School’s (Passed) OutCombining at least one of our favorite things, Brasserie Cognac is rolling out four weeks of ‘Cognac School’ starting October 18.
ByAlexander Basek
Neighborhood Watch
Former Clinton Hill Porn Store to Become Euro EateryClinton Hill: A former porn shop on Myrtle Avenue will become a European-style cafe, a term open to interpretation. The only notable physical change to the space is an exterior paint job. [Clinton Hill Blog]
East Village: Ramen Setagaya at 141 First Avenue will be ready to open when Con Edison turns the gas on. [VV] Former captain at Gramercy Tavern and Picholine Rob Ziser has opened his own restaurant out of a subleased kitchen at Company bar. [The Strong Buzz]
Gramercy: Delayed high-end Asian restaurant Wakiya in the Gramercy Park Hotel is coming and hiring. [Eater]
Harlem: A Coldstone Creamery on 125th Street could give Mister Softee an ice-cream headache. [Uptown Flavor]
Park Slope: Michael Hearst recorded Songs for Ice Cream Trucks in his converted one-bedroom, but it looks like his jingles won’t make it to the big time. [Brooklyn Record]
Tribeca: Brandy Library is hosting a free cognac tasting tonight from 6 to 8 p.m. And afterward begin the piano stylings of Joel Forrester. [Brandy Library]
NewsFeed
Cognac Burglar Breaks Into Osteria Del CircoIf you own a bar or restaurant, and a shady figure emerges with a hot deal on a bottle of Remy Martin Louis XIII, think twice before taking it – there’s a good chance it was stolen from Osteria del Circo late Friday night. Owner Mauro Maccioni, scion of Sirio, tells us that someone bashed in the eatery’s window, opened the vestibule door, and made off with two bottles of cognac — the Remy, which retails for around $2,000 a bottle, and Martell L’or, which usually retails for between $1,000 and $1,200. “I never heard of anything like it,” Maccioni tells us. “They didn’t even try to take anything else.” Only two explanations suffice for the bizarre crime: Either cognac connoisseurs are getting bolder or criminals more jaded in their appetites. Either way, lock up the liquor cabinets. And if you do see that bottle, as Mauro says ominously, “the Maccionis would like it back.”
Neighborhood Watch
Saint Patrick’s Day Not the Only Excuse to Drink This WeekendClinton Hill: Olivino Wines will host a free tasting tonight. [Clinton Hill Blog]
Dumbo: BoConcept’s opening bash tonight offers free vodka to benefit children. [Brooklyn Record]
Greenpoint: A vegetarian restaurant named William Howard Taft will open soon on Calyer Street. There’s a story behind the odd name, but don’t ask us to explain it. [Gowanus Lounge]
Harlem: The sleek waterfront Hudson River Cafe is about to have its grand opening. [Uptown Flavor] But the DEN will give you a free cocktail or appetizer just for checking out Vanessa Williams’s new modest-budget film. [Uptown Flavor]
Prospect Heights: New fair-trade coffee at Prospect Perk tastes like ox, hippie, and doped-up poet. Which is, apparently, good. [dailyheights.com]
Tribeca: There’s a “forgotten-cask” Cognac tasting tonight at Brandy Library; freebies mean Single-Malt Saturday is canceled. Farther downtown, plans for a two-story restaurant may overshadow Pier 26 boathouse. [downtown express]
Union Square: Zen Palate to open vegetarian burger chain. [VV]
