Smorgasburg & Bklyn Flea, coming to Crown Heights

 (Above) "BERG'N" the newest eating, hanging, drinking spot to land in Brooklyn and most audaciously, in Crown Heights. Soon to be sharing Winter customers with the Brooklyn Flea and Smorgasburg

Whoa.

I like food. And much in the same way I like to have my good t-shirts dry-cleaned for reasons of practicality and pampering, I occasionally enjoy spending more than I should on small portions of obsessively prepared, delicious food.

In other words I like Smorgasburg.

And they've just dropped the word that they're going to be in Crown Heights for the winter weekends starting on Nov 8th & 9th placing them at 1000 Dean Street the newest of recently renovated commercial spaces in the western end of the neighborhood. This will place them back to back with Berg'n which I have been to twice but yet to review because I want to get a fair sense of Berg'n before I proclaimed it the latest and tastiest Beer-eteria I've been to. Oh see? there that went.


Eric Demby, Smorgasburg & Brooklyn Flea co-founder says there'll be between 100 and 110 vendors each weekend and that they'll be set up with more permanent stalls. Of those, five to 10 will be cooked-food stands and more from the "packaged-food contingent." In addition to food vendors from Smorgasburg there will be marketeers from the Brooklyn Flea in the space, making for an enclosed experience of food, shopping and meet up spaces. ("Whooohoo 360º!!" says the marketing staff.)

Snips aside it's a brilliant move. Berg'n the venture co-funded by GoldmanSachs (is this the first time they've invested in Crown Heights?) has been packing them in, even in these pics I took on their second day open just before lunchtime.

(Above: owner and Ramen Burger creator Keizo Shimamoto, he nimbly prepared one for me)

I'd figured it would be the convenient lunch destination for whatever businesses filled 100 Dean Street. Now this merge of offerings that attract and overlap like-minded customers boosts all the player's profiles and profits, and will probably go a long way to keeping Berg'n profitable despite the weekday afternoons when people traffic is lower.

(Above: A Ramen Burgen, bun of ramen noodles in between a tasty hunk of shredded beef chuck, juicy steak tomato, arugula and special mayo sauce, seconds later it became part of me)

I haven't written about 1000 Dean (the old Studebaker repair building long since under used) being made into a wide open ready to go commercial space mostly because I haven't heard of a main tenant being announced. Bergen and Dean streets run straight from Brownsville(Ocean Hill now, yeesh) East New York's end of Crown Heights and continue west straight to within blocks of Brooklyn Bridge Park. Bike lanes and buses on both streets. It's exactly what I've been saying to potential property buyers for years now, follow the bike lanes, there on lies a plan.

So all this new business in Crown Heights could be cool. Downside I can imagine now there'll be more new people who haven't gone through the crucible of moving to Crown Heights, meeting neighbors and becoming aware through hard and soft interactions not to be a entitled douche. So let's so come November how much fun it is to be around here on the weekends. Between this and Starbucks having opened today on the other end of Franklin's now crowded commercial corridor (mostly from Eastern Parkway to Dean St) we'll really get a sense of how much of the conscientious character of the neighborhood stays intact as we develop forward.

From the left; Mighty Quinn's (BBQ), Asia Dog, Pizza Moto, & Ramen Burger,
(clearly you can't sell food here without a compound name)

Look at those scant lines of people up there, it won't be that way when the Smorgasburg train comes to Crown.

More details from the folks at Gothamist: http://gothamist.com/2014/09/25/smorgasburg_crown_heights.php

A Rink Rolls in Brooklyn! BklynBridgePark RollerRink Opens Today!

"Come on everybody get your roller-skates today!" Happening NOW (as of 3pm Friday July 11, 2014) The free opening celebration of the new roller rink at Brooklyn Bridge Park!

(The New Rink with City and River views, Photo courtesy of Brooklyn Bridge Park)

In addition to today's free event, there are free hours on Fridays, Sundays and throughout the week.

When not free the rink charges $5 on Weekdays and $8 on weekends. I've never mentioned it on here, but I'm a skater so I'm very excited about the Adult only skate session they have scheduled.

For full details on hours and rates for entry and rentals check http://www.brooklynbridgepark.org/blog/park-updates/pier-2-roller-rink-opening-celebration

I am a fan of Brooklyn Bridge Park the new green addition that has figurative and literally sprouted up to the south of the Brooklyn Bridge.

(A photo of the park on opening day, 2010 The park's trees were just saplings, and that budding gymnast is probably about to graduate elementary school now.)

I was there on day one of it's opening as covered in a previous post. The park which is still expanding features open fields, a huge pro level set of enclosed basketball courts,Bike paths, photogenic lookouts and nooks, the Smorgasburgh food festival on weekends and music and film screening venues. It exists as an urban oasis in the space formerly occupied by less than inviting looking Port Authority piers. Check any riverside movie from the 70's & 80's and you'll spot them.

