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May 7, 2008
Wednesday Food & Drink Round Up
Photo by Eating in Translation
Tasteworthy: Blue Marble's Organic Ice Cream
420 Atlantic Avenue (between Bond and Nevins), Boerum Hill
Ice cream season is upon us, and Brooklyn Based is raving about the fresh flavors at Blue Marble: "a Strawberry that actually tastes a little tart (just like in real life!!), a Mocha made with rich cocoa and studded with fat chocolate-covered almonds, and Blackberries and Cream that no one should ever share." This Sunday, they'll be setting up shop at the Flea and offering a rotating selection of four flavors.
Loads of Openings
The NY Times reports that Abigail Abigail Café & Wine Bar (807 Classon Avenue at St. Johns Place, Prospect Heights) will open this Friday, South Brooklyn Pizza (451 Court Street at Fourth Place, Carroll Gardens) opens tomorrow, and the owners of Fatty Crab are getting ready for a summertime opening of a Southeast Asian barbecue spot called Fatty'Cue (91 South Sixth Street, Williamsburg). Time Out New York says that Plan B, a "sports den that boasts an 800-square-foot garden," has opened at 626 Vanderbilt Avenue (between Park and Prospect Place) in Prospect Heights, and Organic Heights, an "organic bakery and takeout spot, featuring 30 varieties of tea and fair-trade, shade-grown coffees," has opened at 460 Bergen Street (between Flatbush and Fifth Avenue).
Now Closed: Chicory Brooklyn
243 DeGraw Street (between Clinton and Court), Cobble Hill
"Just taking a moment to mourn the neighborhood's best fried chicken, greens and various roasted veggies. Also, I'll miss the burger." [A Brooklyn Life]
After the jump: Prices rise at Sweet Melissa and — you knew it would happen eventually — somebody's opening a burger joint called "Williamsburger"...
Coffee Prices Rise at Sweet Melissa
175 7th Avenue, Park Slope; (718) 502-9153
"I am a regular at Sweet Melissa's in Park Slope for a normal cup of American coffee. It has a nice fullness and the nutty flavor that's reminiscent to what Dunkin Donuts coffee used to taste like when it was good. So I didn't mind a few months ago when they raised the price of a small cup from $1.50 to $1.75. But today I went in and they had raised the price to $2.25. I know food prices have gone up based largely on fuel issues, but a 50% hike in price in the past 6 months is pure greed in my eyes, especially in this economy. Call me a cheapskate, but I'm going to have to stop going in protest." [Chowhound]
The Restaurant Name That Couldn't Be Avoided: Williamsburger
A couple of weeks back, Eater posted a listing for an available restaurant space in Williamsburg, and the property owner quickly found a new tenant: "The new tenant will be a burger joint called 'Williamsburger'. I look forward to that because spending $12 bucks for a decent cheeseburger in Brooklyn is a bit outrageous (sorry Dumont Burger)." Says Eater: "We all knew that the day would come when a restaurant named Williamsburger would open, so don't try to fight it people."
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Comments
It should be pointed out that prices are creeping up at many places, not just Sweet Melissa's. I think the basic marbles and mini-marble scoops at Blue Marble have increased at least 50% since the place opened last fall. (But they are tasty!)
Posted by: guest at May 7, 2008 11:38 AM
$2.25 for a small cup of drip coffee. Ridiculous.
Posted by: guest at May 7, 2008 11:57 AM
it's 1.75 at ozzies.
my favorite coffee place in the slope.
Posted by: guest at May 7, 2008 12:00 PM
Fan of Blue Marble here. Think the quality is great and you can actually order the portion size that you want (i.e. # of marbles or mini marbles). Too many places go by sizes like S.M + L that make no sense. Hate ordering a "small" somehwere that actually ends up being 4 scoops.
Posted by: guest at May 7, 2008 12:02 PM
blue Marble Is very good my daughter loves it. And the bonus it's Organic wow
Posted by: guest at May 7, 2008 12:20 PM
blue marble...mmmmmmm
Posted by: guest at May 7, 2008 12:23 PM
Some other tidbits worth noting:
The formerly mentioned (http://www.brownstoner.com/brownstoner/archives/2008/02/streetlevel_new_5.php) new pizza tenant at 90 Livingston will be, unfortunately, another Monty Q's.
On Smith between Atlantic and Pacific, a clothing store is going out of business. Already up is signage for an Uncle Louie G's Ice Cream.
Olive Vine (same as Park Slope restaurant) opened on Court St between Degraw and Sackett, with outdoor seating.
Cucina La Traviata (Joralemon between Court and Clinton), the satellite mostly-delivery operation of La Traviata (on Montague) was recently closed and gutted. The verdict is still out as to what happened or if they're coming back, as this seemed to have been an overnight happening.
Posted by: fishermb at May 7, 2008 12:31 PM
i heard blue marble is opening a branch in the slope. anyone know whether this is true?
