Defonte's: Why Go Anywhere Else for a Sandwich?

Sure, Subway does that $5 footlong thing, but those aren't real sandwiches. Defonte's in Red Hook has the best deal in town and serves some of our favorite Italian-American classics. The sandwich shop opened a location in Gramercy in 2009, so for those not willing to make the trip to Red Hook, where the original store has been since 1922, you can stop by 21st and 3rd in Manhattan. But if you do go to the Red Hook store, you can get your sandwich and walk (or ride a bike) a few blocks west and eat it by the water. We did that recently with the Nicky's Special, an everything-but-the-kitchen-sink sandwich the size of a newborn that's only $11.95 and easily feeds two.

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Aisle Be Back: Fairway Reopens in Red Hook

Hurricane Sandy devestated the East Coast at the end of October last year. In Red Hook, the storm left five feet of seawater inside Fairway and destroyed everything therein. The only option was to throw it all out and start from scratch. Seventy dumpster loads, over $20 million in repairs and damaged inventory, and four months to the day later, the 50,000 square foot grocery has reopened. On Friday last week, Borough President Marty Markowitz, Mayor Bloomberg, Senator Chuck Schumer, Miss America, and St. John Frizell (owner of Fort Defiance a few blocks away) were among those celebrating the store's return. We made it to Van Brunt later in the afternoon. Here's a look around the new and improved Fairway.

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Just Dropped in to See What Condition Red Hook's Condition Was In

Red Hook was one of the neighborhoods in New York to get hit hardest by Hurricane Sandy. Manhattan south of 39th Street received power at the end of last week; some Friday, most Saturday. In Red Hook, many areas are still without. We spent the afternoon criss-crossing Red Hook's streets to see what condition the seaside neighborhood is in.

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Hometown Catches the Brooklyn Barbecue Wave

[photo: alan neuhausar] Chris Miller and Billy DurneyStephen Starr and Joe Carroll were about five years ahead of the Brooklyn barbecue movement when they opened Fette Sau in Williamsburg in March 2007.  The restaurant's success was further legitimized last week when a second location opened on Frankford Avenue in Fishtown, Philadelphia.

Since the original Fette Sau opened in Williamsburg, Carroll Gardens got Char No. 4, Fort Greene got Hot Bird, and Park Slope got Fort Reno Provisions and some BBQ from Dale Talde via his menu at Pork Slope in the same neighborhood.  Gowanus is next.  Fletcher's Brooklyn Bar-B-Cue is ready to open any day now on Third Ave and upstate-BBQ heavy-hitters Dinosaur BBQ are scheduled to open at 604 Union Street in March.

As the wave gets bigger, Red Hook wants in.  After a successful meeting with Community Board 6 to acquire a liquor licenese, it's all systems go for longtime friends Chris Miller and Billy Durney.  The two will bring Barbecue to Red Hook via Hometown, which will occupy 454 Van Brunt Street sometime next spring and boast 100 seats and a 4,000-pound hickory pit.

The Red Hook Food Vendors are Alive and Well

el olomega, a salvadoran pupusa truckSince 1974, vendors have been selling the cuisine native to their country from trucks in Brooklyn's Red Hook neighborhood.  The location is adjacent to a handful of ballfields that host games on weekends from early morning until late afternoon. The Red Hook Food Vendors originally provided food and nourishment to their friends and families that played games on the nearby fields.  The origin of the Red Hook food trucks nearly 40 years ago has fueled the fire of interest this city has in Latin American cuisine.  It is an interest that continues to grow and one that is epitamized on the corner of Clinton and Bay Street in Red Hook.

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Calexislope

Park Slope's Blue Ribbon Sushi merged with their neighboring Blue Ribbon Brasserie location three months ago, after their lease expired March 1st.  Here's Park Slope brings us news that Cal-Mex favorite Calexico will be taking over the space on 5th Ave between Garfield and 1st that was home to Blue Ribbon Sushi for ten years.

Calexico started as a single taco truck in Soho five years ago.  The idea was created by brothers Jesse, Brian, and Dave Vendley.  The menu is a California-inspired take on Mexican food and one that New Yorkers have quickly grown fond of.  The single cart in Soho is now a multi-faceted business, as the Calexico empire has grown to include two carts (24th and Broadway and Wooster and Prince), and two brick-and-mortar store fronts; 645 Manhattan Avenue in Greenpoint and 122 Union Street in Red Hook.

The Calexico team will sit down with Community Board 6 tomorrow with hopes of attaining a liquor license for their new location, which will be open until 12am on weekdays and 2am on weekends.

No End in Site for Mile End

Mile End has been incredibly successful since it opened a little more than 2 years ago on Hoyt Street in Brooklyn.  Noah Bernamoff and Rae Cohen are the husband and wife team responsible for what is becoming a quickly growing business.

There is a cookbook coming September 4th, Mile End Sandwich will open on Bond Street in Manhattan anyday now, and a new, bigger kitchen facility in Red Hook is already smoking meats and making pickles.  You'll be able to buy cured and smoked meats, bread, cookies, pickles, and all things Montreal-deli from the storefront that will open adjacent to the new facility.