The problem with the current debate of all vs new, is that it's often had in very simple terms. For example I complain about many things new and I will say that is because subjectively (and occasionally objectively) many new things suck here in NYC or come with intense consequences for hard working people that for them, suck.

I don't care that there is the Toll Brother's development that we have to thank in part, for the park. I'm not a fan of some of their developments, but somebody was gonna develop this space eventually.

Even as a kid, in the beat down years of trash along the river's edge, I realized how fantastic it is to view Manhattan from riverside I wondered why less people lived there. Developers were going to build like the Toll Brother's corp. is doing and if public citizens get new park land as they do in this case, then I'm for it. Plus there's no chance in hell of anyone developing something in front of Brooklyn Heights that walls off their view they way that is currently being done in Williamsburg thanks to the Bloomberg administrations rezoning of that water front.

Apparently the new development the Toll Brothers corp is building is doing so well, they've raised prices on the units 6 times (according to CurbedNY) and the first apartment isn't even completed.

Seems like everyone wins on this one, and if that's the case, I'm all for it.

Whole Foods opens in Brooklyn

The lonnng awaited and debated Brooklyn Whole Foods opened in Gowanus, eight years after it was first proposed.  The open was a few hours ago and according to third hand reporting, it's awash in hipsters clambering for vinyl records and all that's organic, twee, trend and probably more expensive than Trader Joe's and Fairway. 

Gothamist and NY Times' Vivian Yee (@VivianHYee) has more deets.

Wonder if this will ease crowding at the other two? 

And does this switch Gowanus off the local track to full on gentrification and express renewal?

Photo Wednesday 112713 : New Prospect & Produce on Bedford Av Edition

(Above produce and cheese(!) among other rarified items)

There's a new market selling what seems to be the same type of upscale and higher quality produce and goods gentrifying neighborhoods have come to expect. It opened yesterday but as I was passing Monday night, peering through the mint condition glass windows, the manager invited me in for a chat and look around. More on that later. First, a little from Spike Lee.

Among people I know, one of many famous lines we are prone to recite form the 1991 Malcolm X film is, "We didn't land on Plymouth Rock. Plymouth Rock, landed, on us!" The line a turning point in the character Malcolm X's orator ability to speak to the disenfranchised African-Americans of that moment, spoken by Denzel Washington with his characteristic and halting fire delivery.

The initiation of development in neighborhoods like Crown Heights and Bedford-Stuyvesant, usually by developers and land owners who'd ignored the neighborhood or provided minimal service obviously brought in folks and trends, which we all messily blanket with the title gentrification. So much of that gentrification being so culturally, economically and visibly different from what had been in those and other areas of New York City, I personally think of that movie line often.

Sometimes gentrification's not so bad. Having something seem to come from out of the blue, and land, or pop up, in your neighborhood space, something the neighborhood was lacking, for example commercial variety, lifestyle options and the neighborhood self-sufficiency it had, can be the upside. Like everything there's trade offs, but despite the fact that we (myself loudly at times complain about it's ills) gentrification can often give as much as it takes. That's a vague paragraph (and I left it grey in my first draft) but I'll add this distinction. Who gentrification gives to is often where the problems spike.

As I've mentioned all over this blog, I was born in Crown Heights, (until I was born in Prospect Heights, which many seem to only recently realize is in fact still Crown Heights) except that real estate dictates, as well as two decades and landmark preservation have more sharply defined what Prospect Heights is. Anyway, I've seen a lot. For example, my father learned in business school the value of reading the New York Times each Sunday. He was the only person in the family who did this. My Grandfather to name one, was more than happy with the New York Post, but hey, he voted Republican. My dad on the other hand was one of the few, if not only people on Prospect Place between Vanderbilt and Underhill to read the Times at all. This was partially because of how hard it was to get the Times. No one sold it anywhere east of Flatbush Avenue, okay maybe a rare few bodegas had less than ten copies but it was never consistent which ones had it. My father would take me out on Sunday to walk over to Park Slope's cornered edge, Grand Army Plaza and Flatbush Av where the newsstand had nearly a bunker made of stacked New York Times bundles. I've lived the same story of walking a distance sometimes long, sometimes shorter, for reliable meats, produce, cheese, and hardware supplies (despite Mayday being very well stocked) to name a few needs and no it doesnt make my life instantly better to have fresher hamburger, munster, fine grit sandpaper and the sunday classifies, but it helps.

I have a label for posts called, "Gentrification I Can Believe In" for that reason.

