Where's the Beef? Burger Joints Running Wild in Downtown Brooklyn/Cobble Hill

Today was the 5th Ave Park Slope street fare filled with the typical attitudes including beer, sterling silver jewelry, calzones, crepes, and stroller mania. Blue Ribbon was doing sushi outdoors which was uber tempting.

I had a wonderful smoked brisket sandwich with some chipotle cream sauce, greasy good. As we ended our loopy walk, we passed by the new Five Guys location right in the Metrotech. It seems like they've realized that this is becoming a residential area as it's open on the weekend and doing good business it seems. To me it's really exciting to have food options north of the Fulton Mall; not that there aren't any (fried fish and souvlaki are available on Saturday) but especially on lazy Sundays it's a welcome change for me (I can still do without the Aeropostale and the idea of redoing the mall, but the Arby's was a good try, everybody loves food).

Of course, with the new Five Guys in Cobble Hill, it's like a Five Guys party since there's one on Montague. I have a feeling this is overload, but Metrotech could use an established franchise that's good.

However, it's not just Five Guys. We have the new Shake Shack coming to Fulton Mall. Moo Burger opened up on Court. There's another burger joint on Atlantic by the Brazen Head that's getting going. Heading into Carroll Gardens you have Dubuque and I'm pretty sure there's even another new restaurant specializing in bun/patty/bun on Court or Smith. I can smell it. Atlantic's also got Jake's Way Back burgers and I just really can't wrap my head around it right now. Oh and all this about Smash Burger opening up multiple locations in Brooklyn. When has Denver been highly anticipated in Brooklyn?

Checkers across the street from the Court Street United Artists. JB Burger I think opened up not that long ago right on Smith. Am I saying this is the pinnacle of burger heaven such as the highly respected 67 Burger in Fort Greene? No, but the choices of stuffing your face with ground meat is getting beyond tempting.

Maybe this summer we'll have to see who has the best fries in the neighborhood as well; if there was only a place that did Belgian-style fries on the regular...

Photo from the Brooklyn Paper...Five Guys has a littany of toppings, unlike Shake Shack. And they overload on the fries. It's too good.

Coffee & Sympathy

The Victory on State and Hoyt is closed. I'm wondering if the block is cursed since Kili shut down recently too. Sarcastic signs on the door window is trying to drive traffic to Building on Bond, that is taking on the V staff.

You can still get coffee at the Little Sweet Cafe on the block (truly miniature), but V was pretty fun and I'll be sure to have a coffee for the Victory....at...eh ra...the Little Sweet.

Elsewhere, I got to stop by the Best Buy in the Atlantic Center and it feels sort of damp in a way. It has pretty hilarious reading reviews on BestBuy.com ("they should call this 'worst buy') but it's not quite as heinous as the slander. However, the selection isn't quite as expansive.

Brooklyn Fare is finally finishing up their expansion; yesterday I was full-on glory walking around the now double-the-size market: more meat, more brands, more selection, this is a serious supermarket now and ready to be the shit in an area that competes with the generic (Pathmark, which is awesome no digs at that, then Key Foods, Gristedes, Concord), the chic (Trader Joe's), and the upscale (Garden of Eden). Very stoked about this, all around amazing.

Photo courtesy of the NY Times, continuing their run of sympathy for the Brooklyn.

In honor, and become I'm lazy, here's The Living End:

The Living End - Prisoner of Society
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Brooklyn Flea Gets Bursts At The Seamless 10/23 and 10/24

Ok maybe that was a terrible headline but don't blame me, I'm working on a Glenfiddich and feeling brave.

Let me give you the skinny on this kooky quirk: you have a lot of menus. You use the computer. You may even have one of those fancy iPhonez (I'm looking at you Szyzska). Why not trade in all that clutter for one all encompassing digital menu? Seamless Web, one of the oldest online food ordering services, is putting you to the test and turning your no-cooking into artistic gold, collecting menus from across New York and commissioning an artist to fashion something awesome out of it for the Brooklyn Flea next weekend (not this weekend, next weekend, I always say that for some reason as if I don't trust someone's ability to put my time frame in context). It's Less Paper, More Eat and below you'll find a nice schedule of where the Seamless Web truck is stopping so you can hand in your papers; it all starts on Monday (Oct. 18th, that's this coming Monday, not the Monday after).

