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Muss Development LLC |
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It's Not Your Grandmother's Brooklyn Anymore
Newsday
By ERICA MARCUS Is there anything more stimulating than spending the weekend in a foreign city? How inspiring it is, how liberating the brief but intense immersion in another culture. But then again, what a pain. You spend half your precious time in transit with little chance on either end to recover from jet lag. Not to mention changing money, rifling through phrasebooks and making dinner reservations in a strange language. Perhaps the antidote is to visit a place that feels far away, yet isn't. Like Brooklyn. Not your grandmother's Brooklyn, mind you, but the newly revitalized chunk of Brooklyn encompassing the neighborhoods of Cobble Hill, Boerum Hill and Carroll Gardens. South of the more rarified Brooklyn Heights and west of the more gentrified Park Slope, Cobble-Boerum-Carroll (for want of a more euphonious term) is experiencing a renaissance well worth a car or LIRR ride in to see. The streets pulse with a friendly vibe as long-time residents mix it up with urban newcomers. Blocks upon blocks of brownstones are getting facelifts. Performing arts showcase the new and classical, and interesting shops seem to open every day. Not to mention the food. This corner of Brooklyn has always been a great place for food shopping, thanks to immigrants from gastro-centric countries like Italy and Egypt. But in the last two years, the food has taken a giant leap forward, with even more great markets, and a veritable tsunami of top-notch restaurants. In my opinion, the neighborhood's peerless vitality reaches its fullest expression in the quality and variety of culinary experiences to be had. Happily for the tourist, the last two years also have seen the opening of Brooklyn's first hotel in decades-the Brooklyn Marriott, brand-spanking new, fully equipped with valet service, health club and room service and walking distance from everywhere you'll want to vist. Throw in the neighborhood's handful of charming B&Bs, and you've got all the ingredients for a fascinating urban jaunt. Getting Oriented Defined by the T formed by Atlantic Avenue and Court Street, the area can be divided into three distinct zones: Court Street retains the Old World Italian charm featured in the movie "Moonstruck"; Atlantic Avenue is an acknowledged Middle Eastern culinary epicenter; and Smith Street, which runs parallel to Court, is where hipster boutiques and cafes coexist with Hispanic bodegas and rice-and-beans joints. Smith Street hops all weekend, whereas many stores along Court Street are only open on Saturday. And while almost everything of note on Atlantic Avenue is open on Sunday, Sahadi's, a must-shop Mideastern delicacy store, is not. So one plan of attack is to arrive Friday evening after dinner. Spend Saturday strolling up Court Street and in the streets west of it, ending up at Sahadi's before it closes at 7 p.m. After dinner, you can take in a movie, play or concert. Sunday morning, enjoy a leisurely morning meal, then stroll along Smith Street and Atlantic Avenue before heading home. (Note: It's a good idea to make a Saturday night dinner reservation a few days before. Suggestions are contained below.) Old World Court Street A good starting place is the corner of Court Street and Fourth Place, site of a shrine to Maria S.S. Addolorata, patron saint of Mola di Bari, a town in Italy's Apulia whence many local families hail. Turn your gaze from the Madonna to P.J. Hanley's, the bar across the street. Established in 1874, Hanley's would be a fine after-dinner stop. Between Fourth and Third Places is Dave's Housewares, Notions, Shades, Stationery, Gifts, Toys (435 Court), a relic from a pre-Kmart age. Here are evocative displays of sewing supplies, dish towels, ironing-board covers and, somewhat incongruously, a good selection of Tramontina stainless steel cookware. Our first pig-out stop is, fittingly, Esposito G. Pork Store (357 Court) which periodically ranks in the upper echelons of New York City sausage makers. Esposito also makes a mean prosciutto bread: Trims and ends of various cured-pork products are walked down the street to Caputo's Bakery (329 Court) and Caputo's sends back hearth-baked loaf containing all that lardy goodness. If you've planned ahead, you can stop for an interlude at the Home Spa (300 Court St., 718-596-8668, www.homespa.com), a day spa that offers a staggering array of restorative