow cone. In other words, it is the gourmet's snow cone in tropical flavors. In Hawaii, shave ice is sold in cone-shape cups.
An authentic shave ice starts with a block of ice that is spun across a razor-sharp blade (which shaves the ice creating a soft snow-like texture. Then it is packed into a paper cone, and flavored syrup is poured over the ice. Just as everyone has a favorite store, there are favorite flavors, too. Strawberry. Coconut. Lime. Li hing mui. Bubble gum. Liliko'i. Of course, if you can't decide on just one, go with the ever-popular rainbow shave ice."
Any one check out Eton for dumplings yet?
On one level, I see where you're coming from on the shave ice. It's basically frozen water with flavor just like a snoopy sno cone or an Italian ice. But I don't think it's fair to call it lame if you didn't even try the toppings. I had it with the mochi and thought it was pretty good, syrupy sweetness and all. Besides, at the end of the day I don't think people get shave ice for the artisinal ingredients -- they get it because it's kind of like eating a snoopy sno cone. Then again, you're probably right that he could expand his audience if he offered some natural fruit juice options in addition to what he has now.
As to the price, I'm guessing it's just a supply/demand thing. Given the target audience, he probably figures he won't make too many more sales if he lowers the price to $2.00 or $2.50. And $3.50 doesn't seem like as much as it used to when it won't even buy a gallon of gas or a gallon of milk anymore.
p.s. - I think the little jab at the owner was unnecessary. He seemed like a really nice guy when we talked to him, and he obviously had it together enough to cook in some pretty serious kitchens (see ssy216's post above) and to get this place off the ground. Also, I think he at one point posted in this thread (although his post appears to have disappeared) so I think he follows this discussion. Anybody who brings good dumplings to Sackett/Henry is ok in my book.
Amy Ruth's
Any update on when/if Amy Ruth's is going to open in the old Gage & Tollner space?
Best restaurant in Brooklyn Heights?
They have a dining room of sorts, but I always think of it as a takeout place.
Best restaurant in Brooklyn Heights?
I'm a big fan of Henry's End, so that would probably be my first choice. Other good candidates in the same vicinity on Henry St. are Noodle Pudding (very good neighborhood Italian place, weird name notwithstanding) and Petit Marche (French bistro). They are all within a two minute walk of each other on Henry, so you could just check out the menus and make a game time decision.
NYT has finally discovered Flushing
The map is interactive because you can click on the markers for the various restaurants and get a description of a dish the NYT decided to highlight (along with photos of the dish and an audio pronunciation of the dish's name). There's a comments area at http://community.nytimes.com/article/comments/2008/07/30/dining/30flushing.html
Downtown Brooklyn lunch?
You can get a very decent sandwich at Tazza. Walk up Pierrepont to Henry, take a right, then take a left on Clark. Tazza is across from the 2-3 subway on the left side of Clark.
