It’s that time, for our annual list of ten people or groups of people living or working in Brooklyn Heights, who made an impact on our neighborhood, the city, the country, or the world this year. With input from everyone at BHB, here in no particular order (actually after the first three groups, alphabetically listed), are The Ten.

The Youth Volunteers of The Service Collective

The Service Collective, a volunteer organization, was founded in late 2022 by local parents Amanda Jones and Sarah Robertson to foster community service for local youths. Since then, more than 1,000 kids and teens have volunteered for TSC’s many projects serving the needs of Brooklyn. These civic-minded cuties have organized book drives for Brooklyn Book Bodega, worked at the St. Ann’s Food Pantry and CHiPs soup kitchen, grocery shopped for the homebound, gardened at Red Hook Farms, cleaned up Cadman Plaza Park, prepared fresh food and filled the community fridge, and so much more. They prove day in and day out that the kids are alright!

Photos courtesy The Service Collective.

Small Business Owners/Landlords Who Helped New Businesses to Open in Brooklyn Heights

These long standing local small business owners helped usher in three new businesses to the neighborhood and relocate a beloved non-profit store to Montague Street. Each new tenant has credited their landlords as being instrumental in opening their new locations. The landlords have also expressed their intent to find the right tenant, not the highest paying tenant, to enhance the community. They sure got it right. The neighborhood has been beyond excited about the openings of each of these new locations.

Tony Bates, owner of Bentley’s Shoes at 144 Montague St. leased his upstairs space to Brooklyn Poets. Jason Koo, owner of Brooklyn Poets, told BHB, “Tony just seemed like someone who’s community-minded and not looking to make a quick buck. He wanted someone who’s going to be in the space for a while and doing good things in the space.”

Jim and Terri Montemarano, after closing Cranberry’s at 44 Henry St., leased the space to Poppy’s, causing a level of excitement the neighborhood hasn’t seen in a while. Jamie Erickson, owner of Poppy’s (see below), has said that Jim’s understanding of how tough the food business can be was key to the deal being made.

Tony Magliaccio, chef and owner of Noodle Pudding at 38 Henry St., leased the old Jack the Horse Tavern space at 66 Hicks St. to Inga’s Bar. “We have an awesome landlord, so thankful to be working with him,” said Sean Rembold, owner of Inga’s Bar. Sounds like a match made in Chef heaven.

Chris and Thomas Calfa, owners of Lassen & Hennigs, leased the lower level at 137 Montague St. to Brooklyn Women’s Exchange, when it was forced to vacate its space on Pierrepont Street. BWE President Ann Aurigemma told the Brooklyn Daily Eagle, “Thomas knew before we knew that we needed to be on Montague Street, but the remarkable thing is that he and his brother Chris worked with us to make it happen.” The Calfa brothers also reportedly turned down other higher paying tenants in favor of BWE, a beloved and historically important organization.

Kudos to these stalwarts of Brooklyn Heights!

From left clockwise: Tony Bates (photo by Mary Kim for BHB), Chef Tony Migliaccio (photo by Johnny Fogg courtesy heated.medium.com), Jim and Terri Montemarano (photo courtesy Jim), Chris and Thomas Calfa with BWE President Ann Aurigemma (photo courtesy Mary Frost for the Brooklyn Daily Eagle).

The Volunteers of Brooklyn Women’s Exchange

The Brooklyn Women’s Exchange was founded in 1854 as a small sewing school and storefront to “help women care for their families and earn income without having to work in a factory or other dangerous environment.” Today, BWE remains a volunteer run organization that “stands at the forefront of the American crafts movement, representing hundreds of craftspeople from Brooklyn and across the country.” In its new and gorgeous space on Montague Street, volunteers work to display and sell the beautifully handmade work of independent crafters, including jewelry, knit sweaters, linens, home decor, and holiday items for every season. BWE also helped spruce up that area of Montague Street to the benefit of the entire business district. Thanks to the volunteers for keeping this historical organization thriving!

Photos courtesy Brooklyn Women’s Exchange.

Christina D’Asaro, Founder of Spread Love Brooklyn 

Spread Love Brooklyn was an idea that came to Christina D’Asaro when she and her family moved to Brooklyn Heights a week before the Covid lockdowns. “As a native New Yorker, I always knew that New York has heart, and New Yorkers have the grit and determination to overcome any obstacle – but that year in particular, I couldn’t have been prouder to be a part of this incredible community. The way our local community came together to help neighbors and support one another was truly inspiring. While our lives had completely turned upside down – one thing remained – our ability to come together and spread love to those around us.” Christina began with a community toy drive with contactless drop off to support a local mutual aid group. Within the next few years, she collected thousands of toys in her apartment and SLB was officially born. With the help of Councilmember Lincoln Restler and partnering with The Service Collective, SLB moved to Borough Hall. SLB has also organized food and clothing drives and worked with CHiPS, Mixteca, Team TLC and more. Gratitude for Christina, a true New Yorker!

Christina D’Asaro with Councilmember Lincoln Restler (photo courtesy The Service Collective).

Abdul Elenani and Akram Nassir, Co-Owners of Al Badawi

Abdul Elenani and Akram Nassir (also owner of Yemen Cafe) opened Al Badawi, Brooklyn Heights’ first Palestinian restaurant, to great fanfare in 2021. The restaurant has been written up in the New Yorker, Eater, and the New York Times, which named Al Badawi’s pistachio bread one of 25 most memorable dishes in 2022. Since opening, Al Badawi has been spreading the love, Palestinian style, and bringing people near and far to dine on Atlantic Avenue. In a recent Instagram post, Al Badawi posted a note from a customer that said, “Sending love, peace and solidarity from a Jewish Israeli neighbor. Thank you for your Chanukah message at such a difficult time. Praying for safety and wellbeing to your loved ones.” Al Badawi posted its own message in response, “If we all embraced the spirit of love and respect towards one another, the world would know harmony and unity. As Muslims, we are guided by the principle of loving our neighbors, extending kindness across all colors, races, and faiths. Let’s strive for a world where mutual respect and understanding are the foundation of our interactions. Together, we can create a world free from division and filled with compassion.” Thank you for the great food and the kindness, Al Badawi.

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Jamie Erickson, Owner and Creative Director of Poppy’s

The neighborhood collectively mourned the closing of Cranberry’s in 2020 and wrung our hands for three years over what could possibly replace Cranberry’s. Then came Jamie Erickson and Poppy’s. What an incredible transformation of the space Jamie and her team accomplished. In record time too, it seemed like. And what crowds Poppy’s drew to its soft, then grand opening, and everyday since. The neighborhood just loves the heavenly pastries, prepared foods and beautifully curated home goods at Poppy’s. Thank you Jamie for saving us from despair over that empty space on Henry Street!

Photos courtesy Jamie Erickson.

Derrick Faulcon and Zewiditu Jewel, Owners of Cloudy Donut Co.

Derrick Faulcon and Zewiditu (pronounced Zody-2) are owners of Cloudy Donut Co., the first Black-owned food business in Brooklyn Heights, which celebrated its one year anniversary at 14 Columbia Place this October. Since opening its doors in Willowtown, Cloudy Donuts has turned a quiet, off-the-beaten-path block into a sensational, buzzy, Instagram and Tik Tok-worthy destination, where people from all over the City and beyond come for the donuts, the vibe, and the uplifting energy of its owners. That the donuts are 100% vegan seems almost besides the point, but they are indeed delicious. No wonder the crowds keep coming. Wishing continued success to Derrick and Zewiditu!

Photos courtesy Cloudy Donut Co.

Jenny Jackson, Author of Best Selling Novel – Pineapple Street

Jenny Jackson‘s first novel, Pineapple Street, dropped in March and it has been nothing short of a sensation. Pineapple Street is a New York Times bestseller and has been chosen as a best book of the year by Time Magazine, NPR, USA Today, Elle, Harper’s Bazaar, Town & County, Vogue, BBC and more. The novel has been described by Book of the Month as “Rife with the indulgent pleasures of life among New York’s one-percenters, Pineapple Street is a smart escapist novel that sparkles with wit. It’s about the peculiar unknowability of someone else’s family, the miles between the haves and have-nots and everything in between, and the insanity of first love.” That the book is set in Brooklyn Heights and makes references to all the businesses you know and frequent make it all the more fun to read. If you haven’t read it yet, what are you waiting for?

Photo by Sarah Shatz, courtesy Jenny Jackson.