As an additional incentive, if you've never ordered from them you can get 10 clams off your first ever attempt with the SW. Don't worry; all the menu items from your actual takeout menu are indeed on their menus.

Brooklyn Flea has had plenty of local restaurants set up shop to feed the hip masses but this stunt is probably the biggest I've heard in terms of actually taking advantage of Brooklyn's hippest. All I know is, whatever art Mr. Kevin O'Callaghan conjures up, is it safe to say it's going to be half Asian?

COME ON that was pretty good.

October 18^th – Union Square – 11:30am-7:30pm

October 19^th – Columbus Circle – 11:30am-7:30pm

October 20^th – Madison Square Park – 11:30am-7:30pm

October 21^st – Lexington Avenue between 57^th and 58^th Street – 11:30am-7:30pm

October 22^nd – Washington Square Park – 11:30am-7:30pm

October 23^rd – Brooklyn Flea (Fort Greene) – 10:00am – 5:00pm

October 24^th – Brooklyn Flea (One Hanson) – 10:00am – 5:00pm

For more information, visit www.seamlessweb.com/MoreEat.

Me Rikey New Noodles and Soup: Naruto Ramen in Park Slope

I love noodles. I love pasta. Barring several favorite foods, I think I could eat any form of noodles at any time. I just ate some pasta salad tonight. It was extremely awesome.

I was walking down 5th Ave. and noticed that a new Naruto Ramen (there's another one in Manhattan) whose "grund opening" this week on Sept. 10th (yes it's complete with typo on the door) is awesome punk rock music to my ears. It's no St. Mark's noodle house (the dishes are a little more expensive but hopefully just as good) but definitely something new to bring to the neighborhood to liven up the food options. The menu is somewhat limited in comparison as well but think of it as something to take out or a quick bite of what I kind of call Asian soul food.

There's just something to the idea that you can have something chewy and soft and in the case of long noodles, a large, unending type of food that sauce and other collective ingredients adhere to, along for the ride into my tummy. Carbonara, chow fun, whatever it is. Bowls and bowls of noodles. Noodles noshing around yum yum yum yum...

Here's the front of the takeout menu:

Fish cakes and boiled eggs, that's not what Maryland does.

Speaking of delicious, here's some Hi-Standard with special appearances by Fat Mike and No Use For A Name:

Downtown (DoBrah) Brooklyn News: Cheap Pizza Hooray!

Photo from Downtown Brooklyn Facebook via Shop Downtown Brooklyn.

Yesterday was the grand opening of Gus Martuscell's Saporita Pizza near the corner of Smith Street and Livingston (on the stretch of Smith that goes north of Atlantic, you were almost fooled right?). Kings County president Marty "Farts" Markowitz was on hand to deliver the good news to Fulton Mall dwellers as well as occasional pizza lovers like myself who don't want to schlep to Lucali down on Henry or Vinny's.

Anywho, taking a look at their jawesome official website (Impact font was my favorite too guys) I see that they not only serve cheap slices during lunch (which I will never be around to partake in) but recession priced appetizers, pastas, and heros. When half the menu is averaging 6 bucks or less, you know you've hit the jackpot. When Markowitz is at your grand opening, you know he had a lot of work that day.

They also have a few specialty pizzas to rise them above the hole in the wall fray, including a Spicy Chicken pizza. Those who know me know that those two words put together is kind of like half an orgasm. Spicy Kuritza!!

You can check out their online coupons which makes this site even better. It should get a Webby Award. Three things that are probably coming soon: online ordering (so you don't have to talk to anyone), a Facebook page, and a Twitter profile. That's what I call using social media to harness your branding.

Before you get yourself in a tizzy, know that they are closed on Saturdays, probably because they are awesome (not for observing anything). And they are closing at 6pm, so nobody who lives in the area but doesn't work in the area is probably going to get to take advantage. It's like all the businesses in the area, you can only imagine...

