You've heard about Saul Restaurant in Boerum Hill,  one of the really good restaurants on Smith Street? Well, now Saul Bolton has a new restaurant on Vanderbilt Avenue called The Vanderbilt.

A friend mentioned it to me yesterday and I see there's an article about Bolton's new place in the Brooklyn Paper:

Bolton, famous for the pioneering Smith Street white tablecloth
place that bears his first name, makes all his sausages in house. But
that’s not what transforms his merguez from a pathetic case of ex-sex
into a full-on, hot-blooded shower scene with America’s next top model.

Sure, the ingredients are first rate, but Bolton’s merguez is not
just great lamb ground up and stuffed into a casing. To help his links
retain their moisture, the maestro adds a bit of milk powder into the
mix. No, it doesn’t influence the flavor, but the crystals keep the
juices where they’re supposed to be: inside the casing, not at the
bottom of the grill.

Yes, there are other standout items on Bolton’s menu at The
Vanderbilt — including roasted Brussels sprouts with sirachia and
sesame seeds; a bright fennel salad that you could literally eat all
day; and a fritter of pigs feet (and head) that could cure Hemingway’s
hangover — but this merguez is easily the best merguez we’ve ever had.

 

There's a new Zuzu in town. And it ain't no flower shop. It's a ramen restaurant called Zuzu Ramen located at 173 Fourth Avenue. They're open Tuesday through Saturday 5-10 p.m. Closed Mondays.

It's owned by the folks who brought you Sheep Station also on Fourth Avenue. Zuzu is meant to emulate the sound of someone slurping soup I was told. And soup is the thing at Zuzu Ramen.

I discovered this corner restaurant walking up Fourth Avenue. I noticed from across the street some Noguchi paper lanterns in a softly lit storefront.

I'm a sucker for Noguchi paper lanterns.

When I crossed the street I had that feeling that I was embarking on a great discovery. All the signs were there: an interesting crowd, a serious looking chef in the kitchen, an enthusiastic waitress, wonderful ktchen smells. 

The incredibly comfortable stools at the counter were the real deal maker. I had the ‘ZuZu’ Ramen with Charshu, Slow Cooked Egg, Bamboo Shoots & Seasonal Vegetables  in a Smokey Dashi Broth for $14.

I said to the waitress. "What is this? I've never tasted anything this good before. I mean I've had ramen but I guess this is how it is supposed to taste."

The soup portions are large and I took half home and shared with the family. They all agreed. Very, Very tasty.

The chef's name is Akihiro Morot and he grew up helping out in his father's ramen restaurant before moving to New York where he worked at Lespinasse and Jean Georges. Says Village Voice Foodster Sarah DeGregorio:

What a great discovery. Fourth Avenue is SO happening.

Here's the menu at Zuzu's Ramen:

Noodles in Broth:

Green Curry-Miso Ramen with Charshu, 
Slow Cooked Egg & Seasonal Vegetables  $10
Hot & Sour Ramen with Shrimp, 
Tomatoes, Thai Basil & Lemongrass  $11  
Garlic Soy Ramen with Bok Choy, Slow Cooked Egg 
& Bamboo Shoots in a Vegetable Broth  $9.5             
‘ZuZu’ Ramen with Charshu, Slow Cooked Egg, 
Bamboo Shoots & Seasonal Vegetables 
in a Smokey Dashi Broth  $14

Noodles in Sauce:

Slow Cooked Beef Curry 
with Noodles & Vegetables  $14

Tasty Morsels:

Pan Seared Pork Dumplings with 
Shiso Seed Dipping Sauce  $7
Seaweed Salad with Mesclun Greens, 
Cherry Tomatoes and Citrus Vinaigrette  $6  
Edamame with Green Tea Salt  $5.5  
Vegetable Dumplings with 
Shiso Seed Dipping Sauce  $6  
Mini Pork Buns with Braised Pork Shoulder, 
Scallions, Cucumber & Sweet Chili Sauce $8

Rice Dishes

Slow Beef Curry with Carrots, onions & Potatoes $13    

Fans of Bar Reis will be thrilled to know about the new sandwich shop next door. I just got back from there because my friend, Mo, a bartender at Bar Reis, told me to come by and try a sandwich.

When I got there I met Reis Goldberg, owner of Bar Reis and Reis 100. He told me that the shop will be selling 100 varieties of small sandwiches. Reis showed me around the attractive new shop next door and even let me sample two delicious sandwiches. The bread, from Caputo's Bakery is a perfectly sized soft baguette. I had the gruyere, bacon and carmelized onion sandwich which was incredbily delicious. I also tried the cream cheese with Lemon rhubarb berry jam, also delicious. Stay tuned for my interview with Goldberg.

