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November 18, 2009

Brooklyn Food & Drink Round-Up

new%20nectar.jpg
Brooklyn Restaurant & Bar Openings
Lost City shares this photo of the old Shakespeare's Sister space (270 Court Street between Butler and Douglass) and reports that the owners of Nectar are taking over: "Our information is that it will be an oyster/beer bar/gastropub. The Nectar people also run Bocca Lupo on Henry Street." Lost City also has noticed some signs of life in the long-shuttered Bonafide Deli (corner of Henry and Baltic, Cobble Hill) and says, "Now, word comes that a sandwich joint will open there." ... Eater looks inside Roman's, the "sweet little Italian neighborhood spot" now occupying the old Bonita space in Fort Greene, and also reports that "a new wine bar called Mauzac will be taking over a portion of the space currently occupied by Carol's Daughter... at 136 DeKalb at Elliott Place." ... Metromix recommends the "Bloody Mary, served in a pint glass and made with Absolut Peppar, fresh-squeezed lime and house-made everything" at the newly opened South in Windsor Terrace... Plus, we've got the pre-reno shot of Lucali's 2 in South Slope, and Eater posted a photo of the newly painted storefront on 6th Avenue and 20th Street.

Two New Brooklyn Beer Gardens
Eater reports that Loreley Williamsburg is in the works: "The uber-crowded LES beer hall and pretzel stop, will open a new Williamsburg beer garden in two to three weeks, just in time for the winter chill to creep in. A rep at the original location reveals that the beer and food menus will be pretty much identical at the new space but it will be a whole lot bigger." Plus, Clinton Hill Blog has some beer garden gossip: "An anonymous source tells me that someone has been considering opening a beer garden in the building next to the Absolute on Myrtle Ave. Said proprietor is allegedly an experienced beer garden operator." Anybody got details on this tidbit?

Call for Restaurants of the Day
Yesterday's Closing Bell comment thread includes a bunch of suggestions for Bay Ridge restaurants to add to the Brownstoner Restaurant Guide, so it looks like we'll be snacking (and snapping storefront photos) there soon. Got a suggestion for an ROTD we haven't featured yet? Please leave a comment here!

After the jump: Umi Nom, the Halcyon Gourmet, killer figs in Bensonhurst, Em Thai, and more...

Reviewed This Week
The New York Times digs Umi Nom (433 DeKalb Avenue at Classon Avenue, Bedford-Stuyvesant, uminom.com): "Dai bao sliders ($10) will be compared to Momofuku’s pork buns, but they’re closer to burgers, crammed with a sloppy mix of ground beef, pork sausage and tangy pickles. The best dishes stick close to Southeast Asia, like the nearly deliquescent pork-belly adobo ($12) and the dizzyingly hot green papaya salad beneath strips of charred skirt steak ($12)." And Greenpointers recommends catering and take-out joint The Halcyon Gourmet (77 Norman Avenue, between Manhattan and Lorimer, Greenpoint, thehalcyongourmet.com): "Now on top of taking on new [catering] clients, they are keeping their refrigerators stocked with tasty snacks like the much-raved about filet mignon sandwich with caramelized onions and Fontina."

Chowhound Buzz
CHOW's Outer Boroughs Digest has a hot tip for fig lovers: "Royal Crown Bakery hadn’t made any baked figs for a couple of years, but the much-loved fruits are back for 2009. jen kalb says they’re 'stellar,' stuffed with walnut, flavored with orange and a bit of spice, and lightly glazed." The Digest is also keeping tabs on the new section of Em Thai menu, which allegedly brings authentic Thai spice to Smith Street: "This is for real, says a somewhat surprised Elaine Snutteplutten... Seafood Phuket, steamed fish with spicy lime, and Bangkok minced pork topped with fried egg were all 'pleasingly spicy and lacked the insipid sweetness that characterizes too much NY Thai food … definitely a cut above anything I’ve had from neighborhood Thai to date.'”

Quick Bites
Eater takes us inside the officially open Brooklyn Kitchen Labs and its in-house butcher shop, the Meat Hook... A classy, kosher soup kitchen is opening in Midwood... And, finally, the Greenpoint Food Market returns on Saturday. Get there at 2pm for a workshop on making chicken liver pate or at 2:30 for a tempeh-making workshop.




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Comments

Ugh - Loreley in Williamsburg - *BARF*

Their location on Rivington is such an UES douche magnet it's not even funny.

BUT, opening up right off of Meeker - confirming my statement 6 months ago that Meeker Avenue will be the new bar/restaurant row in Williamsburg.

Posted by: dirty_hipster at November 18, 2009 11:46 AM

LUCALI 2!!!! Bring it on!!!!

Posted by: 11217 at November 18, 2009 11:53 AM

Curious to check out Roman's too...

