Open Thread Wednesday 7/23/08

By on July 23, 2008 6:00 am in Brooklyn Heights

What’s on your mind? Off topic thoughts? Announcement about an upcoming event? Comment below!

Flickr photo by joonyah

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  • CJP

    Court Street/Cadman Plaza closed down as of 8am because of a “suspicious package.” By the time you read this it might all be back to normal.

  • AB

    I noticed yesterday that Oven was closed, not usual for a Tuesday.

    Part of L’Affaire Kaufman? Anyone know anything more about this?

  • Peter

    How is Oven by the way? I have never eaten there … heard mostly poor reviews, and its usually dead when I walk by.

    Really enjoy Le Petite Marche, great place, although the Kobe beef meatloaf special was just ok last weekend …

  • AB

    Peter, Oven is a step in the right direction, in my humble etc., if not finally successful.

    “Designer pizza” is a reasonably appropriate term; some of the topping combos are better than others. The major fault, overall, is a too-thick crust, and the tendency to pile on too much stuff.

    But, all-in-all worth a try. If that’s still an option.

    PS, don’t bother with anything other than pizza there.

    PPS, a nice antidote to Fascati, where the pizza is made of industrial products.

  • my2cents

    Fascati pizza is way higher quality than Oven, in my opinion.
    I know someone who worked at the Busy Chef and she told me that Oven uses frozen dough. Just because Fascati is “low brow” doesn’t mean they skimp on quality. They hand toss each pie from fresh dough at least.
    Oven is awful. I ate there once and would never go back. They had this salad with lemon oil on it that was inedible!

  • yo

    anyone who disparages fascati knows nothing about pizza….nothing

  • AB

    My goodness, yo! So…categorical!

    You may indeed like the kind of pizza Fascati makes–and many apparently do, including myself on occasion.

    But let’s get real: it ain’t great pizza. I’m not talking high-end vs. lower; I’m talking great versus OK.

  • lifer

    Fascati’s great, Oven- Curry chicken and cashews on pizza?, no thanks

  • Brooklyn Dodger

    What’s up with the police line saw horses on Montague Street?

  • S

    Oven is okay as a place to go for a late night meal when you want something with a touch more comfort/ambiance than a diner. The crust is a bit thicker than we’re used to around here, the sauce is a bit more…present than I’d like it to be but nothing terribly offensive. Just nothing terribly memorable, either. I actually preferred the Busy Chef roasted red pepper pizza or the florentina pizza to the one I got at Oven (something involving asparagus).

    Unrelated question – is there anywhere in the neighborhood where I can recycle batteries? And also – is there somewhere to donate clothes to charity other than the Housing Works? I have a lot of clothes that aren’t quite up to Housing Works shop snuff, but could be put to good use by a person in need nonetheless…

  • Andrew

    I was walking by Oven a week or two ago and noticed they were getting a delivery of frozen pizza dough. That confirmed for me that I have little to no desire to ever eat there.

    Fascati’s is a good neighborhood slice joint. No more (ie not a destination like DiFara), no less.

  • jen

    I went to Oven with my guy and we both were underwhelmed. It felt like being in a chain restaurant on Long Island. We wanted to like it but agree with the too-thick crust comment. This may not bother some people but the manager kept stopping by and interrupting our dinner to chat with us.

  • JGM

    Not new, but what is up with the vacant store fronts to the right of Floyd? Pigeon poop everywhere… landlords not responsible for cleaning?

  • HDEB

    Brooklyn is on Long Island (a geographical fact).

    Conco’Doro pizza rocks!

  • hoppy

    I’m curious about the pizza restaurant that’s supposed to be opening in the former Dragon Lady (?) gay bar on Atl. Ave. Anyone know the update on that place?

  • http://www.brooklynbackstretch.blogspot.com bkbs

    I’ve never had Housing Works reject anything I’ve brought them: clothing, housewares, books. I don’t think that they will turn away donations of any kind…and I’m not bringing them designer duds, believe me.

  • lifer

    the vacant storefronts next to Floyd…. the building is owned by an eccentric older guy who is very slow to move forward with anything, i think the scaffolding that was there housed birds for a long time..

  • CJP

    AB— One more footnote about “L’Affaire Kaufman.” I was in Blue Pig today buying an ice-cream cone for my son. Was quite amused, and maybe someone can snap a picture of this an email it in, but there’s a handwritten sign on the cash register that says they’re no longer accepting credit/debit cards! If you need cash, feel free to use their ATM (which doesn’t disclose fees…)

    Anyway… clear that the credit card processor wants nothing to do with these guys!

  • Willow

    Grew up on Willow Place many years ago. Great block. Is the substation still there? Any of the old families still in the Heights…Brandariz, Bajo, DiChiara, Gainsa, Guthrie, McClernon, McCullum?

  • AB

    Thanks, CJP, for your info.

    I passed Oven last night and noticed it was open for business.

    So.

    (I also noticed a dog very seriously sniffing the hindmost hind-parts of the blue pig outside of the eponymously named store. Amusing!)

  • JJD

    Does anyone know what is going on with the building at Clark and Monroe Place? It seems like they are tearing the rest of it down now.

  • http://selfabsorbedboomer.blogspot.com Claude Scales

    An alternative to Housing works for donations of used clothing is the “Second Time Around” (I think that’s the official name) shop at the St. Charles Senior Center on the north side of Pierrepont just east of Hicks. There’s no sign on the outside identifying the shop, but there’s one saying “Jubilee Center for Seniors” or something like that. If you go in through two sets of doors you’ll find a nice lady behind a desk on your left who’ll be glad to take your donations if the shop isn’t open.

  • No One Of Consequence

    Re: Clark and Monroe bldg. It looks to me like they’re capping it off at its current height.