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August 28, 2006
Diner Boys Floating Second Bonita in FG
We've put off mentioning the impending arrival in Fort Greene of Williamsburg Mexican mainstay Bonita for fear of being accused of nepotism (the proprietrors were our landlords back when we lived on the South Side — and that's their shingle hanging in the advertising column), but one of the neighborhood blogs has picked it up, so the cat's out of the bag. Brought to you by the same team behind Diner, Marlow & Sons and the original Bonita on Bedford Avenue, the DeKalb Avenue location of Bonita II is finally moving ahead after some thumb-twiddling while the Landmarks Preservation Commission signed off on the renovation plans. We'd place the odds of this being an immediate success at, oh, 100%.
Finally, Some Real Freakin' Mexi in FG [Clintoncentric]
August 24, 2006
New Thai Restaurant Reports Missing Suitcase
Our photographer friend, Roger Kisby, just sent us this photo, of the former Tuk Tuk storefront. The Smith Street Thai spot shut down shortly after failing their health inspection with flying colors. (The Department of Health and Hygiene requires a 27 or lower to pass; they got an 80.) Now it seems that the new management has lost a very important suitcase. There a cash reward (and perhaps some free pad Thai) for the person who returns it to them.
August 23, 2006
Weekly Food Round-Up
One Girl Cookies
In a city-wide ice cream sandwich round-up, New York Magazine names this Cobble Hill cookie shop's version: "The tiniest, and the best of the bunch. One Girl spackles its cakey pumpkin or chocolate 'whoopie' cookies with no less than Il Laboratorio del Gelato ricotta gelato." [NY Mag; photo by Donald Bowers]
Jack the Horse Tavern
"A starter of sweetbreads ($8) — fried crisp and richly tender inside — is dressed with a hint of toasty cumin, complementing the offal's earthy undertones with a note of unexpected fragrance. And the marine impact of a Japanese-style seaweed salad gives a fresh twist to simple breaded oysters ($9)." [NY Sun]
Red Hook Ball Fields
"The crowd here, at the southeast corner of Clinton and Bay Streets, is primarily Latino, Caribbean and local. But the quality of food — there is no better street-food scene in all of New York — draws eaters from all over the borough and the city." [NY Times]
After the jump: Totonno's, Five Front, Palo Santo, and the best of Bay Ridge
August 18, 2006
Senegalese Food in Clinton Hill
The story on African fare in today's Daily News profiles Pierre Thiam, the Senegalese-born chef of Le Grand Dakar in Clinton Hill. When he's not working at the restaurant, he teaches culinary students about American dishes with African roots at the Institute of Culinary Education in Manhattan, and he is presently at work on a cookbook called Savoring Senegal. Somehow, he found time to co-host last weekend's Nowhere But Brooklyn Block Party, where he served pan-African street food. (By the way, we found some more great photos of that event. Check them out after the jump.)
Out of Africa, In the City [NY Daily News]
Photo by Jori Klein for The Brooklyn Papers
August 17, 2006
Rheingold Relaunch
The Daily News reports, "After fading from taps and markets and switching owners, Rheingold is set to relaunch under a new label and possibly new flavor this October." Even with a flavor change, the beer will retain its "dry, bitter style," but the labels will be tweaked and the brewery will use amber bottles instead of clear glass. No word on whether the bottles will be changing shape, but we'd love to see a revival of the chug-a-mug bottles from the 1960's (pictured above). Patrick Kenny, the CEO of Drinks Americas, which bought Rheingold last fall, also plans to modernize the Miss Rheingold contest. The contest was especially popular during the chug-a-mug era, when young women would compete to be the beer's spokeswoman and appear in Rheingold ads. "We were kind of like the first 'American Idol,'" says actress Celeste Yarnall, who voted to be Miss Rheingold in 1964.
Rheingold Brewing Up a Comeback [NY Daily News]
Photo courtesy of Rheingold Beer
In Search of the Crispest Pickles and Unburntest Coffee
We were pretty excited when MUG directed us a blog that reviews Brooklyn Diners — like the Grecian Corner Restaurant, Vegas Diner, and Carroll Gardens Salonike, where "the ladies' room is very clean and roomy, and doesn't smell like anything. There was a dude coming out of it yesterday, but hey, it's Brooklyn, you never know what's going on." The only let-down is that this blog hasn't been updated since June — but maybe we can help inspire the blogger, Sars, to write up some more reviews. Any thoughts on Brooklyn's best (or worst) diners?
Photo by Boris Badenov
August 16, 2006
The Honeymoon's Over at Fujiya
All good things must come to end. Since Fujiya opened at 437-9 Court street (between 3rd and 4th Place) in Carroll Gardens about a year ago, we've been eating large servings of sushi at rock bottom prices. True, their rolls (pictured above) aren't quite as appetizing as Osaka's or Cube 63's — but when you're on a budget, sushi rolls that cost $2.75 and don't cause food poisoning are (or at least were) an irresistible deal. We hate to complain about Fujiya's increased prices because they're still pretty cheap — the shrimp tempura roll is now $4, and the futomaki is $3.75 — but we were bummed when yesterday's lunch unexpectedly cost 13 bucks. Can anybody recommend another good lunch deal in Carroll Gardens/Cobble Hill?
Weekly Food Round-Up
Pâtisserie Colson
"Hubert Colson owns a pastry shop in Mons, Belgium. Yonatan Israel, a native of Paris, is a filmmaker in New York. Together they have opened Pâtisserie Colson, a trim little pastry shop and cafe at 374 Ninth Street (Sixth Avenue), Park Slope." [NY Times; photo by Don Hogan Charles]
Monkey Town
"I thought the pulled pork sandwich would be another import with a Southern accent, but it was more nicely in tune with a Vietnamese bánh mì sandwich. The pork was topped with tangy pickled carrots and served on a brioche bun with a side of breakfast potatoes. All together, it may have been the most fully realized item on the menu." [NY Press]
Cobble Hill's Tuller Closes Shop
Could it be the first Fairway casualty? Or did Stinky steal their business? One poster says, "Owner moved to California for better quality of life. Simple as that." [Chowhound]
After the jump: Wombat and Convivium Osteria
August 11, 2006
Bushwick Rising
Northeast Kingdom's welcoming signage
According to the Daily News, Bushwick is drawing new residents from the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Ecuador, Pakistan, Egypt, and Trinidad (along with some white kids who've been priced out of Williamsburg). The neighborhood diversity is spilling into the local restaurant scene. We've been out for drinks Bushwick Country Club (in the company of said white kids who've been priced out of Williamsburg), but we haven't tried any of the restaurants listed in the article — are the Northeast Kingdom, Tacos La Hacienda, or Lyn and Sam's West Indian Restaurant worth a trip?
'Melting Pot' Heats Up [NY Daily News]
August 10, 2006
Is Monteleone's Gone for Good?
Last week, when we asked for the status on Monteleone's, our favorite bakery on Court Street — and one of the oldest bakeries in Brooklyn — which has been shuttered for months, one commenter said that the "contractor is allegedly in jail for bank robbery!" but that the owners were getting a third partner to help get the business running again. We were temporarily relieved. Unfortunately, a recent Chowhounder who goes by jimmyjazz offered this depressing update...