Rabbi Serge Lippe, Brooklyn Heights Synagogue

Last year, Rabbi Serge Lippe celebrated 25 years as the spiritual leader of Brooklyn Heights Synagogue. His impact on BHS and our broader community is immeasurable. Rabbi Serge served as president of the Brooklyn Heights Interfaith Clergy Association, initiated the annual Iftar with members of Dawood Mosque on State Street, helped develop the annual MLK, Jr. weekend with local churches, and so much more. The synagogue also credits Rabbi Lippe for tremendous growth in its membership, the expansion of its physical space, and creating BHS’s own well-regarded preschool. According to BHS’s Silver Celebration message, “Rabbi Lippe has officiated the brises, namings, b’nei mitzvah and confirmation of scores of our children and students. He has officiated numerous weddings and been by the side of our families for so many funerals and bereavements.” BHS couldn’t ask for a better leader. Congrats to Rabbi Lippe!

 Photo by Mary Kim for BHB.

José Rolón a/k/a nycgaydad

With hundred of thousands of followers on Instagram and Tik Tok, José Rolón a/k/a @nycgaydad, is much more than an influencer. He is an inspiration, a real life study in courage and perseverance. Plus he’s funny as all get out. If you don’t follow @nycgaydad, you’re missing out on some of the funniest, most heart-warming, and inspiring content on social media. Many people know José’s story of suddenly becoming a single dad with a toddler and twins on the way, when his husband Tim Merrell passed away in 2013. Watching him raise his adorable and equally funny kids, Avery and twins London and Lilah, with so much love, fortitude, and most of all, humor, is simply life-affirming. As a bonus, José’s partner, Thomas Curcio, joined the family a year ago, to the absolute delight of their social media audience. José isn’t just a content creator, he’s also a sought after wedding planner, a board member of Brooklyn Children’s Museum, and an active member of the PS8 PTA. We’re so lucky to have José and his family in our neighborhood!

Left: José Rolón with Thomas Curcio, Lilah, London, and Avery. Top Right: José’s husband Timothy Merrell with newborn Avery (photos courtesy José Rolón).

Lastly, there have been some harrowing accidents and people in need of emergency help in Brooklyn Heights this year. Heaps of gratitude go out to EMS workers, FDNY and other emergency responders who work to save lives while we look on and hope for safety for all. Mister Roger’s mom was right. In times of tragedy, look for the helpers. Thank you emergency workers!

Here’s to a healthy, happy and more peaceful New Year for all!

It’s that time, for our annual list of ten people (or groups of people) living or working in Brooklyn Heights, who made an impact on our neighborhood, the city, the country, or the world this year. With input from everyone at BHB, here in no particular order are The Ten.

1.  City Councilmember Lincoln Restler

Lincoln Restler is everything, everywhere, all at once. One minute, he’s on a Citibike pedaling down Tillary St. to a community meeting. The next minute, he’s at a ribbon cutting on Montague St. And the next, he’s in Gowanus with a garbage picker in one hand and a waste bag in the other. He’s there to sit down with a group of high school students and listen to their safety concerns around area schools. He’s there to help spread thousands of pounds of compost around tree beds in Brooklyn Heights and beyond. He’s there with his 8-point plan to rid our streets of vermin, litter, and dog poop. Yet another meeting about the BQE? He’s there. Lincoln Restler shows up. Everywhere.

Photos courtesy Lincoln Restler

2.  Emma Straub and Mike Fusco, Owners of Books Are Magic

Need we say much? They gave us what a vast majority of the neighborhood has been wishing for – a book store, an independent book store, on our very own Montague St. These two dreamers whimsically decided to open their first book store in Carroll Gardens, when Book Court, a store they loved, closed shop. Open a book store while so many were going out of business? Yes, yes they did, to wild success. How about open a second one on a street defamed as “drab?” Why not? Why can’t we have nice things? With Emma and Mike, their superb staff, and carefully curated books, we can.

Photos courtesy Emma Straub

3.  Charlie Mitchell, Executive Chef and Co-Owner of Clover Hill

Chef Charlie Mitchell is a Star. His restaurant, Clover Hill on Columbia Place, was awarded one from the venerable Michelin Guide, and he was named Michelin’s Young Chef of 2022. Inspired by his grandmother’s cooking to become a chef, with prior stints at Eleven Madison Park and One White Street, he’s now in Brooklyn Heights, elevating fine dining far from the bustle of Manhattan. Along with his partners Clay Castillo and Gabriel Merino, Executive Sous Chef Max Guillaume, and Chef de Partie Christopher Evans, Chef Charlie “makes the most out of top-rate seasonal ingredients, delicious sauces and thoughtful combinations, for vibrant, seasonal eating that never once feels fussy or onerous.” says the Michelin Guide. It wasn’t the easiest road to all the accolades, as Chef Charlie told Restaurant News. “I remember we had to close a couple of Wednesdays and Thursdays because we had zero covers. It was hard. But we felt we had a great product and made sure we stood behind it whether we had two parties dining in the restaurant a night, or now when we have 60.” All that perseverance paid off. Not only a Michelin star, Clover Hill has been named one of NYC’s 10 best restaurants by Time Out New York, along with a five star review. Snag a reservation if you can.

Photos courtesy Charlie Mitchell

4.  Sean Rembold, Chef and Owner of Inga’s Bar

When our neighborhood tavern Jack the Horse closed early in the pandemic, that corner at Hicks and Cranberry became so suddenly dim and lifeless. Thanks to Sean Rembold, delicious eats, drinks, and merriment are back in that space. Sean, formerly chef at Diner, Marlow & Sons, and Reynard, and twice nominated for the James Beard Award for Best Chef NYC. Is it any wonder that Inga’s Bar became an instant hit, not just among locals, but with the most reliable food critics in New York City? Pete Wells said of the apple butter cake at Inga’s Bar, “As I ate it all the day’s worries seemed to have moved away to some other city. Life lately has become an endless existentialist drama, but at least we still have cake.” And Sam Sifton, “Most everyone I’ve sent to the restaurant… invariably takes time to text me a photograph of the celery Victor accompanied by heart emojis and OMGs.” When Sean signed the lease for Inga’s Bar, the pandemic was far from over. But as he told the New York Times, “We said we’re not going to move upstate; we’re not going to move to Nashville. We are going to stay and commit and be a part of whatever was going to happen next in the city.” We’re thrilled you stayed, Sean.

Photos by Mary Kim for BHB

5.  Gautier and Ashley Coiffard, Owners of L’Appartement 4f

“Can these croissants wake up Brooklyn’s sleepiest neighborhood?” asked Grub Street. Mais, oui! Early, in fact, people wake up and line up for croissants before the doors even open at 8 a.m. And what lines there are, most mornings. As someone mused to Grub Street, we haven’t seen lines like this on Montague St. since the wait outside City MD at the height of Omicron. Their story has been told so many times, but the short version is – Gautier, a French immigrant and engineer, started baking inside their small Brooklyn apartment in 2020. His wife, Ashley, a wiz at social media and resourceful in every way, helped turn the l’appartment baking into the wildly popular bakery that has been covered by every media outlet in New York City and beyond. The ribbon cutting this past May drew crowds never before seen on sleepy Montague St. According to everyone who has stood in line for theirs, the croissants live up to the hype and are absolutely worth the wait. Bienvenue, L’Appartement 4f.

Photo by Mudari Creative (mudaricreative.com)

Photo by Mudari Creative (mudaricreative.com)

6. Jason Koo, Founder and Executive Director of Brooklyn Poets

Brooklyn Heights not only gained an independent bookstore this year, Jason Koo brought us Brooklyn Poets in brick and mortar form on Montague St. Since 2012, Jason has been shaping the art of poetry to be less intimidating and more accessible with readings, workshops and open mics that are welcoming and inclusive to people from all walks of life. Brooklyn Poet’s grand opening this past July was an all-day poetry love fest with 40 poets reading, including MacArthur genius Edward Hirsch, former Brooklyn Poet Laureate D. Nurkse, and current Brooklyn Poet Laureate Tina Chang. Once named one of the 100 most influential people in Brooklyn culture, Jason is now one of the most influential people in Brooklyn Heights.

Photos courtesy Jason Koo

7.  The Rev. Canon John E. Denaro and the Volunteers of St. Ann & the Holy Trinity Episcopal Church

The Rev. Canon John E. Denaro, Rector at St. Ann & the Holy Trinity Episcopal Church since 2013, arrived at St. Ann’s after years working with the Episcopal Migration Ministries, a refugee resettlement arm of the Episcopal Church. At EMM, Canon John supported parishes and communities throughout the country in its mission to help resettle refugees and “rebuild their lives in peace and security in the U.S.” He continues that important work at St. Ann’s. Under Canon John’s leadership, St. Ann’s has partnered with Repair the World to help recently arrived asylum seekers, as well as hosting its weekly pop-up pantry and organizing many other volunteer and fund-raising drives to help those in need.

