CHB Facebook Page!

Many of you have added me as a friend on Facebook. However, now you can become a fan of CHB on Facebook, too!  I set up a CHB page here.

No. 7 Greene

I haven't been yet (and am shocked that it's already open!), but a reader sent in a friend's review.  Check it out here. Early reports say very tasty food and drink.

Have you been yet?

(and the address is, quite obviously, 7 Greene Ave.)

Dajeh

Dajeh on Fulton has been open for a few weeks now, first for brunch and now with regular hours.  Has anyone been yet?  I hope to try it out next week. In the 4.5 years I've lived here, this is the third restaurant in this space (first a sandwich place and then Boca Soul).

Fort Greene Fulton Observations

A few commenters beat me to mentioning the fro-yo on Fulton.  Houseowax says it was pricey and overly sweet. After a frustrating day at work the other day, I took the express train home and walked from DeKalb. I came across two interesting things: 1. The delicious but bizarre restaurant New Orleans seems to have closed! Based on the service I had there last winter, I'm amazed it stayed open this long.

2. Looks like Fort Greene is about to be home to a chi-chi fro-yo shop. I hope it tastes just like Eks at half the price. (just past Lafayette)

Il Porto: YUM

Sorry for the delays, folks. Getting back from vacation is always overwhelming and I haven't had much posting time!

Last Thursday, before I departed for the Queen City, I hit up Il Porto for lunch on opening day. I was pleased to see that the "to-go" room was packed with local residents and workers waiting for a slice!

(Behind the counter. fresh pizzas being made)

I had my lunch on the other side, in the "sit-down" room.  The servers were friendly and helpful (I'm pretty sure several of them came to Il Porto from Il Torchio, along with the chef).  They started me off with this complimentary bred, fresh from the brick oven.

It was a touch choice, but I picked the Rugola and Prosciutto 12" pizza.

The prosciutto was extremely fresh, and the crush light.  It was so tasty that I ate 4 of the 6 pieces (though I could have easily gotten away with just 3).

I planned to head back home, full and happy, when Eda and Joe of Square Root Cafe popped their heads back to say hello and give me a piece of the Wallabout dessert pie -- Nutella, pine nuts, marshmallow.  AMAZING.

The food was so tasty that I ordered delivery tonight for a small Fort Greene PUPS meeting at my place.  We did the Rugula and Prosciutto, Margherita and the Wallabout for dessert.  Rave reviews all around with only 1.5 pieces left over (and they take credit cards -- even for delivery!  Bravo!)

I'm glad they've been busy so far.  It'll be a great place to stop for food, especially before PEP openings and RePop First Fridays (like the next one on September 5, featuring my photography!).

Il Porto 37 Washington Ave. 718-624-0954 www.ilportobrooklyn.com

Social Networking in the 'Hood

Reader Steve Kinney has started a "ning" social networking site for FG/CH. I've never heard of "ning" before, but the site looks pretty good so far. Seems to be kind of a message board space for user-generated news, comments, photos. Check it out here!

Il Porto is OPEN!

I've received numerous reports, from readers, BK Jay and the Myrtle Shuffle blog, that Il Porto is open as of today! They have a very basic website up with menus so far.

Original Il Porto coverage here.

Fresh Fruit on Atlantic Ave!

A few days ago, a reader sent me this intriguing email: as bizarre as it is, i just noticed that a fresh fruit and vegetable market is opening on atlantic avenue right around grand (towards classon on the prospect heights/crown heights side of the street). it's the produce equivalent of frank white -- meaning, they're putting a lot of work into the space and it's going to be really nice, but it will probably ultimately suffer from its atlantic ave location (zero foot traffic).

i can't understand why they wouldn't choose fulton for this very necessary place, i guess the rents are a lot cheaper on atlantic.

Readers, this is why I love you. Because I would probably never, ever be walking around in that particular area and this is a very exciting tip!

