« In Brooklyn, Brand Value Outpacing Real Estate Bathroom Reno #9: Connected In Crown Heights »
December 4, 2007
Restaurant Sorrell Closing?
There’s plenty of hand-wringing on a Brooklynian thread about the rumored demise of Prospect Heights’ Restaurant Sorrell, the corner spot on Carlton started by ex-360 chef Alexandre Tchistov. (Sample comment: “So sad. We suck as a neighborhood.”) So is the buzz true? Maybe. Tchistov told us he recently put the place on the market and is considering opening a new business in Chinatown. Nothing’s been finalized, however, and Tchistov says Sorrell is going to stay open for the foreseeable future. Seems to us like the closure would indeed be a blow to the area’s culinary scene, which hasn’t had seen much fresh meat lately aside from the opening of Flatbush Farm last year.
Sorrell is Closing? [Brooklynian] GMAP
Trackback Pings
TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.brownstoner.com/mte/mt-tb.cgi/3093
Comments
that would be very sad -- sorrel is great.
Posted by: z at December 4, 2007 10:42 AM
Sorrl is in Prospect Heights and Flatbush Farm is in Park Slope. Two different neighborhoods.
Posted by: North Sleeper at December 4, 2007 10:47 AM
I'm surprised they don't try to stick it out till AY.
Will be a hit come game-time.
Posted by: guest at December 4, 2007 10:55 AM
he didn't say flatbush farm was in prospect heights, he said there hasn't been much recent new restaurant activity in the area. considering that flatbush farm is 1 block from sorrel it is certainly in the same area.
Posted by: z at December 4, 2007 10:56 AM
FYI, a poster at Brooklynian who spoke with the owner said that he insists that Sorrel isn't going anywhere after all.
Posted by: guest at December 4, 2007 11:02 AM
no tears from me. i ate there twice and the service sucked
Posted by: guest at December 4, 2007 11:10 AM
I have to say, I walk by often and it is not that inviting. Cheap IKEA lighting, cold-looking interior and aquarium relationship to the street is a turnoff.
Sorry, but I won't even go there out of pangs of guilt.
Posted by: guest at December 4, 2007 11:13 AM
If this closes, it will be because of a poor business plan. This place does not accept credit cards and the menu sucks. With such a bad location, they should have done more to advertise.
Posted by: guest at December 4, 2007 11:14 AM
sorrel isn't expensive.
and i've eaten there.
$25 for prix fixe in a nice, grown-up atmosphere with relatively inventive, fresh food is a pretty good deal. and it's a fantastic deal in comparison to what you'd get for that price in manhattan.
Posted by: guest at December 4, 2007 11:20 AM
Hey 11:13AM-- Those are actually really expensive Kartell lights. It's just that you don't like them-- but that doesn't mean they come from Ikea. No worries.
Posted by: guest at December 4, 2007 11:50 AM
Better to shut down or move now than watch it die a slow death during the AY build out. Who's gonna say "hey, let's go over to the dusty, noisy construction site and grab a bite to eat?"
Posted by: guest at December 4, 2007 11:58 AM
People don't realize that most things from Ikea are based on replicas of very expensive design elements.
They are ignorant and assume everything must be from Ikea.
Take it from me...I've seen many a million dollar interior design plan which uses things from Ikea from time to time alongside very expensive unique pieces as well.
Posted by: guest at December 4, 2007 12:04 PM
hey 11:58- the same people who eat there now will eat there then. They say: hey- let's go over to the unmarked, cash only place a few blocks away from what will soon be a construction site, and what is now a hole in the ground with trains parked. This has nothing to do with Ratner.
Posted by: guest at December 4, 2007 12:11 PM
We live down the block from Sorrel and we really really wanted to like the place. Having given them three tries (two dinners, one brunch), we're not going back. The food was good, but not good enough (for us) to justify the price, especially since the portions are small. If I'm going to drop more than $50 for dinner-for-two in the neighborhood, I'll usually head to Beast (a little more casual and loud, which suits us, and the food is still fantastic) or head over to Flatbush Farm.
For brunch, I'd rather hit Beast, Melt or Cheryl's (when I don't feel like waiting in line at Tom's).
If we went out for $50+ dinners once a week or more, I could see going to Sorrel on a regular basis for variety's sake, but that isn't in the budget.
Posted by: sstrudeau at December 4, 2007 12:14 PM
11:58,
AY opponents contend that the entire borough of Brooklyn will be destroyed once AY construction begins, so, in their view, Sorrell is no better or worse off than any other restaurant.