There are certain basic things that neighborhoods have, that Crown Heights and Bedford-Stuyvesant had which were lost, in some cases, referring specific to shopping needs, replaced for a generation with owner apathy and bare shelves.

I always wanted my neighborhood to come back. I was too young to know about how great Brooklyn was in the 40's & 50's, how much neighborhoods then were solvent and self-sufficient, but the little good I had know from my elementary school days, that little bit that had dried up and flaked off by the cracked out late 80's and early 90's, I wanted at least that much back.

I always knew it could come back, and little things like the rebuilt park on Prospect and Underhill, or the rebuilt Franklin Shuttle and it's stations, or the rebuilt Brooklyn Museum facade, always seemed to suggest a rebirth was moments away. After all, there's a thousand reasons why Crown Heights, and frankly all longstanding neighborhoods in Brooklyn should be thriving. Central of those reasons in my mind is the fact that the basic infrastructure for those neighborhoods, water, power, transportation, roads are here and have been, though they may require extreme upkeep in some situations. Frequently the other key elements; schools, decent residences, (structurally at least) are existing too. So I always knew a thriving Brooklyn could and I believed would come back. What I an afro-caribbean-latino Crown Heights born Brooklynite never expected is that "we", the people in my life, on my block, in my family wouldn't be the stars of the spectacular comeback I knew was coming. Today, frequently, to look at bars, town halls, l'artisanal food markets and (Ha!) New York Times articles about the neighborhood, we're not.

But we all still need provisions.


On the corner of Prospect Place and Bedford avenue there was an auto supply shop, from what I recall it was the kind of place you'd find cans of motor oil, heavy plastic formed jugs of anti-freeze and racks of fan belts plus more. My guess is the store was a hold over from the day when Bedford Ave was all about cars, their showrooms and that industry. After moving back to Crown Heights from Clinton Hill I noticed this retail spot was a bodega in the classically depressing urban sense of the word. Wide isles, bare shelves and low nutritional values seemed to be their stock and trade. Along with loosies and what else I could only speculate. 

My long frequent walks pass this store headed for greener produce inspired me to write a long post about it, other retail spaces on Bedford and Franklin that I felt could use some of that damn gentrifying. But you know, the good ones. Life and the fact that nothing offers less return on my investment than this blog kept that long series of "Gentrification I Can Believe In" posts from being written, and then Franklin, frankly, exploded with gentry. Okay it hasn't gotten pass Prospect place going north and something that I think is unseen and goes beyond simple explanation is keeping gentrification's appetites for rare cheese from flowing south on Franklin from Eastern Parkway. However on a certain highly publicized stretch of Franklin Avenue, there is more pomp and cheese then anyone could have guessed at and there's more on the way.

Meanwhile Bedford one block away, hadn't seen much commercial development until early last year when a bodega on Sterling started getting a make over. Till now the biggest thing to happen on Bedford commercially was the opening of Catfish, between Park Place and Prospect Place, the Creole themed bar and restaurant which full disclosure I am a huge fan of. Yes, there is Brooklyn Exposure a lovingly inviting spot that seems to have the market cornered on every form of respectable nightlife from dinning to comedy shows to full on musical performances. Brooklyn Exposure seems to be powered by love as much as anything, I've been once and the people so great I imagined them to all be family. But Catfish is still the biggest point of interest from Atlantic to Empire Blvd.

The issue for Bedford is partially it's a very wide two-way street. I have a theory that you need a higher density of thriving businesses for streets larger than one lane one-ways. Which in my mind is part of why Williamsburg's end of Bedford Av flourished so easily. Brooklyn Exposure is just a block away from Catfish but it feels like a trek at night. Catfish's great food and drinking selections plus a warm wide inviting space have kept it humming with people since last year, but their red neon sign might as well say "City Limits" for it's solitary standing on Bedford Av. I'll grant Cafe Rux Dix opened on the corner of Park Place this year, a fine french inspired cafe, but it's subdued lighting and vibe don't light up the corner it's on, probably by design. Beyond these three outposts, there are also many condos and recently built or rebuilt apartments on Bedford, two at the intersection of Bedford and Prospect, one more up the block on the lots that had been home to a community garden that was found to be unofficial but dense with trees. Despite that there still hasn't been much else in the way of commercial action on Bedford. Until yesterday.

I was almost face to glass, trying to make out the brands on the densly packed market shelves when the manager came toward me. I admit I wasn't in the mood to be waved off, they'd been constructing whatever this business was, I thought, "...for months and I'm sure they're not finished". I made it a few feet from the entrance when the same manger came out and invited me back in. 

