via Grubstreet

Monday evening the fiance and I braved the rain for a much anticipated night cap at Greenpoint’s newest bar, Beloved.  I had already read a number of great reviews and am happy to report that every word was true.

We stepped into Beloved and found a couple seats at the end of bar.  The crowd was a little sparse around 9pm but started filling up as the next couple of hours passed.  The bar is beautiful – well designed and offering ample seating as well as a yard in the back.  The environment was comfortable and laid back and the bartender genuinely nice and personable.

I ordered that evening’s drink special – not sure what it was called but it consisted of a honey syrup, lime juice, and bourbon shaken together with blueberries.  It was, in my humble opinion, perfect.  The drink was not overly sweet, balanced by the lime juice and the smokey bourbon.  I also appreciated the perfectly ripe blueberries that garnished the drink as well as the very reasonable $8 price tag.  The fiance ordered the Allsorts Inc, consisting of tequila, mezcal, and an assortment of ingredients that we had to ask the bartender about, like Falernum.  The result was a delicious multilayered drink that had “a lot going on (but in a good way)” that the fiance thoroughly enjoyed.

All cocktails on the menu are $10.  All draft beers are $6 and cans of Tecate are an easy $3.  Beloved is located at 674 Manhattan Ave in Greenpoint, close to the intersection of Manhattan and Norman Ave.

With two other locations, Bay Ridge and Staten Island, you just KNOW this place is gonna be exquisite. Probably as good as Sea! Just ask Valerie De Lhomme:

[via]

Any news on when/where/if they are reopening?

image via Yelp

From the mailbag

Serving up Lobster rolls, Hamburgers, Fish & Chips, Full Raw bar, Full Liquor and much more. Justin Ernsberger (former Executive Chef, Walter Foods & Mermaid Inn; consultant at Lure Fish Bar) and Thomas Chabrowski (owner of Lunchbox and The Mark Bar) Bring you Lobster Joint.

Lobster Joint is dedicated to serving great seafood in a casual atmosphere. Lobster Joint’s menu features classic New England-style comfort food, as well as other traditional international seafood offerings. Our menu specials rotate based upon supply, emphasizing freshness, quality and seasonality. Our cocktail list utilizes simple, quality ingredients that would be typically found in any seafood shack, and our service style is based on traditional window service found at many seaside seafood restaurants. Additionally, we offer bar/counter service for fast and casual dining and cocktails. Lobster Joint is open until 2am for late-night dining!

More information here.

A warm welcome tonight for the newest addition to Williamsburg’s burgeoning restaurant scene, Moomba. Soft-opening this evening in the space formerly known as Vertuccio’s, Moomba’s prime real estate – it borders McCarren Park on North 12th – should make it a popular stop for the neighborhood’s brunch aficionados and late-night diners alike.

Offering a diverse (and ambitious) menu including wood-fired pizzas, a wide-ranging but well-priced list of small plates and tapas, and a fantastic selection of wines, Moomba seems perfectly positioned to accommodate larger groups looking for a family-style meal sharing experience. Adding to the party atmosphere: live music from a rotating list of local talent, as well as theme nights starting in the next few weeks.

Stay tuned for a full review of the restaurant, as well as a PDF copy of the menu. For now, here’s a sneak peek at the bar – made with repurposed wood! – and the place where the magic happens (also known as the pizza oven).

Moomba Brooklyn, open tonight, 232 N. 12th St btn. Driggs and Roebling; 718.486.3900

It’s playoff season. If you hate sports as much as I do, but hate missing out on the gluttony, I’ve got a new piece for you on The Awl:

With the NFL playoffs underway, multitudes of jock-averse women and effeminate, girlie men (like me) find themselves facing a challenging predicament over the next couple of weeks. On one hand, forgoing a “Millionaire Matchmaker” marathon on Bravo to watch a playoff game at a sports bar seems excruciating. Still, missing out on the camaraderie and, more importantly, the gluttony of the playoffs is even more upsetting. After all, nothing’s more fun than gorging oneself on well-prepared wings, burgers and quality beer, activities which can make any sporting event—even basebal!—entertaining.

