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The New York Times has picked up on the War on Brunch taking place in our area, an epic battle between churchgoers and eggs benedict-eaters that has already claimed casualties, including Lokal and Five Leaves.

The article mostly covers what we know already, but offers up some choice quotes from borough president Marty Markowitz: “As many lifestyles as there are in the universe, we have them in Brooklyn and then some…You have the right to go to church and the right to sit outside people-watching and have bloody marys.”

But according to NYT, many locals involved in the church have no problem with brunch. “I like to see young people enjoying their Sundays and whatever they’re doing,” said one local pastor. Another said that “the integration has taken place very comfortably” between the neighborhood’s new school and old school communities.

A hearing on the issue will take place next month.

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Specialty pizza chain Two Boots is giving away free samples of their The Dude pizza (Cajun bacon cheeseburger pizza topped with tasso ham, andouille sausage, ground beef, cheddar, and mozzarella) right now. If you’ve never been to Two Boots, the chain was started by two filmmakers in the Village in the late ’80s. Today’s The Dude samples – named after the protagonist in The Big Lebowski - is one of their many special pizzas named after movie icons. One of the locations even doubles as a video rental store.

Stop by any of the Two Boots locations between 4:20 (ahem) and 6pm for your free half-slice. Closest to North Brooklyn are the ones in Park Slope and on Avenue A in the Village.

Via Brooklyn Paper

A Williamsburg neighborhood group is waging a war on brunch — pressuring restaurants in one of the city’s mimosa-strongholds to open later, hush their patrons, and keep their diners inside.

Community Board 1 members want the city to enforce a little-known rule prohibiting restaurants from serving diners at outdoor sidewalk cafes on Sunday mornings.

“This would keep the sidewalks open for Sunday morning walks to church,” said Community Board 1 public safety chairman Tom Burrows. “Lokal, Enid’s, and Five Leaves consistently open their sidewalk cafe hours before noon on Sundays.”

But cafe owners say they will continue to defy a regulation barring them from serving poached eggs with duck hash to hungry outdoor diners before noon rather than risk losses to their bottom line.

“This is bulls—, it’s not good,” said Lokal owner Gino Kutluca, who starts serving sidewalk patrons at 10 am. “We get 60 percent of our business on Saturday and Sundays.”

The front lines of the bloody mary battlefield is a three block area near the northern tip of McCarren Park where several restaurants operate sidewalk cafes.

The community board has already fired its first shots at Greenpoint brunch mainstay Five Leaves, which preemptively removed two sets of unsanctioned outdoor benches last weekend after a warning from the neighborhood group.

The eatery’s owners hauled away the wooden planks from their 20-seat sidewalk cafe to avoid heavy penalties after residents complained the benches draw a cacophonous crowd that lingers while waiting to order ricotta pancakes, egg sandwiches, truffle fries, and brussels sprouts beginning at 8 am.

“Do they need a threat to be good neighbors?” said Burrows, who has adopted the rule of General Patton in the board’s war on brunch. “Take reservations so there aren’t hordes standing around not moving out of the way!” [...]North Brooklyn’s brunch lovers — the foot soldiers in the conflict — vowed to continue dining in the face of a law they consider unjust.

“It doesn’t seem very relevant for city life,” said Williamsburg resident and brunch fan Jay Tate. “People in New York work a lot and if they want to be able to enjoy brunch on a Sunday, they should.”

c/o The Brooklyn Ink

Move over, Hellmann’s. Prospect Heights is now home to the borough’s newest (and only) artisanal mayo shop brought to you by the good folks at Empire Mayonnaise. After great success selling their creamy concoctions to fatties foodies at Smorgasburg, the brains behind the operation decided to open their first brick-and-mortar store at 564 Vanderbilt Avenue. Now, I know what you may be thinking, “How can there be a whole store devoted only to mayonnaise?” First off, you should know that these mayo-lovers mean serious business. Empire utilizes their tiny (almost 100 square foot!) spot to produce all of their products as well as a place to sell their 4-ounce jars of spreadable deliciousness. There’s really something for every discerning palate in their long list of exotic and intriguing flavors, which include White Truffle, Saffron, Wasabi, Lime Pickle, and everyone’s favorite, Bacon. To hardcore mayo-haters, this may sound like a nightmare, but to me it sounds like a damn good reason to cook up some burgers and fries. (If living up to the Brooklyn foodie stereotype is wrong, I don’t want to be right.)

(via The Brooklyn Ink)

The latest Graham Ave. joint, Gwynnett St (which features a chef who formerly worked at WD-50) just got an adoring review:

Mr. Hilbert’s style of cuisine is not yet common in this pocket of Williamsburg. In fact, cooking this sophisticated would be a find anywhere in New York.