Photo courtesy Canon John

Photos courtesy St. Ann’s Church

8.  Amanda Jones and Sarah Robertson, Co-Founders of The Service Collective

Amanda Jones and Sarah Robertson are local parents who founded The Service Collective, an organization that aggregates and organizes volunteer opportunities for children and teens. They saw a problem – difficulty finding volunteer opportunities for their own kids – and solved it. Started in September, TSC has already organized Brooklyn youth to help revitalize Red Hook Farms, cook and fill our Brooklyn Heights Community Fridge, bake and serve desserts at soup kitchens, help move recently arrived asylum seekers, deliver holiday gifts to homebound seniors, and much more. Kudos to Amanda and Sarah for helping us raise local youth to be lifetime community helpers.

Photos courtesy The Service Collective

9.  Msg. Alfred LoPinto, Father William Smith, and the Volunteers at St. Charles Borromeo Church

As BHB reported in August, 200 migrants in a bus from Texas were dropped off at the doorsteps of the Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens on Joralemon St., with letters in their hands that said the office building was their new home. Given no warning of the migrants’ arrival, CCBQ was completely blindsided. But Msgr. Alfred LoPinto, Father William Smith, and volunteers at St. Charles Borromeo Church quickly organized to welcome the exhausted, hungry and confused migrants. At St. Charles, the migrants received a warm welcome to our country, legal information on seeking asylum, boxes of necessities and food, and a hot meal to soothe their weary hearts and bodies.

Photos courtesy Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens via Facebook

10.  Anil Chandrakumar, Karen Volk, and the Volunteers of the Promenade Garden Conservancy

Last but not least, we thank the volunteers of the Promenade Garden Conservancy. As reported by Mary Frost of the Brooklyn Daily Eagle, the Brooklyn Heights Association, in partnership with the NYC Parks Department, formed the PGC in 2009. Since then, PGC volunteers have worked tirelessly to keep the promenade lush and green. The PGC is led by the Parks Department horticulturist Anil Chandrakumar and Project Manager Karen Volk (also President of the Brooklyn Heights Association). But the work is made possible by the volunteers who gather every Tuesday morning to plant and prune, including Nina Craig, Rick Dean, Georgia Larson, Mary Reiser Heintjes, Diana Prizeman, Mary Ellson, Steve Sacks, Susan Abdulezer, Ellen Drexler, Craig Meachen, and others.

Photo courtesy Promenade Garden Conservancy via Facebook

Inga’s Bar, at 66 Hicks Street (corner of Cranberry) opened in March and has already received a glowing review from New York Times restaurant critic Pete Wells, who praises the innovative and delicious dishes emerging from its kitchen. He even lauds the cheeseburger, which your correspondent has enjoyed, calling it “a very good and unpretentious one” and noting that “the pickles are made on site.” The on line Times review, linked above, has a slide show of many of the kitchen’s creations. It also has a link to Mary Kim’s BHB story about 66 Hicks’ previous tenant, Jack the Horse Tavern, many of whose devotees, including your correspondent, may now find a home-away-from-home at Inga’s.

I went to Inga’s at five this (Wednesday) afternoon, its opening time, to congratulate the chef and owner, Sean Rembold, with whom I had enjoyed a conversation about our common loyalty to the Mets during my previous visit, without realizing who he was. He brought his floor and kitchen staffs together for a champagne toast (photo above) in celebration of their joint effort that had produced the Times review.

On 6/6/2006, at 66 Hicks St., a new restaurant opened in Brooklyn Heights. Jack the Horse Tavern was its name. Tim Oltmans was its chef and owner, along with his wife and business partner Micki Schubert. Soon after opening, locals crowded the bar at happy hour and sipped cocktails called long bottom bramble and behind the knees. Sunday brunch became legendary and always packed, with the celebrated eggs orleans and the famous grilled JtH burger on the menu.

It was a place for first dates. It was where you took your parents visiting from out-of-town. It was for weeknight dinners and celebrations. It was casual, classic, and cozy. It was quintessential Brooklyn Heights. It was our neighborhood tavern.

With news that a new chef/owner was handed the keys last month, it is time for a proper reminiscence and farewell to JtH. And for that, we present a Q&A with Tim done over Zoom, with Micki off camera to help fill in dates and facts, from their new home in Park Slope.

How did you get your start in the restaurant business?

Well, I’ll try to keep it short. I’ve always had an interest in cooking. And it was the encouragement of Micki, my wife of [to Micki, “how many years now?”]… 29 years. I met Micki at her cousin’s wedding, and we started a long distance relationship with me in Minnesota and Micki in New Jersey. When Micki’s company transferred her to Minnesota, we lived together for a while. I was working as a mechanical engineer at the time, and I expressed to Micki that I was kind of losing interest in it. And she said, “Well, I’m going to be transferred back to New Jersey” and we talked about me moving with her. And I said, “Well, what am I going to do there?” And she said, “You’ll cook.”

I then took some professional cooking classes, because the danger is your hobby may not be what you want to do full-time. But I was into it, I really enjoyed it. So, I quit my job of 15 years and moved out east with Micki and went to the French Culinary Institute in [asks Micki, “what year was that?”]… 1991 and graduated first in my class. I then got an internship through the Institute and met a fellow by the name of Jean-Marc Burillier, who was opening a restaurant on the upper east side with his friends, Jean-Luc Andriot and Jean-Louis Dumonet. And that turned out to be Trois Jean, a fantastic French bistro, serving really great, traditional stuff. So I said to Jean-Marc, “You’ve gotta hire me, I don’t have any bad habits!” Then I helped them get the place open and it was such a great experience. Those guys were like family to me. And that’s how I got started.

How did JtH do when it first opened in 2006?

Well, we had Damon Dyer as our bartender, who was very much into the rising cocktail culture that was happening. He got us on the map a bit, because there was such interest in cocktails at the time. And there really was no other place anywhere within miles doing really great cocktails. So we did well. By the way, Damon met his wife Jenny while working at the bar. They eventually got married at the JtH bar and also had their reception there. And now, they live across the street.

How did JtH get its name?

I grew up in Minnesota and there’s a lake there called Jack the Horse. My dad, brothers, and I would go fishing up there. After our parents passed away, we were at their house settling their estate, when we found all these slides of photos that our dad took. And we were sitting around looking at the slides and laughing at ourselves. There was this one slide of my brother and me in a canoe, and Micki asked, “Where was that?” And we said, “That’s Jack the Horse lake!” And Micki said, “That’s it. That’s what we’re calling the restaurant, Jack the Horse Tavern.” We all liked the name because it was catchy, not kitschy, but catchy. Because there are so many restaurant names that are inscrutable, like what does that mean, how do we remember that name? So, the name Jack the Horse Tavern comes from my personal history and memories.

What were your personal favorite dishes at JtH?

Well, I’m sure everybody wants to say the mac & cheese, which was very popular. And honestly, it was really good. But there were quite a number of things I learned from working at Trois Jean with Jean-Louis Dumonet, and at Gramercy Tavern with Tom Colicchio, and at Tabla with Floyd Cardoz. We did the best duck confit of anybody within miles and miles. Our cassoulet, which I learned from Jean-Louis, was the best and so traditional. I loved those kinds of French dishes we were doing. And I really enjoyed the brunches. We developed these gluten-free pancakes, though gluten-free is not my thing. But it really was delicious, and people loved the gluten-free option. It was made with buckwheat and had this great, rich, savory flavor. And I still get emails from people asking for the recipe, which frankly is kind of a pain in the ass.

Well, why don’t you just share it with the blog and you won’t have to answer every email?

[Laughs]. (See recipe below.)

Would you share your recipe for your mac & cheese too?

Sure, I have a home version that I offer to people. What we did at the restaurant was way more complicated than what people would want to do at home. But you can get really close to it with the right kind of cheeses. So it’s already out there, actually I shared it for Dan Pashman’s book, Eat More Better, and I’ll share it with your readers. (See recipe below.)

What were a few of the most challenging aspects of running a restaurant in NYC?

[Sighs]. We had a difficult relationship with the fire department, and I don’t mean the guys on Middagh, those guys are great. They loved us and we loved them. But the main fire department’s inspectors, who would come in and find new violations for the same stuff every time. There were a couple of times they came in while I wasn’t there, and they just terrorized my sous chef. Honestly, we spent thousands and thousands of dollars on summonses and court costs, and it was relentless. And of course, the health department, although not as mean as the fire department, found violations for things that had not changed one bit in 15 years. We tried all kinds of different tactics to cope, like having a doorbell buzzer at the front desk so that when they walked in, they could buzz us in the kitchen. That was all the very challenging aspects of running a restaurant, in addition to taxes and filings for this and filings for that. I think for people who operate a number of restaurants, they have a system and handle those things much better than first timers with just one restaurant.

What are you and Micki doing now as retirees?

