Open Thread Wednesday 1/4/12

By on January 4, 2012 12:28 am in Brooklyn Heights

What’s on your mind.  Perhaps you’d like to …. comment away!

 

Flickr photo by fredcamino

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  • Jorale-man

    @Runner – Brooklyn Bridge Park is pretty well lit and, while quiet, always feels safe when I’m running there early in the morning (usually closer to 6 or 6:30).

    You can traverse the whole length of it starting in Dumbo, keep going down Columbia Street in Cobble Hill, turn up 1st or 2nd Place and head back up Henry or Clinton to the Heights. From there you could do a loop or two around Cadman Plaza Park, depending on how much more you’re up for. Welcome to the Heights!

  • Homer Fink

    @Peas – the only great option for fish is Fish Tales in Cobble Hill. They deliver to the North Heights.

    Believe it or not Gristedes fish is not bad.

  • Jorale-man

    Garden of Eden on Montague also has a pretty decent fish counter. Everything there is on the pricey side, but it’s a good place to shop.

  • Jen

    Glad to hear I’m not the only one totally disappointed with Fascati! What happened? It was always so great and now…. bleeeech!

  • AnnOfOrange

    Fish Tales is only a few blocks the other side of Atlantic and well worth the walk. Also, there is a great fish vendor with super fresh fish and seafood at the Boro Hall Greenmarket on Saturdays — a chance to buy from the guys who do the fishing.

  • Teddy

    I agree on Fish Tales, worth the walk.

  • Michael

    Second AnnOfOrange – the fish guys at the farmers market at BoroHall are excellent.

    Unfortunately, have to second Heightsman too. Fascati’s pizza has gone way down hill. Tried delivery from My Little Pizzeria on Court Street and enjoyed the pizza.

  • DarnelleWilliams

    @RaisinCat. What about antiquing up the Hudson? Maybe stop at Bed Bath and Beyond…I don’t know..i dont know if there’ll be time.

  • http://loureads.com Lou

    In the not surprising department. I bought some Eggland’s Best eggs at Gristede’s on Jan 2nd. Got home and used about 7 for a recipe before I noticed the sell by date was 12/27. Why do they suck so hard? I mean, the crazy pricing of stuff as if they don’t have have a competitor next door who beats them on most prices is one thing. But this isn’t the first time I’ve caught seriously expired stuff on their shelves. BOOOOOO!!!!!

    Good thing is that the eggs weren’t bad. No one got sick. (yes I used them anyway.) If I keep them past the sell by date thats one thing. If you sell them by the sell by date thats another.

  • David on Middagh

    Lou, I think the high prices keep the merchandise from turning over. Fortunately, cold eggs last for weeks, as my refrigerator will witness.

  • lori

    I have bought eggs that have a sell-by date six weeks in the future, so even if you buy eggs that are close to the sell-by date, they are already six weeks old. I’ve had the problem of buying expired food at Gristedes going back many years; that’s why I seldom shop there anymore.

  • Nancy

    I second the raves for FishTales, but I have been disappointed in Garden of Eden. Not only is it really overpriced, but I consisiently find their filet fish to be full of bones. Not a good thing. funny I have never tried the fish guy at Boro Hall. Is he there every week?

  • Wrennie

    @Runner: BBP is actually a really short loop if you’re looking to do 7-8 miles. I either do a Manhattan Bridge to Brooklyn Bridge loop (about 4.5 miles), or I just run down the bike lane on Henry into Carroll Gardens and loop back up Clinton (5K). Otherwise, I do like Prospect Park for a lap or two, but that’s more of a weekend thing.

  • Master Of Middagh

    I switched from Gristedes to Garden Of Eden because of the bad pricing and freshness issues. For only a couple bucks more (and a longer walk, dagnabbit!), I’m getting much better quality groceries and they really have a great selection of deli meats and cheeses (which I am crazy about).

    Only problem is that they are very lacking when it comes to condiments- seriously. If you’re looking for a decent hot sauce, or a mustard or some good bar-b-que, then you’d better go somewheres else. Gristedes still has the largest variety and best selections on that score- just check for the freshness dating first!

