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April 2, 2008
Wednesday Food & Drink Round-Up
Ethiopian cuisine at Ghenet's original Manhattan location. Photo by Tien Mao from Gothamist.
Opening This Week: Ghenet
348 Douglass St at Fourth Ave, Park Slope; (718) 230-4476
"Mother-and-daughter team Yeworkwoha Ephrem and Sosinna Degefu open a Park Slope spin-off of their Nolita Ethiopian restaurant this week. The menu will skew lighter than Manhattan’s, with grilled meats and fish replacing sautéed dishes." [Time Out New York]
Smoke Joint Owner to Take Over Petite Basam Space
393 Lewis Avenue, Bed-Stuy
"I was surprised to come home from work today and run into the owner of the Smoke Joint out in my neighborhood, outside the recently shuttered Petite Bassam on Lewis Avenue. Apparently, Ben (the Smoke Joint guy) is setting something up there to start 'soon.' We chatted a bit, and he said he wanted something cheaper than Petite Bassam (which was a good place, but always seemed a bit expensive for the neighborhood) and a little 'different' from the Smoke Joint." [EaterWire]
The Best Coffee in Bushwick
This week, NY Press hits up a couple of neighborhood coffee shops. Potion Café (248 McKibben Street), which is "by far the most aesthetically pleasing café in Bushwick" serves "strong coffee, good pastries, mid-range bagels," $3 Red Stripes, and sandwiches, such as the recommended cheddar and pesto croissant. Archive (49 Bogart Street), on the other hand, is "devoid of personality" and serves "prepackaged paninis and salads and soup." On the plus side, the baristas are friendly.
After the jump: A new cooking show is looking for sexy Brooklyn singles, and the L Magazine reviews Beer Table...
Single Foodies Needed for Cooking Show
According to Gothamist, the Feed Me Show is looking for "a few attractive Brooklyn singles." Those chosen to participate will be set up on blind dates and will have to cook for each other. Their kitchen shenanigans and awkward first-date conversations will be filmed at Williamsburg's own Brooklyn Photo Studio and then streamed on the web.
Fancy Shmancy Brews at Beer Table
427 B Seventh Ave, Park Slope
"The bar features three taps and a cask, rotating through gourmet beers familiar only to subscribers of niche magazines, and wide varieties of similarly select bottles, ranging in price from $5 to more than I’m accustomed to spending on a 24-pack... The menu uses the taster’s language to describe probably made-up beers like Piccolo Birrificio Seson-ette ('juniper, chinotto peel, coriander, white wine') and Grado Plato Strada San Felice ('chestnuts, dry, bark, nutty sweetness')." [The L Magazine]
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Comments
I really, really hope the Smoke Joint guys bring something good and successful to this location.
Posted by: guest at April 2, 2008 12:07 PM
I'm very excited about the Smoke Joint coming to Lewis Ave. I ate at petite bassam a lot and thought the food was decent. No, the service was not particularly fast but I never went there when I was in a hurry.
Nevertheless, I hope Smoke Joint expands their menu for this neighborhood...keep the wedge, the caesar, the ribs, the catfish and then add a few more higher end entrees
this is actually my only complaint about this neighborhood...not enough nice, sit-down restaurants within walking distance. I eat at The Porch and Brooks Valley a lot (both v. good) but more and more am travelling to Boerum Hill for something better.
Posted by: daveinbedstuy at April 2, 2008 12:11 PM
Dave the area could use about 10 more places like this. Bedford Stuyvesant really needs a diner. I guess I should stop talking and think of a way to bring one to the area...
Posted by: guest at April 2, 2008 12:24 PM
I agree we need a diner! I actually got a menu last week from a new place on Malcom X that seemed to be a diner type place... Breakfast, burgers, etc... I need to check it out.
I don't know the Smoke Joint, but what I see on their web site looks yummy!
Posted by: guest at April 2, 2008 12:29 PM
12:29 is that the place that has a number as its name??? can't remember the name...near Hancock?
Posted by: daveinbedstuy at April 2, 2008 12:31 PM
I think you are thinking of the coffee shop, Dave. Cafe 249 or something like that.
12:24: Why don't you and Dave open up a diner in that old restaurant space on Stuyvesant and Macon? Used to be an old eatery called McDonald's. (No relation to Ronald.)
Posted by: guest at April 2, 2008 12:34 PM
i need about another $300-400,000 to buy that place and renovate it...trust me, i know the building very well...i live up the street from it....anyone want to come in as an investor???
Posted by: daveinbedstuy at April 2, 2008 12:39 PM
Dave, I don't remember the name. I have the menu at home, I will post it tonight. Seemed like a very simple and cheap place.
Posted by: guest at April 2, 2008 12:43 PM
thanks Dave i will try to look for it... I just brought in the area and I don't know whats really around in the hood. Just discovered a great BBQ place on Halsey and Throop but it was just takeout.
Posted by: guest at April 2, 2008 12:44 PM
What is happening with the building on Lewis that was being renovated and was supposed to become a bar/restaurant/performance space (I think the name was going to be Stizzy or womething like that)? I saw a for sale sign recently on the building.
Posted by: guest at April 2, 2008 12:46 PM
yes...that place is good...but just takeout.
