Lantern Shuttered by DOH

By on June 3, 2008 8:40 pm in Brooklyn Heights, Food, Government, Health, News


“Lantern”, the Thai restaurant which, under various names, has operated on Montague Street near Hicks for some years, was ordered closed today by the City Department of Health. No further details as to violations, etc. are available at this time. The DOH website shows Lantern having been inspected on January 8, 2007, and receiving 14 violation points, which is one better than the citywide average of 15. Violations noted at that time were:

1.) Facility not vermin proof. Harborage or conditions conducive to vermin exist.
2.) Evidence of flying insects or live flying insects present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas.
3.) Evidence of roaches or live roaches present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas.
4.) Cold food held above 41°F (smoked fish above 38°F) except during necessary preparation.

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  • CJP

    Sorry to hear that. I’ve always enjoyed what I’ve eaten there, just bummed to know that it wasn’t up to Health Department standards. Not going to stop going there once they reopen but stories like this are difficult to take.

    On the one hand I want the best hygiene standards that are economically feasible in a neighborhood restaurant while on the other hand I doubt my kitchen could pass NYC standards for serving food (we don’t have mice but like many other New Yorkers the cockroaches have a midnight feast.)

    Sometimes these things are paperwork related which was the case if I recall at Heights Cafe. Other times it’s more serious as was the case at Monty’s. Either way I’m back along with most customers a few days later.

    Good luck Lantern! The new owners have been always very nice and I’ve enjoyed what I’ve eaten there.

    And neighborhood trivia. Before Lantern and Thai 101 (like for 3 days!) it was a Chinese restaurant named Changs and Tangs. Anyone remember what it was before that?

    And speaking of Chinese. I swear when I first came to the neighborhood Radio Shack was a Chinese restaurant. I also swear that when I first came to the neighborhood upstairs at the Hallmark card store there was very briefly, and I mean like only a few weeks, a deli/food counter up there.

  • JD

    Changs and Tangs: Wasnt it some american style food place before it went Chinese? Or was that one of the places next door to it?

  • CJP

    JD… you’re thinking of Slade’s. It was next door where Ricky’s is now.

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

    I think (though I welcome correction) that before that spot became Chang’s or Tang’s (I can’t remember which came first), it was the Kleiman-Spector Pharmacy, the Heights’ last neighborhood drugstore, presided over by two very funny guys.

    BTW, when I said the place had done business under several names, I meant during its incarnation as a Thai restaurant. I can’t remember its original name under that guise (Thai Kitchen?), but I recall that, before it became “Lantern”, it was “Thai 101″ (which I couldn’t resist mispronouncing “Tie One On”.

    That being said, I like the place, especially the tom yum soup and the spicy basil fried rice.

  • bornhere

    Kleinman-Spector was the bookstore; Silver’s (!!) was the where Lantern (and all incarnations) is; and Radio Shack was a Chinese restaurant — small, dark, and with the unwritten rule of no looking in the tea pot :)

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

    Thanks, bornhere. I had a feeling Kleiman-Spector was a little further up Montague, but I couldn’t remember what was in the “Lantern” space before the Chinese restaurants. I can’t remember “Silver’s”; might it have closed before I arrived here in July of 1983?

  • bornhere

    Claude — Silver’s was a magical toy/stationery store that was there forever (whatever that means) before moving next to Teresa’s and, ultimately, closing. But unless you need a Spauldeen, oak tag, rubber cement, or something new, inexpensive, and fun for the baby, it was probably an easy store to miss. And the best part was that they didn’t sell mattresses or makeup (and cell phones were still about the size/weight of a brick).

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

    Thanks. Now I remember the place. Even bought a few things there, pens and paper, etc., and stuff for the baby after they moved across the street.

  • Jo

    Sorry to read this about Lantern. Hopefully they get their act together shortly. The seating area is one of the nicest on Montague and is usually clean and comfortable. Sitting outside during the spring/summer/fall is also a nice treat.

  • Jose Uribe

    A couple of years ago I ordered delivery from the lantern. They delivered a couple of roaches crawling around in the bag along with my rice. Nasty. I never ate there again.

  • Steamed fish, you say?

    As a steamed fish fan myself, Mrs. Fink, you should know that there are several great options available in the nabe, that deliver delicious steamed fish quickly. Iron Chef House is my personal fave, with steamed chilean sea bass (very, very, very tasty), flounder and tuna. Sea Asian also has one fish aside from salmon, which I can’t recall now. Even if the menu doesn’t say “steamed,” both of these restaurants are quite accomodating if you ask. Hope this helps!

  • Topham Beauclerk

    I always thought Lantern’s food was undistiguished and the staff unwelcoming. But, yes, it does have a wonderful location. And Tenda is no better. What is it about that stretch of Montague that it should breed such lousy restaurants?

  • JGM

    rent is too high, so the restaurants need to cut back in other areas such as decor, higher priced chef, quality of food, proper food storage, etc. Maybe the chain restaurants will do a better job!