I just got a press release about Benchmark, a new restaurant in Park Slope on Second Street just off Fifth Avenue.

I walk by there all the time. How’d I miss it?

Oh! Benchmark is on 2nd Street not Fifth Avenue. But still. I can’t quite picture the space. The press releases says that Benchmark is accessed through a spacious 52-seat garden patio entrance. Huh? I think it must be around the corner from the Loki Lounge or maybe in their back space?

And what is it?

The press release explains that Benchmark, a restaurant featuring New American cuisine prepared by executive Chef-Partner Ryan Jaronik, is serving a menu that emphasizes pasture-raised meats and locally-grown produce. “Chef Jaronik melds seasonal American cooking and global influences with an emphasis on steaks and chops.”

It’s beginning to sound ultra cool: “Between the 1920s and 1940s, the space was once used as an icehouse and a major way station for goods that that arrived on the banks of the Gowanas Canal. Building upon the location’s history, the 45-seat dining room embraces the naturally rustic interior and features exposed brick, arched windows, banquette seating, warm pendant lighting and radiant heat floors.”

And the name. Why the name?

More coolness: The name “benchmark” refers to a surveyor’s mark used as a reference point in tidal elevations and surveys. During the excavation of the site and viewing old blueprints, several of these marks were found, along with surveyors’ and architects’ tools, some of which are displayed on the restaurant’s walls. Nice.

The menu draws inspiration from Chef Jaronik’s childhood and past experiences. Growing up in rural, Northwest Indiana, he learned the importance of the small farmer and the role they play in the food community. Ryan grasped this knowledge and moved to Chicago, where he spent the next ten years working in a variety of different cuisines, including Gibson’s Steakhouse, TRU Restaurant, Mas and Hugo’s Frog Bar. From Chicago, he moved to Boston where he was the Executive Chef of the three star restaurant, Masa. Just prior to opening Benchmark, Chef Jaronik was the Executive Chef of Monkey Town in the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn for the past three years.

So what’s on the menu?

Starters include Trio of Beef Short Ribs: Corned, Braised + Broiled and Chorizo Stuffed Chicken Wings with Hot Celery Giardiniera; entrée highlights include Seared Long Island Duck Breast with Leg Confit and Sweet Potato Hash and Shrimp Crusted Atlantic Halibut with Shiso Yuzu Broth, Tomato Confit and Cranberry Beans. Chef Jaronik complements his new American cuisine with the several years of experience he has cooking in the bustling kitchens of Chicago steakhouses. He has a high regard for the straightforward steak dinner and gives it a prominent place on his menu. A featured section of à la carte pasture-raised steaks and chops offers up to five different cuts, including a 24 oz Bone-in Ribeye and an 11 oz Filet Mignon.  In the coming months, a meat aging room will be constructed for dry-aged beef and cured sausages.

Benchmark is open for dinner Tuesday through Sunday and reservations are available for parties of all sizes by calling 718-965-7040. Walk-ins are welcome. Brunch service will be added in the Spring.
Dinner  |  Sun-Th, 5 – 11 PM  |  F + Sat, 5 PM – 12 AM  |  Closed Mondays

Moutarde, a popular French bistro on Fifth Avenue and President Street, is shuttered,  presumably for renovations. In the movie Julie & Julia, the restaurant played a real 1940’s Parisian bistro. Meryl Streep and Stanley Tucci ate a fabulous meal in there in a wonderful early scene.

So why did they shoot the scene in Brooklyn and not Paris. Well, it could have been budgetary issues. But I’ve also heard that Nora Ephron’s location team could find no restaurant in Paris that looked so convincingly like a restaurant of that time period.

Funny that the restaurant is renovating now that it has been immortalized on film. You’d think they’d want to keep it the same for its film history value.

Or maybe it’s time to make a change.

Remember that bright yellow and orange Korean market that went in on Seventh Avenue between Union and President right near Aersoles?

It was called Park Slope Farm and it closed rather quickly. The space at 106 7th Avenue stayed vacant for quite a few months.

That was then this is now. According to Brownstoner, a bagel cafe is going in.

My first time and the morning after: A Cakes Bakes in Brooklyn

Asparagus & basil pesto sushi rolls: A Kitchen in Brooklyn

Meatball with provolone at Bklyn Larder: Serious Eats

Mimi’s hummus is best hummus in NYC: Ditmas Park Blog

Dine in Brooklyn: McBrooklyn

Dine in Brooklyn details: All About Fifth

Dine in Brooklyn: Gerritsen Beach

Bring hungry carnivores to VInegar Hill House: NYC Food Guy

Breast milk cheese: Fucked in Park Slope

Parchment baked tilapia: Clinton Hill Foodie

Brooklyn Bridge Park to have a lotta grub: Carroll Gardens Diary

Foodifying Kensington: Kensington Prospect

By Paula Bernstein

I’m still recovering from the excitement (and the wine!) from Saturday night’s first-ever dinner party. I’m proud to announce that I pulled it off — it was even better than I had hoped for (I had pretty low expectations). People seemed to like the food and to enjoy themselves. And I had a lot of fun too.