Reis 100 is opening soft with sandwiches at the bar but the new place opens officially on Thursday night. It is on Fifth Avenue between 5th and 6th Streets in Park Slope.

 I love it already.

Seems that Mo, that multi-talented young woman, is making the jams. Here's an email I got today from Heather, a friend of Reis.  

According to one of the guys at La Bagel Delight's store on 7th Avenue
and 5th Street, they will be moving to their new store on 7th Avenue
between 6th and 7th Streets "on Saturday, Monday the latest."  The date
depends on when their gas service is working.

Now this is not just a move this is a major expansion. In the new space they've added a salad bar and tables and chairs for eating in. 

Also, the rumor that a new restaurant was going in to the former
laundromat on the southwest corner of 7th Avenue and 8th Street is no
longer a rumor.  A work permit posted at the site states that the renovations going on at the site (a
worker was seen there Tuesday) were "to accommodate an eating & drinking
establishment (less than 75 persons)."

Jessica at Motorino in Greenpoint sent this to me:

I want to make sure you were aware of Motorino, a new
pizza spot that opened on Monday in Williamsburg. Chef Mathieu
Palombino (BLT Fish, Bouley, Cafe Charbon, Cello) has created a menu that
includes a focused selection of local Brooklyn
salumi, salads, antipasti and cheeses in addition to 10 pizzas made to order in
the wood-fired oven. 

Pizzas include the neopolitan classics: margherita,
marinara and three varieties of pizza bianca, in addition to several others
that will change seasonally.  For dessert, Motorino features over 10
flavors of house-made gelato and sorbetto to be served on house-baked
brioche.  The restaurant is located at
319 Graham Avenue near
Devoe Street.

Tonight Hepcat and I had dinner on the patio of the new Mexican restaurant, Barrio, on Third Street and Seventh Avenue. We sat next to Paul Auster, who was there with two friends.

I asked the waitress, a very nice young woman from Oregon, to tell us about the people who own the restaurant. I didn’t have a pad with me and so don’t remember their names. It’s a couple and they own part of BLT Steak, quite a fancy place in the east 20’s in Manhattan. They also owns Rice; a Japanese bento box place; and three other restaurants she couldn’t recall.

She told us that the couple bought a house in Park Slope and it’s been their dream to own a neighborhood Mexican restaurant and live nearby.

Good sign.

The fact that the food was very good is also a good sign. I ordered a glass of sangria, which was very fruity. Hepcat had beer.

They served us excellent chips and very delicious homemade salsa.

I ordered the vegetable enchilada and Hepcat had pork tenderloin with peanut mole sauce. Both were delicious and Hepcat and I concluded that Barrio is NOT your typical beans, rice, and over-cheesy enchilada and tacos place.

It’s gourmet Mexican, I think. The prices aren’t cheap. But they’re not crazy either (considering the rent on Seventh).

It’s very pleasant sitting in the orange tented area with the nice chandelier and the pretty Christmas lights with a nice view of Third Street and Seventh Avenue.

I think I’m going to like Barrio.

Best of all: the restaurant is offering a 15% discount until their real opening on May 1st.

In today’s Dining Briefs in the Times, The Beer Table, on 15th Street and 7th Avenue got a veritible rave from reviewer Peter Meehan.

The list of 25 or so bottled beers, which changes daily, is the focus. It is a fabulously succinct, remarkably reliable document, and most beers on it are not just unusual but unusually delicious.

Instead of organizing the list by country or price or style, Mr. Philips has organized it from “most delicate” to “most rich.” It is a testament to his palate that the organization works, and that his descriptions of the beers are so reliable.

Leipziger Gose, a beer I could drink by the bathtub full, is, per the menu, “super refreshing, herbal, somewhat briny.” Schlenkerla Urbock, a smoky brew from Bamberg, Germany, is “sausage in a glass.”

The Philipses offer few, but worthy, companions to their beers: artisanal cheeses, malt-flavored ice cream and a spread of charcuterie — pork belly rilletes, chicken liver terrine and so on — that a friend makes a few times a week in Beer Table’s nook of a kitchen.

A friend called the charcuterie and beer pairing “the perfect antidote to Bar Boulud.” I’ll call the place a fantastic spot for Park Slopers looking for a civilized way to wind down and a new pilgrimage site for beer geeks citywide.

I walked by Barrio at noon on Wednesday and it looked like they were having serious training session for the staff in the outdoor/tented area of that new restaurant on Seventh Avenue and Third Street.

They had printed materials and everything.

Looks like they’re taking things very seriously over at the new place. Bodes well, I’d say.

The orange canopy with the name, Barrio, and a phone number on it, has been up for a week at the restaurant in the space formerly occupied by Tempo Presto the corner of Third Street and Seventh Avenue.