The recent Visa commercial with Mambo Italiano is one of my favorite recent TV ads is below in tribute. The dude is spinning the pie and flouring it all snazzy, you know he's thinking "BOO YA":

Speaking of restaurants: I might have an actual restaurant down the block? GTFO

Photo by Brownstoner. Sign by restaurant.

Judging by all the shit that gets tossed around about Downtown Brooklyn, I'm surprised any life can be sprung from the mounds of figurative poop that suffocate this area.

Brownstoner is concerned that there won't be enough business huddling in this particular spot; I say if the food is good (also, depending on what the hell it is) I could probably eat enough to keep it afloat. If they have liquor it'd be a nice walk across the Metrotech and slightly less depressing than Harry O's. Hey, a Starbucks is doing just fine in the area. There's enough gullible college students that will want to do happy hour and then stumble onto the wrong stretch of Flatbush.

You can't really find this building; which can be a good thing and a bad thing. Bridgeview Tower has a terrible set of directions, so maybe I won't make it to this restaurant after all. I'm still psyched though. Maybe this is the real secret restaurant via can't-find-it.

Which reminds me, Mr. Bean and his shenanigans!

Tastes Like Chicken...On The 6 Train

DListed is the best celebrity blog out there period. There is no one more scathing, no one more hilarious, no one who can beat the dignity out of you like Monique in Precious. I feel wonderfully dirty reading his blog, taking famous nitwits and pushing their faces in the mud.

When people eat food on the subway, it's usually smelly and kinda sucks. I like this guy's approach below. Organic and lively. No hot sauce to be seen.

DListed took the words right out of my blog for this one. 6 train, I'm so glad you don't come into Brooklyn. But I would love it if you came in just to be crazy like this:

Carnegie Deli comes out with Wolverine Sandwich, Local Hospitals Treat Patrons for Broken Jaws

Photo Courtesy of Rocket Lounge Blog.

Just awesome. Carnegie Deli, one of those famous delis around 56th street and Broadway in Manhattan, just announced a carnivorous care package. The last time I ate a sandwich there, I had it to go, and my desk filled up with pastrami and paperwork. The new Wolverine sandwich will consist of:

pastrami
corned beef
salami
brisket
tongue
oh, and American cheese

While there are no photos of it quite yet, I'm sure you'll be up shit's creek after this one folks. No pain, no gain.

NYC Casting Call: Food2's $12 Challenge reality dating show. aka getting 100 dollars to admit you're love lorn AND can cook

So the friends at Food2 are doing a casting call this summer (episodes will probably film in the East Village where the first three episodes take place) right here in New York City promising more blowtorches and irons, you basic tools of the trade to make a meal on the street with 12 bucks and 2 hours to spare. They'll be filming all during August, a mouthful of episodes so I would suggest going here to sign up: 12 Dollar Challenge Casting Call

Did I mention cast members will get 100 clams? That's right, I read the fine details. With a 50/50 chance of winning on each episode, chances are if you're charming enough your date will actually go out with you after the filming/eating is done. You can also use that Benjamin to go to Flash Dancers. Or get really wrecked.

The episodes so far have progressed into fun 5 minute low budget treats, not much romance but plenty of fun. Blowtorches are really key, check out the second vid for that:

SCRATCHbread @ Toby's Public House: This Bread Will Kick Your Boo-tay

I've never been a huge bread fan. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy eating bread at restaurants because I'm waiting impatiently for whatever greatness lies ahead. As well, olive oil and fresh bread is something I will keep eating until someone rips them from me.

I'm not a bread expert though; I don't have loaves sitting around to create snacks and assorted foods. I grew up in the more rice/stir fry/dumplings vein, the Chinese aren't really bread-y.

I think I'll start to take notice though after I witnessed something kinda incredible yesterday, which was SCRATCHbread. Not sure why Scratch is in caps, but hey, it's modern. I was at Toby's Public House for a Brooklyn Yelp event (for those who don't know Greenwood Heights, it's actually an interesting quiet section that goes unnoticed). A man with a plan came around and he said, "have some SCRATCHbread, I'll be coming around later with coupons." I like coupons, especially cutting them out of the Sunday paper, but this bread was insane. It looked like someone burned off a piece of the Toxic Avenger and infused it with this really hearty, crisp flavor that grew tangy as I kept chewing. It was the South Slope Sour (pictured above), or at least it had to be.

