Streetlevel: BBQ Coming to Lincoln Road in PLG

Last week, the blog Hawthorne Street broke the news that the vacant space on Lincoln Road in Prospect-Lefferts Gardens will be a BBQ place by prolific restauranteur Jim Mamary. He’s also a partner in the Mexican bar and restaurant next door, Cafe Enduro, which has become somewhat of the neighborhood “Cheers.” We spoke to partner Richard Krause about this newest venture, expected to open by December (Their other project under development, an oyster bar on Hoyt and Union Streets, which ran into some controversy, should open by January). Krause said they first considered opening their “BBQ concept” on Smith Street, but were unable to find affordable space. Then the nail salon next door to Enduro shut down because the landlord raised the rent. “That location just sort of became available and it just seemed to really work there … I think BBQ really fits for the nice, diverse group that is already coming to Enduro.” In fact, Enduro, not even two-years-old, was such a hit that Krause said they renewed their lease for another 15 years and plan a 15-year lease for the yet-untested BBQ space (the final leases have not been signed).

The menu is going to be “strictly southern BBQ, very simple and very straight forward … ribs, brisket, chicken and not a lot more … And if we have a dessert, we will only have one dessert. I don’t think we’ll have appetizers.” Sorry, vegetarians, that means it’s sides or nothing. “The corn bread will be vegetarian, the baked beans obviously will not be. [They could get] creamed spinach, corn on the cob, mixed and matched sides. It would all be coincidentally vegetarian … we’re not going to be smoking rutabaga or anything.” The BBQ joint would be connected to Enduro via an archway so a separate liquor license is not necessary, and would have it’s own bar, kitchen and staff. Krause said they wanted to avoid the burrito and BBQ at the same table scenario for sanity’s sake.

Mahmood Kassim, who has operated the Candy (and cigarette) Store on the strip since 1978, said he was also interested in renting the space, as was the cafe K-Dog & Dunebuggy, but the landlord was asking way too much money &mdash upwards of $4,000 a month. (Krause said they worked out a deal for less than the original asking price, which was under $4,000) Kassim has no hard feelings. He, like many in the neighborhood, is a regular customer at Enduro, and “would like to eat something besides Mexican every once in a while.” Then Kassim reminisced on the days, not too long ago, when fights would erupt inside his store daily. “Now I can have my son working in there alone,” he said, leaning against the news stand just outside the door. The bars and discos once on the strip closed down because of the violence, he said, but now the neighborhood is ready for another bar.

Other responses to the news ranged from “awesome” to “can’t wait.” Aside from the lack of vegatarian options, Mamary and Krause managed to pick a “concept” that will again appeal to just about everyone. The only downside would have been the dissipation of Enduro as the neighborhood hub (having only one option really brings everyone together), except that it would be connected by a door.
BBQ Coming to Lincoln Road [Hawthorne Street]
Streetlevel: Lincoln Road Nail Salon Shuts Down [Brownstoner]
Old Hands on the Restaurant Scene Face a New Brooklyn [Brownstoner]
Shucks! Oyster Bar Dredges Up Controversy on Hoyt [Brownstoner]