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January 7, 2009

Brooklyn Food & Drink Round-Up

Closings: Patois, Bay Ridge Chip Shop, and Jill's
"Alan Harding just called to say that Patois, the pioneer restaurant on Smith Street in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn, that he opened in 1997 will close on Sunday. Brunch and dinner will be the last service," reports Florence Fabricant for the New York Times. Plus, Eater reports that the Bay Ridge branch of Chip Shop was shuttered on New Year's Eve, and Brunch Anytime says that Jill's, the health food joint at 231 Court Street, closed on December 29.

Openings: Three New Bars
The East Village bar D.B.A. has opened a second location at 113 North 7th Street between Berry and Wythe streets, says Grub Street — and they've got 16 beers on tap, 3 hand-pulled real ales, and "artisanal cheeses, charcuterie, and other things that go well with beer." Cornelius, a new cocktails-and-small-plates spot is set to open at 565 Vanderbilt Avenue at Pacific Street in Prospect Heights this Monday, January 12, Eater reports. And Brunch Anytime heard a rumor that "the owners of Bar Great Harry have put in papers to secure the spot across from the old Trout on Smith Street (which use to be an optometrist) for a new bar."

After the jump: Roots Cafe, Five Leaves, Buttermilk Channel, Kelso of Brooklyn, and Morton's vs. Peter Luger...

A Rave Review for Roots Cafe's Coffee
639A Fifth Avenue, between 17th and 18th Streets
"This is hands-down, the most insanely awesome, mind-blowing coffee that has ever graced our caffeine-stained lips. We are honored and humbled by this coffee; we have found religion, and it is a roasted bean. This is coffee from another dimension, ineffable, incomprehensible. The people at Stumptown Coffee are alchemists — nay, wizards." [Eat Me Daily]

The Times Hits Five Leaves
"It’s a restaurant that could get by on looks alone.... But despite the modest ambitions and reasonable prices... the kitchen, taken over recently by Ken Addington, turns out unexpectedly refined Australian comfort food... Juicy and crisp roast chicken ($18) appears with a stack of potato gratin and chard, but it was the flavorful hen-of-the-woods mushrooms, cooked with red wine and demi-glace and finished with port and cream, that had me swabbing the plate. " [NY Times]

Quick Bites
A Brooklyn Life digs the new Carroll Gardens spot, Buttermilk Channel... Metromix takes a brewery tour of Kelso of Brooklyn in Greenpoint... And after visiting Morton's, the Brooklyn Paper declares, "Peter Luger is no longer the best steakhouse in Brooklyn."

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Comments

I haven't been in Patois in years, but I'm surprised by this.

Posted by: Ringo at January 7, 2009 11:31 AM

i am suprised too. Not that Patois was anything to write home about, but the place was there forever and always seemed busy enough. At least I thought! Curious to know more...Anyone?

Posted by: bowl of dicks at January 7, 2009 11:38 AM

I was there in 1997, and this was the restaurant that got it all started on Smith Street. Smith and Court Streets are now dotted with increasing empty storefronts. It's sad to see places go dark.

Posted by: Jebby at January 7, 2009 11:38 AM

Seconding what Jebby says; I was there before Patois opened and it turned Smith St. into a whole new world. Hopefully this doesn't portend a return to those days.

Posted by: bklyngrl at January 7, 2009 11:49 AM

I've said it before, but it's a shame more of these businesses which came in at the start when things were cheap didn't have the foresight to purchase their property.

In 1997, you could have bought that entire building on Smith for what...like 200K?

I know that's a lot of dough, but it's the people who bought who are now able to stand the test of time...

Posted by: 11217 at January 7, 2009 11:55 AM

The landlord got too greedy so Allan Harding decided to move shop.

