November 20, 2009

Restaurant of the Day: Le Barricou

"When he opened Marquet Patisserie in Boerum Hill in the late eighties, Jean-Pierre Marquet was a Smith Street pioneer... Now he’s branched into the bistro business with Le Barricou, a Williamsburg restaurant whose French street signs leave no doubt about the restaurant’s provenance," says New York magazine.

"Amélie-esque ambiance--tall ceilings, fresh flowers, walls papered in yellowed newsprint--is enough to send one into Francophilic daydreams... mussels marinére, coq au vin, crisp yet tender vegetable tartlets and delectable seafood specials are supper-time specialties. Reasonably priced (even after multiple celebratory bottles of wine) and generously portioned, you'll be glad to take frequent mental-gastronomic field trips to the French countryside," says NFT.

And Yelper Rachel B. says, "I love Brunch at Le Barricou! Free croissants, nice music, pleasant airy and bright atmosphere... The pancakes are super fluffy and light, served with fruit filled butter and topped with blackberries, pears, and melon. I also love the heirloom tomato soup! Don't miss the chocolate bread-pudding with cranberries and fresh blueberries." How would you rate Le Barricou?

Posted in Brownstoner Restaurants by Kara at 12:00 PM | Comments (3)
Categories: Williamsburg

November 19, 2009

Restaurant of the Day: Der Schwarze Kölner

"The spacious German beer garden... is airy and sunny, with an interesting mix of modern details, like bright red bar stools and a snappy black-and-white color scheme, and old-fashioned accents, like heavy and elaborately painted vintage pewter mugs, vintage German beer signs and old wooden barrels," says Metromix.

It's a haven for beer lovers and Thrillist says, "Styles range from light pilsners (Radeberger, Wurzburger Hofbrau), to medium bodied dobbelbocks (Weltenburger Kloster), to pale and dark lagers (Gosser, Jever), but the real draw's the kolsches (light and fruity Fruh, heavier Reissdorf, bready Gaffel) all served in traditional tall thin glasses known as Stange (pole) or half-height glasses called StoBche—Cologne dialect for 'little push.'"

Plus, "there are plenty of affordable, satisfying small plates—like Berlin’s classic currywurst," says Time Out New York. The food selection also includes German pretzels, meat loaf, and cheese plates, along with daily specials, and they started serving brunch about a month ago. How would you rate Der Schwarze Kölner?

Posted in Brownstoner Restaurants by Kara at 12:00 PM | Comments (24)
Categories: Fort Greene

November 18, 2009

Restaurant of the Day: Oak Wine Bar & Café

"With seating for only eight pairs and a kitchen smaller than you’d find in a Manhattan apartment, this Mediterranean sliver of a restaurant guarantees an intimate dining experience... The menu highlights local, artisan and organic ingredients while taking inspiration from Spain, Portugal, Germany and France to parallel a European winelist," writes Daniel Benjamin for New York magazine.

Chowhound chompchomp is a fan of the place: "We started with the fig jam and fresh ricotta bruschetta, which was sweet, light and divine. I think it would have made as good of a dessert as an appetizer... For dinner, I had the gingered scallops and arugula salad -- which was light and flavorful. He had the homemade spinach gnocchi with walnut cream sauce. It sounds heavy, but there was a sparing amount of cream, and the gnocchi was very toothsome."

Yelper Bria D. likes Oak, too: "Holy bruschetta, this was tasty. This was tasty enough, in fact, that I'm hesitant to share the news for fear that there won't be barseats for me the next time I swing by." What's your take on this place?

Posted in Brownstoner Restaurants by Kara at 12:00 PM | Comments (10)
Categories: Williamsburg

Brooklyn Food & Drink Round-Up

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...

