MEANWHILE ACROSS THE RIVER…

February 4, 2013, 3:05 pm

Brooklyn Brine Teaming With Dogfish Head in North Brooklyn

By DANIEL MAURER
Screen Shot 2013-02-04 at 2.58.21 PMChester Higgins, Jr./New York Times Shamus Jones.

As you can tell by peeking at the pickle menu at East Village newcomer Boulton & Watt, pickles are popular. So popular that one of the city’s most popular pickle producers might just be opening an eatery of its own.

Shamus Jones, who co-founded Brooklyn Brine in 2009, revealed to The Local that the wholesaler will open a brick-and-mortal location in north Brooklyn.

A source told The Local that the pickler was working with Dogfish Head, the Delaware brewery that had a hand in its popular Hop-Pickle, to open a spot on Bedford Avenue. Mr. Jones wouldn’t comment on the location or the particulars of the operation because he wanted to coordinate an official announcement with the beer company, but he did confirm that the report of a collaboration was true. “It’s a brick and mortar and it’s Dogfish and Brooklyn Brine,” he said.

The project won’t be a retail shop along the lines of the one that opened in the producer’s Gowanus factory last year. “It isn’t going to be a factory and isn’t going to be a store,” said Mr. Jones.

And Dogfish Head won’t be a full partner, he added. “They don’t have a vested equity or share or whatnot, but I felt so strongly about our initial collaboration and out of respect wanted to incorporate them.”

You can get a taste of the Brooklyn Brine-Dogfish Head magic at Eataly’s rooftop beer garden on Wednesday, assuming you have a ticket. Brooklyn Brine pickles will be served at a sold-out lunch featuring Dogfish Head and Sierra Nevada beers.

January 23, 2013, 7:10 pm

An Ambitious Williamsburger Closes, But Plots a Comeback

By DANIEL MAURER
photo(80)Daniel Maurer

If you often jump on the L to check out Williamsburg’s increasingly exciting dining scene, you can cross one off your to-try list: Bellwether, the restaurant that Josh Cohen opened in the former Royal Oak space a little over a year ago, has quietly closed – at least, for the moment.

Mr. Cohen, the budding impresario behind Anella and Calyer in Greenpoint, is no longer involved in the project, according to Matt Zalla, the designer who gave the space its sleek mid-century modern look. Mr. Zalla said that he’s currently in talks with a new partner who could help relaunch the restaurant, in some form, around mid-February.

“There was a need for somebody with a little bit more of an active role at the helm,” Mr. Zalla said of parting ways with Mr. Cohen. “He has a few other restaurants and we figured – he among us – that we needed to bring someone in with some more energy – and more money, frankly – to continue to fund the operation.”

Once the potential new partner is on board (Mr. Zalla declined to give a name because negotiations are ongoing, but revealed it was “somebody who’s well known”), the new team will likely open the dining room up to the street by installing new doors and windows. Read more…