From the Dumbo Improvement District:

O’Crepes (O for Organic) has just opened this week on Front Street between Pearl & Jay. The organic crepe shop is open daily from 10am. You can order one of the specialty combos with names like Architectural Digest (original crepe filled with chicken, mushrooms, ratatouille, onions, & swiss cheese) or Morning O’Crepe, or create your own from their sweet & savory, crepe & filling options.

O’Crepes is located at the retail/street level (next to PS Bookshop) and is part of the SHOP @ Green Desk space.

O’Crepes
143 Front Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201

Previously:
{SHOP @ Green Desk Opening, 25Jan2010}

We posted about Dumbo Muffin (the cafe) before and how it’s unrelated to the Dumbo Muffins wholesale business. Despite the similarity in the name, the Dumbo Muffin cafe opened a few weeks ago. We haven’t had a chance to try the cafe yet. Has anyone tried and if so, how is it?

Dumbo Muffin
63 Pearl Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201
718-596-6700

Dine In Brooklyn is happening through Thursday, 3/25. More than 200 Brooklyn restaurants are serving up three-course dinner menus for just $25, three-course lunches for $20.10. Take advantage of these final few days of Dine In Brooklyn!

Dumbo area participants include:

• Bubby’s Brooklyn, 1 Main Street, Lunch & Dinner
• Ignazio’s, 4 Water Street, Dinner Only
• Rice, 81 Washington Street, Dinner Only
• Water Street Restaurant & Lounge, 66 Water Street, Dinner Only
• The River Cafe, 1 Water Street, Lunch Only

For more information, go to ishopbrooklyn.com and brooklynboroughpresidentsoffice.presslift.com/dine-in-brooklyn.

Despite the recommendation against a cabaret license at One Front Street by the Community Board 2 committee, the Department of Consumer Affairs has granted the license today. Several residents objected to the license at the CB2 meeting on November 4, 2009 stating that the noise would be too loud for the neighborhood. However, owner, Marcelo Pevida, stated that his dance club will not be like other clubs and will help the community. One Front will officially open its 3rd floor ballroom as part of a Saturday Dinner & Dancing series starting on April 17. What do you think? Press release from One Front:

They Can Dance If They Want To (in DUMBO)

No. 1 Front Street, the stately tri-level restaurant-lounge at the corner of Front and Old Fulton streets, has received a coveted “cabaret license” from the Department of Consumer Affairs — a requisite for (legal) dancing.

“It’s official – There Will Be Dancing in DUMBO,” said spokesman Ron Alan. “To our knowledge we have the only cabaret license in the neighborhood.”

Alan said further: “We are pleased our application to the DCA was compelling. In five years under the management of owner Marcelo Pevida, this venue has had a clean record. No violations from NYPD, NYFD, the SLA, or other regulatory agencies. We are grateful for written endorsements from our neighbors, such as Grimaldi’s Pizza, and many residential neighbors and business associations.”

No. 1 Front will christen its cabaret license in April when it officially opens its 3rd Floor Ballroom, as part of a Saturday Dinner & Dancing Series. ($50 for 2 people.)

“Think swing, Latin, the Charleston, The Hustle,” explains Alan. “It fits with the building’s character.” No. 1 Front is a landmarked building, built in 1869 as Brooklyn’s first safety deposit bank.

# # #

One Front Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201
(at Old Fulton Street in Fulton Ferry Landing)
(718) 625-4488

Previously:
{Application for Cabaret License at One Front, 03Nov2009}
{CB2: No Dancing at One Front Street, 05Nov2009}

[UPDATE May 2011: Choice Market has a new owner. It is now called The Gallery. Therefore the reviews/comments are no longer valid.]

Choice Market is now open until 11pm every night. Also, the cheese & charcuterie and wine & beer are now available. Free delivery from 9am-10pm.

Choice Market
108 Jay Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201
Tel: 718.797.1695
Fax: 718.797.1914
Courtenay@choicemarkets.com

(PDF of menu here (632kb))

Previously:
More photos on the Flickr site here.
{Choice Market (Dumbo) Open for Business, 18Feb2010}
{Choice to Open this Week, 09Feb2010}
{Choice Market Opening Soon?, 15Jan2010}
{April Dumbo Food Tidbits, 01Apr2009}
{Choice Market to Occupy J Condo Location, 22Jul2008}

There’s a new food truck option in Dumbo. They will be on Front and Main Street every Monday through Fridays during lunch. Menu items include gyro (lamb), chicken gyro, chicken with rice and vegetables, chicken cutlet, Philly steaks, falafel, hot dogs, hot sausages. Most dishes are $4.99.

