StreetLevel: Another French Bistro for 5th Avenue

An example of owners opening the kind of business they want to open, rather than the kind of business the area can use, I guess. In its favor, though, the location is, what, 8 blocks or so north of any of the other bistros you mention? (AOC being the northmost.)

Posted by: guest at October 18, 2007 2:32 PM

How about opening just a nice all-american, but high-quality, diner? with a jukebox.

Posted by: guest at October 18, 2007 2:35 PM

OMG, is that window actually the former front door? Are you kidding me???

Posted by: guest at October 18, 2007 2:39 PM

Daisy's and the Fifth Avenue Diner (both off 9th St on 5th) are perfectly good diners. If you want high-quality, there's Dizzie's on 9th St and 8th Ave.

Posted by: guest at October 18, 2007 2:40 PM

yeah, but those are all the way up on 9th street. I mean on the lower end of 5th Avenue.

Posted by: guest at October 18, 2007 2:44 PM

Bonnie's is also a great diner.

We need no more diners in Park Slope.

What we need is Ethiopian or a really good Indian place.

Or maybe a brick oven pizza parlor.

Posted by: guest at October 18, 2007 2:46 PM

Too bad. At least Red Cafe, which this replaced, was a bit different from everything else on the avenue (it was red, for one thing).

Posted by: guest at October 18, 2007 3:00 PM

I second on a good Indian place.
Kinara, Bombay Grill and Amin are all pretty mediocre.
Also, re: American food, check out Barbecue on 20th and 6th Ave. It's a schlep and it's a tad hipsterific, but the food is worth it.

Posted by: guest at October 18, 2007 3:00 PM

I would love to see a place where you can get salads made to order.

Something like you can do at Europan.

Maybe that new Organic Heights joint on Bergen will be a winner.

Posted by: guest at October 18, 2007 3:03 PM

learn how to cook. you bunch of LOSERS.

Posted by: guest at October 18, 2007 3:08 PM

All I know is I walked into Canaille with a friend on Sunday around 1pm, and the lone person there was over-the-top "astonished" that we had come inside.

She said, with an attitude "We won't be open until this evening."

Then why is the door unlocked? I already dislike the place. Next.

Posted by: guest at October 18, 2007 3:12 PM

3:03 PM You can get salads made to order down the street at Luscious.

Posted by: guest at October 18, 2007 3:13 PM

ok. i'll try luscious. always seems to be closed when i walk by though. along with everything else.

5th avenue in general needs to step up it's hours.

if it's going to be a restaurant and shopping destination how about having regular hours and perhaps staying open for dinner past 11.

and how is anyone supposed to shop when everything is closed at 7. wait for the weekend?

new york is so not the city that never sleeps.

seems like people in park slope sleep plenty.

Posted by: guest at October 18, 2007 3:24 PM

park sleep
pork slope
puke sloppy

Posted by: guest at October 18, 2007 3:31 PM

park dope

Posted by: guest at October 18, 2007 3:33 PM

Better than another meteor shop.

Posted by: guest at October 18, 2007 4:09 PM

I've noticed that it's been open more than a week.

At least 3 by now.

Posted by: guest at October 18, 2007 4:17 PM

They'll be serving shit sandwiches once AY is built.

Posted by: guest at October 18, 2007 4:30 PM

Actually they will be packed when AY gets built.

I think that's why a ton of stores/restaurants are trying to get into the North Slope now before rents skyrocket even further.

Something new opens on this strip every week it seems.

Posted by: guest at October 18, 2007 4:32 PM

3:31, 3:33, 4:30,
it's amazing how many childish posters there are here on this blog. If people have nothing to say , they say it anyway.

Posted by: guest at October 18, 2007 4:34 PM

Well, it wouldn't have to do much to be better than Moutarde and Belleville, in my opinion. I'm pretty easy to please, but Moutarde seemed like the McDonald's of bistro fare, except the fries weren't as good. And once at Bellville, I ordered a second glass of wine and was served a distinctly inferior (and cheper) wine than I had been drinking. The waiter's "surprise" at my complaint did not seem altogether genuine.

Posted by: guest at October 18, 2007 4:39 PM

I have ZERO idea how Moutarde stays in business.

That place is a shitshow.

It looks like it should be in Busch Gardens.

Posted by: guest at October 18, 2007 4:43 PM

Hey 4:34, I know you are are, so what am I?

Posted by: guest at October 18, 2007 4:44 PM

i'm 3:33 and i didn't write 3:31 or 4:30.

have a problem with it??

Posted by: guest at October 18, 2007 4:54 PM

agree that park slope only appears to have good restaurants. i'd say none that are world class like saul and dressler which both have a michelin star this year.

the slope is for people priced out of boring uptown manhattan hoods now.

Posted by: guest at October 18, 2007 5:02 PM

take your frog star and shove it up your ass

Posted by: guest at October 18, 2007 5:06 PM

Blue Ribbon Sushi, Moim and Al Di La are what I'd call way above average, verging on world class.

Posted by: guest at October 18, 2007 5:10 PM

applewood, as well

Posted by: guest at October 18, 2007 5:31 PM

La Taqueria and Chiles and Chocolates are damn good Mexican places.

Posted by: guest at October 18, 2007 5:35 PM

Snakes in Cobble Hill terlets. Fo real.