The new market on Bedford and Prospect place is not large enough to be a supermarket, but it is in-line scale-wise with "Bob & Betty's" that well lit, well stocked, often organic market on Franklin and Lincoln. The manager of this new market on Bedford and Prospect, Reuben, told me the building owner (who somehow got all of their tenants out and remodeled the corner apartment building above, with raised rents and all new occupants less than a year ago) contacted him because he manages another market in Williamsburg where the building owner lives. Reuben looks and sounds like a Brooklynite to me and he claimed he was.

The easiest way to describe the zeal with which he should me around the market, would be proud father. The market is open but still being stocked he boasted through an excited smile that never left his face. "We're getting all local produce in this section, most of our produce will be locally sourced" Reuben exclaimed through un-checked excitement.

Reuben told me he'd submitted a business plan for the space, and couldn't understand what the previous store manager did in the previous desperate space. Now the shelves are lined with a variety of items you'd find easily in Park Slope or Fairway. Fine crackers and cheesy selections (which I do enjoy by the way, love them crackers and the cheese that goes with) along with virgin olive oils, imported pastas, hummus, sarabeth jams and… you get the idea.

There will be custom coffee selections and fine meats in the weeks to come, between all Reuben described, what I'd seen of the new layout, new floors, fixures and food, I think this space is going to light up a lot more of the neighborhood.

 
The new well stocked food market on 1426 Bedford Av at the corner of Prospect Pl. is called "Brooklyn Born Mini Market". It was written on a flyer Reuben handed to me as I was leaving. I had nothing to do with it. But I like it and it seems about time.

I'll check in on the market, reporting what I see on this blog, because I'm curious and well I'm tired of having to walk away from my neighborhood.

UPDATE:
As of Dec 15th the store seems much more stocked than on day one, however the juice bar and coffee isn't set up yet. This hasn't stopped me from shopping there three times, and giving back minutes and miles for not having to walk to franklin for basic provisions. 

UPDATE 2:
I continue shopping happily at Brooklyn Born Mini-Market into 2014 and I've noticed more and more people each time, though not yet any crowds. I still think it's all great except I wish the lights weren't such cold fluorescents but hey it was dark and suspect for year on Bedford so little steps. One other thing I've noticed since the market opened is voiced displeasure from people I presume to be new-comers to the neighborhood. In one case a couple discussed as they walked pass and I was exiting. I heard the male say,"what do you mean bougie?" His female friend replied with a sneering exhalation of  what I guess was disgust. "It's, It's not REAL" she said, as I watched them walk away.

Photo Wednesday 06/22/11: Candy Countdown Edition

Candy Land Bk Style, The candy colored interior of the shop. originally uploaded by b'klynborn.

"Lemme take you to the Candy Shop..." like most 50 Cent lyrics I find even thinking this in the tune of his jams both catchy and inappropriate, plus this post is supposed to be my "Photo Wednesday": Candy Shop centric post and so far I have you thinking bout a over-hyped rapper instead of a new entrepreneurial venture on Franklin Avenue, which is, ta da: "The Candy Shop"!

But I guess that's to be expected, my blogging habits have been sporadic which is no way to cover the Brooklyn Spring just concluded, in which I saw more than a few new businesses blossom.

For now I'll spill guts on Candy Shop, it is what it sounds like, no hipster ironies here, not recreational medicine hub, but in fact a story selling candies of various sorts including the kind of giant lollipops usually found on Coney Island or Oz.

In fact I was recently informed that the Candy Shop had intended on opening sooner than this and was held back because they didn't have a license to sell candy in jar. Who knew you need a license in NYC to have candy in a jar?!? Is that mind-boggling to you? It is to me, I mean you can put a fish in a jar with no permission or regulation and that's a living creature, but trying putting Swedish fish in a jar, liable to get written up.

Anyway the proprietors of the Candy Shop are the same gents who brought us the "About Time" store across the street from Candy Shop's location on Franklin Av between Park and Sterling. As many in this edge of Crown Heights (or Crow Hill) know these young men are very active in supporting community events and progress.

The Candy Shop from what one of the owners told me, will also serve as an exhibition space, so have your proposals and what-not ready.


Candy Countdown, originally uploaded by b'klynborn.

This photo of the countdown to Candy Shop's opening was taken on Tuesday so in fact there are 3 days to go, with opening day being this Saturday 6/25

The details on the shop as reported on the "IloveFranklinAveBlog" (note the blog refers to the name of the store as "The Candy Rush") are as follows:

The scoop on “The Candy Rush”

The Candy Rush is a vintage Candy Land and Ice Cream shop by day and eclectic event space by night. The founders, Kevin Phillip and Garnett Alcindor, are on the quest to deliver the ultimate treat experience with their vast candy selection and fresh organic ice cream, delivered by Blue Marble Creamery. The Candy Rush will offer thirteen of Blue Marble Creamery’s best tasting flavors. Customers will be able to customize their ice cream selections by adding their favorite fruit and candy toppings. The candy store also offers homemade juices, root beer floats, milkshakes and fresh brewed coffees topped with your favorite ice cream.