The founder, Matthew J. Tilden, says he wants "approachable sophistication" and I couldn't agree more, this is what food is about. It's what Brooklyn can be about most of the time.

This is the kind of bread that you invert the sandwich for. Yes so you put the meat on the outside and the bread sandwiched in the middle.

For more info on their bread lineup and what's rockin' in their world, go to their official site: SCRATCHbread Official Site For Bread Lovers Into Heavy Music

Koto Sushi & Steak getting some love!

So the friends at Brownstoner have played up Koto in Carroll Gardens on quiet Henry Street as Restaurant Of The Day.

When I first ran into Koto, I noticed it was very quiet and I automatically took empathy for a small business on a quiet block. It blended nicely, and I was sure that it had to be at least a neighborhood favorite, either way I was going to make it mine. The food is proportioned a little smaller (which is probably better for my raging appetite) but very tasty and the fish melts a bit in your mouth which is always a great sign of good sushi. The owners are very friendly even if you're just waiting for food and you just feel at ease when in the place.

The funniest thing is it reminds me of Koto Japanese Steakhouse, a different kind of sushi restaurant upstate near the Albany Airport off of 155. It's kind of a power lunch kind of place for suburban businessmen, and much more lavish with a little bridge and pond kind of thing. Oh and hibachi.

Drinks are flowing and Minds are molding....

So as the night is wearing on, we have some awesome people in attendance, we've got USA Today, Midtown Lunch, NY Barfly, and several others who have graced the kitchen.

Those Kitchen Conspirators are hanging in there, Michael, their guest chef from their first episode, is having a no-smile policy for these Polaroids, touche sir.

Mingling around and getting the dish from Liza at Culture Kitchen....

But wait...they are pulling the booze away.....I guess we're winding down.

It's Begun!

So what do you get when you have 50+ bloggers and editors in a room with tons of food, fancy music, and fancier drinks? Food2 Freebie Friday.

It's mid-way through and friends from The Music Slut and Yelp have shown up early to try the mutton sliders and arepas. People are digging the vibe including The Amateur Gourmet and Taste As You Go Blog chat it up with folks from all over the city.

Greasy Guide is in the house! And Aleta Meadowlark from Omnomicon, a contributing Food2 blogger. Jason from Me So Hungry is enjoying the festivities, as Whitney Matheson from USA Today chats with Scripps about Food2.

All photos credited to Mark Kwan at NYC Movie Screenings!

Chatting with Kelsey Nixon at the Food2 Launch

Photo by Mark Kwan at NYC Movie Screenings.

So the wonderful people at Scripps just introduced me to Kelsey Nixon, who was a fan favorite on The Next Food Network Star and also is currently on the Food2 show, Kelsey & Spike Cook.

I asked her about the pairing of grapes and steak, which I admitted I had never seen but it sounded great. "It's really the sweetness with the steak that just makes it so appealing and interesting, and on top of that the bleu cheese butter really is a great combo."

I agree, anything with bleu cheese is the bees knees.

Kelsey went on to tell the KCB about driving large vans and trucks in New York on Lex at 5am. Ever the consummate pro, she's already getting into the mix coming from Salt Lake City.

More to come!

Food2 Freebie Friday - Blogging from Chelsea Market Tomorrow with Tastemakers

So our friends at Food2, which includes those Whisk & Ladle kids on that Kitchen Conspirators show I mentioned a few posts back in Williamsburg (shout out to Scott Simon for giving me more details), are hosting a Food2 Freebie Friday.

What is this, you ask? Well it's a few things. Just know that if you either friend them on Facebook, follow them on Twitter, or give them a shout out (such as what I am doing now), you get a chance to receive some cool, quirky gifts throughout the day. You don't even have to leave the computer to get free swag!

Here's the kicker: The KCB is getting the scoop, maybe an ice cream scoop, tomorrow on some extra special Food2 goodness. There will be food, beverages, some candid photos, and general hilarity among some of your favorite New York blogging and online denizens. Can't quite let you in on it, but we'll be updating throughout tomorrow as the event goes on so visit tomorrow for some fun rabble rousing. Take that Kitchen Conspirators, I guess I AM invited!