All in all, I’m very proud. Considering that less than a year ago, I could barely defrost a microwave dinner or follow the directions on the Amy’s macaroni and cheese box, I have come a long way. I’m mostly relieved that all of my guests showed up and I didn’t burn anything!

Still, there’s always room for improvement.

I’ve learned so much during this adventure. If you’re hoping to throw your own dinner party, here are some Undomesticated Brooklyn tips:

1. Plan a detailed scheduled for the day of the party, leaving time for last-minute errands. I was so busy cleaning the apartment and buying baguettes on Saturday that I waited until too late to start prepping the food. I had to scramble at the last minute to halve the Brussels Sprouts and scrub and quarter the mushrooms. I barely had time to put on makeup and get dressed (not to mention time for the clothing crisis!)

2. Make sure you have enough serving dishes and cutlery. I ended up renting a table, dishes and silverware and I still didn’t have quite enough bowls (luckily, I found some from a different pattern, but at least I didn’t have to resort to using the kids’ Disney princess bowls).

3. It’s nice to entertain without kids. I know it’s a hassle to get a babysitter and it’s not cheap, but it’s worth it to have a night out without the kids, right? It was certainly a treat for me to have adult chat without having to worry about any meltdowns or freak-outs (my kids were perfect angels and went to bed without any struggle).

4. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Realizing I was in over my head, I asked Avo to prepare salad dressing (a wonderful garlic vinaigrette). Then I had Mr. Di Franco plate the salad. What a team!

5. It seems obvious, but don’t forget to invite an assortment of interesting guests and not just the usual suspects. I went out of my way to invite people I wanted to know better and who I thought would get along, not necessarily old friends.

6. Keep color in mind when deciding what to serve. Honestly, I never considered it when planning my menu, but in hindsight, I wish I had injected some color — maybe in the form of glazed carrots?

7. You can never have too much wine or cheese. I bought a wonderful selection of cheese, but it went pretty fast (whereas I bought way too many baguettes). I only bought one bottle of wine and even though guests generously brought wine, we cut it pretty close. A little more wine would have been a good thing and we could always have saved leftovers for another night.

8. Don’t be a perfectionist. I had planned to make whipped cream to top the apple spice cake and brownies for dessert. But I didn’t want to stress about whipping up whipped cream while I was enjoying dinner. Besides, the vanilla ice cream a la mode was sweet enough.

9. Try to relax and enjoy yourself. At the end of the party, OTBKB’s own Louise Crawford said “It was so nice to see you enjoying yourself. So many times you go to a party and the host spends the whole night in the kitchen. Guests don’t like that. They want to see the host enjoying the party.” So true.

10. Guests will appreciate the fact that you invited them and cooked for them. And you’ll get a kick out of cooking for other people (I promise!). It may be a lot of work, but the end result is worth it.

One guest e-mailed the day after the party to say “Great food, guests and conversation. Wonderful success! You have arrived as a hostess!”

I e-mailed back, “I’m not sure I’ve arrived, but at least I’m in the driveway.”

Meanwhile, I had so much fun planning the first-ever dinner party that I’m already tackling another challenge: a Very Belated (6 years late!) Housewarming Cocktail Party. I’ll be sure to let you know once I set a date.

Oh yeah, one last final tip: Don’t forget to take pictures! I forgot, but luckily there were a couple of photographers at the party. Hopefully, they’ll send me some good pics soon (Hugh and Ken, if you’re reading this, get on it pronto!)

I’m just repeating an interesting rumor/tip I was tweeted: the owners of Second Street Cafe are making a comeback on Seventh Avenue in the Miracle Grill location on Seventh Avenue and 3rd Street in Park Slope.

This is just what I’ve been tweeted. Anyone know more?

Well, you know, I had a soft spot for breakfast at the Second Street Cafe so I am thrilled if this rumor is true. Last I heard one of the owners had moved upstate (and opened a restaurant up there) and the other owner is still in the Slope.

The Second Street Cafe closed a couple of years ago at their old location on Seventh Avenue and 2nd Street after a costly renovation. The above picture was taken after the restaurant was shuttered.

Who can forget that the pre-renovation restaurant’s walls were papered with the crayon art of its patrons.