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/offbeat/2007/10/18/richardson.snake.toilet.wabc

Posted by: guest at October 18, 2007 5:43 PM

is dressler really good? i guess if it has a star it must be at least ok. we went once and will never be back. weird service, high prices (low value) etc.

Posted by: guest at October 18, 2007 5:45 PM

Al Di La made Bon Appetit's list in their "Five Best" issue a few years ago, featuring the five best restaurants in each of five cities. It's probably one of the best northern Italian restaurants in this or any other city.

If you're limiting Park Slope to 7th Avenue then it may be true that the neighborhood has no outstanding restaurants, but 5th Avenue is the true restaurant destination of the Slope. Al Di La, Stone Park, Blue Ribbon are all outstanding.

There's also Applewood on 11th Street.

Posted by: guest at October 18, 2007 6:00 PM

5th ave needs a good noodle shop that delivers. Convivum Osteria is a very good rest. that no one ever mentions. I miss Red Cafe.

Posted by: guest at October 18, 2007 6:29 PM

At least it's not another sushi joint.

How about a Malaysian place?

Posted by: guest at October 18, 2007 8:08 PM

It should close and a Red Lobster should open there. I want surf and turf.

Or maybe an Apple Store or a Trader Joe's

Oh, sorry, wrong article to post to. I should check out a real estate posting and talk about how Park Slope is so great.

Buy in Bed-Stuy.

Posted by: guest at October 18, 2007 8:17 PM

Sock full of oranges for 8:17.

Posted by: guest at October 18, 2007 9:28 PM

I have eaten at this place already and I have to say its amazing. Michelle, formerly of Robin DeBois, is the head chef and she yet again has found a way to comfort by belly. People should really go there, have a meal and a glass of wine before passing judgement. Lighten up people...

Posted by: guest at October 19, 2007 2:05 AM

AOC is average, and the other "French" restaurants, Belleville, Moutarde, and Cocotte, are just laughable. If that's what qualifies as French in Park Slope, we should be ashamed. So, bring on a French restaurant that dares to exceed beyond mediocrity, please!! I don't understand how Belleville and Moutarde keep their doors open. . .

Posted by: guest at October 19, 2007 9:54 AM

--This new joint is located several blocks from the large concentration of restaurants on Fifth south of Union. May be a good business decision to park there.

--Agree that the need for yet another French bistro is questionable. Can't agree with those who pan Cocotte...generally pretty good fare.

--The bigger question is whether it makes sane business sense for new restaurants to open in the slope. We certainly have reached saturation point, notwithstanding all of the development in the Fourth to Sixth Ave. corridor that is bringing thousands of new residents to the neighborhood. Fifth Ave. is still crowded in the evenings, particularly on weekends.
But, does that population justify a dozen more restaurants? Seems to me so many of those strollers are just looking for brunch (ahh, brunch, there's another subject...why are people so enamoured of lousy eggs and french toast served with booze at noon?).

Posted by: guest at October 19, 2007 10:04 AM

this is not south of union.

Posted by: guest at October 19, 2007 10:44 AM

"why are people so enamoured of lousy eggs and french toast served with booze at noon?"

No, we are enamored of yummy eggs and french toast served with booze at noon. Brunch = best meal ever!

Posted by: guest at October 19, 2007 10:56 AM

I can't believe someone is SO pathetic that they can even hate brunch.

Sad, sad soul.

Guess you hate puppies, too?

Posted by: guest at October 19, 2007 11:12 AM

Puppies make a delicious brunch.

Posted by: guest at October 19, 2007 11:46 AM

What we need on 5th Ave is a good Denny's or IHOP

Posted by: guest at October 19, 2007 1:24 PM

Yep, there's a definite dearth of pancakes on 5th avenue. And a severe lack of sushi.

Posted by: guest at October 19, 2007 4:50 PM

A quick word about AOC -- we heard some good things about it, so we called lsat Friday to make reservations. Were told, "oh, 2 people, 7 p.m., no problem, just come on by." Got there, 3/4 empty, were shown a choice of two terrible tables. Asked "how about there?" were told, all those are reserved. But..but..we explained earlier phone conversation. Little french guy in tweed fedora utters a classic, "it's my restaurant, and that's it!" I got my jacket and hat, and we left. Bon chance, monsieur. I'll spend my hard-earned mooney at Al Di La, Tempo and Osteria Convivium -- and go to Les Halles when i need a decent bistro fix. Au revoir, AOC.

Posted by: guest at October 22, 2007 1:29 PM

I went ther elast week after finding out they had jsut opened. The food was great.. the pork just melted in my mouth. I had taken 3 of my friends there and they all left completely satisfied with the quality of the food. One thing I dont get is why people complaint about "ANOTHER this.. and ANOTHER that" Listen, just because there are plenty of other places doesn't mean a person doesnt have to have vision to feel like they can bring something of higher quality for a community. So why not try a place.. or ask your friends what they thought of it if htey went in.. but stop judging a place just because it didnt seem to fit an idea of what it should be. If it were for this.. nothing would ever be opened anywhere. That's my two cents on this... and I hope Canaille remains around for a long time.. I definitely will be making more stops there.

Posted by: guest at October 26, 2007 10:47 PM