And, I am ever so grateful to Time Out New York for their little ditty on The Feed Blog. Check it out here. TONY is still my fav!

To see details about how you can garner some shout outs with Food2 and to start seeing their beta site (with plenty of video episodes to get you through the day), go here.

Ah Food At the Ballpark

Our friend at NYC Food Guy is lookin' sharp in the black (stains won't show as easily!). He gives an excellent tour of the bites at the new CitiField, home of the Mets. Check it out!

New Food2 show: Kitchen Conspirators or Why Didn't They Invite Me!

So for all the Brooklynites out there, you'll be able to judge for yourself whether or not you really want in on this top secret supper club (how do they pick "strangers"? The KCB is on it!). I'm unsure of where they host these culinary diversions/experiments but there's always something new in the mix from the menu to a guest chef...

Does anyone recognize any of the chefs in the preview? Or what nabe they might be in?

The new, totally online show is called Kitchen Conspirators, and I'm also not sure what they are conspiring against, but if they can impressively whip up a menu on a dime (but not a real dime, the phrase....ok I'm done) and present it to a party of influential Brooklynites, I smell a contest down the line. If I were one of them I'd just make tons of noodle dishes. Oh yeah.

But enough of me digressing, here's the preview for the show:


For more on Food2 and what's to come, just check out their site: www.food2.com

According to them, they want to put the "oo" back in food. It usually doesn't take much for me to sigh like that so getting a dose of Food dos is fine by me.

Downtown gets some groceries....awwww right!!

I was pining for just one grocery store so I didn't have to lug the granny cart around and compete with actual grannies in Aisle Takeover at Key Foods, but now we're getting two!

Concord Market, who according to their comment on the Brownstoner post, is insistent that they are going to be an improvement over the Associated that was there on Jay and Tillary.

"Concord Market is going to be a modern/upscale & affordable food market that will address the needs of the upper/middle class residents of the Concord Village Co-ops, in addition to the local office workers & college students of Downtown Brooklyn.

Construction is well underway and should be completed in the next few weeks."

I should be fairly impressed, but for my purposes, I think I'll try the Brooklyn Fare (check out their cute site) opening on April 22nd right by the Hoyt-Schermerhorn stop at 200 Schermerhorn. Gothamist has brought me this good news, great news in fact. They deliver in fun cargo vans that aren't shady at all. Well until someone takes some paint to it. And a real sushi chef? I mean, most markets have a "sushi chef" but when they say real, it could be a quick sushi fix on the way home. With a to-go section with sandwiches and stuff, I could learn to love it more than Garden of Eden.

Oh and on top of just shopping there, they are setting up a cafe and restaurant in the future thats....BYOB. Imagine buying good beer and then just being able to enjoy it on the spot? How novel. A couple chapters into the novel, that is.

Getting the necessary store and supply support in the area to fix a more neighborhood vibe is a good thing, I believe there's lots to benefit from having something within real striking distance in downtown.

Crab Burger? Point me to the horseradish....

The friends at Eat It: The Brooklyn Food Blog have taken the time on this Excellent Friday to totally eat meat at Apt 138 in Cobble Hill. Steak Sandwich? Check. Burger? Check. Seriously, if you click on the burger picture and stare at the fries, which you can see the hot grease on, you can smell them. Smell the greatness. Not only that, the burger, which appears normal here, can actually be made up of crab. There's nothing like lump crab, except maybe lump lobster...

Tasty pictures! Good Friday....more like Steak Sandwich.

For the full article, go here.

Springmoni Awakening...

It's getting so close to spring. You can taste the crisp air as it gives way to a rounder warmth. Pardon Me For Asking caught some stirring among the trees in Carroll Gardens, and speaking of gardens, you know what warm weather means:

SPUMONI (....Gardens)!!

Take The Police's song "So Lonely" and insteading of singing "so looone-ly, so looone-ly" you sing "spumooo-ni, spumooo-ni". It's nerdy as shite. The guy in the picture knows you want pizza. Lots of pizza.

pizza and spumoni. ooooo.....

Photo by Gothamist.