Best French Fare in Brooklyn?
Every time we turn around, there’s a new French restaurant opening — like Le Petit Marche in Brooklyn Heights and Chez Lola in Clinton Hill, to name just a couple of newcomers. Our question is — which ones serve the best food? We’re partial to Pit Stop (pictured above), Columbia Street’s kitschy, racecar-themed French restaurant…
Every time we turn around, there’s a new French restaurant opening — like Le Petit Marche in Brooklyn Heights and Chez Lola in Clinton Hill, to name just a couple of newcomers. Our question is — which ones serve the best food? We’re partial to Pit Stop (pictured above), Columbia Street’s kitschy, racecar-themed French restaurant with Petanque in the backyard — but we wish it were called “Grand Prix.” We put off checking it out for a long time because its real name kinda makes it sound like a truck stop specializing in jerky and malt liquor. Instead, they’ve got a stellar wine list and refined bistro fare, including an incredible warm lentil salad and a savory goat cheese tartine. Any other nominees for the best French fare in Brooklyn? Are any of the new spots worth checking out?
Pit Stop is located at 127 Columbia Street in Red Hook/Carroll Gardens West/Columbia Heights, depending on which realtor you ask; 718 875 4664.
Pit Stop [Homepage]
Photo by (michelle)
Oh boy! Another restaurant using the back yard illegaly. I pity the neighbors of the Pit Shop. Once again. The use of the backyard for restaurants in most cases is not allowed by the building or fire department unless the backyard has a second means of eagress. That means that this second exit needs to lead directly to the street, not through the restaurant building in case of fire. A fenced backyard therefore is a fire trap and DANGEROUS.
So COCO, when you let your children play in the backyard, you run the risk of having them trapped in the back of the restaurant and the fire department will not be able to get to them.
Restaurateurs know this. They just push the envelope in order to fit extra patrons into their place and to make extra money.
Not to mention the fact that the restaurant neighbors certainly have a right not to listen to little children and pétanque players in the back yard.
So again: the backyard is NOT a place of business. Their use is dangerous. Call 311 to complain about restaurants who use them!
Definitely Quercy, Tabac for mussels, Pit Stop for fun brunch when it is warm. I’ve only been to Boullabaise twice but both meals were excellent.
Bar Tabac on Smith St.
I’d have to go with Quercy on Court St.
Pitstop is a hidden treasure, particularly if you have small children. In the summer, their garden provides a huge play area equipped with toy cars for the kids and petanque for the grown-ups. Since all the other adults are wandering around for the petanque, you can feel comfortable to wander after a toddler, beer in hand. In the winter, the collection of toy cars inside keeps little ones entertained, and I have often seen the chef/owner’s kids hanging out in the kitchen, the sign of a family-friendly place if there ever was one. Food is good; hamburgers beat Schnak hands down and at brunch they have baked merguez sausages with ratatouille, a great alt. to eggs benedict. Overall, Pitstop has the magic of being a great place to take kids without being a kiddy-restaurant. You can have a great time, a great meal and emerge with your dignity intact.
The food at Provence en Boite on Smith Street is excellent. Unfortunately, after 3 visits, I still think they need to work out the kinks in the service.
Pit Stop is mediocre in my opinion.
Patois.
It is difficult to name one of the Bklyn french joints that truly outshines all the rest. Haven’t tried Petit Marche or Lola yet, but I’m partial to Ici (fresh, local ingredients), Jolie (authenticity a key here, along with ambience) and Cocotte (ditto). All three have that je ne sais quoi factor: a warm welcome from the patron, attentive service and fair prices. A well-constructed wine list is also a plus.
Would you consider 360 and its offshoot, Sorrel French? I think I would. Add those to my list.