Prime Time in Carroll Gardens

Before you and your Italian neighbor know it, the gents behind Frankies 457 will have converted the entire block into a foodie mecca, replete with rustic Italian, courtyard dining, housemade olive oil, traditional homespun cocktails, and simple Bavarian – which takes form in their newest venture, the resto-saloon, Prime Meats….

Rarely early for dining occasions, I took the opportunity to stake out a front booth alongside the window looking out onto a mellow section of Court St. I received a warm and contented welcome from the staff, one which nearly verged on the reception I might expect upon arriving on a blistery night to a guest haus in the Alps. I indulged in it, taking my time perusing the cocktail list and appreciating moments of nostalgia before ordering up a Loganberry Scramble – reposado tequila, loganberry liqueur, lemon juice, agave. The drink is typically served on the rocks, but the barman obliged to make it for me up, as I have a fondness for tequila, chilled, neat. It did not disappoint. Round, with a hint of smokiness from the reposado, and balanced with the tart and juicy flavors from loganberry and lemon.

Loganberry Scramble (served up)

Bibb Lettuce with Pumpkin Seeds, Radish & Pumpkin Seed Oil

The food menu and wine and beer list delves deeper into the German-Austro country-style theme with some great selections; the spaetzle some of the best in the boroughs – creamy, cheesy and finished with fine herbs – and the hunters sausage – classic, gamey and hearty. Pictured above is a beautiful composed salad of delicate market bibb lettuce, lightly drizzled with pumpkin seed oil which lifted the salad out of its typical preparation, offering forth a nutty, citrus flavor profile.  All that’s needed now is a few rows of grape vines in the backyard and a small farm and the restaurants could be fully self-sustainable!

Rebirth of Cool

Walking down the narrow stretch of Cleveland Place where Kenmare and Lafayette intersect and form a triangle – which will hopefully one day morph into a miniature park – it would be quite easy to walk right past Veloce Club. Its neighbor, Eileen’s Cheesecake, speaks loudly while Veloce Club remains suave and cool, a modest and decidedly fresh welcoming in an otherwise barren desert, save from what Serge Becker’s team serves up cold at La Esquina and Select. As those who’ve watched the metamorphosis of this space over the past five years can attest, it has had a wealth of personalities: a wine bar, a crudo bar, a sushi joint, and a dessert bar. In its latest incarnation its identity has been realized (for now) and it finally feels comfortable in its own skin. The sophisticated, classic and relaxed atmosphere of the King Cole or Bemelmans is ever present, though the drinks and the trademark Veloce panini and tramezzini don’t come at uptown prices, and there are the tell-tale reminders of downtown edge, namely the vintage Vespa parked inside and modern art painting of George Washington.  The cocktails are classic favorites: the Negroni, the Manhattan and the Whiskey Sour to name a few, and are perfectly correct and delicious and a harbinger to hours of conversation in the soft leather booths. Veloce Club reminds us that as the evening cocktail hour beckons why overthink what has been tried and tested over the years and has come out winning: time-honored cocktail recipes, jazz, cheese sandwiches and tailored service. Bellissimo.