Good News/Bad News: Red Hook Edition
Monday, July 9, 2007
The restaurant and bar scene in Red Hook hangs precariously in the balance, per usual. Fortunately, the news on this Monday isn't all bad. In fact, half of it is downright good. We'll start with the cheery, then drop the hammer.
Good News: Regarding Pioneer Bar, please adjust your registers: "New owners are taking over the Pioneer bar in Red Hook and all should be finalized by the end of next week. Some renovations permitting, it should be open as the same ol' Pioneer BBQ within the next couple of weeks. So there's no need to worry!! :-)." Exhale. [EaterWire Inbox]
Bad News: More on the disintegrating state of affairs at Red Hook's one-time culinary pride and joy 360: "The restaurant 360, which is currently "closed for renovation" may not re-open. Sources in Red Hook said, the chef/owner, Arnaud, is burnt out and tired of the place. He wants out and will probably sell it to one, or few, his staff. Arnaud is currently on vacation and probably scuba diving in some exotic locale with no intention of returning to work." [EaterWire Inbox]
Liberty Heights Tap Room also under new ownership. Now called Rocky Sullivan's. They only had one type of house-brewed Sixpoint on tap when we went by Friday. And brewery tours have been canceled for the summer.
Who the hell goes to Pioneer anyway? It's been a bad joke to everyone in the neighborhood since the day it opene - the food sucks, the decor is condescending, the staff befuddled when at their best.
One guy who worked at Pioneer recently threatened to throw his bike at me on the street. I hope they don't give him his job back. And personally I feel no sadness over 360. Perhaps I missed their heyday, but for a vegetarian they were a disappointment and a rip-off. Rock on Good Fork!!
The food at Pioneer sucked. If they reopen with the same awful food I will have to continue eating taking the bus to Carroll Gardens to eat. I mean they couldn't even get chicken wings right, how hard is that? But I will say they had the best french fries I have ever eaten. But you know what they say: man cannot live by fries alone.
So the hate bandwagon begins. As someone who is friends with almost every person who works at this bar(except for the bike throwing cook, no one really likes him anyway and he was fired before they closed) Im a little miffed at what is being said. yes the food wasnt great by any means, and yes the kitchen was a little mis-managed, but as a bar it was always an excellent time. To the anonymous writer who called it "a joke" what are you talking about? perhaps when Alan Harding first opened it yes very much so, but after he left, i always saw the place packed. Also if this was such a joke bar was is it that the other 10 or so bartenders that live in red hook (and work at bars like sunny's and bait and tackle) drink there almost all the time? as far as the the bartenders who you said were "befuddled" so befuddled that Chris now works at Bait & Tackle and Dave works at great lakes. yes these were such bad bartenders 2 different bars (very good bars I might add) decided to hire these folk almost instantly. makes a ton of sense to me. something tells me you went in there and either acted like an ass or ordered some stupid drink and they called you on being a jerk-off. Like i said the food was never going to win any awards, but the people and the good times had there made it a great neighborhood place. or perhaps Mr. Anonymous you just never hung out there to see what it was all about. Too busy walking your kid around in a pram? or possibly you are Edie? perhaps that ass-bag lenell? Dude you missed a great 3 years of hanging with some great people
I have spent some time on the corner having a drink or 2 and the owners at the B&T are saddened by the passind of the BBQ those guys rock and they will all be fine.Jimmy is a good man the same goes for Chris and Whiskey.If you cant say something nice dont say nothing at all.
Just for the record, I always loved the Pioneer and just the other day I was telling Chris that having him work at Bait and Tackle made me feel like hanging out at the bar again...ditto to the best fries ever comment too
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