The pinkish background for what will be the Seventh Avenue sign has been painted for weeks, too. Workmen have been installing doors, including a Mexican style wooden door on the front and french doors that lead to the patio.

Today, there are orange vinyl bankettes being moved in. Now I’m guessing that the place is going for a groovy Mexican diner vibe.

Here’s a crazy hunch: I thought I saw the owner of Bubby’s in the store yesterday but I might be crazy.

If it was him, I am relieved that Barrio will be run by an experienced and very solid restaurant guy. The diner style bankettes do suggest a Bubby’s vibe, don’t they.

So there’s my unfounded rumor based on a hunch. I’m just going with it for now.

New York Magazine’s Grub Street warns about Restaurant Week: Use it, Don’t Be Used By It:

Brooklyn Restaurant Week begins today, and while there are bargains to be had, be on the alert — too often, small restaurants sign on to get business, but then put the weakest things they have on the special menu or make up for the deal by relentlessly upselling bottled water, overpricing wine, and other tricks of the trade. That said, the good thing about Brooklyn Restaurant Week is that it tends to bring Brooklynites out of their neighborhoods. (Getting Manhattanites to come to Brooklyn to eat is patently out of the question, with a few ironclad exceptions like Peter Luger and the River Café.) We’ll skip over the places that, while of undisputed excellence, are basically just Manhattan restaurants that happen to be located in Brooklyn, like Chestnut or La Lunetta, in favor of restaurants such as Korhogo 126, the African restaurant on Union Street, or the always underrated Waterfront Ale House, where chef Ralph Yedinak does some of the city’s ablest barbecue and game cookery. Embers, one of our favorite steakhouses, is so cheap that you don’t even need Restaurant Week to get you out there — though if it helps, so be it. And after what Rob and Robin wrote about Bay Ridge’s magnificent Tanoreen, this week should be the excuse you need.

But I’d love to hear from YOU. How is your Restaurant Week going? Where have you been? How was it? If you own or work at a restaurant, tell us what’s going on.

I got this tip from my good friend Adam about a post on Brownstoner called, Kitty Grub on Atlantic Avenue about The Moxie Spot, a newly-opened, kid-friendly restaurant on Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn Heights.

Looks like The Moxie Spot serves a wacky, fun, cross-ethnic, cross-region range of food, including wontons, quesadillas, New England clam chowder, philly cheesesteak, panini sandwiches, fish fry,

They have a daily ethnic special:

Monday: Lamb & Chicken Tandoori
Tuesday: Latino, Tacos & Quesadillas
Wednesday: Carribean, Jerk Chicken w Red Beans and Rice
Thursday: Eastern European, Pierogis & Latkes
Friday: East Asian, Clam w Black Bean Sauce
Saturday: Mediterranian, Italian Ring Sausage & Ind. Pizza
Sunday: Old School American, Clams, Lobster, Mussels, Corn.

Their entire menu is on their website. 

The word a few weeks back was that Biscuit BBQ was going out of business and many wondered about the fate of the Night and Day Starlight Room (I think that’s what it was called). It was the site of many literary reading, performance by Mary Cleere Haran and Deborah Barsha, and many more interesting events.

Well, Carl Rosenstock, who schedules a literary reading series there had to cancel a March 16th reading. But he did reveal this in his email:

To any & all, & other faithful followers of the Night-&-Day Reading Series

Due to the ongoing renovation of our venue, Biscuit BBQ (soon to be renamed and re-launched with a new cuisine), I must regretfully cancel the reading next Sunday, March 16th, that was to feature Marilyn Hacker, Pamela Laskin, and Yerra Sugarman. We hope to re-schedule this event at the earliest available opportunity.

I have been assured (by all & sundry) that all the changes will result in the venue becoming the pearl of Park Slope. So please be patient with everyone involved. … And I look forward to seeing everyone at our next schedule reading (Sunday April 20th, featuring Daniela Gioseffi, David Evanier, and Laurel Blossom).

The pearl of Park Slope? Is it an oyster bar? Pearl Oyster Bar? That’s a rumor, I’ll be the first to admit it because I’m starting it. But I think poet Carl is giving us a hint.

Pearl Oyster Bar, also of Cornelia Street, coming to Park Slope? Why not.

I am sad to hear via Gowanus Lounge that Cocotte, that romantic French restaurant on Fifth Avenue and 4th Street is going out of business.

The life of a restaurants in Park Slope can be so unstable. Cocotte really made a try of it—they’ve been around for five years or more. I remember after ZuZu’s Petals had the fire at their Seventh Avenue Store, there was a lovely fundraising party at Cocotte, an event which helped them finance their Fifth Avenue store.

My friend Jerry, who knows everything about food in Park Slope, said that Cocotte had gotten really good in the last year (he liked it better than the new Belleville). I must speak with Jerry about this. What’s the word Jerry?