Solomon's Porch is on the cor of Stuyvesant & Halsey..a bar with music and decent food...especially Sat & Sun brunch...Brooks Valley is on Tompkins and Hancock..its a BYOB..service is very friendly and pretty efficient..food is good
I am SERIOUSLY looking for additional investors for a property and a restaurant for the area... djl135e54@yahoo.com
Posted by: daveinbedstuy at April 2, 2008 12:49 PM
The Lewis ave building is a problem...liens and the owner is trying to salvage the whole thing and not sell it...or do a deal behind the realtor...a lawsuit nightmare
Posted by: daveinbedstuy at April 2, 2008 12:51 PM
I have eaten at Ghenet in Manhattan dozens of times and I absolutely love it. Big portions, lots of vegetarian options and very inexpensive for the quality. Sometimes the staff seem a little sleepy, but they are always friendly at least. I wish them lots of luck in their new location!
Posted by: guest at April 2, 2008 12:51 PM
Would love to see a Ft. Greene/ Clinton Hill branch of Ghenet (or any Ethiopian restaurant for that matter). I'd think they will do well in Park Slope too, though.
Posted by: guest at April 2, 2008 12:55 PM
Dave: One thing I would love to see is a branch of Tiny Cup (on Nostrand and Clifton) opening in our area. I like Bread-Stuy, but Tiny Cup is a fantastic cafe with excellent food (in fact it's one of my favorite cafe in the whole city). I think a Tiny Cup would do very well in our area. Maybe you could approach them and see if they would be interested to open something on Lewis.
Posted by: guest at April 2, 2008 1:01 PM
there's another coffee shop further up on Tompkins...can't remeber the name...nice with pastries, ice cream, etc
Nope, not a coffee shop, I'm going to ratchet this neighborhood up far beyond that
Posted by: daveinbedstuy at April 2, 2008 1:09 PM
Watch out, here comes Dave! You need a sweat equity partner? (Not to sound like a stalker, but I know you. We haven't met. I hear your backyard and deck are nice. Tell Barbara at the shope on Halsey to get back to work and stop flirting.)
See True's response on www.bedstuyblog.com for his POV on Stizzy's.
Your description, Dave, sounds more fun.
Anyone been to Kush? Would love some feedback.
Posted by: guest at April 2, 2008 1:17 PM
I feed Barbara's cats on my back deck. I like her (and her cats)
Posted by: daveinbedstuy at April 2, 2008 1:21 PM
Yes....Royal Rib House on Halsey off Throop is excellent. Too bad they dont have a sit down restaurant.
Also...Kush is excellent as well and very reasonable. The salmon is to die for as well as the chicken . Good luck in trying to get the creme brulee' as that is often sold out.
Posted by: iluvclintonhill at April 2, 2008 1:49 PM
I second Kush...the steak frites is very reliable. All their food is quite decent and the price is right. Plus the owner is a super sweet guy.
Posted by: tinarina at April 2, 2008 2:43 PM
I've got nothing to invest Dave, because I bought a place in the area about two years ago with my wife and all our money is in that. We're fixing it up slowly, and in the meantime, our dream has been to make some kind of move in the area - restaurant, cafe, hangout spot.
We're both designers and I work in hospitality. Maybe we can team up in some way? you can drop me a line at pepstein@gmail.com
Posted by: guest at April 2, 2008 2:43 PM
The place on Tompkins (between Jefferson and Putnam) is Common Grounds. But it's really a coffee shop/bakery; very limited stuff to eat.
What's the deal with the place on Franklin just past the corner of Greene where the B52 bus turns?
Posted by: rf at April 2, 2008 2:57 PM
Ben on Petit Bassam - "but always seemed a bit expensive for the neighborhood"
And yet you have houses selling from 700K to a mil. Don't believe the hype on incomes and disposable spending in the "new Bed-Stuy." Many new homeowners (especially those with families) are house poor and won't be spending on any restaurants regularly and singles won't be mingling there much if you don't have a liquor license and not open late.
And then there's the not so secret class gap issue in Bed-Stuy/Stuyvesant Heights. Just who are you going to be catering to and are there enough of those numbers to support you? All the Crown Chickens are doing fine, but the space and it's many bougie incarnations at Lewis Ave and McDonough have consistently faltered. Figure it out.
My advice? Make it a rockin' fun family place for all that's very reasonably priced. Or better yet, a diner. And please DELIVER.
Wishing you well.
Posted by: guest at April 2, 2008 3:22 PM
Hopefully the new owners will not bring the Smoke Joint model. They have a place next door to Smoke Joint called Little Pig that serves gourmet comfort food. An oxymoron, I know. They serve a meatloaf sandwich with muenster cheese and caramelized onions, and a great chicken and corn chowder. I think this kind of menu work well as it is a good hybrid of familiar food, but done up a notch from the current neighborhood offerings. It's al about introducing approachable food first before serving a very limited, specific cuisine that diners have to be 'in the mood' for.
Posted by: guest at April 2, 2008 3:51 PM
Yes...good, simple, affordable food is exactly what the neighborhood needs. A place to grab a bite on a regular basis--burgers, BLT, panini, salad, what have you. Petit Bassam was ok but too fussy in my opinion. And please PLEASE let it be have good, friendly service. I was burned one too many times at Solomon's Porch and won't go near that place now.
Posted by: guest at April 2, 2008 4:50 PM
PS- A cafe/market along the lines of Choice in Clinton Hill would be a godsend,
Posted by: guest at April 2, 2008 4:54 PM
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