The 1200 square foot dessert spot showcases handmade countertops, tabletops and a candy-coated bench, built with actual candy. Guests can eat out doors on the beautiful deck.

At The Candy Rush, a container of ice cream can range from $2.50-$4.00. Homemade juices made by Chef Shani Porter, will be $2.50 for 12 ounces, and $2 between 3pm-5pm on weekdays. The candy store is stocked with an assortment of candy, including hard-to-find vintage candy and modern day favorites. Customers can choose to purchase various candy combinations starting at $8.00/lb.


The candy store will also sell made-to-order candy gift baskets, great for any occasion.

Grand Opening Event

Lets get the confetti and sprinkles; ice cream lovers of all ages are invited to come celebrate! The grand opening celebration will officially kick off on Saturday, June 25^th at 10am. The first one hundred scoops of ice cream will be FREE for attendees.

Creditable press and bloggers will receive an all-access pass, in which they receive free samples and gift bags.

The Candy Rush Announces Grand Opening Event

Grand opening (open to the public)

Saturday, June 25th, 2011

733 Franklin Ave

Brooklyn, NY 11238

Free Entry 10am-10pm

Now if I can only get some creditable  press credentials for my anonymous blog... Dare I say it's gonna be sweet... (couldnt resist)

A new Star on Bedford : Photo Wednesday

A new Star on Bedford is born.

Happy New Year! After a much needed vacation, I'm back on blog.

Since moving back to Crown Heights a few years ago I've made an attempt to check out as many local food spots as possible with the intention of adding a little light and awareness to these generally small business that are a vital element of thriving communities.

Even with the accumulation of local blogs and the New York Times' discovery this past decade of Brooklyn there are still places under-seen who make more than a little hash.

I spotted a corner restaurant on Bedford and Park Place about a year ago and was immediately intrigued because of it's signs advertising African Cuisine and the fact that I could never tell if they were open or not. The entrance right on the corner and it being one of only two restaurants on that stretch of Bedford from Atlantic to Eastern Parkway I went in and I'm still not sure what I found. The place was less than stocked with cooked or other food, the person behind the counter a nice enough woman seemed more caretaker than proprietor. I took a menu and left. Never to return.

So imagine my surprise last week, when I noticed activity and then a new awning and signage. Now advertising BURGERS in large capital letters. Other signs intrigued. Halal offerings seemed to paper the entrance as well as effusive "YES, WE'RE OPEN" signs. It seemed they were trying to reach out.

Upon entering a number of apparent changes. While still a simple food shop, the interior was brighter and seem more spacious. New menus, a working fridge half stocked with beverages, a large tv merrily blaring sports and more importantly people, cooking, food.

"Alpha Star Burger" is the name of the place and they are under new management.

I met Smokey mid 30ish guy appropriately dressed in a fry cook's hat, apron and easy smile.

He explained they've been open only since the beginning of this year. When asked why the name he reminded me that the previous name had been "Alpha Star". I don't know smokey's background but with all the Halal references and his complexion I assumed a broad swath from the Middle East to Southern Asia. Smokey corrected me, he's from Fresno.

I mentioned my experience with the previous place and Smokey expressed some surprise at how key things were left undone, there are exterior lights which worked but the blown bulbs had not been replaced) and he felt there was a good potential between the location and the food they offer.

Finally I asked the money question, "why burgers?" "We've made burgers for 15 years... were good at them." he spoke in all confidence.

How could I not try one.

The double cheeseburger was my choice, chased with a Coke, in a glass bottle.

Alpha Star Burger was winning me and the meat wasn't even off the grill. Pictures tell the story of the burger best from here:


I was so busy eating I almost forgot to take a pict with the Coke bottle involved. Not Kosher, Halal and very good!



Afterward, I wanted to order a second, even though my stomach was bursting with joy and burger all a sudden.

While I was there, during my 15 or so minutes at least 5 customers came in off the street, seemingly for the first time (no banter between them and Smokey who seemed up for it) there were also a couple cops who just seemed to be around for a moment.

The meat was tender juicy, the burger held together only deliciously coming apart as I chewed it and the cheese I liked though I'm not sure what you all might feel about it, it tasted similar to the cheese in baked macaroni I've gotten from Halal shops all over Brooklyn, which I love.

My take away, it's bright, looked clean, the burger was delicious and now all of a sudden I have to put in work to not go in a buy one daily.

*Alpha Star Burger is located on the corner of Bedford Avenue and Park Place in Crown Heights Brooklyn. Two blocks from the Franklin Shuttle (Park Place Station). Besides burgers they have a menu of diner and Halal fare, and I was told they're working on getting cappuccino. The phone # is on the awning above, give them a call and see if they deliver for you.