According to Bob at Gowanus Lounge, rising rents are to blame for the death of Cocotte. But I think they’ve been having a hard time for a while. The original Cocotte was opened by the couple who owned A Table, a wonderful, defunct restaurant on Lafayette Avenue in Ft. Greene, with some friends.

Thank goodness for OTBKB readers. One just wrote in with the real story:

Cocotte was opened by my former next door neighbors. Their first and other restaurant was Lou Lou on Dekalb Avenue , not A Table. They sold the coop next door, bought a house across the street, sold it and last I knew had moved to New Jersey . I lost touch with them, but it could be that the commute, on top of the high rent, suggested it was time to move on. If they could open 2 restaurants and make a go of both, they could surely be doing it again. I hope they’re doing well, wherever they are and whatever they’re doing. They’re great people. I remember that special event they hosted for Fonda. I met her that night for the first time. We really do live in a community full of extraordinary people.

In a later email, she wonders if perhaps they sold the restaurant when they moved to New Jersey.

As recently as last week, I recommended Cocotte for a romantic Valentine’s meal. It was, indeed, the perfect place for onion soup, Long Island Duck Breast with root vegetable couscous, picholine olives, quince (YUM), delicious crepes, Steak Frites, and hamburgers.

According to Paul Leschen, who briefly penned Only the Blog Knows Brooklyn Restaurants, Cocotte had one of the best burgers on Seventh Avenue (after Stone Park Cafe and Bonnie’s Grill):

The burger across the street at Cocotte is pretty good, too; it’s bigger than Stone Park’s, and it too is made with a high quality beef. But the meat at Cocotte is too lean, and as such, it wasn’t overly juicy or flavorful. I had been told it could be served with Gruyere, but I was only offered Swiss. The fries, on the other hand, were Belgian-style and flecked with fresh herbs and, along with a great glass of house Cote du Rhone, made up for the burger’s minor deficiencies.

Cocotte made a great go of it. I for one am very sorry that they’ll be leaving the block across from the The Old Stone House. First Living on Fifth, now Cocotte. Hang in there Brooklyn Mercantile, Serene Rose, Razor and the rest…

Middle eastern cuisine seems to be the thing on Fifth Avenue. First there was Alaturka, which went out of business in November only to be replaced by Mediterra, a pretty place that’s reviewed this week’s Brooklyn Paper.

Over on Fifth Avenue near 9th Street, Fatoosh has just opened. They have a branch on Hicks Street near Atlantic in Brooklyn Heights. Here’s a rave among raves from Yelp:

It’s true, perhaps the best falafel around. I mean, it’s on the spicey side, especially with the mahammarah sauce (a red pepper spread of some sort), but wow, what flavor and texture. I wish I had a camera, I’d put a picture of it here. At any rate, they make their own pitas on site, so you get a hot fluffy pita with most every meal. They have all the basics, without much flair, but its got this homestyle goodness. The couscous salad is pretty simple, but the subtle spices they use bring out something beyond the traditional halal-cart fare. It’s worth a shot, but I’ll bet you’ll be back. 2nd only to Damascas Bakery in my opinio

Mediterra (381 Fifth Ave. at 6th Street in Park Slope)

Fatoosh ( address to come; Fifth Avenue at 9th Street in Park Slope)

The Yelpers are yelping about it. I stopped in for a look yesterday and it looked like a fun bar with good-sounding food (I read the menu).

The Dram Shop is located on 9th Street between 5th and 6th Avenue (is it the old pet shop?) They’ve got loads of beers on tap, burgers, board games, and shuffle board?

Dram shop is a legal term referring to a bar or a place where beverages are sold. According to Wikipedia, “traditionally it referred to a shop where spirits were sold by the dram, a small unit of liquid.”

I was wondering.

I got a good vibe about the place, which has a dark, comfortable, nicely designed bar and restaurant seating in the back.

I’m guessing that the food is good because the bartender was talking it up…

If anyone has been there let me know.

The Dram Shop
339 9th Street
between 5th and 6th Avenue

In case you’re wondering who made the Chagall cake in today’s No Words_Daily Pix.

Just like this cake based on a painting by Marc Chagall created for a friend’s 20th anniversary, your Jollybe Bakery cake can be a work of art! Designer/baker Ruth Seidler will work with you to create the altogether perfect cake for your special occasion.

For Hepcat’s 50th, she did a photography cake. Probably the first birthday cake ever with a Diane Arbus photo painted on in frosting.

For a friend’s 40th, she did a North by Northwest cake. And for my father’s 75th, she created a beautiful cake based on Matisse’s jazz series.