Posted by: i disagree at May 7, 2008 12:42 PM
Any word on Lookout Hill Smoke House - where Biscuit used to be on 5th - doomed location unless the food is amazing. Anyone hear?
Posted by: guest at May 7, 2008 1:17 PM
Hey! I posted the Sweet Melissa post on Chowhound! I feel famous! I feel a little cruel saying this, but I hope my viral marketing efforts work. I'm still a little ticked that I'll have to go to Grand Canyon for my cup of drip.
Posted by: guest at May 7, 2008 1:29 PM
1:29 yes you are famous. You posted some complaint about coffee prices to a message board and it got picked up by some blog. Perhaps you can parlay this into a movie deal?
Posted by: guest at May 7, 2008 1:34 PM
"Any word on Lookout Hill Smoke House - where Biscuit used to be on 5th - doomed location unless the food is amazing"
Can we PLEASE give it a rest with the "doomed location" business. It makes you sound incredibly ignorant. Do you not walk in front of black cats at night either?
The new Barrio restaurant...also in an alleged "doomed location" is probably one of the hottest restaurants to hit Park Slope in years.
It's been PACKED every night and people are raving about it!
There are doomed businesses, not doomed locations.
One time at Bisquit BBQ and I knew it would never last.
Had nothing to do with the terrific location.
Posted by: guest at May 7, 2008 2:14 PM
Really 2:14?
Calling a location "doomed" that has seen 3-4 restaurants in he same # of years is the same as being afraid of walking in front of a black cat? and is "ignorant"? -
Isnt it just possible that the location is not "terrific"?
And do you really think that the high turn over doesnt have an effect on dampning enthusiasm for the next restaurant iteration that tries to open?
Posted by: guest at May 7, 2008 2:55 PM
Blue Marble is terrible ice cream and overpriced.
Posted by: guest at May 7, 2008 3:11 PM
How can the location be DOOMED when every other business within a block radius seems to thrive? Beacons Closet...always packed....Bob and Judy's Antique store...she told me business was great...
How is 5th and President not a good location?
The food at BBQ WAS DISGUSTING!!!!
If you don't know that, and think it was the location, you shouldn't be eating out in non fast food joints!! Go to McD's next time!
I think the success or failure of the businesses in that location have 100% been about the food, atmosphere, decor (or lack thereof) and service.
Had ZERO to do with the location.
That is my opinion.
Posted by: guest at May 7, 2008 3:11 PM
But Biscuit was not the 1st restaurant to open and quickly close there -
and maybe they all had bad food -
but it is also possible that the area is saturated with restaurants (and therefore that corner is doomed for a new one)
or the size, layout or location of this particular store makes it unsuitable ("doomed") for a restaurant.
or maybe the LL demands too much rent for a restaurant to survive (i.e. "doomed")
or maybe the turnover in restaurants has turned people off to trying anything new there - and thereby making opening something else very difficult or impossible ("doomed")
or maybe they just need good or great food to overcome some or all of the above (which is what I said in my 1st post)
Point is - it isnt "ignorant" given the history to call that spot (so far) doomed - hopefully this new restaurant will prove the factual history false.
Posted by: guest at May 7, 2008 3:23 PM
3:11 PM = Uncle Louie G
Posted by: guest at May 7, 2008 3:25 PM
I have no idea who that is, 3:25, but I assure you I am not him.
If you are referring to the ice cream place, I don't eat that stuff. I'm a Yogo Monster man.
Posted by: guest at May 7, 2008 4:15 PM
3:23...I still just don't agree with you.
Night and Day, which was what that place was before BBQ was equally unappealing.
So yes, I think it's the food, not the location.
A few blocks down is probably the best restaurant in Brooklyn...Al Di La...they seem to be doing ok, since I waited an hour for a table the other evening.
5th Avenue and President is prime real estate. Plus it has an outdoor area. Primo!
I think the businesses failed and I gave you the 7th and 3rd (former Tempo Presto space) as another so called "doomed location" which is now the star of 7th Avenue with a place with good food and a great interior and outdoor space.
That's all it takes.
Good food brings them in every time.
BBQ was subpar in every way. I never heard of a single person who thought it was good.
And certainly never heard anyone say...wow...that BBQ sure was good, but the location sucked!
Posted by: guest at May 7, 2008 4:28 PM
i'm not sure why someone would even say doomed location. it's as if you want the place to fail. why would you say that?
Posted by: guest at May 7, 2008 4:48 PM
Blue Marble is unspectacular....
Uncle Louie G is way better.
Posted by: slick at May 7, 2008 7:46 PM
One cannot eat "Yogo Monster" and still be a man.
Posted by: guest at May 7, 2008 9:21 PM
It's a real effect, believe it or not. For whatever reason it's more difficult to be successful if you take over a space that has a history of failure. The longer the history of failure, the tougher hurdle to overcome. But that corner is a great location and it hasn't been a restaurant for more than a few years, so I would think that it shouldn't be all that hard to get a winner in there.
Posted by: guest at May 9, 2008 5:01 PM
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