It was not easy to find. I walked down a very desolate section of Atlantic, populated only by auto repair and restaurant equipment retailers, all completely shuttered on a Sunday afternoon. But then, I saw it: two gorgeous wooden planters with green fern spilling over at a storefront on the south side of the street.

The beauty of the fruit (both standard and exotic), as well as the interior renovation was shockingly gorgeous. Where on earth did this place come from?!

The owner (whose name escapes me, since I didn't write it down), said he expects to be fully operational within the next few days. He is also open to suggestions on what people would like to see him carry!

People, check it out, NOW.

Atlantic Tropics Atlantic Ave. nr. Grand

General Greene: OPEN

This review is very tardy, especially given that I wrote it up while they were still doing a drinks and bar food preview. Regardless, I was extremely impressed with the experience.

First off, the staff has their stuff down. Everyone was friendly and prompt and the atmosphere was inviting. Instead of using the entire space (an awkward layout, if you've ever been inside), the owners and manager decided to focus on the front half of the restaurant for now, to get things up and running smoothly. For now, the restaurant's back area is being used as free bike parking (for both staff AND patrons!).

The food was mostly delish (the ribs were perhaps a little too peppery, but still very tasty). We loved the anchovies and radish plate, as well as the eggplant dip! The drink selection was fun and creative, albeit a little pricey. Plus, I don't generally love the whole "small plate" thing, which is how the menu is set up. Still, with four people, a ton of food and two drinks each, we still only ended up paying about $30 per person. Not bad!

My verdict: compared to a lot of new places, General Greene has its shit together. Plus, the decor is great and the service is top-notch.

More info:

• Daily Candy
• NY Mag
• The Real Fort Greene

Bar Olivino

It's open!!!!

I checked it out last week. The space is very teeny, but gorgeously designed. The bar was filled with a good cross-section of neighbors, and the wine list was descriptive.

For now, they are giving out free cheese plates but plan to have a more full cheese-meat menu soon.

Fingers crossed that they do well. It's so close to the C train entrance! Very convenient for an after-work glass of wine. I know I need them often.

Open 5-12 5-1 Friday and Saturday Closed Tuesday

bar Olivino 899 Fulton Street Brooklyn, NY 11238 t. 718 230 4675

The General Greene!

Several of you emailed me over the weekend about the former June space, which has suddenly turned into a new restaurant: The General Greene!

I have to say, this place seems like it has the potential to be pretty cool.  First, the name: a play on a general store / outpost AND a shout-out to General Nathanael Greene for whom the neighborhood and park are named.

Inside, it looks bright and airy:

Apparently it was open this past weekend for a sneak peek.  Anyone go??? It wasn't open Monday or Tuesday.  (Believe me, I have been walking by incessantly.)

Historic Fort Greene - Clinton Hill Walking Tour

Fort Greene and Clinton Hill have been selected to have their very own Big Onion Walking Tour! And it starts this weekend!! There has long been a BK Heights-Fort Greene tour run by a local resident, but it was very BK Heights-centric. I'm really psyched to try this new tour out and see what I learn. Here is the press release: Fort Greene Neighborhood Groups Win Big Onion Walking Tour BEDC Announces Winner of the Brooklyn Neighborhood Tourism Initiative - First Tour held on Saturday, June 21st

Brooklyn, NY, May {16}, 2008 ─ The Brooklyn Economic Development Corporation (BEDC) announced the winning neighborhood for the first ever Brooklyn Neighborhood Tourism Initiative. And the winner is… Fort Greene/Clinton Hill! This heterogeneous community, just east of downtown Brooklyn, boasts majestic brownstones, pre-Civil War frame houses, lively shopping areas, historical churches and world-renowned cultural institutions, and will now feature a series of walking tours to present these treasures to visitors.

Joan Bartolomeo, President of BEDC, announced, “Fort Greene is a community that is both unique and quintessentially New York. We are excited to partner with Big Onion Walking Tours to make this vibrant Brooklyn community a primary destination for tourists and New York residents alike.”