Take a look at some of the most recent cakes on these pages and contact JollyBe for more information. Jollybebaker(at)gmail(dot)com

Brooklyn Based reports that you’re already too late to get a Valentine’s Day reservation at three of Brooklyn’s most romantic restaurants. The Grocery, the River Cafe, and Applewood are all booked, but there are still plenty of other places. Check out BB’s recommendations for places that still have space.

But for a cozy, romantic meal on heart’s day, Stone Home Wine and Restaurant in Ft. Greene gets my vote.

Melissa Murphy is the owner of the  Zagat-rated Sweet Melissa’s, OTBKB’s favorite patisserie and hang for latte and oatmeal with her sister and friends.

I loved Sweet Melissa’s even before it came to Park Slope; I used to meet a friend for tea there when it was just a tiny store on Court Street in Cobble Hill, which opened in 1998.

What a selection. What incredibly delicious and beautifully presented dessert items. That place just blows me away.

Recently, Murphy competed in the Food Network Challenge: “Edible
Ornaments” which was filmed at The Grove Park Inn Resort & Spa in Asheville, North Carolina. The resulting show will premiere
at 8 p.m. Nov. 25 on the Food Network.

Murphy was one of four chefs/designers selected from around the county to decorate an 8-foot holiday tree with
“Edible Ornaments.”

The contest consisted of three categories: Garlands, Ornaments and Tree Toppers. All had to reflect the show’s theme: Holiday Memories."

Let’s all root for Sweet Melissa’s and watch the show (while eating a Sweet Melissa Pommier or Madeleine) on November 25th (that’s the Sunday after Thanksgiving).

It’s oatmeal season. Or at least it is for me. Cool Autumn mornings just shout out “Oatmeal,” don’t they?

Yesterday I got mine at Grand Canyon on Seventh Avenue. Nothing fancy with milk, butter and salt added but it sure does the trick. Four bucks, including coffee.

Sweet Melissa’s is a tad more expensive but it’s Irish style served with strawberries, apples, and maple syrup. I haven’t tried Tempo Presto’s oatmeal. Cousin John’s doesn’t have it (but they do have a tasty yogurt served with granola and fruit).

Where do you get your oatmeal?

Last night my mom friends and I had dinner at Elementi, the new restaurant on Seventh Avenue near Carroll Street. It’s the one that replaced Snooky’s.

We sat in the back room, a pretty room with attractive lighting and a floral mural in the back.

"This ain’t no Snooky’s," one of my friends said as we sat down.

The waiter, a handsome man from Egypt, was very helpful and attentive. We took forever to order and he came by at one point and said:

"I just want you to know I’m here whenever you need me."

We swooned.

My three friends each ordered Tagliata Di Manzo, grilled angus sirloin steak, sliced, balsamic-red wine reduction.

"Do you think he’ll think we’re crazy if we all order the same thing?"

When the food arrived everyone ooohed and ahhhhed.

They devoured their steaks said they were delicious.

I ordered the Coda De Pescatrice, sautéed monkfish filet, oven roasted, yellow cherry tomatoes, sun dried tomatoes, green olives, garlic, virgin olive oil. It was ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS, light and savory, served with mash potatoes and green beans. I will definitely order it again.

For an appetizer we had the Affettati E Formaggi Misti, imported cheeses and cured meats, which we enjoyed immensely.

We were not thrilled with the one dessert we ordered, the Crostata Di Pesche puff pastry, fresh peaches, cinnamon ice cream. That was unanimous. Didn’t like the frozen peach. The ice cream was tasty, though.

And the white wine recommended by the bartender was fantastic. It was an Italian Chardonnay.

The bill came to $54 per person (including tax and tip) and that included a very filling meal and two bottles of wine for the table.

I will definitely be back. A perfect spot for an evening with friends, Elementi’s back room is an attractive, private-feeling, spacious space with good acoustics — perfect for conversation and good eating and drinking.

Moim, the Park Slope Korean restaurant on Garfield Place just off of Seventh Avenue, was very well reviewed by Frank Bruni in the New York Times this week.

Kudos to Moim

Bruni loved Chef Park’s Korean Korean appetizers, main dishes, especially Dol Sot Bi Bim Bop, vegetables, meat and rice served in a steaming hot stone rice bowl and her signature use of the Korean national condiment, Kimchi.

He wasn’t as crazy about Park’s take on American restaurant staples like duck breast. AND Bruni most emphatially did not like the service.

The service is a serious issue. On several visits the time that elapsed between our waiter’s visits to the table was so great — and those visits took on such a rare, eventful air — that my companions and I came to think of him as a comet. More than once one of us asked another: “Any idea where Halley is?”

It was the kind of review that that dropped hints about the way the restaurant, with some improvement, could one day get even more stars.