Posted by: guest at December 4, 2007 12:14 PM
Fantastic wine, ok food.
Posted by: Brooklynnative at December 4, 2007 12:24 PM
Alexander told me recently that the place is on the market. With 360 gone (at least for now), and Sorrel on the way out, the two men who brought affordable prix-fixe dining (and biodynamic wines from quality small producers) have, apparently, failed in their efforts to make a go of the concept.
Posted by: guest at December 4, 2007 12:32 PM
this place is QUITE FAR from AY...it's essentially just off Eastern Pky.
AY project will not ******I GUARANTEE IT****** shut down Prospect Heights establishments on Vandy, Underhill, etc. Look at the construction plan, people. calm the f**k down.
Posted by: guest at December 4, 2007 12:43 PM
Can anyone please explain why Brooklyn restaurants don't take credit cards? Is it because of the fees? Is it harder to keep track of credit cards? Is it so the restaurant can act as a front for something else?
Posted by: guest at December 4, 2007 12:48 PM
you are wrong, 12:43.
this is very close to AY and no where near eastern parkway.
Posted by: guest at December 4, 2007 12:59 PM
This place is nowhere near E. Pkwy, 12:43. It's on the corner of Carlton Avenue.
Having said that, I still agree with your basic point.
Posted by: guest at December 4, 2007 1:01 PM
12:48 the reason they don't take cc's is because the volume of cc's have taken one of the allures (unreported income) out of the business.......................not that i would suggest that anyone is breaking the law
Posted by: guest at December 4, 2007 1:02 PM
I've eaten there. The service does suck. Not only that, the portions are very small. And when my dinner companion told the chef that the lamb was not medium rare, he said, "Well what do you want me to do about it?" I haven't been back since. It's no loss, indeed.
Posted by: guest at December 4, 2007 1:07 PM
"this place is QUITE FAR from AY...it's essentially just off Eastern Pky."
You are quite wrong. it's only three blocks from Pacific Street side of the AY site.
But, I like 1:01, I believe you are correct about Prospect Heights establishments.
Posted by: guest at December 4, 2007 1:11 PM
I wish this place had better signage. I don't know how many times I've gone by and thought to myself, is this a restaurant? Now I know.
Posted by: rjlovie at December 4, 2007 1:12 PM
It's right across the street from a vacant brownstone that has been for sale for at least a year. It's broken up into apartments, and I've looked at them. The problem is that the new owners would have to start from scratch and form a co-op or whatever.
Weird.
Posted by: guest at December 4, 2007 1:48 PM
Not taking credit cards is a very short-sighted business decision. I was in retail for years in Manhattan and always said that -- rather than lose a sale -- if a customer wrote "I promise to pay the bearer..." on the side of a cow, I'd take the old girl to the bank to redeem.
If the restaurant is failing it's because they can't turn their tables enough. It's only busy on Friday and Saturday nights. The location isn't good for a place that seems devoted to taking such a low key approach, ie. no sign and, when it's closed, there's no way to tell what it's opening hours are. Also the expanse of glass walls makes diners feel on display.
Btw, the vacant brownstone opposite is no longer vacant. At least 4 of the apts are now occupied. How do I know? I live across the street and pass the house daily. All are very tiny units (half a floor thru each) and I'd worry about the new owners facing serious costs for infrastructure updates in the future since it doesn't appear that the basic mechanicals of the building were updated when it converted to coop/condo from rental.
Posted by: guest at December 4, 2007 2:19 PM
Also, the building immediately to the right of Sorrel (just showing in the pic above) is in the process of being renovated. I think it's gonna be two condos -- two new bells were just installed on the front door -- but I don't for sure. It's a 3-story with English basement.
Posted by: guest at December 4, 2007 2:22 PM
well, Z, they are definitely in different areas. Flatbush Farms gets tons of foot traffic, sorrel does not. Different areas entirely.
Posted by: North Sleeper at December 4, 2007 2:34 PM
i LOVE flatbush farm!
Posted by: guest at December 4, 2007 2:54 PM
Not enough foot traffic, plain and simple.
Posted by: guest at December 4, 2007 3:45 PM
North Sleeper, since when does "amount of foot traffic" equal "area"? "Area" typically refers to a geographic location that is not a line or a point, whereas traffic refers to a quantity of something moving through an area. By your logic, Sorrel, Flatbush Farm and AY are all "different areas entirely," but Flatbush Farm and Target are in the same area because they both get tons of foot traffic.
