Brooklyn Food & Drink Round-Up

Coming Soon to Bed-Stuy and Red Hook
“The space at 1047 Bedford Avenue (on the corner of Greene), once the home of So Beautiful Salon and Spa, is becoming an Indian restaurant,” Bed-Stuy Blog reports. And Grub Street has good news for Red Hook: “Ever-expanding Italian ice empire Uncle Louie G has announced that it will open an outpost at 414 Van Brunt Street between Coffey and Van Dyke Streets. Look for the usual 60 flavors of ices and ice creams come spring.” Photo by Bed-Stuy Blog.

Dine-In Brooklyn: March 15-25
“On Monday, more than 200 restaurants from Greenpoint to Gravesend and from Red Hook to Bushwick will kick off the seventh annual ‘Dine in Brooklyn’ week, a 10-day festival of three-course, (mostly) gourmet dinners for just $25,” the Brooklyn Paper reports. Their favorite participating restaurants include Bamonte’s, Madiba, Melt, Palo Santo, and Provence en Boite.

Chowhound Buzz: Kaz An Nou
53 6th Avenue, between Dean and Bergen; (718) 938-3235
Chowhound chowbie posts a rave review of this new “Guadeloupian-French” spot in Prospect Heights: “It’s BYOB at the moment so despite our gluttony the bill was $93 for 4 of us. A terrific mushroom & apple soup; beet salad; plantains with cheese; cod fritters; and pheasant pate to start were eaten with great delight. The West Indian-style burger, the spicy lamb lasagne, and jerk chicken with goat cheese and perfectly cooked veggies all were also wonderful.” Anyone else been to this place?

After the jump: The best coffee bars in Brooklyn, a thumbs down for Nigerian food in Fort Greene, the word on Moutarde, Brooklyn Brewery’s Dark Matter, and more…

Get Your Caffeine Fix
The New York Times shares and handsome and helpful Interactive Coffee Map, highlighting the best places to get your caffeine on in Manhattan and Brooklyn. There are plenty of options in South Brooklyn, but the only spot around these parts that gets starred as an “outstanding coffee bar” is Cafe Grumpy, which also has a location in Williamsburg. North Brooklyn’s outstanding spots also include Gimme! Coffee and Variety Coffee and Tea.

Anybody Been to En?
277 Cumberland Street; (347) 725-3563‎
Chowhound Mangita shares a disparaging review of En Restaurant in Fort Greene: “We waited for our food for a good hour and the appetizer (the codfish balls) came out with our main meal… I don’t know now if I simply don’t like Nigerian food or if this was simply poorly prepared but I have a feeling it was the latter. The kitchen seemed so unprofessional. After all, there was only one other table occupied and they left about half way into our long wait for our food.” Can anybody who has more experience with Nigerian fare share their thoughts on this place?

Quick Bites
According to Chowhound, Moutarde is currently shuttered but it’s “really undergoing renovations”—and isn’t gone for good… During the week of March 22, Brooklyn Brewery is planning to release Dark Matter, a robust brown ale aged for four months in bourbon and rye whiskey barrels that’s full of caramel and chocolate flavors heightened by vanilla-like oak notes and hints of the barrels’ previous tenants, says Grub Street… Gowanus Yacht Club is getting ready from spring, says Eater.