Micki is freelancing with the Brooklyn Eagle, proofreading and some editing of a number of articles every day, working with the managing editor there. I’m doing no-knead bread. I’m also putting together some food and restaurant-related articles for possible publication in the Brooklyn Eagle. I don’t have plans to get back in the restaurant industry, because I have some physical limitations and heart issues. Maybe on a consulting basis, but nothing really in the works at this point.

Have you been in touch with Sean Rembold, the chef/owner who’s taking over the JtH space?

I’ve been in contact with him a couple of times just to discuss the ins and outs of the space, only because we built it from the ground up. There was literally nothing there when we started. There was only a sink and a toilet. So I’ve been able to offer some advice about working with Landmarks and the community boards, and also on all the mechanics of the space.

Do you know if the new owner intends on keeping the beautiful façade intact?

Well, he has to because of Landmarks (Preservation Commission), unless he wants to go through the whole approval process. And I have to tell you, that was the most difficult aspect of the design process. We went back and forth many, many times, and spent hours and hours in the Landmarks’ offices. I don’t know if you ever noticed that the inside of the door is red. The reason is that I wanted the outside of the door painted red, like the door at the vet’s across the street. But Landmarks said no. So, I painted the inside of the door red, and in the summertime, when the door was open, I had my red door.

Some restaurants survived the pandemic and others didn’t in the neighborhood and throughout the City. What factors would you say made it impossible for JtH to continue?

It was a number of things. We had been struggling a bit for the last couple of years before the pandemic. We were starting to feel the pressure of trying to keep up with the higher minimum wage. As a maturing business, more things needed to be repaired. Rent, of course, goes up every year, as do electricity, gas, and food costs. So, it felt like we were falling behind and then suddenly, it was announced that we had to close. And we had no idea how long we’d have to be closed. We were in the process of trying to catch up, and how could we do that if we’re closed for months and months. So, we had talked about retirement here and there, and that forced our hand to make the decision. We did start a gofundme, and some of that blew up in our faces. But we got so many supportive emails and messages from former employees. Anyway, it turned out we were able to provide all our staff with a nice chunk of cash, their monthly metrocards, and payment for all their hours. But we just weren’t going to be able to sustain it.

Where is your staff now?

A couple of our front-of-the-house employees moved out of NYC. Jason, the waiter who was with us for many years, moved to the Carolinas. Sean also moved away. A couple others moved back home with mom and dad. Gustavo Pineda, I guess you could call him a porter, but he did everything; washed dishes, fixed things, kept the place cleaned up and organized. We couldn’t have functioned without him. He was such a great guy. Gustavo moved upstate where he had family, since he couldn’t afford an apt in the City anymore. I hope he landed well up there.

Reflecting back on the years at JtH, what will you remember the most?

One of the things that really became so interesting to me was our interactions with our guests. I’ve worked at many restaurants, but I never interacted with the guests. I was never a server or worked the front of the house. When we opened JtH, it was the most gratifying thing to talk to the guests and see what they like, and try to make them happy, and give them great service. It was something that I really didn’t anticipate when we were looking to open a restaurant. And it was great to be a neighborhood restaurant, and it is such a great neighborhood. We loved being there.

And I won’t forget the regulars. There were quite a few that were quirky, for sure. But there were some that just, oh my god, I can’t tell you how much I miss them. There was a couple who lived in Kentucky and had an apt. on Willow St., Mary and Ed Culbertson. On their drive up from Kentucky, they would call and say, “Hey, we’re coming into town, can we have our favorite table?” And I made sure they had their table by the side door. Then there was a couple we called “the architects,” Michael and Miriam, who live on Remsen, I think. There was also another couple we did a wedding reception for, way back in the first year we opened, Carol and Jeff Talon. And they came back every year on their anniversary. We just loved seeing them. There were a number of guests who just put a smile on my face, and the front desk would always let me know when they came in. That is one of the things that I will truly miss the most.

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Jack the Horse Tavern’s
Macaroni & Cheese
Makes 4

1 pt      Potato Cream (See Below)
12 oz    Grated Cheese (8 oz smoked Gouda & 4 oz Fontina)
20 oz   Cooked Cavatappi Pasta or Elbow Macaroni
1 Tbs    Dijon Mustard
¼ C     Toasted Panko Bread Crumbs
Pepper

Method

1.   Gently heat potato cream.
2.   Add cheese, stir until melted.
3.   Add pasta & mustard, stir until heated.
4.   Fill baking dishes* and sprinkle on bread crumbs.
5.   Bake at 400ºF for 6 minutes (if making ahead, bake for 8 – 10 minutes when ready to serve).

Potato Cream

1 pt       Heavy cream
½ C      Grated potato
¼ tsp   Grated nutmeg
Salt
Pepper

Heat all ingredients, stirring frequently until thickened, 15 minutes or so. Strain out and discard grated potato. The liquid that is left is like béchamel (roux and cream). This process washes the starch off of the potato to thicken the cream and absorb the fat from the melted cheese.

*Individual baking dishes are best and not too deep or it will take too long to heat and the fat may separate.

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Jack the Horse Tavern’s
Gluten Free Buckwheat Pancakes

1.   Sift dry ingredients in mixing bowl, mix well.
2.   In a separate bowl lightly beat eggs, add buttermilk then the melted butter and mix to combine.
3.   Mix wet ingredients into dry ingredients until combined – small lumps will cook out.

Notes

• This batter is quite thick so you may have to add a bit more buttermilk (or whole milk).
• They should fluff up nicely but will take some time to cook so make sure your (Teflon) pan is not too hot.
• When the pancakes are ready, they will be springy when you press them with your finger.
• Don’t make the pancakes too big or they will be hard to flip over.
• Starred items are from Bob’s Red Mill, available in most grocery stores:
o Organic Buckwheat Flour
o Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Flour
o Xanthan Gum (try to find it in a small package, a little goes a long way)

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Our friends at the Brooklyn Heights Association have advised us that Chef Sean Rembold will be taking charge of the kitchen at the former Jack the Horse Tavern, at Hicks and Cranberry streets. Chef Rembold has twice been nominated for the James Beard Foundation award as best New York City chef. From his website:

Originally a Kentucky native, Sean moved to New York City to attend the French Culinary Institute. After cooking in the kitchens of Campagna, Osteria del Circo, and Bayard’s, Sean found his personal and professional fit in Williamsburg, the neighborhood he has called home since 1999. He lives there with his wife, designer Caron Callahan, and their daughter.

Despite his fondness for Williamsburg, the BHA website says:

Sean loves Brooklyn Heights and reached out to the BHA a few months ago about helping him find a suitable location. Of course, we were glad to help! We’ll keep you informed as plans move forward.

We checked out the websites of the three Williamsburg restaurants at which he served as chef. One, Reynard, no longer exists. Marlow and Sons (follow the Instagram link below the “Order Online” link) and Diner, have menus that look interesting, though a notch more expensive than JTH’s.

The menus at whatever the name JTH gets under its new ownership may be quite different, as may the prices. We hope that the menu will in some way reflect the spirit of the JTH menu – dare we hope that the mac & cheese appetizer will be revived? – and that the prices will be within reach of most Heights residents; not just the most affluent ones.

Seven months into the pandemic, most of our local small businesses are hanging on. With pure grit and ingenuity, restaurants turned parking spots into dining spaces, and retail stores went online until their doors could open again. Tragically, not all of the businesses survived the long shutdown, not to mention the loss of tourists and nearly half of the residents who left town for months. Here, we memorialize the Brooklyn Heights businesses that permanently closed since March 2020.

Jack the Horse Tavern (66 Hicks St.)

JtH Next Door (66 Hicks St.)

Five Guys (138 Montague St.)

Amy’s Bread (72 Clark St.)

Chocolate Works (110 Montague St.)

The Heights Salon of Brooklyn (136 Montague St.)

Scott J Aveda Salon (119 Montague St.)

B.GOOD (141 Montague St.)

Heights Nail Salon (60 Henry St.)

Le Pain Quotidien (121 Montague St.)

WMA Karate (67 Atlantic Ave.) (Classes moved online and outdoors – wmakarate.com)

Blossom Poke Bowl (153 Remsen St.)

Cafecito (Clark St. Station)

Emack & Bolio (115 Montague St.) (To close permanently on 10/31/20.) (Photo courtesy of BHB reader.)

The loss of these small businesses is a blow to the community. Some are simply irreplaceable. What could possibly fill the void that Cranberry’s or Jack the Horse left behind? But we can find hope in knowing that there are already small signs of recovery and renewal. Here are three businesses that opened in the midst of the pandemic and by all indications, are fast becoming favorites of the neighborhood.

Cardinal Mkt (44 Henry St.)

Vineapple (71 Pineapple St.)

Ella Crown Bakehouse (149 Atlantic Ave.)

Support our local economy. Support our small businesses.

