Hello friends,
Happy Monday! I’m back from 10 days in Japan and pretty jet-lagged and discombobulated, definitely exhausted and over-fed, but I suppose that’s the sign of a good vacation, which it was. I’ll have a more detailed newsletter all about my thoughts on where to eat, shop, drink and sleep in Tokyo and Kyoto when I can reflect a bit more, but for now, some news closer to home.
Carroll Gardens has a couple of openings this week — Bar Bruno and Bar Ferdinando — as does neighboring Boerum Hill with Sea & Soil. (Boerum Hill will also get a new restaurant from the Inga’s Bar team called Lonnie’s, but more on that to come.)
Also did you see this story in the Times following mine about Alpine Divorce? Seems I’ve been part of an unfortunate global trend. Man or bear? Definitely bear.
Bar Bruno is Back
As I reported a couple of months back, Bar Bruno is under new ownership. The team behind Greenpoint Fish and Lobster—Marta alum Peter Juusola, chef Orion Russell and partner Vinny Milburn—purchased both businesses, the convivial corner spot in Carroll Gardens and larger space on Manhattan Avenue in Williamsburg. They reopened Bar Bruno last week and it’s already back to being a neighborhood go-to.
Their new menu is a spiffed up affair with better than best margaritas to sip while you dig into guac, pozole, ceviche, nachos and a section of tacos (including their amazing pescado tacos made with fish from Greenpoint Fish and Lobster). They’re also doing five different burritos including guajillo shrimp and chicken mole, as well as large format platters — enchiladas, chile rellenos, half a chicken in a housemade Oaxacan mole, broiled whole fish, and a house burger with 7oz burger, poblano mayo, cheddar, pickled jalapeño, and fries. Brunch with chilaquiles, carnitas Benedict, a burrito desayuno stuffed with scrambled eggs, avocado, chipotle mayo, salsa matcha, and potatoes, fluffy masa pancakes, and platters of huevos rancheros, is in the works. They’ll also do a big kids menu to keep the tots happy. See you there!
Bar Bruno is located at 520 Henry Street in Carroll Gardens; hours are 5-10pm weekdays, 12pm-10pm Sat and Sundays.
Bar Ferdinando Opens Thursday
Also opening this week, just in time to take the sting out of tax day on Thursday, is Bar Ferdinando, Sal Lamboglia and Giovanna Cucola’s new Italian breakfast cafe and all day aperitivo cafe and bar. You might wander over when they open at 11am and have an espresso and one of pastry chef Jackie De La Barrera’s vanilla crema bomboloni while reading the paper or doing your daily writing prompt.
By the time you’re done, you’ll be peckish and can start in on lunch, maybe a plate of Pane e Panelle — chickpea fritters with ricotta and caciocavallo (the tear-drop shaped cow’s milk cheese), or maybe a bowl of olives, some seafood salad and a plate of mortadella grigliata studded with pistachio and lemon with a light glass of red, a crisp white wine, or a Sicilian Tangerine Spritz, a bright cocktail of citrus, orange bitters, and sparkling wine from bar manager Ricardo Echeverri, who you may remember from Swoony’s.
By early evening, you’ll be ready for the House Negroni stirred with Campari, gin, and vermouth, or a Cynar Julep with grapefruit, lime, mint, and a small bowl of Arancini Siciliano—rice balls stuffed with bolognese, peas, mozzarella, followed by a slice of lemon and olive oil cheesecake. Rinse and repeat.
Bar Ferdinano is located at 151 Union Street, between Hicks and Columbia, 917.507.3881. It opens Thursday and its hours will be Monday–Thursday 11AM–10PM; Friday–Saturday 11AM–11PM Reservations are accepted for parties of 5 or more; walk-ins welcome.
Sea & Soil Opens New Atlantic Avenue Digs
The folks at Sea & Soil, the beloved worker-owned Red Hook sandwich coop I’ve written about many times before, are reopening on Wednesday in a larger space on Atlantic Avenue. As you may recall, this sliding scale sandwich shop and cafe comes from two friends — Noah Wolf and Gaby Gaby Gignoux-Wolfsohn — who met working at the Center for Families in Sunset Park where they taught food justice in an after-school program.
Noah bakes all the breads for the sandwiches, from sourdough loaves to olive rolls, focaccia and pretzel buns. In the mornings there are also blueberry muffins, two-cheese popovers, and warm from the oven pretzel buns, some stuffed with feta and chili crisp, and others stuffed with sweet red bean.
As they did in their original space, their sandwiches are (still) sliding scale and in the new space (priced from $9-$16) for overstuffed two handers named for the children and pets in their lives. The River is Pan crisped miso braised pork, mozzarella, tomato jam, wasabi aioli, sprouts & greens on Focaccia; The Elliott – Smoked Turkey, pickled peppers, cheddar, creamy fermented cucumber sauce, arugula, aioli on Sea&Soil Focaccia.
Sunday is still donut day, where Noah bakes puffy glossy yeast donuts in flavors like maple, glazed, chocolate and more. And in the new space, pizza nights are going to be Thursday, Friday, Saturdays from 5-7pm.
The team is working on their beer and wine license and should have it in the next couple of months, but for now there are some nice non-alcoholic options. They will have espresso soon too, but their machine is a hand-me-down and they are still dialing it in. Good to know for planning, they are doing a pop-up with Onigiri Musume with Sea & Soil Donuts on April 26th from noon until they sell out.
The new Sea & Soil is located at 388 Atlantic Avenue between Hoyt and Bond. They open on Wednesday and their hours will be Tuesday-Saturday 11am-7pm and Sunday 9am-5pm.
Bar Bruno doesn't answer their phone, it says the number is no longer in service--I'm skeptical
So many Brooklyn openings!!!