Wednesday Food & Drink Round-Up

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Going Nuts on Smith Street
163 Smith Street, Boerum Hill
In the old Brooklyn Camo space on Smith between Wyckoff and Bergen, the Nutbox has opened up shop. They’re selling not only nuts, but also trail mixes, spices, grains, lentils, cereal, coffee, and gelato. When we stopped by, an employee told us that they’ll be showing morning cartoons on the store’s flat-screen TV so kids can tune in while their parents shop. They owners seem well-intentioned — and we really like what they’ve done with the space — but are they nuts to think that this business will survive on Smith Street?

Two Reviews for No. 7
7 Greene Avenue, Fort Greene; (718) 522-6372
The New Yorker says: “The chef, Tyler Kord, who most recently cooked at Perry St., has referred to his kitchen style as ‘casual badass.’ That, presumably, means complicated dishes executed with an effortless air. It works.” And the New York Times recommends the appetizer of fried broccoli, dill, grapefruit, black beans, which costs $7: “Do these ingredients belong on the same plate? They do. The broccoli is fried tempura-style, then set to rest on an inky hummus of black beans. This earthy pairing gets a refreshing lift from the glossy grapefruit shards in a small frisée salad.”

After the jump: A rave review for Char No. 4, a new restaurant for Fort Greene, a day trip to Red Hook, new pizza in Williamsburg, and Brooklyn’s 4th annual casserole competition…

Andrea Strong Checks Out Char No. 4
196 Smith Street, Boerum Hill; (718) 643-2106
“Pork shoulder is turned into a fantastic chopped pork sandwich ($14) that’s tender, smoky and just saucy enough, served inside a big fluffy bun with his house-made pickled onions, slivered sweet red peppers, and a side of terrific smoky baked beans heavily laden with bacon… A half-chicken ($20), shellacked with honey, also spends some time in that smoker, to great effect. The mustard greens it’s served with are spicy and bitter, and that sharpness plays well off the sweetness of the meat. While I think the brine may make the bird a little too salty, it was the most tender and juicy chicken I’ve eaten in recent memory.” [The Strong Buzz]

Quick Bites
Clinton Hill Blog spots a new restaurant opening at 247 DeKalb in Fort Greene… Brooklyn Based shares their plan for a fun-filled day in Red Hook… Motorino, a pizzeria with a Belgian accent opens in Williamsburg… And registration is open for Brooklyn’s 4th annual casserole cook-off, hosted by Casserole Crazy author Emily Farris.