south slope restaurant news

i can recall the first time i took the b63 bus from my first brooklyn apartment in sunset park (7th and 42nd) down to my friends house on 18th between 5th and 6th -- the trip down 5th ave. was a trip through, what seemed to be at the time, a no-mans land. I passed by the cemetery on my right and quickly glanced at the low rise industrial buildings to my left as the bus sped through the thirties. passing through the twenties, the bus stopped a bit more frequently to pick up a few families heading further down 5th. the bus started to stop with a bit more regularity as it rolled through the teens-- and having realized that i had missed my stop, i got off at ninth street. this was sometime in late 2001 and as it was, 9th street seemed very much like a dividing line. walking back towards 18th street, i took note of the many 99 cent stores, the discount electronic shops, a few mexican restaurants and a bunch of bodegas.



jumping forward six years, the scene is quite different. the thirties are still dominated by greenwood cemetery and low rise industrials, while the twenties are home to a few pioneers and the teens are becoming quite busy.

in restaurant news, i hear that the guys who run bar toto (6th and 11) are opening up another spot on the corner of 3rd ave. and 9th street. I have passed by this location many times and always been intrigued by the large bay windows across the front. it looks as if they are going to have an outdoor seating area possibly along 9th street. although, personally, that's a tough corner to want to sit on with the traffic and the lovely view of enterprise rent-a-car/ auto body repair shop.



in other news, i hear that the ecuadorian restaurant salinas, best known in my mind for serving guinea pig (and i might note that it was the most expensive item on the menu) is closed for good and will re-open in the next few weeks as an upscale mexican restaurant, and by upscale i hear we're talking mezcals style. doesn't seem like the best choice - but that's just my opinion.



moving down 5th ave. i noticed that aniello pizzeria on 5th and 11th has taken down their iconic sign. a hand written note on the gate claims that they are closed for renovations, i wonder if will they open up as a pizza joint or something else? my money is on something else, as personally, i think the pizza up the street at joe's is far superior.



sidecar has been getting mixed reviews - the atmosphere and decor are getting high marks, while the food is getting up and down reviews. i suspect that it's a case of figuring everything out. so far, i've heard that the buttermilk fried chicken is really good, the blt soup is tasty and the brandade is excellent. the burgers are well seasoned, however there have been some issues with getting the proper level of done-ness. i'm hoping to try them at some point this week-- for now, you can check out the menu below. sidecar is open tuesday - sunday 5pm to midnight and is still byo for the next several weeks.


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a couple of words about a new sushi restaurant and vin rouge after the expansion

lastly, i hear that a new sushi restaurant is opening up on 5th ave. between 17th and 18th in the former coffee shack store front and on one final note, i have yet to mention the wine bar, vin rouge that opened up on 5th and 17th several months ago.



i've yet to go in,and i'm not sure why because i rather like wine and snacks but something strikes me as a bit off about this place. maybe i'm just really kind of peculiar about wine and what i'm willing to pay 8/9 a glass for. anybody been in with a good review?