  • BerkeleyGrosvenor

    @Peas and Pescatarians, We use Fish Tales, but if your life has you in different orbits, check out Foragers in Dumbo (handy if you commute via the F) or Brooklyn Fare on Schermerhorn and Hoyt (though that’s not really any closer than Fish Tales).

  • EHinBH

    Pizza: I get delivery from Ignazzio’s and it is awsome.

    Interesting hood news I heard: The owner of Noodle Pudding owns the building that Jack the Horse is in… Was going to move there when the owner of current location threatened to raise the rent. After he bought it, they backed down and he rented it.

    Day Trip: Walk the beach at Rockaway and explore the abandoned forts at Fort Tilden; Drive to the North Fork of LI and take in the vinyards off-season. Drive up to Cold Spring – nice town to have lunch and wonder around.

  • Topham Beauclerk

    @Peas etc

    I’ve always been happy with the fresh fish at Garden of Eden.

  • Peter

    I wouldn’t recommend Foragers for fish. I’ve picked up salmon a couple times and both times have thrown it away as it smelled way too fishy. I won’t be falling for that a third time.

  • Raisincat

    Thanks @DrewB, @Heightsman, @EHinBH, and especially my friend @DarnelleWilliams!!

    @Peas and Pescatarians I have had good experiences with fish from Garden of Eden when I don’t walk to Fish Tales. I do recommend Fish Tales Manhattan Fish Tower (as seen on Bobby Flay’s Throwdown) and the Moroccan Crab Bisque!

  • Michael

    @Nancy

    Yes, the fish guy at Boro Hall is there every Saturday and I think on Tuesdays as well. I just bought some great fresh scallops from him on Saturday.

  • Andrew Porter

    For a day out, LIRR and Metro North have special trips, for instance to Kycuit[sp?], the estate on the Hudson. Also, many small towns on the Hudson have lots of antique stores, and are a great destination during the Fall foliage season. There are also trips to small scenic towns on Long Island via the LIRR. You can also do a 1-day trip to Philadelphia, see wonderful museums and the Reading Terminal Market, then come back the same day. Same thing for Connecticut coastal towns, such as Mystic Seaport.

    So why am I not doing this myself, I suddenly think…

  • Cat

    I wish Garden of Eden sold organic produce. And considering that it’s not organic, it’s overpriced.

  • Jorale-man

    Speaking of running, I’m always puzzled by those runners who use the bike lanes (often dangerously running with traffic no less). I don’t want this to sound like a bike-lane rant (a la Gothamist) but really, if you can’t use the sidewalks maybe you should consider a different sport activity.

  • Matthew Parker

    While it’s true there’s no accounting for taste, Ignazios gets one of the lowest ratings of any NYC restaurant on Yelp with over 75 different reviews. The people have spoken.

    My take: http://bit.ly/xr8dbY

  • PromGirl

    @Peas and Pescatarians

    Fish Tales is consistently excellent. The fish and seafood are top quality & always very fresh. The variety is great as well.
    They are terrific people to deal with, are friendly and helpful, and they will shell your shrimp for you if you like.

    re: Fascati Pizza
    Unfortunately, they use commercial pizza cheese, not real cheese, but the pies are usually very good. They have always put oregano on the pizza….they’re Italian, and it is pizza. A few hints: buying pizza by the slice is never a good idea, neither is delivery. Picking it up yourself means it doesn’t sit & steam in the box. I usually put it in to a 550 degree oven before serving.

  • Josh G

    Can we discuss the fate of Mrs. Plotz’s butter cookies?

  • lori

    I think this week’s open thread was very good – just what it should be – questions and answers and recommendations from neighbors. Nobody got off on some crazy tangent this week. Hope it continues that way. Good start to the new year.

  • GHB

    @lori – This week, if you want the crazy tangents, go to the “Buyers of 50 Orange Street Revealed” thread. Topham is in rare… no… the usual form.

  • Joe

    I had some bad experience with the seafood at Garden of Eden. e.g clams, mussels and shrimp. Fish Tales is really the only reliable place around here to buy seafood. The other groceries at GoE is fine if somewhat overpriced. I buy my veggies and fruit at the grocery store on Atlantic.

  • Heightsman

    @GHB – awesome, headed over now……

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