Earlier this month we posted a report from Eater about the controversy surrounding Jack the Horse’s online fundraiser, which centered on how the funds were being used. While originally understood to be going directly to the restaurant’s employees, the money was also used by owners Tim and Micki Oltmans to pay off expenses associated with the restaurant.

The Oltmans recently started a second fundraising campaign, explaining their decisions and working with GoFundMe to ensure that all money that comes in from the campaign will be sent directly to laid-off staff.

We believed helping our staff included raising funds AND reinstating them in their jobs. In our haste to launch the GoFundMe page, we were not clear on the latter.  The donors’ immediate and generous donations gave us hope that reopening was more of a surety than just a possibility. Believing this trend would continue we determined we would need to pay certain necessary expenses such as Liability Insurance (required by our lease), internet connection, telephone service, and burglar alarm if we had any hope of reopening JtH. Since the business bank account was depleted covering our payroll and the $2000 for employee Metro card purchases, we proceeded to pay some of the necessary expenses using a portion of the donation transfers. We have provided the GFM team with verification of these expenses.

In the first drive we began distributing $200 to each of our employees on March 30th and completed distributions on April 15th. Transfers from GoFundMe to us did not begin until April 7th , one week after distributions commenced, and continued until June 2nd.

Because donations had stopped coming in and reopening was no longer an option, we decided we would make a final appeal using a large database of email addresses. In this new appeal we have promised the donations would only be used to support our former employees. The GoFundMe team has agreed that all donations from the second appeal would be directed to our staff.

The GFM support team has restricted donations and transfers until they have confidence the current funds will be distributed as promised and have asked us to advise you that if you are unsure of our integrity you have the option of requesting a refund. There is currently $2169 waiting to be distributed to our staff and another $2725 on hold at GoFundMe. This amounts to nearly $4900 we are anxious to distribute.

We regret that our lack of foresight caused such a colossal misunderstanding.  It is our sincere hope that you believe our intentions have always been true and honest.

Thank You for your support,
Tim & Micki, Jack the Horse Tavern

The campaign has a goal of $50,000 and has so far raised $16,000, dating back to the original March fundraiser.

Eater reports that the staff at Jack the Horse are furious at the owners for using GoFundMe donations to pay bills instead giving the money to workers unemployed when the restaurant closed as part of the Covid-19 shut-down. Update: several former JtH employees have commented on the Eater piece, calling it unfair and not representative of their feelings about the owners or their actions.

The original GoFundMe campaign was featured on this blog in March, including a quote from the website:

We know you missed us during the past weeks but sadly we have had to close our restaurant doors until further notice. During this time we are raising money to support the staff at Jack the Horse who will be out of work due to COVID-19.

According to Eater, $200 was disbursed to each employee after donations reached $5,000; as funds continued to accumulate, owners Tim and Micki Oltmans stopped communicating with the staff. After receiving an e-mail from employees the Oltmans responded to say that the donations had gone “toward other bills,” including vendor payments and insurance bills.

“We never said that the funds were exclusively for the employees,” Oltmans tells Eater. According to Oltmans and his wife, they felt that the statement of purpose on the GoFundMe page — even though “it wasn’t a hundred percent clear,” Oltmans says — allowed for them to use the donations for both staff support and reopening efforts.

Get the rest of this dismaying story at Eater…

Chef Tim and Micki at Jack the Horse Tavern have started a GoFundMe campaign to support the staff who have been laid off during this terrible time.

Hello Friends and Neighbors!

We know you missed us during the past weeks but sadly we have had to close our restaurant doors until further notice. During this time we are raising money to support the staff at Jack the Horse who will be out of work due to COVID-19.

Let’s help our entire restaurant team who have been serving the neighborhood through these crazy times so we can come back strong.

All Donations Are Appreciated. 

And when we open our doors, in what will hopefully be the near future,
we invite you to join us in eating, drinking and celebrating together!

Thank You for your support,

Tim & Micki, Jack the Horse Tavern

Again, the link to the GoFundMe campaign is here. If you’ve ever had a great meal and warm service at JtH (who hasn’t), please donate. Let’s save this neighborhood institution. Any amount helps.

Our hearts go out to all of our local businesses hurting and struggling right now.

Thank you to everyone who submitted nominations for the Best of Brooklyn Heights! Exactly 100 readers responded and the votes have been carefully tabulated. Without further ado, here are the results:

Best Fine Dining

Jack the Horse Tavern and Colonie in a tie.

Yes, there is fine dining in Brooklyn Heights. These two are the finest and nicely bookend the Heights at its borders.

Jack the Horse Tavern’s Chef Tim, Lead Server Jason and Head Bartender Bear

Yellowfin tuna crudo with smoked paprika, caper, sesame & nasturtium at Colonie. (Photo courtesy @colonienyc on Instagram.)

Best Casual Dining

Noodle Pudding

Honorable mention: River Deli

Best Overall Restaurant

Noodle Pudding

Noodle Pudding earned the most votes in the “casual dining” category, and almost as many in the “fine dining” category, for the most votes of all restaurants across categories. We thought this called for an added category of “best overall restaurant,” and that the honor belongs to Noodle Pudding. A choice so good, even Mark Bittman instagram’ed about our favorite neighborhood restaurant and Chef Tony.

Best Breakfast/Coffee

Clark’s Restaurant (in a decisive win)

Honorable mentions: Cranberry’s and Joe Coffee Company.

Most cagey response: “There is a deli with a man who makes the best breakfast sandwiches, but I don’t want to say for fear of it getting too busy.” Fess up, dear reader, and share with your neighbors!

Best Lunch Spot

Hanco’s

Honorable mention: Grand Canyon Restaurant.

Best Pizza

Table 87 (in a very close win)

Close runner up: Fascati Pizzeria

Honorable mentions: Luzzo’s and Dellarocco’s

This contest was down to the wire and counting the votes sent the heart racing. Because it’s Brooklyn and it’s pizza and it’s dead serious. As one reader put it, “we are awash in great pizza.” Indeed we are, and we’ll argue about it til the end of time.

Best Burger

Five Guys (by a mile)

Honorable mentions: Henry Street Ale House and Jack the Horse Tavern

Most socially-conscious response: “Don’t eat red meat (unhealthy and contributes to climate change).”

Most apologetic response: “282 (sorry, I know it’s out of bounds)!” But you’re right, the burgers are so good.

Best Groceries

Key Food on Montague (by a big margin)

Honorable mention: Perelandra

Best Hair Salon / Barber

Fabio Scalia and Choo Choo Cuts

The votes in this category were close and spread out over many choices, with Scalia and Choo Choo having marginal leads over others.

Other winners in their own right: Studio 78, Van Sickel Salon, Clinton Street Barber Shop and Cutting Edge.

Best Nail Salon / Spa

Dashing Diva

Best Dry Cleaners / Laundry

Best Cleaners (in a landslide)

Best Gym / Fitness

Eastern Athletic Club (in a close win)

Close runner up: Equinox

Most contrary response: “Anything but Eastern Athletic.”

Most eyebrow-raising response: “My bedroom.”

Most nostalgic yet inappropriate response: “Club Wild Fyre.”

Best Miscellaneous Retail

Sahadi’s (in a decisive and unsurprising win)

Honorable mention: City Chemist

Best Miscellaneous Service

Housing Works and James Weir Floral Co. in a tie.

Honorable mention: Rocco & Jezebel for Pets

Most loud response:  “ROAMING KNIFE SHARPENING GUY WITH THE OBNOXIOUS BELL ON HIS TRUCK.”

Most whimsical response: “The guy who repaints stuff around the Heights.”

Most think-out-of-the-box response: “A Better Way”

And… the best and most correct response (according to BHB):  Brooklyn Heights Blog

Your nominations have been tabulated, and after due consideration by the BHB Food Editorial Board, here are the Best Eats in Brooklyn Heights 2016:

Best Restaurant:  Jack the Horse Tavern

Close Runners-Up:  Henry’s End and Noodle Pudding (So good, it doesn’t need a website or a sign outside.)

Honorable Mentions:  Colonie and Chez Moi

Best Newcomer:  Pinto

Close Runner-Up:  Kogane Ramen

Best Italian:  Noodle Pudding

Close Runner-Up:  Sociale

Honorable Mentions:  Queen and River Deli

SOCIALE

Best Mexican:  Gallito’s Kitchen

Close Runner-Up:  Gran Eléctrica

Best Diner:  Teresa’s

Close Runners-Up:  Clark’s Restaurant and Park Plaza Restaurant

Best Breakfast:  To Go – Cranberry’s  |  To Sit – Tazza

Best Lunch:  Tie between Hanco’s and Mile End Delicatessen

Best Burger:  Tie between Five Guys and two8two Bar & Burger

Best Pizza:  To Go – Fascati’s (Controversial pick! Readers either love it or hate it, but it got the most votes hands down.)  |  To Sit – Dellarocco’s

Close Runner-Up:  Table 87

Best Dessert:  Almondine

Best BBQ:  Hill Country (Not much competition in the area, true, but as reader “St. Georgette” notes, it’s the “best place to eat AND hear great live music, and with good drinks too.”)