The question, of course, is where can New Yorkers go to make the experience bearable. Those who are disinclined to jerseys, vomit, beer pong and getting their asses beat, should obviously steer clear of Nevada Smiths, the Pourhouse and the other frat houses that make up Third Avenue’s bro-row. Especially since there are plenty of superior alternatives. Granted, there’s no way to avoid the crowds or the meatheads when a big game is on, but here are a few establishments worth checking out for those among us more interested in the food and the beer than the homoerotic opera known as the NFL.

Find out where to go over at The Awl.

In strange news Grub Street is reporting that Relish is slated to re-open as a Mexican Beer Garden by the owners of La Esquina. Not quite sure how that will work in the winter, or if the old skool diner decor will be fitting for a Beer Garden, but we do love La Esquina and are excited for the prospect of additional tasty Mexican food in the hood.

As subjective tasks go, determining the best place to eat in the city is a toughie. There are so many factors to consider: atmosphere (who’s sitting at the table over?), location (do we really have to go all the way to the Upper East Side?), and of course cost (sorry… $13 for six artfully arranged spears of asparagus? That one’s for you, Pulino’s).

You could try parsing all these factors and factoring them into a complicated algorithm, or… you could check out Yelp’s top-rated grub joints, and let the chips fall where they may.

As fans of the latter option, we were pleasantly surprised to learn that one of Williamsburg’s own, a butcher/deli humbly (yet descriptively) called Graham Avenue Meats and Deli, currently holds the number one spot as best-rated restaurant in Manhattan and the five boroughs. Located on 445 Graham Avenue, between Frost and Richardson Streets, this unassuming deli made a name for itself by serving up sandwiches that Yelpers describe as follows:

“Eating the Godfather sandwich from this place is like staring into the face of God and having him say back to you, ‘you are my most wondrous creation,’” [Mike D.]… “So transcendent that I’m not sure you can call it a sandwich; the only word that can do it justice is  ‘masterpiece,’” [Peter D.]… “The Bruce Willis of sandwiches. It will ninja kick your stomach, it will fight terrorists, it will reunite your family and cure your lingering toe fungus… This sandwich will cuddle you on Saturday evenings… for $8 this sandwich will have sex with your stomach.” [Mike G.]

The Willie Special. (Image courtesy Yelp's Jonathan D.)

With so many New Yorkers eating this local deli’s special sauce, we felt obliged to do some investigating. What makes Graham Avenue Meats and Deli’s sandwiches so spectacular?

“A lot of love,” says owner Michael Virtuoso, who moved a few blocks away – to Jackson Street – when he emigrated to the US from Italy at the age of 11. Virtuoso, who says he’ll “eat whatever’s got a flag on it,” isn’t shy about sharing his passion for Italian meat. The ingredients for the deli’s best-known sandwich – the Willie Special – roll off Virtuoso’s lips like the names of beloved children. “It’s got sopressata, prosciutto, pancetta, imported provolone, mozzarella, parmesan, roasted peppers, sundried tomatoes…” the list continues.

“But the thing is, it’s never exactly the same. We’re always changing it – we like to keep it interesting. But what is consistent is the quality. That will never change.”

So there you have it, folks. The secret to the best sandwich in Williamsburg – and, according to Yelp at least – the best meal in the whole goddamn city.

Dumont, image c/o

There are so many great restaurants in the neighborhood these days, keeping up with the top tier ones is a daunting task. Williamsburg has finally become a true foodie (shut up, we know!) destination with dozens of amazing restaurants to satisfy every hungry palate. (Does anyone really bother eating in the overpriced/overly-touristy Manhattan anymore?) With a new restaurant seemingly opening every day, we realized the time had come to curate our own local greatest hits. Let us know what you think.

The 20 Best Restaurants in Williamsburg, Greenpoint and Bushwick »

From Lady Jays to Hachi, it’s hard to keep up with all the openings on Grand Street East. As Zagat Buzz reports, there are going to be a few more:

A branch of Singas Famous Pizza has opened, as evidenced by the rainbow-flagged photo above. The Elmhurst based-chain specializes in personal-sized, thick-crust pizzas (512 Grand St.; 718-782-2100).Just down the block, there’s a sign in window for a forthcoming restaurant called Taj Kabab & Curry (568 Grand St.).

Closer to Graham Avenue, a new bar called LP & Harmony will be opening this week. Expect pool tables, a backyard and open-mic nights (683 Grand St.).