April showers might bring May flowers, but they also give way to something much more exciting: outdoor dining. GO Brooklyn can’t wait to hog sidewalk space or camp out in a garden to enjoy a meal or cup of coffee.
We hear that Jamie Lynn’s Kitchen, a four-month old eatery in Bensonhurst known for its tapas and “world famous” chicken salad panini, is opening its garden in the coming weeks. So are Zenkichi in Williamsburg and The Heights Cafe in Brooklyn Heights. In Clinton Hill, Maggie Brown’s garden seating opened on April 12, and Franny’s, the super-popular pizza spot in Prospect Heights, opens its romantic garden seating in mid-May.
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Also perfect for the warm weather is chef Stephen Browning’s Cinco de Mayo celebration on May 4 at Flatbush Farm in Park Slope. From 3 pm to 6 pm, Browning will whip up “carne asada” skewers, tacos, quesadillas (featuring locally grown produce), and some tangy guacamole, of course, to go with the Sixpoint Craft Ales.
If the food isn’t enough to wow you, live music will be provided by the Travel Norteno Band. Now that’s a fiesta.
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Earlier this month, the Columbia Street Waterfront District welcomed Red Produce.
“We are a small, tapas restaurant with very traditional, working man’s Spanish tapas,” said Suzanne Puntes, who owns the restaurant with her husband Rishi and two partners. “All of our products are imported from Spain.”
The cafe, which has six tables and a bar, is serving small plates like garlic white beans on toast points and tuna-stuffed peppers, sandwiches, soups and salads. Additionally, Puntes said that once the weather warms up, the boite will host a market under its awning, selling fresh produce as well as the ingredients used in its very own kitchen.
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We hear that Nam’s Fruit Market on Franklin Avenue in Prospect Heights is undergoing extensive renovations. Rumor has it that when it reopens next week, the shop will be a 24-hour emporium for organic snacks, produce and fresh flowers.
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Barrio, the Mexican restaurant taking over the old Tempo Presto space on Seventh Avenue in Park Slope, is set to open this week. Word is that the spot will be serving upscale, authentic Mexican cuisine courtesy of executive chef Adrian Leon (Rosa Mexicano).
Slopers are also anticipating The Brooklyn Bread Company, set to open at the end of the month at the corner of Fifth Avenue and Sixth Street.
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Congratulations to Areo in Bay Ridge for being rated the borough’s favorite restaurant by the American Express Tastemaker Index.
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In Fort Greene, Connecticut Muffin has opened on Fulton Street. While a new eatery is always welcome in the area, a walk by on a recent Sunday found chatty patrons questioning if the high prices would endear the spot to locals.
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In Williamsburg, the venerable Kellogg’s Diner has a sign on the door that claims it’s closed for renovations. But a neighbor told GO Brooklyn that the sign went up over a notice from the Department of Health — according to the DOH, the beloved diner was issued a 33-point citation on March 20 — so perhaps there is more here than meets the eye.
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In neighboring Greenpoint, however, more new places are opening than we have found time to drink in. Over the past few weeks, Franklin Street welcomed the watering hole t.b.d. and just last weekend, Habitat, a bar specializing in microbrews and small plates — the waffle fries are already the talk of the ’hood — opened on Manhattan Avenue.
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Finally, just as we were about to say “arrivederci” to the La Traviata annex on Joralemon Street, they’ve re-opened with an announcement that their lease has been extended! Busy Brooklyn Heights families are thrilled to be calling again for their deliveries of hearty Italian-American food.