Continue reading "Brooklyn Food & Drink Round-Up"

Posted in Brownstoner by Kara at 11:34 AM | Comments (50)
Categories: Food and Drink, Restaurants

November 17, 2009

Restaurant of the Day: Mr. Wonton

"Amid the salmon-pink walls and on to the starched tablecloths comes some sturdy, wholesome Chinese fare: Dim sum and appetizers are the draw here; the vegetable dumplings are smothered in a thick peanutty sauce with a hint of pepper; steamed little juicy buns are plumped up with pork," writes Sarah Sundberg for New York magazine. Metromix adds, "The veggie options (string beans with fried tofu in hot black bean sauce, for example) are just as appetizing as the beef and chicken dishes. The dishes are light on the grease, speedily served and sometimes even come to your table with the Mr. himself."

And Yelper Erik W. is a big fan of Mr. Wonton's lunch special, which "runs from 11-4pm every day except Sunday (oh, the rare Saturday lunch special!!) and gets you a huge portion of one of about 15 entree choices (much more than just your sweet and sour chicken or General Tso's) and a pint of either egg-drop or hot and sour soup for about $7. Needless to say, I made two meals out of my order!" How do you feel about Mr. Wonton?

Posted in Brownstoner Restaurants by Kara at 12:00 PM | Comments (9)
Categories: Park Slope

November 16, 2009

Rerstaurant of the Day: Casa Rosa

A couple of months ago, Lost City reported on renovations at Casa Rosa: "It doesn't appear like Casa Rosa will look markedly different. The main alternation is the installation of a sliding glass door on the side of the building. This will presumably somewhat relieve the restaurant of its slightly gloomy atmosphere."

Casa Rosa has since reopened and in a discussion about Carroll Gardens restaurants, Chowhound citysweettooth writes, "I like Casa Rosa and Fragole for Italian. Casa Rosa is more old school (lots of good food but slow service)." Fellow 'Hound ardnaxela advises against Casa Rosa's pork chops but recommends the "bucatini with tomato, 'bacon' and onion; and fettucine bolognese. The bucatini sauce tasted full of ripe tomatoes and balanced well with the bite of the bacon and onion. The bolognese was pink from a touch of cream. The portions were true family style and next time we'll order less."

But Yelper Brian O. shares some harsh criticism: "the 'new' Casa Rosa is the same old Casa Rosa that no one wanted to eat at. The only difference is you now have a clear view through those new nice floor-to-ceiling windows of an empty, tired location that should fall victim to Darwin's theory of evolution and survival of the fittest." Yikes. What's your take on this place?

Posted in Brownstoner Restaurants by Kara at 12:00 PM | Comments (12)
Categories: Carroll Gardens

November 13, 2009

Restaurant of the Day: Cousin John's

Open for breakfast, lunch, and weekend brunch, Cousin John's Cafe and Bakery serves "Cupcakes [that are] massively underrated against Magnolia monoliths, as is their brunch. Sit upstairs by the bakery and let the smells of freshly baked buns and brioche float your way," says BlackBook.

"Fruit tarts edged in ground pistachios and bedded in sweet custard are sublime, and even quotidian sweets of oatmeal cookies and apple-crumb pie reflect a skilled touch. The fancy cakes resemble edible sculptures, but these confections can err on the side of too much cream, sugar or decoration," says New York magazine. And Yelper Tom Yumm Y. says, "The breakfast was tasty and cheap. 3 eggs, a croissant, potatoes and bacon for $5.75!" How would you rate Cousin John's?

Posted in Brownstoner Restaurants by Kara at 12:00 PM | Comments (12)
Categories: Park Slope

November 12, 2009

Restaurant of the Day: Elote

"The first basket of chips is free and comes with green (tomatillo) and red (smokey, chipotle) salsas... We spotted a fellow patron who ordered a burrito, which was the size of a small child," writes Yelper Lisa A.

"Many dishes fluctuate daily to accommodate fresh ingredients, providing pleasant surprises such as a salad made with tequila-poached pears and goat cheese. Guacamole comes mildly spiced, but the generous portion makes up for it, while the elote--roasted, tender corn smeared with mayo, chili and cheese--more than earns its titular status," writes Justin Hartung for Citysearch. "To spice it up, there are more than thirty hot sauces, on which staff wax lyrical like picante sommeliers," says New York magazine's Rob Fischer.

