Brooklyn Food & Drink Round-Up

This Week’s Openings
New York magazine posted this photo of the Loading Dock (170 Tillary Street, near Gold Street, Downtown Brooklyn), opened by Flea vendor Choncho’s Tacos: “Part café, part gallery, the space has been winterized with wood-burning stoves and canvas flaps, and will be open from 8 a.m. through 3 p.m. weekdays for Mexican-style eggs, tacos made with tortillas from Corona’s Nixtamal, and Gorilla coffee.”… Time Out reports that Patrick Watson from The Jakewalk is opening Brooklyn Wine Exchange, “a wine store specializing in New York, New World, Old World and biodynamic wines in Cobble Hill. A 40-seat learning center, meanwhile, will offer frequent tastings to those who have purchased the $100 annual membership.” (138 Court Street between Atlantic Avenue and Pacific Street)… Grub Street says that Manhattan’s Rainbow Cafe has moved to Brooklyn’s Chinatown: “we counted one dish — the fried chicken wings stuffed with sticky rice and Chinese sausage — among the absolute best cheap eats in the city.” (773 60th Street, between Sixth and Seventh Avenues, Sunset Park). And BushwickBK reports that Checkers “opened last week near the Halsey JZ stop at Eldert St. and Broadway.”

Katy Sparks Takes Over Bussaco
Former Food & Wine Best New Chef and cookbook author Katy Sparks is now co-owner and executive chef at Park Slope’s Bussaco. “Sparks will use the restaurant’s high-heat stone oven to do things like roast fish on sea salt, and she’s adding a bar menu with items like deviled eggs with cider-glazed bacon and cremini mushrooms cooked a la plancha with chiles and Cabrales blue cheese,” says Mouthing Off. And Grub Street shares the whole delicious-sounding new menu here.

Monday Night Special
Eater reports that Buttermilk Channel is now open for dinner on Monday nights: “To celebrate, they’re launching a $25 three course menu that includes buttermilk fried chicken with cheddar waffles and bacon wrapped brook trout.” There’s a vegetarian option, too, and a miniature version of Buttermilk’s perfectly sweet-and-salty pecan pie sundae is also part of the deal. Check out the Monday night menu here.

After the jump: The Vanderbilt, a new roti joint in Bed-Stuy, and the recently shuttered Miracle Grill…

Recently Reviewed: The Vanderbilt
“The wooden American-infused interior evokes a log cabin more than a cocktail lounge. The scene felt upbeat, but more like parents psyched for their one night out than like the buzz of movers and shakers…. Cocktails, expertly-mixed… were $9. The King Edward both stunned and soothed the palate with an unexpected and smoky combination of rye, cherry, vanilla and Islay scotch. The dessert menu demands attention too, with choices like Goat Cheesecake ($9, served with red wine pear sorbet and walnut streusel) and Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake ($9, served with concord grape gelee and buttermilk ice cream).” [Brooklyn the Borough]

Recently Reviewed: Trini Gul
543 Nostrand Avenue, near Atlantic Avenue, Bed-Stuy
“Everything was very good (and very cheap; I barely spent $15), but nothing mesmerized quite like the deep fried shark. I had never eaten shark before. I expected it would be tough and chewy, but it was tender and moist, and perfectly seasoned with hot sauce and tamarind. I could eat fried shark every day. When served with fried dough, it’s called Bake and Shark, which is one of the funniest food names I’ve ever heard. Apparently, Bake and Shark is not easy to find, because good fresh shark is hard to find in NYC.” [Lost City]

Closed: Miracle Grill
OTBKB reports that Miracle Grill in Park Slope is now closed: “I am wondering if the ever-crowded Barrio right across the street put them out of business or if it’s just a sign of the economic times that they couldn’t make it… Miracle Grill made a decent go of it for quite a few years. But prior to that, its location on Third Street and Seventh Avenue has had a high turnover. It was almost considered a doomed restaurant spot.”