treatments. Or stop for lunch at Sam's (238 Court), a third-generation neighborhood institution with unreconstructed checked-tablecloth Italian cuisine and excellent brick oven pizza. You're probably not in the market for a rack of lamb, but you owe it to yourself to visit Staubitz Market (222 Court), an 83-year-old butcher shop outfitted much as it was in 1917. Ditto Jim and Andy's Produce at 208 Court. Wander off the beaten path by making a left on Congress; one block down, at Clinton Street, you'll find Cobble Hill Park. Have a seat. Running along the southern edge of the park is Verandah Mews. When you've sat for a spell, head down Verandah and make a left on Henry Street. You'll find yourself in the heart of residential Cobble Hill for some spectacular house-viewing. Take Henry to Kane, then make a right on Kane; on the corner of Cheever place (6 Cheever Pl.) is Little Luna, an antique-and gift shop that stands out in a neighborhood full of them. OK, it's been maybe an hour since you last ate. It's time to head toward Red Hook, the neighborhood that lies across the the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway. Keep walking west on Kane until you hit Hicks Street. Make a left, then a right on Union and head over the traffic. Just over the highway await two treats: Ferdinando's Foccaceria, established in 1904, is a priceless culinary treasure. Owner Francesco Buffa serves Sicilian specialties that you simply can't find anywhere else. Beyond the relatively arcane Pasta con Sarde (pasta with sardines, fennel, pine nuts), and arancine (rice balls) are vastedda (spleen sandwich) and pannelle (chickpea fritters). It is imperative that you try the pannelle special in which the fritters are layered with ricotta and pecorino romano in a home-baked roll-for $3.50. Across the street from Ferdinando's is Latticini Barese, which sells some of the borough's best fresh and smoked mozzarella. If you continue west, toward the docks, you'll find yourself in a scene out of "On the Waterfront." Eventually, turn around and walk back up Union to Court Street, then hang a left and head north. Stop at Fish Tales, 191A Court Street, to see just exactly how a fish store should be. When you arrive at the intersection of Court and Atlantic, you face a choice: To your left are various culinary delights, to your right, antique shops galore. You've probably already figured out which way I turn. The Fertile Non-Crescent of Atlantic Avenue Avid cooks will want to stop at A Cook's Companion (152 Atlantic Ave., between Clinton and Henry), a small but impeccably stocked shop selling high-quality kitchen equipment at generally unbeatable prices, and A Perfect Setting (140 Atlantic) for a splendid array of table linens, plates and serving pieces. Across the street is Peter's Waterfront Ale House (155 Atlantic), a bar whose main attraction is dozens of microbrewed beers. While a nip in the afternoon can dull the appetite, remember Peter's for after dinner. Another Peter's-Peter's Ice Cream Parlor and Coffee House (185 Court)-makes its own ice cream and cakes. Why not get a cone of Chocolate Decadence to tide you over until you reach the focal point of the area, Sahadi Importing Co, which sprawls between 187 and 189 Atlantic Avenue. Although the Sahadi family is from Cairo, the store offers delicacies from all over the Mediterranean and the prices are criminally low. On a Saturday, Sahadi will be mobbed. Just shove your way in, find your way over to the olive and nut section, take a number, watch what other people order, and do likewise. Do not buy any pita bread or pastries at Sahadi; head two doors down to Damascus Bread and Pastry shop at 195 Atlantic for an unrivalled selection of freshly baked pita and sinfully sticky-nutty confections. The truly intrepid may want to wander across the street into the Yemen Cafe (176 Atlantic) where nice people who speak no English will serve you all manner of delicious, thoroughly unfamiliar fare. If you're into antiques, just keep heading east on Atlantic, where dozens of stores offer everything from expertly restored Regency armoires to pleasantly worn Mission rockers to unpleasantly rococo mid-century junk. Otherwise, make a right onto Smith Street to experience one of New York City's hottest restaurant rows. Hip, Happening Smith Street Between Bergen and Dean Streets is Boerum Hill Food Company (134 Smith), a fine place for breakfast, lunch or dessert. If Devil's Food Fudge Cake is on the counter, avail yourself of it at once. A few doors down is