Big Onion Walking Tours, in business for over fifteen years, is among New York City’s leading tour groups. Big Onion Walking Tours President, Seth Kamil said, “Fort Greene lends itself perfectly to the breed of tours we offer. Our guides specialize in peeling back the many layers of history that make up the fabric of our city. Fort Greene is rich with cultural, literary and architectural record, as well as unknown treasures we plan to reveal. I look forward to working with the winning community organizations to create a tour that is thought-provoking and exciting.”

The Brooklyn Neighborhood Tourism Initiative Contest was open to more than 100 community organizations served by BEDC’s Re-NEW Brooklyn Program, which works to promote strong and vibrant commercial corridors as the backbone of Brooklyn’s neighborhoods. Applicants were asked to demonstrate that their community is of historic and architectural interest and has a vibrant commercial corridor that would benefit from the additional foot traffic drawn in by walking tours.

From the applications, BEDC and Big Onion Walking Tours selected three local organizations they will cooperate with to design a tour: The Fort Greene Association, the Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn Partnership, and (jointly) the Pratt Area Community Council and Fulton Area Business Association. BEDC will fund the research and development of the 90-minute walking tour, while the local organizations will assist in tour development and growth.

“We are very pleased to launch our Tourism Initiative in Fort Greene/Clinton HIll,” said Matthew Rao, BEDC’s Director of Commercial Revitalization. “It has a plethora of high-quality historic and contemporary attractions as well as three flourishing main business corridors: Fulton/Lafayette Streets, Dekalb Avenue and Myrtle Avenue.”

Dale Charles, Economic Development Program Manager at the Pratt Area Community Council, said, “Fort Greene has some of the oldest houses in the borough, as well as historic Fort Greene Park, the Brooklyn Academy of Music and revolutionary and civil war era historic sites. The active commercial corridors of Fort Greene/Clinton Hill feature minority and women-owned businesses and a famous Afro-centric fashion industry that help make our neighborhood special.”

M. Blaise Backer, Executive Director of the Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn Partnership, said, “Myrtle Avenue was once the Main Street of the Fort Greene/Clinton Hill community, but it went into decline during the 1970’s. Today, Myrtle Avenue is regaining its role as a bustling commercial corridor.” Backer adds that the neighborhood is so rich in history that “any number of tours could be designed here, based on everything from the area’s military history to the emergence of Fort Greene as a stronghold for African American culture and community.”

An architecture critic once wrote of Fort Greene, “Better than this it does not get.” BEDC and Big Onion Tours hope that this series of walking tours will reveal the beauty, history and vitality of the neighborhood to a wider audience.

The Historic Fort Greene Walking Tour will be held regularly, with the first tour held on Saturday, June 21st, at 1pm. The tour will meet at the southeast corner of Flatbush Avenue & Hanson Place, under the large red BAM sign. Admission to the tour is $15 for adults and $12 for seniors, students, and NYHS members. For more information and tour schedules, please see www.bigonion.com or www.bedc.org.

BEDC, a private, non-profit, organization, was established in 1979 to stimulate Brooklyn’s economy and create job opportunities for Brooklyn residents. More information on BEDC’s programs and services can be found at www.bedc.org.

Bar Olivino: Is It Open?!

Brownstoner told us recently that Olivino was slated to open a new wine bar on Fulton! Looks like it's nearing completion:

A few of you have emailed me, saying they're already open.  This seems odd, as I'm on their email list and I don't recall receiving any notice.  Maybe it's a soft opening?

The new bar is just a few storefronts west of Olivino's Fulton Ave location (between Clinton and Vanderbilt).

I, for one, am looking very forward to this.

Visiting Root Stock & Quade

The lovely new flower shop finally opened on Myrtle mid-month. I stopped in last weekend to pick up a bouquet.

The shop boasts a select but impressive selection of fresh flowers, as well as vases, gardening tools and even cute candles.

