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February 18, 2009
Cortelyou Road the New Smith Street?
Marty didn't just talk about juggling tenants in Downtown Brooklyn in his State of the Borough speech last week. As noted by the Ditmas Park Blog, the Beep also called attention to the thriving restaurant scene on Cortelyou Road: "[Gary and Allison Jonas'] Farm-on-Adderly, Pomme de Terre, and Sycamore have turned the Cortelyou road area into the new Smith Street," he said. A commenter points out that Picket Fence actually opened first.
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Comments
___________ is the new _____________. hate those comparisons. actually i know nothing about courtelyou road or smith street. what are they like?
*r*
Posted by: PitbullNYC at February 18, 2009 9:50 AM
Smith street has mishmosh of ugly store fronts. Dirty with garbage (sidewalks and gutters) and plenty of the heavy steel roll down gates which makes it very opprssive looking in the a.m.
But people walk around with their phones and texting and whatever else and could care less because plenty of places to get a drink.
Posted by: Petebklyn at February 18, 2009 9:58 AM
Back when I lived near Smith Street in the mid-1980s, pretty much the only dining option was Chinese served from behind bullet-proof glass. I guess it's changed a little.
I will never understand the way people fetishize food. I don't object to a nice meal, but as long as I'm taking in enough calories, I'm OK.
And Markowitz is a buffoon.
Posted by: Sparafucile at February 18, 2009 10:44 AM
Living near Cortelyou, I'd like it to be a dining destination. Farm, Pomme de Terre, Sycamore are good places... Picket Fence is OK. Mimi's Hummus opened recently, and a couple others are in the works. I hope a handful of decent to good places can survive (in these tough times).
Marty the buffoon overstates it to compare Cortelyou, which if we're lucky can support a half a dozen restarants in a 4 or 5 block stretch, to Smith Street, which went from being a dump in the old days to now having countless restaurants on a longer stretch of about 15 blocks.
Posted by: Bklnite at February 18, 2009 11:12 AM
Smith Street is great....a very vibrant and bustling commercial strip, in a beautiful neighborhood.
I don't understand that hate for it, Pete...?
It's one of the most thriving retail/restaurant and bar strips in Brooklyn. I'm over there at least once a week.
Posted by: 11217 at February 18, 2009 11:19 AM
There's no Los Paisanos Meat Market on Cortelyou so I'll never go there. Not that I would anyway when Smith St. is closer!!!!
Posted by: daveinbedstuy at February 18, 2009 11:24 AM
Speaking of bars on Smith Street, any suggestions on a venue for the next drinkup, scheduled for March 19? So far, we're planning on doing it at Floyd NY on Atlantic, but wouldn't mind having other suggestions/backup.
Posted by: Biff Champion at February 18, 2009 11:26 AM
Floyd sounds fine. I don't think we'll find a larger place on Smith or Court.
Posted by: daveinbedstuy at February 18, 2009 11:29 AM
Ok, I'll make sure I talk to the manager there and warn him that he'll have a bunch of geekly bloggers in there in a month.
Posted by: Biff Champion at February 18, 2009 11:32 AM
"geekly" and grammatically challenged bloggers, that is.
Posted by: Biff Champion at February 18, 2009 11:33 AM
im not really a fan of smith street bars. Some good restaurants tho.
Posted by: Santa at February 18, 2009 11:36 AM
Speak for yourself, Biff. Please don't make any reservations on the phone with a Canadian accent or there'll be trouble.
Posted by: daveinbedstuy at February 18, 2009 11:46 AM
Brooklyn Social can be fun, Santa. And Clover Club has excellent drinks and the space is pretty beautiful.
Otherwise I agree that the restaurants are far better.
I just tried Char No. 4 this past weekend....WOW!!!!!
Posted by: 11217 at February 18, 2009 11:47 AM
And, no Molson!!!!!
Posted by: daveinbedstuy at February 18, 2009 11:47 AM
11217, would you suggest Clover Club or Brooklyn Social over Floyd for a Brownstoner gathering?
"And, no Molson!!!!!"
Obviously someone can't handle strong beer...
Posted by: Biff Champion at February 18, 2009 12:06 PM
Biff, I'd stick with Floyd.
Brooklyn Social is small and can be crowded, and Clover Club is more of a treat...the drinks are pricey.
Floyd is a nice medium ground.
Has anyone ever been to Diety? I'm so curious about that place. It's some kinda nightclub I think on Atlantic.
Posted by: 11217 at February 18, 2009 12:10 PM
We definitely can't go to Clover Club. From their website, their motto is emblazoned on the front page...
"Who enters here leaves care behind,
leaves sorrow behind, leaves petty
envies and jealousies behind."
That last bit might be difficult with this crowd!!!!!
Posted by: daveinbedstuy at February 18, 2009 12:14 PM
I should totally move to Ditmas Park, everytime I'm in the area I get enchanted. The Q seems to get put on hiatus a lot though.
Posted by: infinitejester at February 18, 2009 12:20 PM
We lived in a rental on Bergen & Smith for 5 yrs. We moved out the same day Starbucks opened :( I love Smith St as a destination but didn't like living there. We bought a house in Ditmas Park and drive over the Smith St for shopping, restaurants, Los Pisanos, Chop Shop, Dashing Diva etc. Cortelyou Road will never be like Smith St, it's only a few blocks long. Only so much can happen in that limited space. I'd love a Starbucks & a better butcher! In the meantime I'm thrilled to have a driveway so when I head over to Smith St I only have to worry about parking on one end of the trip :)
Posted by: tag482 at February 18, 2009 12:22 PM
taq482...LOL... that's my main reason not to get a car in bed Stuy...I can park practically anytime right in front of my house but if I drive anywhere else it becomes a hassle!!!!!!
