From the NY Times:

For three nights a week, Richard Kuo and Frederik Berselius operate this tiny Brigadoon of a Scandinavian restaurant in the back of Kinfolk Studios, a Williamsburg gallery. There are just 18 chairs. Reservations as staggered as gradually as at any four-star restaurant, but there is no four-star restaurant in New York that serves a seven-course tasting menu for $45. It may represent the city’s best bargain in fine dining.

More information at www.frejnyc.com.

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.”

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 The MMMguide...

image c/o Tasting Table

This weekend, two of the neighborhood’s foodie finest – Fatty ‘Cue and The Brooklyn Star - are switching it up to showcase each other’s famous carnivorous fare.

On Friday, August 26 and Saturday, August 27, you can dine on The Brooklyn Star’s fried pig tails with jalapeno onion hush puppies at Fatty ‘Cue. In turn, dig into Fatty ‘Cue’s lamb ribs, cincalok and white wine brine and garlic-lemon emulsion at The Brooklyn Star. And with different chefs at the helm, it’s likely you’ll be experiencing new spins on old favorites.

c/o GrubStreet

Alright carnivores, start working up your appetites.

Meatball Shop, currently at 84 Stanton Street on the Lower East Side, is expanding and opening up a new location in Williamsburg next week.

If you’re not familiar with the restaurant, they are a meat lovers dream, serving a wide variety of meatballs, with five different kinds of house-ground balls and various sauces. Then you can have your balls served whichever you like, as sliders, heroes, pastas or just a side.

The Brooklyn location will also include a full bar and make-your-own cocktail menu, with check boxes where customers can choose combinations of liquors and mixers like blackberry and mint.

Meatball Shop will be located at 170 Bedford Avenue, near N. 7th Street.

image c/o Edible Manhattan

A friendly reminder that the 3rd Annual Eat Drink Local Week is ending soon. Since June 24, Edible magazines and local foodies have been offering several events, from wine tasting to cooking demonstrations to cocktail ‘sips.’

In addition, restaurants are showcasing special prix fixe meals and New York wine, beer or spirits.

While you should definitely venture into Manhattan and Long Island for the deals, Edible Brooklyn is also bringing the deliciousness within walking distance. Participating Williamsburg restaurants include Carino, Dressler, Egg, Radish and Rye.

Eat Drink Local Week ends on June 30 (tomorrow!), so get your yummy on ASAP.

From Zagat

In the coming months, there will be a few new options for those nights when Motorino in Williamsburg is too crowded. Just down down the block in the old Phoebe’s space (323 Graham Ave.), Basik will be a new wine bar with small plates, which the owners hope to have open in a couple months. Just across the street from the popular pizzeria, in the old Kihm’s market space (324 Graham Ave.), construction workers tell us a new sushi spot called Steamboat will be opening. Finally, we hear a new Thai restaurant will be going into the currently plywooded former Cono & Sons space at 205 Graham Avenue – no word on a name yet.

c/o NY Mag

Somehow, this wasn’t on our radar, but Brooklyn Star has been open for a little over two weeks in the space formerly known as Lazy Catfish. There’s no brick oven this time around, but it’s more spacious and the menu remains largely the same.

It’s a new year and there are tons of recently opened spots for food and alcohol consumption. Below is a list of places to try in 2011.

Tuffet, a “cheese/meat/bar”  owned by a Market Table alum, opened on New Years Eve. Now that we’ve got our hangovers (& desire to eat nothing but wheatgrass and bean sprouts) mostly out of our systems, we’ll be looking forward to a visit to this intimate space, which features 15 rotating cheeses, cured and cooked meats, and a bar with wine on tap (!) 286 Graham Avenue, near Grand.

Walking into Cubana Social makes you immediately feel like you’ve been transported to 1950′s Cuba. The former cigar factory on N 6th Street has been transformed into a beautiful social club with high ceilings, brick columns, and a long counter that runs throughout the space. The food which is “traditional Cuban with a modern twist” nicely compliments the reasonably priced cocktails which run from $8-$10. Live jazz and salsa music is also slated to be part of the Cuban dining experience.  70 N. 6th Street, near Wythe Ave.

Feeling punchy? The Drink might cure what ails you. Metromix has a full report on this “vaguely nautical” watering hole, which focuses its ambitions squarely on ridding the spiked communal beverage of its association with prom disasters and pukey frat parties. Forget to leave room for the Holy Spirit with either a hot or cold cup of the stuff ($5) or really get the party started with an entire bowl ($43).  228 Manhattan Ave, between Grand and Maujer.

The musically themed bar LP & Harmony offers cheap drinks, a well-stocked jukebox, and open mic nights. It’s a strange mix between a sports bar with huge flat screen televisions showing the latest games, and a DIY music venue with local musicians singing in the background, and we’re not sure how we feel about it yet. There’s also a small dance floor with a DJ that begins every night after 10PM. In the summer, patrons will be able to drink the backyard garden which is always a plus. 683 Grand Street near Manhattan Avenue.

The Garden Spot Cafe is Greenpoint’s newest diner/coffee shop serving inexpensive staples that are necessary after a night out. We’ve been told the giant list of breakfast burritos is worth a try. 195 Franklin Street, near Green Street.

Calexico has finally come to Brooklyn, and we couldn’t be happier. The 65-seat eatery features new menu items such as fish tacos, grilled corn, and the 645 burger which is “a blend of brisket, chuck and short rib on a ciabatta bun with their signature chipotle “crack” sauce”. There’s a full bar that serves a variety of beer and cocktails, and a garden will be open in the warmer months. 645 Manhattan Avenue, near Moore Street.