Hillside, the sister cafe next to Vinegar Hill House is offering 1/2 dozen oysters + glass of beer or white wine for $10 on Sunday – Thursday (closed Monday) from 5:30pm – 7:30pm.

reBar’s reBarnacle has ramen. The menu includes miso, shoyu, and tonkotsu ramen for $10 – $12. How is it?

Hillside Cafe
70 Hudson Avenue (at Water Street), Vinegar Hill, Brooklyn NY

reBar / reBarnacle
147 Front Street, Brooklyn NY 11201

The owners of Vinegar Hill House (VHH) meet with Vice for an episode of Munchies. Jean Adamson (chef/co-owner of VHH), Sam Buffa (co-owner of VHH), Brian Leth (chef de cuisine at VHH), Andrew Field from Rockaway Taco and Chris Perachini, owner of Roberta’s go to Hotel Delmano and Pies ‘N Thighs in Williamsburg before heading back to Vinegar Hill House for an after hours pizza cook off with their co-owners Sammy Stewart, Justin Gallaher, staff and friends.

See the video to hear about Jean’s plans before opening VHH and why they chose Vinegar Hill. Jean described the first months of Vinegar Hill House as a “shit show”. For those who went during opening month at VHH (including us), we didn’t have a bad experience. You would’ve thought that they had everything worked out. Then Brian Leth joined as the chef de cuisine.

Vinegar Hill House
72 Hudson Avenue, Brooklyn NY 11201
718-522-1018

After 4+ months, Almondine Bakery has rebuilt and is now open. Hurricane Sandy destroyed the kitchen and baking equipment in October 2012. The damage was so extensive that owner/chef Hervé Poussot was doubtful that the bakery could be rebuilt. He had to close the Park Slope location since the baking occurred in the basement of the Dumbo location. But the community came together to help him rebuild with a pop-up fundraiser event, online fundraiser, and created a Facebook page to keep supporters updated. Dumbo is lucky to have Almondine back!

(Photo courtesy of Friends of Almondine Facebook page)

Almondine Bakery (almondinebakery.com)
85 Water Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201

gofundme.com/save-almondine
Friends of Almondine Facebook page
@AlmondineNYC

We mentioned in October 2012 that 66 Water Street Restaurant was rebranded and reopened. They remodeled and bought in Executive Chef Jonathan Lemon, from The Linc restaurant and Zigolinis to create a new contemporary American cuisine menu that includes entrees such as poached artic char, fettuccine zucchini, and a “Pat La Frieda” burger.

Then less than a month later, Hurricane Sandy hit NYC. You remember that Water Street and Main Street was hit particularly hard, which permanently closed Governor. Almondine Bakery is still rebuilding and hope to open in the spring.

66 Water Street got walloped with 18,000 cubic feet of water, drowning their newly installed kitchen, destroying computer systems, dry storage, liquor supply, furniture and 12 years of cherished memories and everything the restaurant needed to operate. But they’ve since rebuilt and opened late in 2012. They have been hosting weddings, Bar Mitzvhas, Bridal Showers, and events since then and is serving Dumbo residents. Executive Chef Jonathan Lemon has returned and is now open.

Here’s a message from 66 Water Street about events in March:

• Every weekday Happy Hour from Noon to 7pm.
• March Madness throughout March with the Final Four and Finals in the UnderWater Lounge ending the month.
• March 6th a Breast Cancer Awareness Fundraiser and Silent Auction and the public is invited.
• March 8 the UnderWater Lounge open at 7pm for an After Work “Loungie” Night with soft music.
• March 10 Sunday Time Out for Hunger 2013 (10%) of sales for Food Bank of NYC.
• March 11 through 21st Dine in Brooklyn.
• March 17th join us to celebrate St Patricks Day with Irish Specials both liquid and Entrees.
• March 20th we will celebrate the beginning of Spring with a SunSet Concert
• March 31st Easter Sunday with Special Entrees added to our Brunch.
• Every Sunday we serve our Booze Brunch from Noon to 4pm.

More to come in April. Check out their newly redone dining room and menu and let us know what you think.

66 Water Street Restaurant (66waterstreet.com)
66 Water Street, Brooklyn NY 11201

(Photo by ceonyc on Instagram)

Olympia Wine Bar’s official opening is on Tuesday, February 26, 2013. Karen Johnson, who co-owns 68 Jay Street Bar is also opening Olympia Wine Bar less than half a block apart. We caught up with Karen at 68 Jay Street Bar who told us, “The neighborhood needs more places where people can gather and enjoy a drink. I know people are hoping for more food options, and I would love to provide that. But Olympia’s small kitchen will be turning out small plates with room for growth. We’ll be serving appetizers such as cheeses and crostinis to start.”