Blogger Brunchkill is a big fan of Elote: "In my very humble opinion, this is the very best bloody mary in all of Williamsburg. Perhaps in all of New York... It’s big. It’s spicy. Wonderful... I really have no words for this place other than 'please try it' because it’s great and they have a beautiful outdoor area for warm days. As an added bonus, it’s rarely super-crowded." How would you rate Elote?

Posted in Brownstoner Restaurants by Kara at 12:00 PM | Comments (4)
Categories: Williamsburg

November 11, 2009

Restaurant of the Day: Miracle Grill

"Every time I’ve been there, the food has been consistently good. Sometimes the service leave a little to be desired, but the food always lets me disregard that point... I also, love, love, love the catfish tacos," writes blogger Epicurious Jennie.

Yelper Michael W. adds, "They have Nachos of the Day, everyday, and when we went yesterday, it was chorizo, black bean, Monterey jack cheese with creme fraiche and jalapenos. The chorizo was eh (it was the precooked kind, not the break it out of the casing and saute in a pan kind) but the nachos were pretty good all around, with the creme fraiche a nice compliment to the jalapenos."

"We'd read something about great margaritas, so I tried the strawberry one. It wasn't the best; it was a lime margarita that looked like some kind of strawberry sauce was poured on top of. The lime part tasted good, but the strawberry didn't quite blend. Hubby's sangria was good," says 52 Flavors of New York City. What's your take on Miracle Grill?

Posted in Brownstoner Restaurants by Kara at 12:00 PM | Comments (12)
Categories: Park Slope

Brooklyn Food & Drink Round-Up

Brooklyn Kitchen Labs: A Sneak Peak
Our new hometown cooking school, the Brooklyn Kitchen Labs, has a lot of work to do before their proposed opening date of November 16, but this huge, raw space — with one 1500-square-foot teaching room, another 1000-square-foot cooking lab, a butcher shop, and a Bulk Room where cooks can stock up on locally-sourced oils, vinegars, beans, rice, flour, chocolate, and spices — is a Brooklyn foodie's dream-come-true. Classes should start up in early December.

Restaurant & Bar Openings
An insider at last night's Brooklyn Kitchen Labs preview party told us that a neighborhoody cocktail lounge is getting set to open at 177 South Fourth (between Roebling and Driggs) in December. Cocktail maven Tom Chadwick is running the joint and thinking about calling it Dram. This place is a long time coming — Gothamist reported a couple of years ago that it was set to open in early 2008... Le P’tit Paris is now open at 256 Prospect Park West (at Prospect Avenue) in Windsor Terrace, and local Chowhounds are loving it: "I had the duck dish, which was great--large slices of perfectly done breast, along with nice crispy confit... The best thing on the plate though was this amazing timbale of roast potatoes, mushrooms, and garlic which was incredible, I could have eaten a full dish of it." ... Plus, Time Out reports that Café Mei Mei, a "seasonal American restaurant" from a River Cafe alum is getting ready to open this week at 231 Court Street (between Baltic and Warren) in Cobble Hill: "Wines and beers are planned, but until the license clears, expect free pours on the Friday and Saturday." Not sure which Friday and Saturday they mean, but we'll be keeping an eye on this place.

Sam Sifton Hits Prime Meats
465 Court Street (Luquer Street), Carroll Gardens; (718) 254-0327, frankspm.com
We're really liking the new New York Times restaurant critic, and he likes this place: "The menu is currently small. But it delivers... The hamburger ($13 and up) is one of the better in this burger-mad city: Black Angus meat on a sesame roll with pickles, lettuce, tomato and a slice of Gruyère if you like, and you do, alongside a tangle of excellent salty French fries."

After the jump: A rum-lover's hideout in Williamsburg, Pit Stop closes, the Frankies make a cookbook, Williamsburgh Cafe goes Korean, and a blogger keeps watch on Roman's in Fort Greene...

Continue reading "Brooklyn Food & Drink Round-Up"

Posted in Brownstoner by Kara at 11:32 AM | Comments (5)
Categories: Food and Drink