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Food

New Restaurants on the Radar: Brouwerij Lane, Sora Lella, An Choi


By

John Del Signore

Published Mar 17, 2009

Modified Mar 17, 2009


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By

John Del Signore

Published Mar 17, 2009

Modified Mar 17, 2009


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Brouwerij Lane: This first one isn't a restaurant, it's better: a source for growlers of tap beer and bottled beer in Greenpoint, where we've been spending many weekends savoring the laid-back Franklin Street scene. (Though the occasional spray of gunfire has somewhat harshed the vibe.) Brouwerij Lane owner Ed Raven, who imports Gaffel Kolsch and other German and Belgian beer through his importing company, opened the place last weekend. There is a rotating ensemble of ten beers on tap, which currently include local Polish favorite Zywiec, unbeatable Red Hook microbrew Sixpoint, and Jever Dark, a rarity in New York. A one-time deposit of $5 gets you a glass growler (the equivalent of roughly four American pints), and $10 gets it refilled. This coming Saturday at 1 p.m., Raven's holding an opening party with free beer tasting and Viennese goulash from Fort Greene's Thomas Beisl. 78 Greenpoint Avenue.

Sora Lella: Since opening during the Second World War, Rome's Sora Lella restaurant—located on Tiberina Island with views of the Tiber River on all sides—has become an international sensation. The first American location will now try to replicate the original's success, though this one is located near Hudson Street, not in the Hudson River. According to NY Mag, the owner's grandsons Mauro and Simone Trabalza have just opened in the space that briefly housed Lomito. The menu includes such authentic fare as paccheri all’amatriciana, puntarelle with anchovy dressing, and artichokes two ways (fried Jewish style, or steamed and stuffed with anchovy, garlic, and mint). 300 Spring Street, (212) 366-4749.

An Choi: This hole-in-the-wall restaurant is intended to resemble a street alley in Saigon, with a food cart inside dispensing banh mi sandwiches. The Feed reports sandwich fillings like crispy roasted pork with pickled carrots, daikon radish, cilantro and aioli. And Pho; chicken or beef broths with rice noodles, bean sprouts, Thai basil and lime; is also served. An Choi has been in soft opening mode for a couple weeks now, but an official "grand opening" is imminent, and the proprietors have taken the opportunity to swat back at commenters on Eater who wonder why anyone would pay $8 for a bahn mi so close to Chinatown, where one can get two for that price. Co-owner Huy Bui counters, somewhat unpersuasively, that "all the dishes are under $10 which we think is suited for these economic conditions that we're all facing." 85 Orchard Street, (212) 226-3700.

Tagged

An Choi

beer

Brouwerij Lane

greenpoint

italian

new

nyc

opening

restaurant

soho

sora lella


John Del Signore

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Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.

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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations


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