Posted by: guest at December 4, 2007 5:51 PM
Ughhh, 5:51, you are dense. Are you arguing that Sorrel and FF are in the same geographic area? Better take a geography lesson. They are on opposite sides of Flatbush Ave. different areas, and that's a fact. The foot traffic was just an additional comment on why Sorrel is different from FF.
Posted by: North Sleeper at December 4, 2007 10:23 PM
Id say that the area around carlton is very similar to the area just west of flatbush.
but 25 bucks for prefix meals is not cheap and I cant afford that. I live in the area and im assuming they're going with the local buy since its out of the way and thats just not happening with prices like that.
the sandwich place Mitchell's has huge sandwiches for 9 bucks which are amazing. I would rather go there.
Posted by: Santa at December 5, 2007 8:26 AM
Sorrell is a great restaurant you swiney junior assholes
Posted by: guest at December 5, 2007 11:06 AM
the chef can really cook. we have never found the service a problem. well, and, er um, the guy can really cook!!!! it would be a shame if the restaurant closed.
Posted by: guest at December 5, 2007 3:13 PM
The chef stinks.
Posted by: guest at December 5, 2007 6:07 PM
clearly, as much as I love my fellow brooklynites, there are not enough actually food knowledgeable people in this area. the chef is great, he is responsible for putting redhook on the map culinarily, and $25 dollars IS very cheap for good farm ingredients made by a real talented chef. he isnt trying to compete with a sandwich shop - and you would pay $25 for a single main course at comparable manhattan restaurants - if you were lucky. He is giving his all, the restaurant business is hell, and we are lucky that he is trying to bring things up a notch in the nabe. good luck to him.
Posted by: guest at December 5, 2007 10:52 PM
I like sorrell. I also think the menu got a bit better in the last couple months. For instance, it started including the steak that used to be available solely a la carte.
Posted by: slick at December 6, 2007 2:51 PM
I agree with the poster above who said it's not inviting. We live on St. Marks and I could not tell you when this place is open. The hours seem sporadic. The tables don't have candles on them - it just does not look like a place anyone would want to go. Maybe they can convert it to a daytime/evening coffee shop with some food. It looks much more like that kind of a place to me. Or put a sign up, or an awning or something. But as someone who lives on the block, I would be thrilled to have a nice, bright place in the mornings to grab a great cup of coffee and sit and read my paper. Any other suggestions for what to do? It's a good space.
Posted by: guest at December 7, 2007 4:33 PM
I believe Sorrell has finally closed. I live on St. Marks just off Carlton and it's been shuttered for over a week. This corner would be better as a wine bar with charcuterie plates and such or a great coffee house with fresh baked goods etc. You could easily address the fishbowl effect by adding frosted or designed windows -- add some inviting exterior lights and a nice awning and it would be a charming place to go.
Posted by: AJAS at January 18, 2008 4:01 PM
I am sorry to hear that. If Sorrell really has closed, that is a huge loss for Prospect Heights - and Park Slope!
Boy, now I feel really guilty for not eating at Sorrell for a while. We liked the food and the place, and we thought the decor was refreshingly different. Alexander Thistov is a very skilled chef.
The problem for us was that for a while we liked it so much that we ate there all the time - and then got bored. (we just needed a change / a break for a while)...
Comparing Flatbush Farm and Sorrell, I think that the food at Sorrell (at least when we ate there) was better, consistently good, unlike at FF, where the quality of the food has been very uneven. We abandoned FF after about 6 visits, when, in comparison, we dined regularly at Sorrel for about 1,5 years. We also thought that serving wine from tiny milk glasses at FF was/is cheap, clearly showing that they do not aim very high. Which was reflected in their pitiful wine list.
Sorrel, on the other hand, served interesting organic wines, and chef Thistov was clearly passionate about trying to find good wine matches to his food.
It is totally silly to compare Sorrel to some sandwich place, and even more silly to then exclaim that compared to said sandwich place Sorrel is (was) too expensive. Sigh... poor Alex, trying to serve pearls to s----s... (sorry, but really guys!). I agree with a poster above, who stated that the people in Brooklyn really are not that food savvy. It is totally unreasonable to call food that is made out of prime ingredients and with such a skill, too expensive, when it actually was one of the best food deals ever.
It often seems to me that these neighborhoods are filled with penny pinching cheapos, who think they are entitled to get high quality food for next to nothing! You try to run a business like that -let's see how long it takes before you start buying sub-par ingredients instead of high quality, locally grown produce.
Posted by: guest at February 14, 2008 5:01 PM
Post a comment
Please be patient while your comment is published. It may take a moment.