I Wouldn't Fool With You Burger : Dutch Boy Burgers Open Today

According to my sources Dutch Boy Burgers (pictured above) the joint Crown and Prospect Heightsers alike have been salivating after on Franklin Av, is set to open today after delays due to building permit issues.

Folks in the know told me the joint which in addition to Burgers will offer up Milkshakes and other like food fun, will also have booze available for order since it is actually part of two year old Franklin Park Bar, but the larger of the two bars that make up Franklin Park will remain closed until some other issues are completed.

Granted this is small foodie business Brooklyn I'm talking about, and the debut date of this place has jumped around like grease on a hot skillet but despite all that an the current date I'll be at Dutch Boy's tonight cause I can't believe they'd fool with my appetite.

Photo Wedns: 7/29/09 : 1st night @ UmiNom

There goes the neighborhood. Discreetly tucked into a row of neighborhood establishments is a newcomer, restaurant "UmiNom"(white sign far right)

A review of the restaurant "UmiNom".

I like it. Who needs obscure words falling over each other like lotus petals tantalizing at the koi pond's edge, when you can simply say;

UmiNom (Tagalog (Filipino language) for "drink") the name of the new restaurant precariously balanced on the edge of Clinton Hill and Bedford-Stuyvesant has the type of attractive stylish yet modest decor you'd expect from most image proud Manhattan establishments, the service was friendly and the food was very good.
I like it!


The interiors are very warm, attractive and amazing (even more so because this used to be an age worm laundromat). Spacing in some places was a little tight seating-wise , but New York tight not Tokyo tight. Expect to turn sideways to exit some tables. Overall I felt very comfortable and I wished I thought to bring three friends with at least.


As for the staff, also nice. They treated me like a grandmother treats an only child. I was tucked into my table, and given treats I hadn't asked for. Specifically a crispy lightly fried wonton filled with crab and cream cheese. Delicious. I imagined the delicious filling being spread on anything and making that thing better. Next time I'll definitely order a plate, it might just make me forget how much I love curry puffs, that common menu item of some many city thai places. The lovely treatment I received was to be expected since it's first day of course, but it's probably a good idea to ask to sample even more.

For my meal I had the staple of some many Asian-infused eateries of course, pad thai. I imagine it will probably be the most ordered item on the menu due to unadventurous delivery diners who still equate the dish with the exotic.

The list of main courses was limited to a few selections but there was a long list of small plates, essentially tapas, to choose from. I picked the Mackerel Plate in addition because I wanted something sharper flavor-wise to go with my presumptions of what the pad thai would be.

The waitress was sure to inform me it would be a full fish, "head, tail, everything" which was great of her, because you really should know not to expect a chunk of grilled salmon steak when you order the mackerel.

If you don't know mackerel, body-wise think foot long sardines. Years ago living in Tokyo I used to buy and roast Mackerel all the time so I was ready for it and UmiNom did not disappoint.

Two whole roasted mackerels came with garnishes. They were grape tomates and what I recall as a shredded outlay of pickled radish on the side. The tender mackerel meat worked well with the slightly salted outside crunchy skin and made nice with what seemed to be a light, sweet, pickling of the tomatoes. I liked also those flavors and textures, the sours, and sweets of the crunchy pickled vegetable mixing with the charred outer salted skin of the mackerel which gave a lot of sensation to an intentionally small plate.

The only downer was the mackerel plate is a great tapas for eating and destroying during a boisterous conversation with friends and beers. I flew solo and the liquor license hasn't made it to UmiNom yet, although; everyone, assured me it's on the way. Soon.

The Shrimp Pad Thai was light and flavorful. According to my taste-buds, I was tasting the sweetness from tamarind, a variety of other spices and what seemed to be a very light but but nicely flavored soy sauce, and I recommend munching on the fresh basil leaves whenever you want to send your palette on a joy ride.

I went back and forth between the two dishes. Especially comparing the two very differences between the so light I can't express it enough taste of the pad thai with the ruggedness of the mackerel.


The process of making an indelicate mess out of the mackerel was satisfying by itself. For people who really want to render the meat from a bone in this case the the length of mackerel vertebra that comes in the fish, this dish is for you. If you're clever about it you should be able to flip the fish open (it's already sliced lengthwise) grab the bone with your fork and yank the whole thing out like you're playing a game of "Operation". Make sure you get another fork or chop sticks so you can anchor while you pull off this trick. I thought it was a good idea to ask for chopsticks to get this done.