And while it is a restaurant in Brooklyn, Gwynnett St. is not really a Brooklyn restaurant. There are no butchers’ tools hanging from reclaimed barn doors. Under the eye of Carl McCoy, the proprietor, the dining room staff is calmly professional, utterly free of pretense and attitude. Nobody is the least bit likely to pull up a chair and offer to show you pictures of the sauerkraut the chef is currently fermenting inside a pair of Red Wing boots.

With Sel de Mer and Mesa Coyoacan just blocks away, Graham Ave is becoming an essential destination for fine cuisine. Even if we miss Motorino.

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I’ve posted a fair amount about Brooklyn’s controversial Whole Foods store coming to Gowanus in 2013. But now it turns out the chain is opening a location much closer to home. According to the New York Post, a Whole Foods is coming to 242 Bedford Ave (at N. 4th St.).

The site had been vacant for years and sold on Monday for $23 million. It will also house a New York Sports Club and luxury apartments.

So can we expect a reaction similar to the one in Gowanus? Probably not. The main arguments there are that the store disregards zoning laws and will change the character of the neighborhood. But that’s not true in Williamsburg, where Bloomberg’s 2005 rezoning paved the way for places like this, and where the character of the neighborhood is constantly changing (for better or worse). Some, like Portlandia‘s bike guy, will take this as yet another sign that the neighborhood is over. Others will just be glad they don’t have to take the G to Gowanus to get their organic food.

Whole Foods has yet to make an official announcement.

Update 4:30 p.m.: Whole Foods confirmed the project to The New York Times. Construction will begin in the next two to three months and the location will open in mid-2014, a year after the one in Gowanus.

Pillar & Plough on Facebook

The big news in the Williamsburg culinary world this week is the closing of the Pillar & Plough restaurant at Hotel Williamsburg, which opened on N. 12th Street this past November. The hotel is changing owners and while the sale isn’t final, management closed the restaurant yesterday. Hotel representatives gave a statement to Eater, explaining that the hotel’s success had “attracted a non-solicited offer to purchase the property at a very favorable price.”

“Since opening, Pillar & Plough has received great reviews and success; it is with regret that we are closing the doors,” the statement continues. The hotel remains open for reservations as usual.

Graves Hospitality, which operates eleven hotels in two countries, had owned the restaurant and hotel. The planned future owner, King & Grove, describes itself as “a new lifestyle hotel brand defined by modern luxury with eclectic influence.” They specialize in “iconic destinations defined by a sense of nostalgia.” The group, founded in 2010, currently operates hotels in Miami and Montauk. Earlier this month, K&G announced it would be taking over New York’s Hotel Chelsea as well.

Pillar & Plough had a favorable rating of 4/5 stars on Yelp. According to one food blog, rumor has it that the new ownership will turn the below-ground restaurant space into a nightclub.

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]

image c/o Miss Retro's Blog

Well folks, it’s that time of year again, and if you’re like me, you won’t be visiting family for Thanksgiving but you still want to gorge yourself with an exorbitant amount of good old fashioned home cookin’. If you’re even more like me, you haven’t had time to think much about foraging for food and supplies in advance. Fear not, turkey-lovers! Although the deadline to order turkeys and elaborate pre-made Thanksgiving meals from most restaurants and stores has passed, here’s the scoop on what’s still available at some of Williamsburg’s best food spots. Whether you want to impress your friends with some mad turkey-cooking skills or drink beer on the couch while you re-heat some delicious pre-made food, there is still have time to make it happen.

The Meat Hook

Local antibiotic and hormone free turkeys raised specifically for the shop have been available for pre-order since early October. They aren’t taking any more orders in advance, but there’s a small selection of 14-19 pound birds still available first come, first serve.  When these sell out, you can still get a delicious spiral ham or any other of their specialty meats to fill your belly. A few feet from the meat counter you can find gravy, stuffing mix, cornbread, and other necessary sides for your Thanksgiving spread as well as apples, potatoes, and smallish pumpkins for the specific purpose of making a homemade pie. (Perfect for those who don’t trust anything from a can.) For those who truly wait until the last minute, note that the meat shop, along with the rest of The Brooklyn Kitchen, will be closed on Thanksgiving and only open until 6pm the night before. 100 Frost Street, Brooklyn, NY 11211 (718) 389-2982 the-meathook.com

Marlow & Daughters

This beloved butcher shop also had locally raised, antibiotic and hormone free turkeys available for pre-order, but word on the street is that they will still have a few extra birds available from now until the big day. They will also be serving up other holiday items including cranberry sauce, homemade pie crust, their signature country pâté, and smoked tofu that is said to delight vegetarians AND meat-lovers alike. The shop will be open from 10am-3pm on Turkey day, but definitely come sooner than later if you hope to grab one of those extra birds. 95 Broadway, Brooklyn, NY 11211 marlowanddaughters.com

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