With a little more maturation, a rethinking of a bit of its menu and better service, Moim could join the increasingly populous club of Brooklyn restaurants, like Franny’s and Al di Là, that Manhattanites rightly and badly covet

.
OTBKB reviewed the restaurant in late July.

Well, something very special has come to Park Slope and it has an interesting Park Slope twist to it.

Moim is owned by a Korean couple who live in Park Slope. He is a CFO of a Queens hospital and she is the restaurant’s chef. They bought the brownstone that Moim is in and did a MAJOR renovation to the space where the Chinese laundry used to be.

But that’s not all. The owners dug a new foundation in the former backyard and added an elegant back room for the restaurant and a patio for dining alfresco. The addition also houses the wife’s high tech kitchen.

Not only did this couple put an enormous amount of money into the restaurant but also real architectural elegance and Asian style. For the extensive renovation, they hired a noted Tribeca architect, who did an incredible job.

Stone, black brick, Asian screens: beautiful architectural touches abound. Moim, which means “gathering” Korean is an exceedingly nice place to be.

Enough about the decor. The food and service were very good. The moderately priced menu is a a mysterious collection of Korean classics and what I think must be new Korean cuisine.

Still Bruni says that the restaurant wasn’t blogged about much. I know my review is on Yelp.

IN an age of countless food bloggers and tireless restaurant scouts, I’m not sure how a worthy restaurant winds up flying under the radar anymore. But that’s where the new Korean restaurant Moim finds itself, no doubt against its wishes, certainly against its interest

After the Times review I don’t think Moim is going to have any trouble attracting customers. The only problem is that people are unfamiliar with Korean food. It’s a largely unexplored cuisine in the US.

Bruni seemed to have nothing but respect for Chef Park’s cooking. Slightly less for her abilities as a restauranteur. But that will come for this gutsy Park Slope chef.

She’s new to this. A Korean immigrant who worked for 13 years as a graphic designer, she decided six years ago to become a professional cook, enrolling in the French Culinary Institute. Jobs as a line cook at Spice Market and Café Gray followed.

And in June, at the age of 48, she dared to open her own place. Its shortcomings suggest she has a way to go as a restaurateur. Its strengths demonstrate that as a chef she has traveled an impressive distance already.

An OTBKB reader just sent an email saying that Inaka Sushi is closing at the end of October. Wow. That’s the end of an era. Hepcat and I used to eat there when the restaurant was located where Sotto Voce is now. I ocassionally eat lunch there.

My wife and I were sad to learn this week that Inaka Sushi House on 7th Avenue will close at the end of October.

The owner tells us the landlord sold the building and the new owner plans to renovate, forcing her out. She
plans to retire.

Fans of the restaurant are encouraged to pay it one last visit this week.

There’s a new Mexican restaurant on Fifth Avenue between 12th and 13th called PIRAMIDE. A member of Park Slope Parents (who says she has no connection to the place) says that the food is GREAT, the prices reasonable, and the people are really nice.

I peeked in a few weeks ago before they opened and it looked like a nice renovation and a nice interior.

As of Friday, they have their liquor license.

While we’re on the topic, the new bar at RACHEL’S TAQUERIA looks really nice and the joint is hopping. Rachel’s on Fifth Avenue between 7th and 8th Streets is now an attractive bar/restaurant serving everyone’s favorite burritos.

And one more thing, next door to Belleville and Superhero Supply Store, a take-out organic food shop is set to open. They’re doing renovations now. I forget the name but the gist is: prepared fresh ingredients ready to be heated up at home.

This from the Daily News:

Customers and food critics alike have raved for years over the
Middle Eastern dishes served at the Bay Ridge restaurant Tanoreen.

Now chef and owner Rawia Bishara can claim even bigger bragging
rights. Zagat’s 2008 survey has just named Tanoreen the top Middle
Eastern restaurant in all of New York City.

Tanoreen scored 27 out of a possible 30 points for food that was
described as "extraordinary," "fantastic" – and considered a bargain at
an average of $26 a head.

"I’m speechless," said Bishara, who opened the restaurant 10 years
ago. "You work 14 hours a day, not thinking about it. It’s great."

Five other Brooklyn restaurants got top food ratings and made the
top 50 in the 29th Zagat Survey of city restaurants, meaning diners
considered the food somewhere between extraordinary and perfect.

The Peter Luger Steak House in Williamsburg was proclaimed "the No.
1 chop shop for the 24th year running," with a score of 28. DiFara of
Midwood got a score of 27 for creating pizza pies that are "pure
heaven."

Saul in Boerum Hill scored 27 for "sophisticated," "unpretentious"
New American dishes. Over in Park Slope, Al Di La scored a 26 for its
"superlative" Italian cuisine. The Grocery in Carroll Gardens and the
River Cafe in DUMBO were both once again on the top 50 list.