Best Japanese:  Iron Chef

Close Runners-Up:  Ani Sushi and Hibino (As reader “Resident” notes, the only Japanese restaurant in the area “run by real Japanese people.”)

Best Thai:  After best newcomer Pinto – Tie between Lantern Thai Kitchen and Joya

Best Chinese:  NONE. As reader “Studio Brooklyn” says, “Go to Flushing Queens and bring a friend who speaks Mandarin.” Or take Karl Jungersfeld’s advice and eat “Chinese food in Chinatown either on 8th Ave in Bklyn or Downtown Manhattan.” Although, if you’re in no mood to trek to Sunset Park or another borough, “St. Georgette” recommends Yaso Tangbao in downtown Brooklyn, and the BHB Food Editorial Board wholeheartedly agrees.

Last But Not Least:  As reader “Jorale-man” wisely comments, “a general vote for the Middle Eastern restaurants that survive amid the gentrification on Atlantic.” Reader “AbeLincoln” also nominates “all the Middle Eastern places on both Hicks and Henry.” Indeed, we applaud them all, all equally good, including Tutt Café, Yemen Café, Sultan, Tripoli, Mocha Hookah, Fatoosh, Darna Falafel, and Heights Falafel. Plus, according to “Grace Court Jester” – “that Halal Cart on the corner of Joraleman and Court has great lamb.”

Thanks to all for participating. Let’s go out and eat!

This is Steve Smith and Tommy Byrnes. They’re cousins and business partners. They’re great guys, down-to-earth, full of hope, with big dreams. If you met them, you’d want to have a Brooklyn Lager with them. Steve and Tommy, along with Joel Nearing, are co-founders of Jalapa Jar, and they want you to “Do Breakfast Like Texas.”

Austin, Texas to be exact – and in Austin, breakfast means tacos. That’s what they’ll be serving up at the kiosk inside the Clark St. station, slated to open later this month. Tommy shared how Jalapa Jar came to be, where they want to go with it, and why their first permanent location will be in our neighborhood.

BHB: How did you guys start Jalapa Jar?

Tommy: Joel was my childhood friend back in Texas, who went to culinary school in Austin, and perfected a salsa recipe that was always a huge hit with friends and family. Sometime in 2007, I asked Joel for the recipe and started making it to take to meetings and pot-lucks, and always got rave reviews. Last summer, I had just returned from London at my last job working in e-commerce. Steve had just left his career working in finance feeling burned out and unfulfilled by the work. We wanted to join our marketing and business skills and collaborate on a start-up venture. We tossed around some ideas during many a late-night brainstorming sessions over Joel’s salsa, when it occurred to us that marketing the salsa was something we could really be passionate about.

BHB: What’s happened with Jalapa Jar since last summer?

Tommy: We took the salsa to the Austin Hot Sauce Festival, which attracts about 15,000 people, to test it out for the masses. We hadn’t officially launched the business yet. So we rented out an Airbnb, had a huge house party, gave out samples of the salsa, and got great feedback. Back here in Brooklyn this past October, we entered Smorgsburg and started selling jars of the salsa. We’d start setting up at 7:00 a.m. and saw that nobody was selling any breakfast food. We always sold our salsa as being not just a dip for chips, but as a condiment to put on other foods. So we came up with the idea to sell breakfast tacos to go with our salsa and enlisted another cousin, Ryan Smith, who was a chef at the time to work with us. Breakfast tacos are a staple in Austin, with high-end restaurants to food trucks at gas stations all serving them, and we thought it was time to bring them to New York. We also got our jars in The Brooklyn Kitchen just in time for Superbowl weekend and it did great.

Ryan, Tommy, and Steve at Smorgasburg

BHB: Why did you decide to open your first permanent location in Brooklyn Heights?

Tommy: When Steve and I came up with the idea for Jalapa Jar, we were subletting an apartment on Clinton St. We’re very proud that we developed the idea not far from Brooklyn Borough Hall and in Brooklyn Heights, which we love. We chose the spot in the Clark St. station after seeing the “for rent” sign at the kiosk and approaching the landlord. The rent was affordable for a start-up business and it would also be a test for whether we can be a business that draws people to the location, as opposed to Smorgasburg which has built-in crowds. The foot traffic at the subway station and the college dorm next door were also selling points. We knew from establishments like Jack the Horse Tavern and Noodle Pudding that places serving good food can survive a long time in the immediate area, and we thought the area could use a carry-and-go food option too. We’ve had great feedback since we painted the kiosk gate. People are saying they’re happy something is finally going in there and they hope it’s something good. We hope to succeed here and open other locations.

BHB: How did you come up with the name Jalapa Jar?

Tommy: Our salsa is all about the jalapeno peppers that we roast on an open flame. This gives a natural heat to blend perfectly with the cilantro, cumin, and tomatoes, and allows the other flavors to be a part of the show. The name Jalapa comes from a small city in Veracruz, Mexico that the pepper is named after. People from the city were actually called “Jalapenos.” We liked the alliteration of the name to go with the word “jar.” We’re making Tex-Mex food, not Mexican, but we also wanted to pay homage to the country, and want to be sure that we’re not just appropriating another culture’s food, but celebrating it.

BHB: What menu items should we expect to see?

Tommy: Breakfast tacos, of course. We start with eggs and you can build your own, or choose one of a number of options, including one with bacon, jalapeno, and garlic mashed potatoes, and another with chorizo and refried beans. There will be a flour tortilla option and a corn tortilla, which is gluten-free. We’ll serve cold and hot brewed coffee using our favorite beans from Summer Moon in Austin. They roast their beans over an oak wood fire that makes it taste really unique. We’ll also have a dessert we call “sweet sticks,” which is mashed plantains with a hint of jalapenos, rolled tight in a tortilla, and dusted with brown sugar and maple syrup. We’d love to see our customers grab a breakfast taco or sweet stick and take them to the promenade for a stroll.

BHB: When will you open and what will your hours be?

Tommy: We plan to have a soft opening by the end of June, and open from 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. through the summer. By fall, we hope to stay open later with some late-night food options.

BHB: For the college kids next door with late-night munchies?

Tommy: Exactly, I was a college kid once too.

Let’s give Jalapa Jar a big Brooklyn Heights welcome and wish them a Texas-sized success.

For more info on Jalapa Jar, click here. To get a preview of the tacos and salsa at pop-up locations in June, click here.

For the second weekend in a row (and I’ll buy a drink at Jack the Horse for the first person who can tell to what political scandal the photo relates) we have a “green light” weekend at local stations, and pretty much the same the following week (except that the G train will be running normally over its whole route). So, I can just cut and paste last week’s alerts, changing only the dates: There are no planned route diversions, cancellations, or station skips directly affecting service at any local stations this weekend (Friday evening, January 16 to Monday morning, January 19). However, C trains will be running once every fifteen minutes. The following week (Monday, January 19 to Friday, January 23) there will be no late night (11:45 p.m. to 5:00 a.m.) 3 train service; 2 trains will be running, so there will be service at Clark Street and at the 2/3 platforms at Borough Hall.

For planned service changes that may affect travel on other parts of the system, either during the weekend or the following week, see MTA Info or The Weekender.

Photo credit: Miss Heather (not to be confused with our Heather Quinlan) and NewYorkShitty.

Stuck on what to get your Brooklyn Heights obsessed friend/family member for the holidays this year? Or wondering what entertainment you can offer your Thanksgiving guests? Behold! Our list of films shot in Brooklyn Heights – you can sit around the flat screen and marvel at the local sights included in each.

Here’s our list (feel free to add more in the comments below):

Moonstruck
It’s arguably the most well know movie shot in Brooklyn Heights. Take the opportunity to shout out – “hey look that’s where Jack the Horse is now!” while watching the flick with friends. And also pour one out for the “Moonstruck tree”.

The Sentinel
Where 10 Montague Terrace plays a crucial and SPOOKY role.

No Reservations
This romp featuring Catherine Zeta-Jones includes locations like 8 Montague Terrace.

Age of Innocence
The Scorsese classic features 32 Remsen Street.

Three Days of the Condor
The classic thriller features scenes outside 175 Remsen, as well as Cranberry Street between Willow and Columbia Heights.

Prizzi’s Honor
The classic mob tale was shot on Pierrepont Place as well as at 57 Montague Street.

Taxi Driver in Brooklyn Heights

Taxi Driver
You talkin’ to me? Well – SPOILER ALERT – the climax of this classic on Cadman Plaza West near Park Plaza Diner.

