Brooklyn Food & Drink Round-Up

Park Slope’s Long Tan Closing After 10 Years
FIPS sadly reports that 5th Avenue Thai spot Long Tan is preparing to close in the near future. (The official losing date has yet to be set.) ZagatBuzz adds, “What we can report is that the owner will hold on to the bar portion of the restaurant, and plans to open it as a high-end cocktail bar with wines and small plates in December or January.”

Opening: Akariba and Calexico Greenpoint
Zenkichi spin-off Akariba opened in Williamsburg last week, and the Village Voice recommends their potato mochi: “The perfect little deep-fried potato rice spheres come with shichimi pepper Japanese mayonnaise, and are more addictive than French fries.” … Plus, Eater reports, “The team behind taco truck phenom Calexico tells us that their Greenpoint brick and mortar location on Manhattan Ave is nearly ready to go, with an opening slated for mid-October. Expect all the dishes they currently serve plus a few new ones and ‘kick ass margaritas.'”

Recently Reviewed: Thistle Hill Tavern
441 Seventh Avenue at 15th Street, Park Slope; (347) 599-1262
“A leg of lamb displayed a light touch, with salty feta and a citrusy bed of cracked wheat cutting through the richness of the supremely tender meat. Even better were plump Maine mussels flecked one late-summer night with tiny currant tomatoes and clusters of corn kernels. An order of french fries—cut thick and seasoned liberally with sea salt and freshly ground pepper—acted as a savory sponge for the aromatic white-wine broth.” [Time Out New York]

After the jump: The early word on Brucie, the power of Roberta’s, the best coffee shops for laptops, and the best eats under $40…

Chowhound Buzz: Brucie
234 Court Street (at Baltic), Cobble Hill
The ‘Hounds are chatting about the new Italian spot, Brucie, in the old Cube 63 space on Court Street. “I had a very tasty panelle sandwich on a Caputo’s sesame seed roll with delicious fresh ricotta. Vinegar pickles were added as a twist — which worked, and brought some welcome acidity, honey was also added, and this I could have lived without,” says thread-starter Elaine Snutteplutten. Fellow ‘Hound spiffae writes, “they are still figuring it out, but I had the homemade tagliatelle with fried brussels sprouts and tomato butter – really excellent and a deal at 11 dollars.”

The Power of Roberta’s
New York magazine’s Who Runs New York? feature mentions the Roberta’s DIY empire, a restaurant that’s doing whatever they want in their Bushwick backyard: “Craned-in shipping containers house a radio station and bakery, plus an office, all crowned by small vegetable patches. The vibe is of a future-primitive, self-sufficient compound whose inhabitants grow their own food and urinate on the compost pile (true story).”

The Best Spots to Tote Your Laptop
Attention freelancers: Brooklyn Based shares a round-up of their favorite coffiices, “the best places in Brooklyn to sit and work and sip.” Favorites include Tillie’s of Brooklyn, Urban Vintage, and Root Hill Cafe, but Gimme! Coffee on Lorimer gets the highest marks: “Even as a place not really intended as a work spot, it’s one of the best in Brooklyn, and if coffee is what’s most important on your list, you needn’t look further.”

Best Eats Under 40 Bucks
The NY Daily News shares the Michelin guide’s list of “New York City eateries [that] earned the Bib Gourmand title for dishing up sumptuous two course meals alongside a beverage or dessert for under $40.” The list’s slew of Brooklyn spots includes all the usual suspects, plus some less-hyped spots like Baci & Abbraci, Kif, and Mesa Coyoacan.