Posted by: Left Hook at January 7, 2009 11:55 AM

The Patois closing shouldn't be that shocking. It received lackluster reviews when posted as the ROTD
http://www.brownstoner.com/restaurants/2008/08/patois.php

Posted by: Biff Champion at January 7, 2009 12:07 PM

where's he moving it to? not that i care because as biff says, the place is only meh. let's see who snaps up that space:

trout/pacifico/GYC/bklyn social guys
or
S+Vine/Stinkys/J-walk guys

Posted by: bowl of dicks at January 7, 2009 12:54 PM

I didn't love Patois, but am feeling nostalgic. Boerum Hill Food Company last month; Patois this month. Those two, plus Smith Street Kitchen and Halcyon, are the first places that I remember getting excited about on Smith Street.

Oh well, things change -- but its clear that the neighborhood's exciting stage is done.

Posted by: aishling at January 7, 2009 1:00 PM

B.o.D's
trout/pacifico/GYC/bklyn social guys - are the same guys who owned patois.

so i guess you can rule them out.

Posted by: RobertMosesJr at January 7, 2009 1:18 PM

It is sad because Patois did start the trend but what do you expect - it has been horrible (food and service) for at least the last 8 years.

Posted by: fsrg at January 7, 2009 1:28 PM

Oh and in followup to my previous rants about Gersh Kuntzman and his rag the Brooklyn Paper. There could be no better demonstration of the guys opinion (and his paper) being a joke then the idea that Mortons is even in the same class as Peter Lugars.

Gersh Kuntzman and his paper are an embarrassment to Brooklyn

Posted by: fsrg at January 7, 2009 1:30 PM

thanks RM Jr - i thought that patois was linked to the pacifico/trout guys, but i wasn't sure. Can anyone explain to me WHY Smith street is now so overloaded with "asian" inspired restaurants? Every 3 storefronts it's thai, sushi, thai vegan, blah blah zzzzzzz

Posted by: bowl of dicks at January 7, 2009 1:37 PM

It's not just Smith Street.

Bedford Avenue in Williamsburg has a mediocre "asian" inspired restaurant every 20 feet.

I'm glad it hasn't quite hit PS yet. We seem to have a ton of mediocre sushi (and a few really excellent ones) but have so far been spared the plethora of asian inspired crap.

Posted by: 11217 at January 7, 2009 1:40 PM

Yeah, and what's worse is that they're all Chinese

Posted by: Ppark at January 7, 2009 1:41 PM

come on fsrq...

gersh cant help himself.

he hasnt been a journalist since ......

just like everybody else, he got a beatdown at the post.

not that i think brooklyn papers is special or anything, but if pete hamill couldnt fix the post or the news, what hope is there for the print media.

Posted by: bkn4life at January 7, 2009 1:50 PM

I can't help but think that the overabundance of Asian restaurants is due to the delivery business. The places rarely appear even half-full but stay in business. Let's face it, Asian food tend to travel well (heating Chineese food was a big reason the microwave first took off!).

Posted by: BH76 at January 7, 2009 2:14 PM

BH76 - I believe you are 100% correct.

Posted by: fsrg at January 7, 2009 2:26 PM

wow i never even thought about that. but i never get delivery so it's off my radar.

the chick next to me here @ work will actually call to have a small coffee delivered to her door on the weekends. And they do it, EWWW!

Posted by: bowl of dicks at January 7, 2009 2:38 PM

what do you tip a single cup of coffee delivery guy?

Posted by: RobertMosesJr at January 7, 2009 2:46 PM

actually, bedford's asian is getting better, not worse 11217. it's mostly there for delivery, but red bowl is quite good no matter what.

unlike cobble hill/carroll gardens - williamsburg's restaurants are all over a huge neighborhood and not limited to a restaurant row. bedford ave never had the best restaurants anyway. right now, i can recommend PT and botanica and dumont burger for really good places on bedford ave itself.

Posted by: wine lover at January 7, 2009 3:13 PM

I think Dumont Burger is so overrated.