Villachi Papers
This thriller features Cranberry Street between Willow and Hicks.

Clooney on the 24 Middagh Street stoop while filming “Burn After Reading”

Burn After Reading
This Coen Brothers vehicle saw Brooklyn Heights doubling for Washington D.C. George Clooney wooed the crowds of fans who flocked to the area to watch the filming at locations mostly in the North Heights.

Delivery Man crew at Plymouth Church Playground in 2012. Photo: Chuck Taylor/BHB

Artificial snow in bk heights!! Filming a winters tale @bkheightsblog pic.twitter.com/mhv52eKj

— Stephanie Choi (@StephanieChoi7) December 6, 2012

Winter’s Tale
The very critically unacclaimed Colin Farrell flick turned Hicks Street and Brooklyn Heights into a Winter Wonderland back in 2012.

The Immigrant
Starring French actress Marion Cotillard and Joaquin Phoenix, the 2013 film set in 1920 about two girls from Poland in search of a new start and the American dream.

The Wolf of Wall Street
Leonardo DiCaprio shot a scene for the film here in 2012.

Ohhh heyyyy Paul Rudd! pic.twitter.com/VSReJ29d

— Hina Samnani (@hina_tsunami) June 27, 2012

They Came Together
The Paul Rudd/Amy Poehler comedy shot here in 2012 and folks lined up to watch filming at the Clark Street Tazza.

For Pete’s Sake
Streisand and a herd of cattle romp through the neighborhood in this madcap comedy.

Jack the Horse Tavern will provide the mac ‘n’ cheese Wednesday (10/22) night at Bookcourt as Brooklyn Heights resident/the Sporkful podcast host Dan Pashman hosts a celebration of his new book Eat More Better: How To Make Every Bite More Delicious at Bookcourt [163 Court Street].

Brooklyn Paper: “I wanted to organize it in a way that was different from a cookbook, because it is not a cookbook,” said Pashman. “It struck me that this all feels very academic. I feel like there is a quirky kind of research I do whenever I eat.”

At the BookCourt event, Pashman plans to have Brooklyn Heights restaurant Jack the Horse Tavern on hand to serve up its macaroni and cheese, which he believes is the best in Brooklyn.

“It is creamy and just a little bit tangy, just as it should be,” he said. “And they use pasta with ridges, which is going to hold sauce better, and pasta is just a cheese delivery system anyway.”

Gothamist’s Jen Carlson gives big ups to Jack the Horse and its new addition JtH Nextdoor today:

Gothamist: I don’t really want to tell you about Jack the Horse—it’s one of those special little places that you should just be so lucky enough to happen upon. But at risk of losing my bar stool, here we are.
The restaurant, which opened in 2008, sits on the quiet corner of Cranberry and Hicks Streets in Brooklyn Heights, about two blocks from a spectacular view of the Manhattan skyline. Along with its main dining room (which is open daily for dinner, and on weekends brunch), also houses a short bar (with one additional tall table)—all in all the bar space is capable of holding about twelve people comfortably.

photo via Gothamist

RELATED: Heights History: The Story Behind Some of the North Heights’ Restaurants And A Look At Them From 47 Years Ago

Ever wondered what the story was behind your favorite restaurant? Well, it might be about more than food or even one man’s dream. Here is an exploration of how some Brooklyn Heights restaurants came to be and what their owners say best exemplifies their spirit. Plus, you will get to see what they looked like back in 1967!

First up, Henry’s End (44 Henry Street – website) and Brooklyn Heights Wine Bar (50 Henry Street – website).

Henry’s End. Photo: Evan Bindelglass

Buildings Department records show 44 Henry Street was used as a restaurant as far back as 1939. It was a bar called Al’s before it was Henry’s End.

50-44 Henry Street, 1967. Photo courtesy New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission.

It has been Henry’s End since 1973, when a man named Donald Bleekman, who owned the building until 2012, operated it. In 1979, he sold it to Gary Pomponio. In 1980, Mark Lahm was hired as a dishwasher. He had no particular interest in food at the time, but worked a number of jobs at the restaurant, made friends with Pomponio, and took a course at the Culinary Institute of America.

Mark Lahm sits at the bar inside Brooklyn Heights Wine Bar. Photo: Evan Bindelglass

After graduating in 1986, Lahm bought Henry’s End. He’s proud of their Wine Spectator award-wining all-American wine list and annual wild game festival. If you’re wondering, it’s called Henry’s End because it’s not far from the end of Henry Street.

What The Owner Says To Order:
Appetizer: West Indian Bar-b-q Shrimp
Entrée: Chicken Lemonese or Duck with wild mushroom and lingonberry
Dessert: Mud Pie or Apple Cobbler

ARCHIVE DOCUMENT: 1939 Certificate of Occupancy (PDF)

READ MORE

Karl Junkersfeld has been busy documenting the recent developments in Brooklyn Heights – good and bad – with his cam. His latest effort shows off a great new addition to the North Heights, Jack the Horse Next Door. The extension of Jack the Horse Tavern at 37 Cranberry Street serves oysters and small plates.

The long awaited opening of JtH Next Door is here. The satellite of Jack the Horse is serving small plates, cocktails and oysters. Eater NY adds the menu features, “fried goat cheese balls with spiced honey, smoked trout deviled eggs, and roasted brussels sprouts and radishes.” We passed by last night and observed what very well could have been Patron #1 getting ready to order.

The space was previous occupied by Browning Frames and Prints now located in Greenpoint.

RELATED: Botched Break-in at Browning Frames and Prints

Good luck to Tim and the gang at JtH on this new adventure!

The Oyster Room is open. Oysters, cocktails, small plates. #brooklynheights @jthnextdoor pic.twitter.com/2Y9af8BZD1

— Jack the Horse (@jthtavern) July 31, 2014

.@jthnextdoor @jthtavern is open for biz! pic.twitter.com/Jxk737tpIj

— brooklynheightsblog (@bkheightsblog) July 31, 2014

While yesterday’s rain wasn’t great, the weather on Monday saw folks heading outside to catch some rays. Outdoor seating at Henry Street’s Sociale was loading up to capacity. Coupled with the new lease on life at the Brooklyn Heights Cinema, a new addition to Jack the Horse (raw bar?) as well as mainstays Noodle Pudding, Henry’s End, Siggy’s, Bevacco, Henry Street Ale House and (relative) new comer the Brooklyn Heights Wine Bar – the North Heights looks like it’s in for one heckuva season.

Photo: Mrs. Fink

If you haven’t noticed it snowed in Brooklyn Heights today. Here’s the Tale of the Tweets:

There were many notable restaurant openings in Brooklyn Heights in 2013 while others stepped up their game while some faltered…badly.

Last week, Gothamist’s Jen Carlson totally plotzed about Jack the Horse Tavern in the blog’s 2013 round up The 25 Best Things We Ate and Drank in 2013:

Gothamist: Ricotta & Butternut Squash Ravioli at Jack The Horse: I struggled with even mentioning Jack The Horse because it is hands down my favorite place in all of New York City. Everything in this adorable, cozy haven is absolutely terrific—from brunch, to the reasonably-priced large-portioned appetizers, to a full-on multi-course dinner. And I could write an ode to their Aviation cocktail, a sonnet on their Old Fashioned… their bartenders are amongst the best in the five boroughs. But when I first tasted this decadent ravioli dish I was speechless, and maybe a little teary eyed. The perfect pieces of pasta are complimented by a mouthwatering brown butter, along with capers, sage and grana padona cheese—while the portion is not huge, it is worth the $11 (and you can up the size for around $10 to make it a main dish). J.C.

So, within the confines of the Brooklyn Heights Historic District, what was the best thing you had to eat and drink in 2013?

Long time BHB readers may recall that we predicted here in 2007 that the North Heights was poised to become a culinary hot spot. So, with the the debut of Gabriele Corcos at Bevacco Friday night and with the opening of Sociale two blocks down Henry Street planned for Monday (7/29) it’s hard not to be amped up about that “vision” becoming reality.

Despite our unbridled enthusiasm about his arrival, our experience at Bevacco Friday night for Corcos’ debut as Executive Chef was less than spectacular. The food and new menu (which didn’t feel that new or different) is unremarkable comparatively speaking to, say, fellow TV chef Elizabeth Falkner’s run at Atlantic Avenue’s Krescendo. We’ll give Corcos a mulligan on that one considering he’s relatively new to the restaurant business.

Also of note is the revised drinks menu which shows much promise. That said, even a casual fan of Extra Virgin, the Cooking Channel show Corcos hosts with actress wife Debi Mazar, can feel that his creativity was a bit restrained on Night 1.