We mentioned in a previous post that Olympia, in a nod to Dumbo’s history, was the name given to the waterfront community in the late 1700s. And speaking of community, Karen has been deeply involved in the neighborhood for a long time as a resident, local business owner, holds board positions with the Dumbo Improvement District, and represents Community Board 2. 68 Jay Street Bar has been open for 9 years, bringing live music, cocktails, and community together. Olympia Wine Bar is a new chapter for Dumbo with what will be its own distinct vibe. Come check it out and welcome Olympia Wine Bar!

Olympia Wine Bar
54 Jay Street, Brooklyn NY 11201 (at Water Street in Dumbo)
Daily hours: 4pm-midnight

Previously:
{Olympia Wine Bar at 54 Jay Street, 11feb2013}
{Owner of 54 Jay Street Looking to Open Wine Bar, 04Jun2012}
{Ajimas Grocery on Jay Street Closed, 14Apr2011}

Brooklyn Cupcake has a new retail storefront at 61 Pearl Street in Dumbo. This is their third location (along with their Williamsburg and Long Island City ones). Among the 18 flavors include tres leche, french toast, tiramisu, and red velvet. Welcome to Dumbo!

(Photos courtesy of Dumbo Parents on facebook)

Brooklyn Cupcake
(facebook.com/brooklyncupcake)
61 Pearl Street, Brooklyn NY 11201
tel: 718.576.3600

Hours: 12noon-7pm

A wine bar, called Olympia Wine Bar will be opening at 54 Jay Street in Dumbo. We don’t have an opening date yet, but the interior construction looks close to completed. (Let us know if you know the open date).

In a nod to Dumbo’s history, the bar is named Olympia, which was a name given to the waterfront community east of the original ferry landing at the foot of what is now Fulton Landing in the late 1700s (ref: see prior post Dumbo, the Historic District With the Modern Name and page 8, from the Dumbo Historic District LPC designation report.)

Olympia Wine Bar
54 Jay Street, Brooklyn NY 11201

Previously:
{Owner of 54 Jay Street Looking to Open Wine Bar, 04Jun2012}
{Ajimas Grocery on Jay Street Closed, 14Apr2011}

(Photo from Governor)

We’re sad to hear that Governor restaurant will not reopen. After Hurrican Sandy destroyed the restaurant on October 29, 2012, Governor vowed to rebuild. There was a successful crowdfunding campaign on Gofundme.com that allowed the community to help them rebuild. Dumbo was rooting for them to come back. They, along with the restaurant group’s Gran Electrica and Colonie have given Dumbo quality food choices. However, the “scope and scale of repairing the damage to our restaurant is beyond our means financially.” We wish the Governor staff well.

Statement from the Governor staff:

The humblest of thanks for the outpouring of support and generosity in the wake of Hurricane Sandy. The response from the community, the restaurant industry, and the media has been gracious, thoughtful, and deeply touching. We have, regrettably, been forced to accept that the scope and scale of repairing the damage to our restaurant is beyond our means financially. It is with a very heavy heart that we must face up to this fact.

To all of you who donated so generously to help us realize our vision of rebuilding, we are forever grateful. The myriad concerns related to ending a business have made this process complicated and difficult. However, we plan to refund all who donated to our cause as soon as possible. We truly regret that we were not able to bring Governor back to DUMBO.

Please provide a mailing address and we will issue checks to all of you as soon as we can.

Warmest wishes and all our best,
The Governor family

The construction signs for Pinkberry Dumbo have gone up, which says that the Dumbo location will open in “early 2013.” The frozen yogurt chain had initial plans to open in October 2012, but Hurricane Sandy delayed the construction of the interior.

Pinkberry
117 Front Street, Brooklyn NY 11201

For New Year’s Eve in Dumbo Brooklyn, here’s a list of places to celebrate the countdown to 2013:

• 66 Water Street Restaurant: The 7th Annual Procrastinators Ball. Live DJ, balloon drop, champagne at midnight. No cover, no minimum. Kitchen open until 2:30am, bar until 4am. 66 Water Street.
• AlMar: Open bar, food, dancing all night. $85. 111 Front Street.
• Barge Music: 7pm. $100. Bargemusic is at Fulton Ferry Landing near the Brooklyn Bridge.
• Galapagos Art Space: A 1920s Paris New Year’s Eve. Performances include can-can dancers, trapeze artists, acrobats followed by a night of dancing. $150. Bar open until 1am. 16 Main Street.
• Gran Electrica: New Year’s Eve menu, four courses for $55. DJ, music, & drink specials. 6pm-10:30pm dinner, drinks through 2am. No cover for drinks. 5 Front Street.
• reBar: New Year’s Bash. $119 for one or $199 a couple. 9pm – 3am. 147 Front Street.
• Superfine: New Year’s Eve. Music, burlesque, DJ, dance party. $25 a person to book at table, $20 General admission, $10 after 2am. 126 Front Street.
• The Eighteenth Annual Brooklyn Bridge Walk Into the New Year: Party and play on the Brooklyn Bridge. $40 online, $50 cash on the spot. Meeting Place: is in front of McDonald’s, 160 Broadway between Cortlandt and Liberty Streets (Manhattan).