Brooklyn Food & Drink Round-Up

Opening This Weekend: Henry Public and Piquant
New York magazine snapped this photo inside Henry Public, “a saloon, and one that will serve cocktails made with Kold-Draft ice cubes along with grass-fed ‘hamburger sandwiches,’ oysters, turkey-leg sandwiches, marrow bones, and eventually brunch.” (329 Henry St., near Pacific St., Cobble Hill; 718-852-8630)… This weekend also marks the soft opening for Piquant in Prospect Heights, which promises “Mexican-influenced faves studded with high-falutin’ touches, served up in surroundings marked by muted green/red/yellow tones, exposed brick, wall-mounted candles, two generous wooden bars, paper lantern-style ceiling lights, and a rock waterfall jazzing up a sizable, tree-lined back patio,” says Thrillist (259 Flatbush Avenue at 6th Avenue; 718-484-4114).

Purple Yam Pushed Back
1314 Cortelyou Rd (between Rugby and Argyle), Victorian Flatbush
The owners of Manhattan’s now-closed Cendrillon have been planning on opening another Filipino pan-Asian restaurant called Purple Yam near the Cortelyou Road Q-stop for months — the opening was originally slated for April. Now, with spring and summer behind us, Ditmas Park Blog shares this tidbit from the restaurant owners: “Yes, we have been delayed again due to permits which take a loooonnngg time to process… We want to thank those of you who have written asking how they can help. When we find out, we will let you know.” They’re now hoping to open in “late October.”

Two Stars for Smith Street’s Saul
140 Smith Street (Bergen Street), Boerum Hill; (718) 935-9844
“One of the first restaurants to bring a contemporary sensibility to Brooklyn when it appeared on Smith Street in 1999, it has neither faded, nor stood still, nor sought a personality transplant. Instead Saul Bolton, the chef and the owner with his wife, Lisa, has upgraded just about everything in their modest storefront. Saul is the same restaurant, but better,” writes Pete Wells for the New York Times. The slideshow that accompanies the review has us craving Saul’s amazing baked Alaska.

After the jump: Adrian Grenier isn’t pulling his weight at the Park Slope Food Coop, Brooklyn Star is serving beer and brunch, an rooftop farm fundraiser at Roberta’s, and how to register for the Fourth Annual Casserole Party…

Adrian Grenier: Not Exactly Coop-erating
A Park Slope Food Coop spy tells Grub Street that Grenier has only been marked down for three of his shifts this year: “According to the Coop’s FAQ, members are supposed to work thirteen two-and-a-half-hour shifts per year (or they will be burned at the stake). We’ve already speculated that Grenier is on the Future Time Off Program that allows for some flexibility, but still: If you’re signing up in hopes of a Vinny Chase sighting, you might want to just stick to Key Food.”

Quick Bites
Grub Street also shares the new beer and brunch menu at Brooklyn Star — now you can wash down biscuits and gravy with a $14 PBR pitcher… Time Out New York reports that on Tuesday, October 13, “the rooftop produce pioneers and renegade pizzaiolos at Roberta’s are beginning a series of dinners to raise green for a one-acre rooftop farm to open in Bushwick next spring… Dishes include sautéed kale from Roberta’s existing rooftop veggie patch, crostini with smoked ricotta and pickled tomatoes and beet arancini with pecorino… the cost of the dinner ($150) includes local wine and beer.” … And if you’ve got a killer casserole recipe, now’s the time to register for the Fourth Annual Casserole Party, a casserole competition to be held Tuesday, October 20, 2009 at Brooklyn Label in Greenpoint.