At this point I expect pad thai is about as common as tacos in New York City. I've had the dish for years and in short, I've never has it better than UmiNoms. It's a simple dish, essentially noodles, spices and a meat or tofu. But as tasty as most pad thai is, it's usually pretty heavy. Sometimes I want that feeling like I just ate a tasty lead balloon, when I haven't wanted that feeling I've skipped pad thai. I never knew I could have light and tasty pad thai, but at UmiNom I can. Yeah big endorsement, but seriously I wanted to and felt like I could eat the soft and cozy like a bird-nest of noodles plate with it's tasty shrimp and south-east Asian spices day after day. The tofu pieces however didn't ascend to anything other than tofu, but the dish was so tasty I wouldn't let the waitstaff have my plate until I cleaned it.

To wash down and meld with the meal, I had the coconut water (which I think they called "juice" but my West Indian leanings says "water"). I love the after taste of it. It's kinda like the last frosted flakes and milk that have congealed into a hyper-sugar at the bottom of your bowl while you watched Saturday morning cartoons.

Tip1: If you like coconut, order the coconut juice until the liquor license comes, it provides with you a comparably flavored beverage and a desert in the form of large coconut chunks that come with.

Tip2: If you want to drink something stronger do what makes sense and you'll be alright

Picky
My coconut juice arrived in a nostalgic happily flimsy plastic cup that contorted a little when I picked it up I liked it. It even came with tools, a Nathan's-like fork for scooping out coconut meat and a bendy straw. Fun. But my utensils were taped to the cup so to use them I had to pick the sticky residue from the tape off my straw an coco-fork since I didn't want to ruin a great meal by eating glue.

Overheard Playlist (incomplete but in order of play)
Prince melody feat. - "Erotic City"
Lupe Fiasco - "Superstar"
Madonna - "Borderline"
Sting - "Everything She Does is Magic"

UmiNom

A proudly designed restaurant servicing gourmet plates of Asian-fusion situated in an unlikely place with a housing project and infamous local fast food spot as it's neighbor.
Great renditions of familiar dishes, Attractive setting, bar for socializing, tables for dining, helpful friendly staff. I like it and I want more.



*** end of review ***

Because I hadn't considered possibilities that would have allowed me to drink with my dinner I left and went to a local bar, ran into friends we got into a conversation about UmiNom, I brought it up. We talked about these kinds of restaurants, fancy, new, stylish, foreign. In my family we use the term "chi chi foo foo" (with it's silly phonics meant to imply exotic pretense) to describe these types of restaurants, boutiques, people, etc.

Our stories describing these places become ridiculously exaggerated like the one about the boutique in Nolita that has five items in the entire store, each priced north of $10k preciously arranged by an impossibly long legged woman whose spends equal time blowing soap bubbles and braiding a unicorn's mane. Or that new bar that has no liquor; they simple put pieces of paper written with the names of spirits into a goblet and your supposed to read the papers, thereby becoming literally incapacitated until you've been mentally intoxicated.

As funny as the branding of chi chi foo foo can be there is often something else I hear in those conversations, an uneasy mix of attraction and fear. Because we want to be pampered, we want to be stimulated but we don't want to be excluded and what if these people and places don't welcome us, what if they decide we are not for them and they are not for us? I had a long conversation with another friend where we detailed coming to terms with being allowed to seek comfort and quality in dinning, decor and the like, without feeling like a bougie sell out. And we each years earlier had independently realized that as people with impoverished backgrounds we had trouble getting over feeling uncomfortable about being so comfortable.

An additional element that causes unease with new things come into the neighborhood is the reality that yes new upscale businesses and people often lead to circumstances where people are pushed out of their communities. That reality has driven many conversations I've witnessed, about some new chi chi business, from fun mockery to outright hatred. And the next thing you know rather than address the larger issues of our community we're focused on who's an outsider regardless of what's being brought in.

I've wondered for years about this situation and these conversations.

Where do we draw the line as far as "outsiders" coming into "our" neighborhood. Do we reject businesses that bring value into our neighborhood (umi's sister and the owner's first restaurant is in Manahattan) if that business is not from our neighborhood?

Getting back to my table of friends listening to my account of UmiNom, several thoughts were added to that conversation. The prevailing opinion expressed by my friends was something like does this restaurant benefit the established neighborhood as opposed to the incoming residents who's frequent turnover contributes to a lack of investment in these neighborhoods.

I don't know what the right answer to that is, or if the question is even completely accurate, but my opinion is the neighbor needs a range. Range of culture, service, amenities, people, economic classes and restaurants. In my opinion as a whole, Brooklyn has enough Crown Fried Chickens, we need more UmiNoms to increase the expectation and market for better levels of dining, shopping and living.

Ikea and photo wednesday cometh together!

Ah today's the day, ikea comes to the city proper, specifically to Red Hook Brooklyn.