And in this economy, I'm not spending 20 dollars for a burger in Williamsburg (which is what it comes to with tax, tip and cheese). You want a milkshake with your burger? That's another $5.50.

Almost 30 bucks for a burger and milkshake...?

No thank you.

Posted by: 11217 at January 7, 2009 3:19 PM

i asked her; she tips the amount of the small coffee $1.25. Still cheaper than Starbucks i guess...damn.

Posted by: bowl of dicks at January 7, 2009 3:24 PM

i heard a rumour a cheap take out chines place is taking trouts place. Or maybe it was a dollar store... either way the end of smith street is nigh. it will be back to its dilapidated fulton mall roots soon.

Posted by: Billiamsburg at January 7, 2009 3:27 PM

bowl of dicks,
just to clarify

"where's he moving it to? not that i care because as biff says, the place is only meh. let's see who snaps up that space:

trout/pacifico/GYC/bklyn social guys
or
S+Vine/Stinkys/J-walk guys"

First off, Trout. Pacifico and GYC are the same ownership as Patois, the Mammary brothers. So the idea that they would "snap up the space" is um, wrong.

Also, Brooklyn Social is its own and has no other sister locations. So don't link them to the Trout, Pacifico, GYC guys.

As far as S+Vine/Stinkys/J-walk guys, perhaps.

Whats MORE likely is that Patois will reopening to the space across the street that has been in construction for over a year. Word on the street is that its Patois new location as the lease at Patois runs out.

Anyone confirm this?

Posted by: Prodigal_Son at January 7, 2009 3:28 PM

I just checked the NYT article, I'm not the only one thats heard the moving across the street rumor...

Posted by: Prodigal_Son at January 7, 2009 3:30 PM

11217-

You've have said it before and, not to be rude, but it has annoyed me before. As a business owner I appreciate the sentiment that businesses should have the "foresight" to buy their buildings. But it obviously involves a lot more than foresight. It involves money which, when you own a business, is usually tied up in your, well, business. Not to mention landlord's resistance to selling to you, not being certain your business will succeed in the location it currently resides, needing your credit cards, lines of credit, and cash flow to maintain inventory and employees and being so busy with day to day operations that weeks, months, and, yes, years can pass without allowing you the time to get involved with such an endeavor. In a perfect world, and I believe I can speak for most small business owners, we'd all LOVE to own the buildings we are in and think about it everyday. Unfortunately it's not always possible and we live in constant fear that our leases will come up and our livelihoods will be compromised. Not to be nosey but I have to ask, 11217, have you ever owned your own business?

Posted by: WTerraceGirl at January 7, 2009 7:22 PM

Didn't mean to annoy anyone. And no...I do not own my own business and certainly am not suggesting I am an expert on the situation.

I really can't imagine too many small businesses these days being able to buy their space...my question was more about those who opened up on these strips like Smith and 5th Avenue where you could have bought a building for a song 10 or 20 years ago.

Although it might not have sounded like it, I am not begrudging anyone who isn't able to buy their building, just know a few that did and seem to be the ones more likely to hang on for the long haul. Some people don't want to do the long haul thing though I suppose, and with today's prices, I can't see many small businesses coughing up a million PLUS bucks to buy a building.

Anyway, sorry to annoy you and good luck with your business. I certainly feel for all these places who have to deal with ever increasing rent. I wish it weren't so.

Posted by: 11217 at January 7, 2009 8:02 PM

dumont burger is far from overrated.. and it's not $30? strange. it's pretty great. regular old dumont is still fab. especially for brunch!

Posted by: wine lover at January 7, 2009 9:52 PM

dumont burger is indeed not $30.

Burger: 12.50
Cheese: 1.00
Shake: 5.50

Total: 19.00
add tax and tip

Posted by: Prodigal_Son at January 8, 2009 9:30 AM

« Checking In On 80 Metropolitan Avenue Co-op of the Day: 95 Wyckoff Street »

January 7, 2009

Brooklyn Food & Drink Round-Up

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