Posted by: 11217 at November 18, 2009 11:57 AM

Wow! Look at that "RENTALS & SALES" sign. Must be tough out there.

***Bid half off peak comps***

Posted by: Brownstones Half Off at November 18, 2009 12:03 PM

Those sliders in the Bed-Stuy place sound outstanding. Now that I don't work every Saturday, I will have to investigate.

Recently took a long walk around Greenwood Heights. Walking up 5th Avenue from Sunset Park and seeing all the "name" places like Quarter and Sidecar and Ellis was quite something. Greenwood Heights has a weird gravitational pull it seems for the late 20s/early 30s set. I nearly moved there and for a few hours I was second guessing myself.

Posted by: infinitejester at November 18, 2009 12:03 PM

I'm guessing BHO is the guy everyone avoids at any given party.

Posted by: DitmasSnark at November 18, 2009 12:07 PM

I'm sure they never had a sign listing rentals and sales at a real estate company before the tough times.

Before the recession, the windows were covered with black paper, and you had to knock a secret code to get into these brokerages.

Wow, things are BAD when these places start advertising like that. I'm scurred.

Posted by: 11217 at November 18, 2009 12:10 PM

haha speakeasy rental brokers. classic!!

Posted by: dirty_hipster at November 18, 2009 12:18 PM

I know the whole "neighborhood boundary" thing is getting pretty old, but now 5th Avenue between 17th and 18th Streets is "Windsor Terrace"?

Posted by: greenwood at November 18, 2009 12:53 PM

Was wondering the same thing, greenwood.

Yet Lucali 2 on 6th Avenue and 20th Street is South Slope...?

5th and 18th is firmly in what most call Greenwood Heights or South Slope now, yes...?

It's not even all that close to Windsor Terrace. While the boundaries of Park Slope seem fluid these days, I always thought the boundary for WT was pretty cut and dry.

Posted by: 11217 at November 18, 2009 12:57 PM

"I'm guessing BHO is the guy everyone avoids at any given party."

Like the plague. Good guess.

"I'm sure they never had a sign listing rentals and sales at a real estate company before the tough times."

Way out in the middle of the sidewalk? I'm sure too.

Okay, okay - you win. I paid no mind to the protruding construction barrier.

***Bid half off peak comps***

Posted by: Brownstones Half Off at November 18, 2009 1:31 PM

I had a lovely dinner at the newly-opened La Petit Provence on Smith St. last weekend; it would be great if Brownstoner would feature them and get the word out about this new restaurant!

Posted by: local282 at November 18, 2009 1:56 PM

"Greenwood Heights has a weird gravitational pull it seems for the late 20s/early 30s set. I nearly moved there and for a few hours I was second guessing myself."

jester, it's where all the billyburg wannabees sans trust funds are moving.

Posted by: denton at November 18, 2009 2:36 PM

"jester, it's where all the billyburg wannabees sans trust funds are moving."


In other words, the kids who have to work for a living, which in and of itself makes them far more interesting than most of the kids who live off their parents up in Billyburg.

Greenwood Heights is way cool, great vibe and I know a ton of interesting people who live down there. Real people.

Posted by: 11217 at November 18, 2009 2:42 PM

ah - the the infamous trust fund hipsters that I have yet to encounter.

Posted by: dirty_hipster at November 18, 2009 2:48 PM

You don't don't trust fund hipsters, DH?

I'd say at least half the people I know under 30 living in Williamsburg are doing so off either a trust fund or money deposited to their bank account every month by their parents...

Maybe more like 75%. It's weird. A girl in our office lives in Williamsburg and mentioned casually that her Dad helps her by depositing "a couple thousands dollars" into her checking account to help her pay her bills.

Don't know about you...but a job AND a couple thousand dollars a month would be like hitting the lottery for me...

The fact that she even mentioned it makes me dislike her. She's 27.


Posted by: 11217 at November 18, 2009 2:56 PM

Sorry, I meant you don't KNOW trust fund hipsters...?

So many typos today. Late night.

Posted by: 11217 at November 18, 2009 3:00 PM

"You don't don't trust fund hipsters, DH?

I'd say at least half the people I know under 30 living in Williamsburg are doing so off either a trust fund or money deposited to their bank account every month by their parents..."

No more so than any other neighborhood, and definitely not enough to warrant a gross overgeneralization by someone who has probably been to Williamsburg, VA more times than Williamsburg, BK

Maybe you just work with douchebags 11217 ;)

Posted by: dirty_hipster at November 18, 2009 3:04 PM

I love Williamsburg, VA. Lovely architecture. :)

And yes, she's definitely a douchebag.