Kerry, the other half of the Root Stock & Quade tea, was on-hand to make up a custom bouquet for me. She asked what kind of vessel I'd be putting the flowers in, my price range and the style I liked. For $40, she put this enormous, gorgeous selection of purple lilacs and white peonies together for me:

Not cheap for sure, but not unreasonable for a huge bouquet. These will make impressive gifts for friends' birthdays for sure.

The back garden should be open by now -- check it out!

[previous coverage here]

Root Stock & Quade 471 Myrtle bt Washington and Hall

Plant-Related News

This just in from the Brooklyn Botanic Garden: I just wanted to give you a heads up that BBG's annual benefit Plant Sale, the largest in the Northeast (with over 20,000 plants!) opens to the public tomorrow and continues through Thursday morning.  (BBG members have access to the preview sale tonight, from 4:30 to 8.) The Plant Sale takes place on Cherry Esplanade, where right now hundreds of flowering cherry trees are dropping their petals like pink snow to form a breathtaking petal carpet. Considering the multitude and diversity of the colorful plants for sale, the beauty of the setting, the BBG hort experts on hand to answer questions and the little red wagons we provide for shoppers for their "plantsportation,"  the sale is a really dynamic experience all around. If any of your readers are thinking about their backyards or windowsills, there's no better place to shop for their plants.

They're also offering a bunch of free classes.  Check out their website for more info!

And speaking of plants, Root Stock & Quade is slated to open today on Myrtle Avenue!

Root Stock & Quade: Open By May 1!

(Before I started grad school, I thought maybe I'd like to open a supercute flower shop in the 'nabe. But, not having a business plan or any experience running my own store, I decided to wait for an expert to take care of it. And here they are!)

On Friday -- one of those gorgeous spring days we've had recently -- I met up with John Rattigan, co-owner of Park Slope's Root Stock & Quade along with Kerry Quade. As I reported earlier, the duo are opening a branch of their flower-gardening business on Myrtle Avenue.

As it turns out, Rattigan is actually a two-time resident of the Hill (he lived in the 'nabe twenty years ago and currently lives on Washington Avenue). He and Quade originally came upon the Myrtle Avenue space while trying to find a vase for a job they were working on. At the time, the storefront hosted a one-hour photo and chair rental service (along with other random rigmarole), and the two marveled at what poor shape the storefront was in. Soon after, Rattigan noticed a For Rent sign in the window. The landlord happened to be inside, and Rattigan signed the lease soon after. "It was the easiest thing ever," he says, in comparison to negotiating his lease for the Park Slope outpost. "A snap!"

The lease was signed on February 13, and they plan on being open by May 1.

The shop will be offering garden design, full service floral design for weddings and events, retail, indoor and outdoor plants (herbs, perennials, shrubs, etc) and flowers by the bunch and the stem. Come fall, they hope to offer the occasional class on window boxes and basic houseplant care (note: can I sign up now for the latter?).

The storefront, an ice cream parlor in the 1940s, will incorporate as many traditional elements as possible. "I really want to make the space correct for the building and the neighborhood, and fill it with cool, modern stuff," Rattigan explains. He was able to salvage the old tile flooring and hopes to frame some old photos of the building, along with some of the vintage wallpaper he came across during renovations. He tells me that the new store will be a "vibey" place with cool music.

Rattigan is a huge fan of the energy in Clinton Hill. "I love the mixed vibe," he says. "There's no malaise. People here are always doing something or fixing something. And MARP is so 'together!'

"I love Maggie Brown -- I'm always there! -- and my favorite is A Bistro. I love everything about it," he gushes. "And Castro's! I've heard people come from New Jersey to eat there!"

Rattigan is prepared for the inevitable backlash on pricepoints at the store, but stresses that high quality plants and flowers (ie non-refrigerated!) aren't inexpensive. They're also extending a 10% discount on all plant purchases to Brooklyn Botanic Gardens members. RS&Q won't be the go-to place for every day things, at least for me, but I know I'll welcome the opportunity to swing by for a small bouquet after a pedi at PBB.