This is in addition to the Rickshaw Dumpling Truck (Twitter @rickshawtruck) every Mondays, Schnitzel & Things every Fridays, and others that stop by on occassion. Look for more trucks as the weather gets warmer. Can we say food truck wars?

Previously:
{Wafels & Dinges in Dumbo, 08Dec2009}
{Taiwanese Cravings Truck Visits Dumbo, 12Aug2009}
{Schnitzel Fridays in Dumbo, 07Aug2009}
{Schnitzel & Things Truck Lands in Dumbo, 27Jul2009}
{Rickshaw Dumpling Truck in Dumbo, 16Mar2009}
{Ice Cream Trucks in Dumbo, 12Jun2008}
{Treats Truck at Pearl St. Triangle, 19Jul2007}

Champion eater Takeru Kobayashi (Google Translate) broke the world record of 26 meatballs eaten in 1 minute this afternoon at Fulton Ferry Landing. He finished eating 29 meatballs in one minute. Japanese television Fuji TV covered the event.

Officials from the Guiness Book of World Records were there to make it official. After weighing the meatballs (minimum weight of 14 grams is required per meatball), and stating the rules (must eat one at a time, yes to water, cannot use hands), Kobayashi quickly downed the 29 IKEA meatballs. Kobayashi told us that the world record didn’t seem that much initially, but it’s more than he thought in 60 seconds. “Want to grab pizza?” Says Kobayashi, “No thanks, I’m ok now, but I love NY pizza!”

(Sign behind is translated as “Guiness World Record for Meatball Eating”)

More photos in Flickr set.

Today’s amNY features Dumbo in their Food Lover’s guide to this Brooklyn neighborhood. As the article says, “Fresh and local food is the focus of the eateries and specialty food shops in Brooklyn’s Dumbo neighborhood. Innovative chefs and purveyors take cues from the neighborhood’s artistic community, with eclectic and creative cuisine.” There is a list of 8 places to check out for food in Dumbo:

1. Brooklyn Flea (June to November), Water and New Dock Street
2. Jacques Torres Chocolate, 85 Water Street
3. Almondine Bakery, 66 Water Street
4. ñ and Rice, 81 Washington Street
5. Foragers Market, 56 Adams Street
6. Superfine, 126 Front Street
7. Baco, 71 Jay Street
8. Vinegar Hill House, 72 Hudson Avenue

Surprising to see River Cafe and Grimaldi’s Pizza off the list since food lists in Dumbo typically include them. But others such as newcomer Choice Market, reBar, and the more upscale 5 Front were excluded as well. Rumor has it that there are a few cafes and/or restaurants being planned in the area, but nothing is set yet. If anyone cares to share, please comment!

{amNY 24 Feb 2010 Page 24 (pdf)}

One Front Street is offering homemade fruit-infused vodka shots, burger sliders, and other specials for $1 every Wednesday through Sunday in the month of March, according to a story by The Brooklyn Paper.

“I’m strapped just like everyone else, so I’m gonna be my number one customer,” said owner Marcelo Pevida. “It’s a bad time for everyone — we’ve changed our menu and our name [from Toro], and we want to get people in here.”

Any reviews about the food at One Front?

(Photo by New York Big Apple Images)

One Front Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201
(at Old Fulton Street in Fulton Ferry Landing)
(718) 625-4488

Previously:
{CB2: No Dancing at One Front Street, 05Nov2009}
{Application for Cabaret License at One Front, 03Nov2009}

The Dumbo/Vinegar Hill CSA is holding an informational meeting about the CSA. You will also have a chance to meet the CSA farmer (Fred Lee of Sang Lee Farms) and to learn about the CSA.

When: Tuesday, March 2, 2010, 7:30pm
Where: Phoenix House, 50 Jay Street (between Water and Plymouth Street)

For more info, go to dumbocsa.org.

{Past CSA Posts}