Posted by: 11217 at November 18, 2009 3:09 PM

Murray Hill is the parental assistance capital of NYC. Closely followed by the Upper East Side and East Village

Posted by: dirty_hipster at November 18, 2009 3:13 PM

If you move to one of those neighborhoods, do you get assigned to a wealthy family? I've never sorted out how that works.

Posted by: DitmasSnark at November 18, 2009 3:21 PM

Why are we allowed to overgeneralize about Murray Hill, Upper East Side and East Village and not about Williamsburg?

Is it because they are in Manhattan?

If so, I'm fine with it...I just wanna know the rules. :)

Posted by: 11217 at November 18, 2009 3:24 PM

"Why are we allowed to overgeneralize about Murray Hill, Upper East Side and East Village and not about Williamsburg?"

There's rules? I thought we just make it up as we go along!!

I just go by personal observation.

Posted by: dirty_hipster at November 18, 2009 3:30 PM

DH, Shut up and kiss me. :)

Posted by: 11217 at November 18, 2009 3:37 PM

;)

Posted by: dirty_hipster at November 18, 2009 3:38 PM

11217, I am the president of DH fan club. Applications are being accepted at Bell House on December 3rd at 7:00 pm.

Posted by: Kensingtonian at November 18, 2009 4:00 PM

Remember to get the money up front this time, Kens.

Posted by: DitmasSnark at November 18, 2009 4:07 PM

DH, Shut up and kiss me. :)

Posted by: 11217 at November 18, 2009 3:37 PM


Do I need to break out the blue ruffled suit and the Gene Rayburn style super long microphone and play The Dating Game here? :-)

Posted by: InsertSnappyNameHere at November 18, 2009 4:09 PM

I don't even want to watch this love-fest. :(

Posted by: daveinbedstuy at November 18, 2009 4:10 PM

Damn Snark. I knew I forgot something! Wanna be my fan club CFO? Our offices are located in the back of Sycamore.

Posted by: Kensingtonian at November 18, 2009 4:10 PM

Snappy, that's not a mic, and I fear it may be made of recycled materials.

Posted by: DitmasSnark at November 18, 2009 4:11 PM

Oh, dear...then I'll have to settle for a dollar store mic!

Posted by: InsertSnappyNameHere at November 18, 2009 4:12 PM

"DH, Shut up and kiss me. :)"

How is one supposed to use one's tongue that way?

Posted by: Biff Champion at November 18, 2009 4:12 PM

DH, I have some surface guardians in case you need to get your lip prints off your monitor after.

Posted by: Biff Champion at November 18, 2009 4:16 PM

I wonder if they could just cam each other???

Posted by: daveinbedstuy at November 18, 2009 4:19 PM

gross it totally stinks like raspberry in here :-/


*rob*

Posted by: Butterfly at November 18, 2009 4:22 PM

> Wanna be my fan club CFO?

I'd love to. And rest assured that I'll keep my embezzling to a respectable percentage.

Posted by: DitmasSnark at November 18, 2009 4:23 PM

"gross it totally stinks like raspberry in here :-/"

Cue the mandatory "fruit" joke.

Posted by: Biff Champion at November 18, 2009 4:26 PM

Anyone hear about the $100 Rabbit tasting menu they're doing tonight at 'Diner' ???

Posted by: dirty_hipster at November 18, 2009 4:28 PM

Snark, no problem! If all else fails, we'll become a TARP recipient. Genius!

Posted by: Kensingtonian at November 18, 2009 4:31 PM

Diner is making rabbit scented asswipes? and for 100 bucks?

Posted by: Kensingtonian at November 18, 2009 4:33 PM

Hey, rabbit scented tootie hole wipes could sell big in some nabes :)

Posted by: InsertSnappyNameHere at November 18, 2009 4:37 PM

> the $100 Rabbit tasting menu

What working rabbit can afford that? Jaysus, even the bunnies in Williamsburg have trust funds.

Posted by: DitmasSnark at November 18, 2009 4:44 PM

don't say I didn't try to get this thread back on track!!!

Posted by: dirty_hipster at November 18, 2009 4:45 PM

"What working rabbit can afford that?"

Rabbits don't care about saving money when it comes to eating well. As far as they're concerned, it's hare today, gone tomorrow.

Posted by: Biff Champion at November 18, 2009 4:47 PM

"don't say I didn't try to get this thread back on track!!!"

Like that was going to ever happen with me and Snappy around.

Posted by: Biff Champion at November 18, 2009 4:47 PM

HEY!

Posted by: InsertSnappyNameHere at November 18, 2009 4:52 PM

" it's hare today, gone tomorrow. "

hahahha!

Posted by: dirty_hipster at November 18, 2009 4:54 PM

Did I start this mess up in here? :)

Posted by: 11217 at November 18, 2009 5:03 PM

11217, yes you did.
And please clean up your mess!

:-)

Posted by: Biff Champion at November 18, 2009 5:13 PM

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