October 2, 2009

The Venetian Unveiled

We took a look at The Venetian, Gravesend's attempt at classical opulence, last year when it was still in the throes of construction. A reader just sent in this photo with the news that all the scaffolding and other construction paraphernalia had recently been removed. Honestly, we're not entirely sure what to make of it. We had been assuming it would be entirely mock-worthy but it looks a lot better in reality than we had expected. We don't care much for the roof or those rounded upper corners but the lower floors actually look decent. Plus, judging from the renderings, the interiors are also not as garish as we would have thought. Of course, the whole thing rides on the choice of materials, which is hard to judge without being up close. We've got no idea about sales status, though last year Gowanus Lounge reported that condos there were asking $1 to $4 million. What do you think?
The Venetian: 16th-Century Living, Gravesend-Style [Brownstoner]
$2,000 a Foot in Gravesend? You Betcha [Brownstoner] GMAP

Posted by Brownstoner at 10:01 AM | Comments (70)
Categories: Architecture, Borough Park, Condos

July 29, 2009

Brooklyn Food & Drink Round-Up

Brooklyn Restaurant & Bar Openings
Greenpointers snapped this photo of the roof deck at Berry Park, the new bar on the corner of North 14th and Berry... Grub Street says that the new Eton location on Sackett (behind Zaytoons) will be serving frozen dumplings, plus "sixteen to eighteen varieties of bubble tea... as well as 26 varieties of Hawaiian shave ice year-round"... Brooklyn Based reports, "Caroline Fidanza, founding chef of Marlow and Sons and Diner, is opening a new place of her own called Saltie" in the old Cheeks space at at 378 Metropolitan... Thrillist shares interior photos of Der Schwarze Kolner in Fort Greene... And Little Buddy Biscuit Company is opening its first retail shop at 635 5th Avenue, near 18th Street, says Fork in the Road.

Guss' Pickles Relocating to Brooklyn
After 85 years on the Lower East Side, Guss’ Pickles is making a move. Grub Street reports: "We called Roger Janin, who has operated the stand along with his mother, Pat Fairhurst, since 2004, and he confirmed that in about four months, he’ll reopen in the Borough Park area, at 39th Street between Fourteenth and Fifteenth Avenues. The reason has nothing to do with a greedy landlord — it’s simply that fewer old-timers are coming and business has dropped off, even during the Jewish holidays."

Recently Reviewed: King of Tandoor
600 Flatbush Avenue, PLG; (347) 533-6811
"The papadum was perfect... The chicken in the kebabs were a bit dry but the flavor of the marinade was good. The jalfrezi was a mix of pepper, potato, carrot, broccoli, cauliflower and zucchini. The vegetables still had some snap and the sauce was good with some heat," writes Hawthorne Street, after visiting King of Tandoor on opening day. Service is reportedly slow, as this new kitchen works out the kinks, but all food is 25% off through Friday, to celebrate their opening week.

After the jump: Restaurant Girl hits Prime Meats, Sam Mason doles out $5 dinners tonight, Bruni bikes through Greenpoint, a blogger calls out Edible Brooklyn, and butcher Tom Mylan moves on...

Continue reading "Brooklyn Food & Drink Round-Up"

Posted by Kara at 11:30 AM | Comments (11)
Categories: Borough Park, Carroll Gardens, Food and Drink, Fort Greene, Greenpoint, Prospect Lefferts Gardens, Williamsburg

May 13, 2009

Brooklyn Food & Drink Round-Up

Olga's on Smith (Manny Simone/Pardon Me For Asking)

4 New Restaurants
Pardon Me For Asking contributor Manny Simone hit the new vegetarian-friendly Carroll Gardens spot, Olga's on Smith, on opening night and shares the highlights: "The Asian cucumber salad with mint was refreshing (and I don’t even like cucumbers), and the cous cous with garbanzo beans and tomatoes were delicious (my personal favorite)." ...Reader Ashok B tips us off about Grandma Rose's, an Italian-American spot that's opening at 457 Graham Avenue, near the BQE... Shop Downtown Brooklyn notes: "Sea Asian, has moved to 125 Livingston Street (between Boerum Place and Smith Street) in Downtown Brooklyn from its former location at 78 Clark Street in Brooklyn Heights," and they're offering a 20%-off grand opening deal... "Former Momofuku partner Joaquin Baca hopes to make it on his own starting this month with the opening of Brooklyn Star in Williamsburg," says Grub Street's Alexandra Vallis, who is particularly excited about trying Baca's Dr. Pepper Ribs.

Get Sloshed with the PS 58 PTA
It ain't as crazy as the upcoming Gene Ween show at PS 29 in Cobble Hill, but the PS 58 PTA in Carroll Gardens is hosting A Taste of May, a wine bar crawl, this coming Tuesday, May 19. Advance tickets cost $50 and will buy you a glass of wine and a small plate at 3 of our favorite neighborhood spots — Jake Walk, Chestnut, and Black Mountain Wine House. If this link doesn't work, you can pick up your ticket at one of the venues.

Food Trucks Park at The Yard
388–400 Carroll St., nr. Bond St., Gowanus
Grub Street reports that BKLYN Yard (the Gowanus venue formerly known as, simply, The Yard) is getting ready to reopen on May 23: "This year, it launches with an event called Parked, which will bring food trucks such as Pizza Moto, the Community Juice Truck, Van Leeuwen Artisan Ice Cream, and more. As for the rest of the season, Red Hook vendor Margarita will be back with her huaraches (get there early, before they’re devoured)."

After the jump: Brooklyn's take on California cuisine, why you should avoid Lucali's this week, and a gas station where you can fill up on gefilte fish...

Continue reading "Brooklyn Food & Drink Round-Up"

Posted by Kara at 11:33 AM | Comments (6)
Categories: Borough Park, Carroll Gardens, Downtown Brooklyn, Food and Drink, Gowanus, Park Slope, Williamsburg

November 23, 2007

Borough Parkers Not Digging Rezoning App

A property that’s at the center of a development debate in Borough Park recently traded hands for $19.4 million, according to public records. The city is currently considering an application to rezone 886 Dahill Road—where an abandoned warehouse stands—to allow for the construction of a 12-story mixed-use property that includes 174 apartments, five townhouses and 70,000 square feet of retail space. An LLC headed by Martin Wydra (who developed Williamsburg condos like the Gretsch) bought the property from an LLC that named Eli Dweck as its managing member. According to a Times article published last year, Mendel Brach (of Finger Building fame) was one of Dweck’s partners and signed the deed for 886 Dahill, shelling out $8 million for the 64,000-square-foot lot in 2003. Whoever the parcel’s owners are, however, there may be trouble ahead for the planned redevelopment: Last month Community Board 12 voted against the rezoning proposal, saying its retail component would attract too much traffic. “It’s very unusual that our community agrees on any issue whatsoever,” said a CB 12 member quoted in Flatbush Life. “Everybody in this community agreed that this project does not serve the needs of this community.” A spokesperson for the Dept. of City Planning told us the rezoning proposal is in ULURP and is being considered by Marty Markowitz’s office.
Dahill Road Reject - Nabe Says ‘No’ to Proposed 12-Story Tower [Flatbush Life] GMAP P*Shark DOB
Photo by Kate Leonova Property Shark.

Posted by Gabby at 11:21 AM | Comments (2)
Categories: Borough Park, Development, Sales