I gotta be honest, I am of the fickle set of likes and dislikes that drives me to protest a Wal-Mart but welcome an Ikea. Which I guess means I like swedish meatballs more than corn.

Anyway, today wednesday june 18th is opening day so couch hungry brooklynites; run out and get yo'self some, cause they're giving them all away. Okay they're giving like, one away, but it's one more than anybody else, and after you scarf down those cinnamon buns you'll need somewhere to rest your buns, right?

Today's Photo Wednesday
I call this one: "The shimmering clash of human industry and nature."

Which is why today's photo in keeping with the Red Hook theme, comes from the Gowanus Canal which flows around Red Hook and on into Brooklyn's Gowanus / Carroll Gardens neighborhoods.

This pic is also an attempt to spread the wealth of photo wednesdays further around this great city of Brooklyn and to remind us of Red Hook/Gowanus's recent past of industrial abuse. Now that the Ikea's here, let's hope we don't find any "Hopen" floating in the canal.

Habana Outpost, that's the ticket

Habana Outpost was packed to overflowing and (real talk) it was hot, weather(beautiful), people(jam packed), food, yes man, the food as delicious and satisfying as I remember. It was great. Sometime when I'm out eating I think of how easily I could create the meal I'm having.

Not so at Habana, they make a simple thing like a burrito, corn and a corona seem damn near gourmet. That's how I feel, what say you?

In addition to the food, the people and the wait (which was back, more on that in a second) There were a host of eco-friendly groups providing info in the form of guides to eco-friendly city living, "Learn to dispose of your electronics without destroying the environment!" as well as some heavy examples of green living like a classic detroit convertable, that runs on veggie oil.

Eco-info and a converted convertable running on veggie oil

As for the wait, yes it was there and yes as I wrote previously, you need only to expect it, and have somebody to talk to while you wait around like a reality show finalist hoping you're name is called, before the suspense (and appetite) kills you.

My waiting moment came and there I stood patiently by the converted mail truck made to look like an authentic Contempo/Mexican food stand straining my eyes upward and hoping that next corn could be mine. I was one of at least seven others, our heads bobbing side to side, occassionally side steping the onslaught of other folks wandering throug the open air space, all of us waiting. One by one everyone around me got their food. I started to feel like that kid in a group who's never picked for sports. When I asked how much longer, the lovely host whose name is a mystery to me, demurely screamed at the cooks; it was the only way she could be heard over the roar of the crowd and sizzle of the corn, chicken, peppers, etc...

She yelled my name and the cooks looked at their tickets, scanning them and then replying "YEH! OKAY!! COMING!".

The host nonchalantly turned back to me and politely said, "very soon, maybe five more minutes". So I figured I'd go back and tend to my other hot commodity, my seat, which was being loosely guarded by a stranger. I waited at my seat, which of course is too far away to hear my name called, and so I came back to check on my food. And sure enough, it still wasn't ready. The considerate host asked again, screaming to the cooks of course, and then again politely she apologized and said "soon". Soon, I had heard "soon" about three more times. I was noticing people who were behind me in line getting their meals, huge tray-fulls of yellow rice, roasted peppers, grilled juicy beef, marinated chicken... can you see how hungry I was? And I noticed something else, something key, have you guessed it? Yeh, my ticket was in my pocket. This means (if you've never been to Habana, or like me, haven't been in a long enough time as to forget) that there is no direction for the cooks to follow to make your order. What were they saying "YEH! OKAY, COMING!" to? Who knows? Who cares, I was the dope who didn't give my ticket in, so I mentioned to the hostess, yeh I think I know what's wrong and she continued her polite streak by giving me a sympathetic look and later, passing me my tray delicious edibles. So of course the less of the day was make your order clear before expecting anything, that's the ticket.
And as for the crowd and the questions I raised in my previous post, the magic of opening day seems to have had the affect of bringing in old and new. I left in the afternoon (so crowded!) came back later in the evening and as soon as I exited the South Portland stairway I walked into a strong pound from Tyren, (those who know, know when you see Tyren you're among family) I also noticed new faces (to me) and it was reunion day from there especially when the bunch of smartly funny folks, who provided my seat turned out to be the same folks I first and last met on the original opening day back in 2006. Even managed to get my boy from Philly to come through and experience Brooklyn's Habana. (Muchos gracias a ti: Sofia, Paola, cool unknown brotha who held my seat down early, the effervescent Darcy and of course, Elvis for the good time! hope to see y'all all summer-long!)

Considering how much I've been thinking about change good and bad, essential and unnecessary, if yesterday is any indication of the summer to come I will be happy to see Habana Outpost remaining the exact same cozy window from which to view all that does and doesn't change in the current Brooklyn evolution.