Saul, one of Smith Street's best places for dinner (140 Smith, 718-935-9844). With its small menu, and homey elegance, Saul features the high-end, low-key dining that is becoming Smith Street's signature style. A block further south is Bayamon Shopping Center (156 Smith) a grocery store that captures the neighborhood the way it was before places like Boerum Hill Food Company and Saul moved in. Bayamon stocks a vast array of imported Latin-American products as well as more Goya foods than you can shake a stick at. The residential blocks east of Smith and south of Atlantic are some of Brooklyn's loveliest. The nameless bar at the corner of Bergen and Hoyt, a popular neighborhood hang-out, would be a another good after-dinner stop. Back on Smith Street, peek into Smith Street Kitchen (174 Smith, 718-858-5359) which is highly recommended for dinner. When it opened, diners were surpised that such a tiny restaurant would actually take the trouble to specialize in fish, but specialize it did, and admirably. Everything is terrific, but special reverence must be paid to the ocean chowder, any whole grilled fish and the butterscotch creme brulee. At the mint-greenest building you've ever seen, make a right on Warren Street where empty lots are being turned into, no doubt, "luxury residences." Feeling peckish? Ytournel (299 Warren), a very French restaurant/cafe/take-out shop/grocery store/identity crisis will happily serve you a big bowl of cafe au lait. A cheaper caffeine fix can be had at Mas Que Pan, a stalwart bakery at 179 Smith that makes a fine expresso for 65 cents. (Leche in your caffe will run you an additional dime.) There's much more to do than eat. Smith Street hosts two exceedingly fashionable dress shops: Stacia at 267 Smith St. and Frida's Closet at 296 Smith. Exceedingly chic children's clothing is sold at Hoyt and Bond at 248 Smith and The Green Onion, 274 Smith (not open on Sunday). You can sample the wares of Roux Roux (243 Smith St.), a producer of indescribably whimsical drawer pulls, door knobs, candelsticks, jewelry and furniture, by visiting its web site at www.rouxroux.com, and call ahead (718-875-0351) if you want to make sure that someone is around to greet you. The Refinery (254 Smith St.) specializes in handmade tote bags and other textiles. At Astro Turf (290 Smith), pay top dollar for avocado-green stuff your mom threw out. Granny's Attic (305 Smith) sells a mix of funky junk and genuine collectibles. Finally, don't miss Swallow, an exquisite gallery dealing in ceramic and glass at 361 Smith St., between First and Second streets. OK, back to food. Marquet Bakery at 235 Smith makes uniformly stellar French pastries. The rough-hewn eatery across the street is Sur (232 Smith, 718-875-1716), a South American restaurant with an emphasis on imported beef that serves dinner as well as a very popular brunch. Another good brunch bet is Banania, at 241 Smith (718-237-9100), a relative newcomer that has inspired a devoted following. (When considering brunch, don't overlook all the rice-and-beans joints where you can eat heartily and cheaply. Cibao at 172 Smith and El Roble at 160 are two personal favorites.) Zaytoon's (283 Smith) is a terrific stop for lunch or an inexpensive dinner. The restaurant's specialty is pitza, a sort of Middle Eastern pizza. Try the lahambajin, which is topped with ground lamb and beef and savory spices and herbs. What with all the new places to eat, it was inevitable that someone would open a swanky place to drink. That place is Quench (282 Smith). On the same block, but modestly lacking any signage, is The Grocery (288 Smith, 718-596-3335), another recommended dinner spot. Even tinier than the neighborhood's other tiny restaurants, The Grocery seems to have as many people working the floor as filling the tables. The food that comes out of the tiny kitchen is lovingly prepared and beautifully served. Save room for Chocolate-Fig cake. With a weekend of exploring under your belt (a belt whose buckle, no doubt, has moved to the next hole) you're only beginning to uncover the riches to be found in this corner of Kings County. And although the Brooklyn of today may be far from what you expected, it's very close to home. Same currency, same time zone -same island. Just the place for a quick travel fix.INFORMATION, PLEASEHow to get there: By car: Take the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway to Atlantic Avenue. For the Brooklyn Marriott, make a left on Adams Street.
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