Wednesday Food & Drink Round-Up

Coming Soon: Clover Club
210 Smith Street, between Butler and Baltic, Cobble Hill/Boerum Hill
Back in November, Epicurious reported that Julie Reiner, co-owner of Flatiron Lounge was gearing up to bring her old school cocktails (along with a bar menu created by Gavin Citron, the man behind the classy snacks at Pegu Club) to Smith Street by December ’07. That didn’t happen, but there’s been some activity in the space. Blogger Robert Simonson of Off The Press, who snapped this photo before the sign was covered by a black tarp, explain’s the bar’s name: “The Clover Club is a lovely, under-recognized egg-based drink from days gone by, and it’s right that it’s so honored.” The big question: Will Clover Club’s killer cocktails share Flatiron Lounge’s wallet-busting prices?

Union Hall Says No to Strollers
702 Union Street at 5th Avenue, Park Slope
“When the owners of Union Hall — a moody, dark-paneled bar and brunch spot in Park Slope, Brooklyn — recently posted a sign that read ‘Please, No Strollers’ under another one reading ‘No One Under 21 Admitted,’ they did not see it as a declaration of war with the neighborhood’s sizable population of young parents…Local parenting blogs were soon bristling with denunciations.” [NY Times]

Vanderbilt Avenue Renaissance
“A decade ago, Prospect Heights’ Vanderbilt Avenue was little more than an automotive speedway lined with liquor stores and barbershops… But since [Soda Bar] opened in 2002, this street—only eight blocks long, from Atlantic Avenue to Grand Army Plaza—has blossomed into a bona fide destination.” [Time Out New York]

Jack the Horse Gets Romantic
66 Hicks Street, Corner of Hicks and Cranberry, Brooklyn Heights; (718) 852-5084
Looks like VittlesVamp has a crush on Maxwell Britten, the new bartender at Jack the Horse, thanks to his Valentine’s Day-inspired elixir, the Love Lane: “Named after a real-life romantically-dubbed alleyway in Brooklyn Heights, how could I resist Max’s fizzy concoction of Prosecco, Harvest Syrup, House-made Brandy Poached Cherries and Rose Flower Water?”

After the jump: A first look at Clinton Hill’s Rustik, Taco Bite reopens, PJ Hanley’s get a pizza oven, and Fulton Street hippies rejoice at Green Planet…

Now Open: Rustik
471 DeKalb Avenue, Clinton Hill; Brooklyn; (347) 906-9700
“The space inside is open and inviting, and the decor is very classy – lots of wood and brick. There are shelves with old issues of National Geographic along with an old piano in the back. There’s also a great outdoor garden space with a fire pit that will apparently be used for grilling in the warmer months… I had the Butcherboy Burgers – three ground turkey sliders stuffed with blue cheesed and topped with sauteed onions and served with greens.” [Clinton Hill Foodie]

Now Reopened: Taco Bite
310 South 4th Street, between Rodney and Keap, Williamsburg
“Taco Bite has reopened at a new corner location at 310 S4th Street (aka 332 Rodney Street). They opened over the weekend. Their hours (I think) are 7am-10pm… open for breakfast. They are closed on Mondays.” [Chowhound]

Pizza at PJ Hanley’s
449 Court Street, at 4th Place, Carroll Gardens; (718) 834-8223
“PJ Hanley’s, the storied Carroll Gardens pub and purportedly one of the oldest bars in Brooklyn, has made an important addition to draw in new neighbors—a pizza oven. A phone call to the bar confirms that the owners just installed a coal burning pizza oven and will be serving pies starting Friday.” [Eater]

Now Open: Green Planet
Fulton Street at Washington Avenue, Clinton Hill
“Green Planet seems to be an ideal mix of the super hippie-dippie organic stuff, as well as the more mainstream organic stuff, and prices seem fairly reasonable. Staff seemed nice, too. Plus, the hours are AMAZING (8am to 10pm!!!)… this’ll be a great place to stop for a smoothie while taking a walk, loading up on dried fruit and stopping in for snacks when Associated is closed (ahem, Sunday evenings!). You could probably do a lot of your basic grocery shopping there — they have dairy, pastas, condiments, etc.” [Clinton Hill Blog]