But getting a good meal in Brooklyn doesn’t always mean a big bill.

Also considered a good value were Lucali and Zaytoons, both in
Carroll Gardens, and both charging $18 per customer for mountains of
food.

Tenzan in Bensonhurst was saluted for its sushi sliced in "huge
slabs for modest tabs" while the Garden Cafe in Prospect Heights was
cited for its $32 prix fixe dinner. Henry’s End’s $23 prix fixe made
the cut, too.

In downtown Brooklyn, lunchtime standby Hale & Hearty was noted for its "variety of hit-the-spot" soups and salads for $11.

Serving "excellent roast beef sandwiches," Roll-n-Roaster in
Sheepshead Bay is considered "an institution." At $14 a person, it’s
also a "quick bite at a good price."

Among dessert spots, the Chocolate Room in Park Slope scored 25, the highest-ranking citywide.

"We’re thrilled," said Naomi Josepher, who shares ownership of the
decadent treat shop with husband Jon Payson. "It makes our staff and us
want to continue to be creative and strive to be the best."

In Cobble Hill and Park Slope, Sweet Melissa also tempted with "delicate" deserts, tea and sandwiches at about $16 per customer.

Newcomers PT in Williamsburg and Cheryl’s Global Soul in Prospect Heights also scored well.

"I hadn’t even thought that we would get into the Zagat for a
while," owner and chef Cheryl Smith said as the restaurant gets ready
to celebrate its first anniversary next week. "It’s thrilling."

And I’ve never even been there. Reviewer Frank Bruni goes hog wild for the place. Franny’s is located at: 295 Flatbush Avenue (Prospect Place) in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn; (718) 230-0221.

So was Franny’s essentially a glorified pizza parlor? For those outside Brooklyn, did it really warrant a water crossing?

To the first question the answer is no; to the second, an emphatic yes.

Other
restaurants have honorable pies, admirable lettuces or noteworthy
salumi. But take it from a cranky Franny’s doubter, now a besotted
Franny’s believer: not many do all three with as much joy and
distinction as Franny’s.

Besides which, Franny’s does more. In
June it reinstated pasta dishes on its menu. A few had been there in
the beginning but were quickly jettisoned, because Franny’s chef,
Andrew Feinberg, didn’t think he’d mastered them.

Now his kitchen
has new equipment, while he has new confidence. So it’s pasta once
again, and the rigatoncini with peppery pork sausage and sweet
cipollini onions will have you hoping it’s pasta forever.

These are the comments that went with the Chowhound post about a Two Boots coming to Echo Park. Keep in mind they are written by Chowhound readers, who can be pretty testy and negative. Someone better set them straight. I don’t like what they’re saying about Two Boots in L.A.

–Have had it a few times in NYC, it’s pretty ubiquitous. But don’t get your hopes up, it’s rather average. Head West to Vito’s instead.

–Concur to a tee. I’m happy it’s here and I’m sure it will be a definite upgrade to what exists currently but, in comparison to other NYC pies — and we’re only talking just Manhattan — it was merely serviceable. I thought Vinny Vincenz down the street rated better and he’s just slightly better than average. That said, thank you for the head’s up, Suebee.

–I’ll have to ditto the yawn. Two Boots made its name back in the `90’s with "creative" toppings (by old school NYC standards of the time). Now they’re bringing creative pizza toppings to Newcastle.

–I put more priority on the quality of the crust, and I can’t believe that a move to California is going to improve their meh crust in any way, but I hope I’m wrong. Broadening the NYC pizza gene pool in this town can’t be a bad thing.

–That’s too bad, Professor Salt. I have to say it was hard to find gushing reviews on the NY boards but maybe they’ll get their act together for us here in LA!

–Don’t get me wrong — I like Two Boots, I went there regularly when I lived out there and I’ll make a point to stop in to try it when they open — but the good Professor has hit the nail on the head, it’s coals to Newcastle.

–Besides, something about Two Boots will be missing unless I eat the food directly outside, and Silver Lake Boulevard’s a poor substitute for curbside pizza eating compared to Astor Place.

–Now, if you told me that Lombardi’s was opening a coal-oven pizzeria in L.A., I (who think "camping" is just a kinder, gentler term for "pretending to be in abject poverty") would be camped out there TONIGHT to be the first one in the door.

–Not that it’s an improvement, but Two Boots is going to be on Sunset Blvd., not Silver Lake.

–I lived near two boots for 15 years and never cared for it. people go crazy for thier po’boys that i think are yuck

And it’s a far cry from Snooky’s, the classic Seventh Avenue sports bar/restaurant that closed its doors a couple of months ago to some cries of: Not Snooky’s, too.