Posted by: daveinbedstuy at February 18, 2009 12:48 PM
March 19th is Bowl of Dicks birthday!
(And, I too tried Char 4 for the first time recently. W-O-W!)
Posted by: bowl of dicks at February 18, 2009 1:19 PM
You can buy me a drink on your b'day, B O'Dicks since it was I and a few others who gave you the idea for your login.
Posted by: daveinbedstuy at February 18, 2009 1:29 PM
I was always wondering about BoD's name. Where did it come from?
Posted by: Biff Champion at February 18, 2009 1:31 PM
Char No. 4 and I believe the new Prime Meats are two huge additions to the restaurant scene in Brooklyn, in my opinion.
They are both destination restaurants from outside Brooklyn (or should be) like Al Di La, Franny's, Dumont, etc.
Posted by: 11217 at February 18, 2009 1:34 PM
Smith Street use to be a dump. Now it's not. Same could happen on Cortelyou. BTW, it was Picket Fence/Rug B when it was owned by Graham Myerson? and his wife that got that ball rolling. Not to long after Picket Fence came that bar near the train station that had bands playing on the weekends. The Farm owners are a great addition but there were people who had that vision who came before them.
Smith Street is longer and runs through more densely populated areas than Cortelyou, so Ditmas Park restaurants need more than local patronage to support their business. Being centrally located in Brooklyn and near transportation and in an area with plenty of parking makes this very possible.
Posted by: Chosen at February 18, 2009 1:39 PM
Biff....i think B O'D loggged in the same day I created Brooke Lynne....there was a big dustup that day and a lot of name tossing and frankly I though B OD was some homophobic (closeted) guy because he was infatuated with some of the dildo talk, Turns out B O'D is a she.
I'd like to compare notes with her at the party.
Biff....can we have bowls of skittles around at the party????
Posted by: daveinbedstuy at February 18, 2009 1:49 PM
But why the name bowlofdicks? Is there some hidden meaning or is this a reference to something else or is it just a goofy name that is meaningless (like Biff Champion)?
Posted by: Biff Champion at February 18, 2009 1:59 PM
Because we were just a bunch of dicks.
Biff, i can't keep track of everyone here on brownstoner let alone how their minds work!!!!
B O'D care to clarify???
Posted by: daveinbedstuy at February 18, 2009 2:03 PM
my username came from the day B'stoner announced no more guest postings. A lot of feathers ruffled that day! I believe some random person told DIBS to "go eat a bowl of dicks" instead of, you know, hey DIBS "go Fu^k yourself"
Posted by: bowl of dicks at February 18, 2009 2:14 PM
yes....B O'D....I remember precisely...you are correct. As far as that was concerned, I've consumed more than a few bowls but that's a discussion for another time.
Posted by: daveinbedstuy at February 18, 2009 2:19 PM
Thanks BOD! Whew, that clears up that mystery. Now on to Stonehenge, the Pyramids, etc.
But DIBS, how did you know BOD is a woman?
Posted by: Biff Champion at February 18, 2009 2:27 PM
She said so a few weeks ago. Please keep up, Biff.
Posted by: daveinbedstuy at February 18, 2009 2:39 PM
yes i am female, and coincidentally, happen to like dicks. about to turn 32 next month and arghhhh currently single :-(
DIBS, any prospects for the floyds night?
Posted by: bowl of dicks at February 18, 2009 3:15 PM
BOD, are you going to try to make it on March 19?
Posted by: Biff Champion at February 18, 2009 3:16 PM
PropJoe seems particulary kard up, no pun intended. See Stereotyping Brooklyn Nabes Thread at 3:10. And BRG and hubby are looking for a 3 way!!! LOL
Seriously, hope to see you there.
In the latest Forum post by wasder I suggested that we all bring and display some of our recent "mice kill" as well. It should be a fun night.
Posted by: daveinbedstuy at February 18, 2009 3:26 PM
hard, not kard
Posted by: daveinbedstuy at February 18, 2009 3:26 PM
biff, quite possibly. although since it is my birthday, i can not promise.
off for a nap!
Posted by: bowl of dicks at February 18, 2009 3:34 PM
DIBS, leave hubby out of the 3 way!!!!
BoD's, if you don't show up on 3/19, can you at least send me a bowl of dicks and some cutlery.
Posted by: bayridgegirl at February 18, 2009 3:48 PM
> "dicks and some cutlery"
These are not words that a man usually wants to see together in a sentence.
Posted by: SnarkSlope at February 18, 2009 6:12 PM
Who knows what will happen, but I don’t see why Cortelyou can’t support the number of businesses that Smith Street does. While there are many single family homes in DP, there are also many large apartment buildings, especially between Dorchester and Cortelyou. Having lived in Carrol Gardens for several years, I don’t recall there being very many large apartment buildings near Smith Street, unless you count the Gowanus and Wyckoff Houses. And the demographics of that neighborhood changed dramatically while I was living there, creating demand for services that didn't previously exist. While the heart of Cortelyou is a short stretch, there is also plenty of commercial capacity around the corner on CIA. Though Smith Street does have the distinct advantage of being closer to Manhattan and Downtown Brooklyn.
Speaking of butchers, I just wanted to give a shout-out to R&R Meats on Cortelyou, which is a great old-school butcher that’s been in business for 25 years. They have lots of interesting cuts, as well as fish and Latino food products.
Posted by: westminster at February 18, 2009 7:36 PM
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