Root Stock & Quade 471 Myrtle Ave (bt Washington and Hall) http://rootstockquade.com/

CHB Reviews: Kif

Finally! After so much positive reader feedback, I was able to hit up Kif on Friday evening. I know many people loved Liquors, but to be honest, I was never really that into their food or service. Though it will always have a place in my heart, as it's the very first place I ate at in the neighborhood several years ago.

I'm glad to report that Kif seems to be offering tastier food and friendlier service!

I met up with BrooklynJay, who I haven't seen in months. We were able to snag a prime spot out back (glad to say they're also utilizing the back yard!), and started with falafel and pita/hummus. The hummus was great, and the pita bread was amazing -- warm, lightly baked and yet soft. Perfect for dipping.

Jay had the burger. He was sick with a bad cold, so he wasn't his usual chipper self (or I would have made him write this review). Still, he cleaned his plate and said that the burger was tasty with a good mix of Moroccan-type spices.

I had the couscous royal, which was filled with veggies and a few kinds of meat. I normally wouldn't order couscous, but the reader comments persuaded me. It was delicious, and came with a bunch of sauces.

The best thing, though, was the dessert. We tried the orange flower creme brulee, and OMG. It really tasted like the smell of orange blossoms, and it might rival Chez Lola's lavender bread pudding as tastiest dessert in the area (though I think that's still my favorite).

The inside was lavish without looking overdone, and I hear they offer hookah service after 11pm. Service was very friendly, and I felt like the owner made a good effort to offer a warm welcome to everyone. (To be honest, I have heard more than one report that he's a bit chilly to same sex couples -- any feedback on this?)

Kif 219 DeKalb Ave.

(note: the photos are not the best, I know. It was really dark inside and out back!)

B38 LTD!

Here comes a bus complaint again, but dude, this one is totally legit! Have you ever tried taking the B38 down DeKalb in the morning?  The bus schedule says "Frequent Service," but that's kind of a misnomer.  What it means is that frequently one will have to wait for 15 minutes, at which point three B38 busses will come roaring down the street, the first one packed and the next two empty.  I've never been able to figure out why this can't be modified.

And, my prayers have been answered!  Yesterday, the MTA kicked off B38 LTD service along DeKalb and Lafayette!   In BS/CH/FG, the stops are at Nostrand, Bedford, Classon and Vanderbilt, and then the bus runs all the way down to Flatbush!

Has anyone tried it out yet?

Brooklyn Flea Starts SUNDAY!

After months of waiting, Brooklyn finally has its own flea market.  Clinton Hill resident Brownstoner has set the whole thing up and it kicks off SUNDAY.  The market will be open every Sunday, rain or shine, from 10am-5pm at Bishop Loughlin Memorial High School (Lafayette bt Clermont and Vanderbilt). Two hundred (!!!!) vendors have signed on, and vendor categories include vintage furniture and salvage, antiques and vintage clothing, records and music, new furniture and lighting, a Design*Sponge collective (featuring my personal friends Lena Corwin, Sesame Letterpress and others), new clothing, jewelry, bicycles (awesome!) and more.

I can't believe how lucky we'll be to have this resource in our 'hood!   So many of Brooklyn's coolest shops, vendors and artists have signed on.  I envision myself doing all of my Christmas shopping right here.

Market layout and a list of vendors can be found here.  NY Mag article on the flea here.

Thistle & Clover

I was finally able to make it over to the old Beezu spot (221 DeKalb) to check out a reported new boutique. It was, as one tipster described it, "kind of like Stuart & Wright."

The clothing looked marginally less expensive (talking a tiny margin here), but they also carry some lotions and letterpress greeting cards (which will certainly allow me to pick up a few items and support a local store without breaking the bank).

The two women working were friendly and personable, available to customers and did not ignore me in favor of continuing a loud conversation on the phone. This in itself makes the shop so much more lovely than Beezu.

They've only been open for a week -- check it out!

Thistle & Clover 221 DeKalb Ave (nr Adelphi) 718-855-5577 www.thistleclover.com