It’s not that anyone really ever ate there. It’s just, well, it kinda belonged on Seventh Avenue, a symbol of the old, the true, the origins of pre-gentrified Slope.

Elementi’s renovation is close to complete and the new restaurant is starting to become visible. Looks like an upscale Italian place.

Gowanus Lounge thinks there’s going to be a pasta war and that “the linguini will fly to and fro between Sette, Sotto Voce and Tutta Pasta? Or are they all far enough apart that they get their own territory?”

Judging by the crowds at Sotto Vocce and Sette, there is probably room for one more. I, for one, have never understood the appeal of Tutta Pasta. Hepcat, Teen Spiriti and I went in there around 1993 and promptly walked out. It wasn’t as child-friendly as Two Boots and we never came back. Now that we don’t need child friendly because our kids are older, I still haven’t been back.

I think I had a drink there once with a friend after a poetry reading at the Community Bookstore.

Sette is, I think, in a class all by itself. That said, there is quite a bit of pasta on Seventh. But people do seem to love it. None for me, thanks. I’m on Weight Watchers…

A new mobile bakery serves fresh, wholesome treats with a retro flairbad I’m on a diet. Oh well

THE TREATS TRUCK has finally hit the streets of New York City.  This newmobile bakery, which is based in Red Hook, serves fresh, wholesome treats with a fun, retro flair.  The Treats Truck, which is named Sugar, is filled to the brim with freshly-baked cookies, brownies, and goodies galore, andcan be found parked in various locations throughout NYC and the surrounding boroughs. 

The Treats Truck is excited to spend its first day in Brooklyn!  On Friday,
June 15th, Sugar will be parked in the Brooklyn Heights/Borough Hall
vicinity.  The location can be found at www.treatstruck.com or by calling
(212) 691-5226 for the exact sweet spot.

The Treats Truck has standards such as Oatmeal Old-Fashioned Cookies (with
raisins, of course) and Chocolate Chip Brownies, but they’ve also added
their own special touches to such classics as the rice crispy square and
brownies with their Cran Almond Crispy and Mexican Chocolate Brownie. The
Treats Truck also features peanut butter sandwich cookies, caramel creme
sandwich cookies, frosted sugar cookies called Sugar Dots, chocolate chip
cookies, and a rotating list of seasonal, holiday, and customer-inspired
specials.  A portion of the proceeds from the daily special will be donated
to different charities; for the first month, the recipient will be New York
Cares (http://www.nycares.org).

The rotating list of specials will include Junior Cakes – more than a
cupcake, this treat is iced on all sides with frosting, like a full-sized
cake – and the Peanut Butter and Jelly Cake Sandwich, peanut butter and jam
sandwiched between two slices of vanilla cake. Gift boxes and custom orders
are also available.

Her love of baking, treats, and New York City inspired founder Kim Ima
(official title: owner/baker/driver/eater) to launch a bakery.  But, she had
a vision – the Treats Truck! "Baking and serving treats on the streets of
NYC… What could be better than that?" she thought.   Ima’s
partner-in-sweets is baker/driver/eater Sekiya Billman, and the two now
spend their days concocting, baking, delivering, and eating lots of treats.
"Treats are good," is their philosophy.  "Hurray for treats!"

The Treats Truck is not only friendly to mouths and hungry bellies, but also
to the environment, as it runs on Compressed Natural Gas (CNG).  CNG is one
of the most environmentally-friendly fuels available.  It is a gas much like
air, rather than a liquid, and is very clean.  "We feel so lucky to have
been able to get our hands on a truck that runs on CNG. Not only is it a
clean burning fuel, but in addition, carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides are
significantly reduced," said Billman. "It’s good for the environment and
good for our cookies too! ‘Sugar’ is a clean, green, baking machine!"

Check The Treats Truck web site to see the updated schedule and route or
call (212) 691-5226. The Treats Truck is also available for catering and
private parties.

www.thetreatstruck.com <http://www.thetreatstruck.com/>
(212) 691-5226

Gowanus Lounge reports that there’s a Save Soccer Tacos blog. People are mad as hell and they’re not going to take it anymore if anyone messes with those food trucks. Everyone I know LOVES them.

This from Gowanus Lounge:

We don’t know if this is going to be an ongoing blog–we hope that it is–or just something with one or two entries, but the awful Parks Department threat to the beloved Red Hook Soccer Fields food vendors has even spawned a blog called Save Soccer Tacos. It has contact information for Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe and other elected officials as well as sample language for an email to the gentleman who could put a quick end to the one of the worst ideas we have heard so far this year.

Park Slope: MOIM
Opening

Park Slope welcomes a brand new Korean restaurant to the
neighborhood today. Stop by Garfield Place, just east of Seventh Avenue, for the
grand opening of MoiM and check out their menu of "Modern Korean Cuisine."