Yes, it was Corcos’ first night and a new beginning for the eatery housed at the perpetually cursed “Corner of Cranberry” but the long standing issue of slow, aloof and unorganized service that has plagued Bevacco since its opening continues to be its Achilles heel. While we found our meal to be competent – like dinner at foodie friend’s house – whatever satisfaction the food and drink provided was undermined by the usual crazy quilt of service at the eatery. And it wasn’t just us, the table next to us received a bottle of hot white wine. When they mentioned this to their server the reply was essentially, “we don’t usually serve cold bottles of wine.”

The high profile Corcos did pop out of the kitchen to greet diners but from our perspective he appeared to ignore those he didn’t seem to know or to think were important. Most restaurants soft open for “Friends and Family” before opening to the general public but if you’re allowing regular punters (like us!) to dine on Opening Night then everyone should be treated like “Friends and Family.”

For example when our final drink order hadn’t arrived for over 20 minutes and our check was dropped and charging for those still undelivered drinks, Corcos bounded towards us with two limoncellos (the order we’d place and were still waiting for) in hand. That’s enough for us and most folks – famous chef or not – to salve even the worst episode of bad service. That is, unless the chef actually drops those drinks at another table he’d been hobnobbing with all night. That made us wonder if our food had been contaminated with some sort of Tuscan invisibility potion. (File under: Yes, Pete Wells has a point.) To be fair, the warm white wine table did get a selfie with Mazar – but it’s unclear whether they’re friends IRL.

Dinner w/ @LavazzaUSA at @Bevacco #BrooklynHeights & met @debimazar @TheTuscanGun & their daughter Giulia #Gratitude pic.twitter.com/6D0xsHZw8v

— William Joseph Jolly (@WilliamJJolly) July 27, 2013

All this aside, a celebrity chef holding court every night on Henry Street should and can be a great thing for Brooklyn Heights. And while our first experience under this new regime totally bummed us out, we’re holding out hope that Bevacco will rise above these issues.

It’s times like these we wonder – What Would Gordon Ramsay Say?

1) Fix The Problems, Find A Leader.

As Ramsay told the owners of “Grasshopper Also“, “This restaurant will not succeed unless you make the necessary staff changes.” In his monologue, Ramsay adds the the eatery had everything it needed to succeed except a “leader.”

2) Get Out Of Denial. Ramsay tells Allan Love, the recalcitrant owner of Ruby Tates Loves Fish that the “quicker you get out of denial, the quicker we can work together.” Remember folks, it takes team work to make the dream work.

3) Communication Is Key. Transparency, respect and honesty may not always be a joy ride but it’ll make for a more productive restaurant. At Seascape, the owner and chef didn’t speak to each other.

4) Overpriced And Underwhelming Is No Way To Run A Restaurant. At Rococo, Ramsay railed against its pretentious food and “f*&^ing ridiculous prices”. After we dropped a double C-note for our experience at Bevacco this is particularly relevant.

5) Super-Serve The Locals. “When running a restaurant in Spain, don’t piss off the locals,” Ramsay says in the episode featuring La Parra. After a disastrous catering event for a local charity, the restaurant had a hard time convincing area residents to dine there. They never recovered from that mistake. The Brooklyn Heights restaurants that do well in the area know this and all have strong list of regulars – Noodle Pudding, Henry’s End, Jack the Horse, Armando’s, River Deli, Colonie and a few others are great examples. Put simply, showbiz friends, unless they live in the area, will not carry the business beyond relaunch.

BONUS TIP: Whatever You Do, Don’t Act Like Amy’s Baking Company.

DUMBO resident/actor/80s icon Fisher Stevens is featured in a DNAInfo article today. In it, he reveals that he’ll be moving out of the neighborhood soon.

He says about the area, “To be honest, some of it’s better and some of it’s worse. I love Citi Bikes, but they seem to be on every corner in DUMBO now and Bloomberg is kind of — he’s just made one of the main thoroughfares a two-way, so it’s opened up a lot of traffic. It’s packed. When I moved there, it was just beginning to get crowded, but now it’s pretty packed.”

Stevens says he spends a lot of time in Brooklyn Heights:

DNAInfo: Well, I live off Brooklyn Heights, I go to Brooklyn Heights too. The places I love are in Brooklyn Heights and DUMBO. I love a bar called Jack the Horse. That’s at kind of the beginning of Brooklyn Heights. I love a restaurant called Henry’s End in Brooklyn Heights — classic, amazing food. I don’t eat much meat, but it’s wild game so the elk is spectacular. Even though you’re in Brooklyn, you feel like you’re in Jackson Hole. And then of course, I go to eat pizza at Grimaldi’s and Juliana’s — I kind of alternate now that there’s pizza wars in my neighborhood. I love them both.

And then the best sandwich in New York, I think is in DUMBO. It’s at a place called Almondine. It’s a French bakery and it was really wiped out — a lot of places were hit bad during Sandy, but now it’s coming back strong. It’s a vegetarian sandwich that’s just off the charts. It’s the bread that’s so good.

And then I love Vinegar Hill — I eat dinner there a lot.

Stevens will be a judge at the short film festival Tropfest, June 22 in Prospect Park.

Photo: DNAInfo

Travel site Gadling takes a look at Brooklyn Heights through the eyes of Pineapple Street resident Elisabeth Eaves. The author of a book about stripping (“Bare“) and another about travel (“Wanderlust“), Eaves shouts out neighborhood favorites like Jack the Horse (she says it’s the best in Brooklyn Heights) and Vineapple.

Gadling: Does she think she’s here for good?

“My fantasy is that I can keep the place we have now as a pied-à-terre,” she tells me. “If left totally to my own devices, there’s probably a good chance I’d just stay in New York.” But her husband is eager to move closer to family. The pair struck a bit of a deal when they first met: Eaves’ husband would move to Brooklyn for a stretch to be with her but he gets first dibs on the next city they relocate to.

Before we part ways, she takes me to one of the spots she might miss if she leaves New York. The sun has set by the time we enter Jack the Horse Tavern on Hicks and Cranberry Street. Eaves calls the big-windowed, brick-lined restaurant the best in Brooklyn Heights. If the happy hour cocktails are any indication, she’s onto something. We could continue our literary themed afternoon by ordering Hemingway daiquiris, but instead we both settle on gin infusions.

The stalwart Jack The Horse Tavern plans to open an adjoining retail store with overflow seating, according to a notice posted at the secondary locale at 37A Cranberry Street, the former space of Browning Frames.

The beloved restaurant—located at at 66 Hicks Street at the corner of Cranberry—is seeking a license to sell and serve beer, wine & booze at the new spot, which will be up for approval at the Community 2 Board’s next meet, Wednesday, March 6 at Brooklyn Hospital’s First Floor Dining Room on Dekalb Avenue @ St. Felix Place.

Jack opened in June 2006.

Tim Oltmans, owner & chef of nabe fave Jack the Horse Tavern, tells BHB that the restaurant will be donating 10% of all sales to @RobinHoodNYC, through Thursday, November 9. See more about the organization here. Jack is at 66 Hicks Street @ the corner of Cranberry. If you have yet to stop by one of the Heights’ friendliest eateries—with a wondrous menu—perhaps this is the time, eh? (Photo: Claude Scales)

Pumpkin carver Hugh McMahon, nabe Jazzman Eric Loffswold, the Jack the Horsefolks and belly dancers are all at the Cranberry Street Festival (between Willow and Hicks) this afternoon. Check out Homer’s updates after the jump!

More details have come our way for the 2012 Cranberry Street Fair this Saturday, October 13, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., from Hicks to Willow streets: While Eric Loffsfold and Bruce Edward play cool jazz throughout the day, take part in games and contests (count the cranberries and guess the weight of the pumpkin). Little ones are invited to paint mini pumpkins, while older children can explore the 205th’s fire engine. Also: fortune telling, artistic face painting and voter registration.

Children’s Yoga begins activities at 11:30 (no mat or age requirement); the Pet Parade is at noon (all entries take home the blue); and at 12:30, Mimi Soltana’s troupe Tribal Dance Manhattan performs (and then treats all to a belly dancing lesson). A raffle concludes the Fair at 3 p.m. And… the bar at Jack The Horse Tavern will be open from noon to 3 (restrooms at 11).

For sale: eats, autumnal flowers, books, Cranberry Street logo T-shirts designed by James Childs, fleas and collectible treasures. All proceeds go to neighborhood beautification.

Organizers invite all neighborhood residents to donate books, CDs, used but working electronics, toys and treasures. Please bring items to the Fair. There is also consideration for a Cranberry cookbook, so bring recipes! If you’ve made the dish, feel free to cart that to the baked goods table. Merchants who wish to donate to the raffle may also do so at the Fair. And finally, volunteer! Assemble at 10 a.m. in front of 23 Cranberry Street.

Dellarocco’s of Brooklyn
Jack the Horse Tavern
Chez Moi
Heights Cafe
Picnic

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