Brick oven pizza on Franklin Avenue?

jack krohn

Does anyone have an update on the brick oven pizza place on Franklin Avenue, as noted in this brownstoner post from last summer?

http://www.brownstoner.com/blog/2010/08/crown-heights-g-1/?comments=10

xlizellx

They've been working every day as I walk past.

Here's a post from January about it:

http://ilovefranklinave.blogspot.com/2011/01/sunday-videos-part-ii-building.html

whynot_31

There have definitely been periods where work has not occurred.

Although xlizellx and I are seeing activity now, I didn't much activity during the winter.

I hope it is good pizza, and they also have pasta dishes.

With the exception of that place on Vanderbilt, we only have fast food Italian locally.

ap

The owner is usually at the site--he's the tall, thin white guy with greyish hair. Nice guy. He told us back in May that they were hoping to open in June, though it looks like that'll be pushed back a few weeks.

eastbloc

It looks like the contractors are being quite meticulous about the finishing of the store front. It will be another very welcome addition to the block!

jr5597

I walk by this place every day, lots of work is being done now. BUT when will Chavelas open, finally? It looks to be finished! Waiting on licensing, I guess?

whyfi

I hope that this is a light and crispy in a 900 degree oven kind of place, as opposed to the foldable NYC slice kind of place.

whynot_31

Anyone know if the pizza place has applied for a beer lic?

...most of the places that do well on Franklin serve beer.

photogirl

I spoke to the owner a couple of weeks ago. The place sounds like it will be a lot like Franny's on Flatbush. Pizza, small plates, and a full bar. He seems like a very nice guy, who is committed to the neighborhood and obviously is putting a great deal of money and time into fixing the place up.

whynot_31

I hope he gets rich. There is a lot of money to made on Franklin Avenue.

capt. planet

Yes, the owner applied for a beer and wine license several months ago. Thankfully he got in before the big brouhaha three months ago, when we had two back to back liquor applications in violation of the "500 foot". The "500 foot" rule requires that if there are more than 2 establishments with full liquor licenses within 500 feet of the new applicant, then the new applicant has to go through special review process.

Since that infamous event, there has been a backlash at the community board. Significantly more of the board members are voting against all applications, especially full liquor (as opposed to beer and wine) applications, especially if the owner isn't serving food.

Watch out in the fall when board meetings resume for more of the same. Interestingly, the newer board members who started this month seem to be among the most oppositional.

Is this a trend? Is the CB hardening its heart against newcomers? Time will tell.

It all happens on the 2nd Thursday of each month except July and August. Location varies. For a schedule of locations, see:

www.brooklyncb8.org

jack krohn

"Significantly more of the board members are voting against all applications, especially full liquor (as opposed to beer and wine) applications..."

I am so glad that they are fighting full liquor licenses. After all, decades of research show that people become less intoxicated and boisterous when consuming beer and wine, as opposed to other forms of alcohol.

ap

A sign posted this week in the window of Barboncino says they're hiring people to start "late July." I also heard they plan to have a full bar, table service and take-out counter. Anyone know about a backyard patio?

whynot_31

Late July has now come and gone....

As of today, their Facebook page says they will open "within a month": https://www.facebook.com/pages/Barboncino-Pizza-Bar/173725399322408

chekhovian

"The place sounds like it will be a lot like Franny's on Flatbush."

That'll do real well on Franklin Ave. in this kind of economy. Lots of area residents are into paying a hundred bucks for two small pizzas, an appetizer, and a couple rounds of drinks. Forget it. Enough with the incoming expensive restaurants and bars in the neighborhood.

whynot_31

I think you meant to say

Lots of area residents are not into paying a hundred bucks for two small pizzas, an appetizer, and a couple rounds of drinks.

...but yes, Crown Heights is full of people who are hungry, and comparatively successful and wealthy.

For the sake of the owner, I hope they like pizza.

catwalkertexasranger

you better move to East New York and fast. There are 2 places slated to open on Franklin that will be cocktail bars, top shelf liquor w hand made juices and compliments also hand prepared like fruits and veg, not from a can or jar. Nothing for close to 5 bucks .The time and care taken to buy and prepare these foods and drinks are what people are paying for.

Pizza is a great eye opener for you. There are inexpensive offerings on Franklin already, 1 on the block and another across Eastern. Both have a slice for a couple of bucks w canned soda. Gino's still has an 11 dollar pie and the delivery guy is super nice and fast. If Barboncino offers some standard fare he still will have a leg up on his competitors because he spent time and cash on his dining room. Slice of Brooklyn, Gino's and Nino's are asleep at the switch. The other guy sold his shop to make way for a PCS cell phone store(?). The new residents of the area are demanding better quality and paying for it.

I have eaten S.Brooklyn, Franny's, Lucali, DiFaro,Grimaldi's,Patsy's,Metro,Ben's, Arturo's,Lombardi's, John's,L'Asso, 100's more all over the country. You have grossly underestimated people's love of quality pizza.

*honorable mention going to some Arabs..the guys at Fattuosh on Henry make a good pie made with pita/Syrian bread crust, even if it's not your thing they have all kinds of great stuff(middle eastern) food there

smokin joe

whynot_31 said:

I think you meant to say

Lots of area residents are not into paying a hundred bucks for two small pizzas, an appetizer, and a couple rounds of drinks.

i think chekhovian meant what he wrote -- it's called sarcasm.

whynot_31

Smoking Joe-

I suspect you are correct. ...but also suspect the new pizza place will be packed with paying customers.

chekhovian

Why isn't Franklin Roadhouse packed?

Yeah, I know the new mentality is that Franklin Ave is suddenly Smith Street or Court Street, but I suspect there's been too much, too fast.

whynot_31

I agree with you, in that Franklin Avenue seems to lack that large "condo owning, salaried" class that supports Smith and Court St.

I have the impression that Franklin Avenue's "dining out" population is younger and poorer, and I think several of the new businesses will close because they have over estimated demand.

Franklin Roadhouse might be one of them. For an unknown (perhaps foolish) reason, it decided to take on Franklin Park head to head, despite having a smaller menu, a smaller indoor and outdoor space and fewer beers. So, when I crave a burger and a beer, I still head to Franklin Park.

Roadhouse does, however, currently offer the only acceptable pizza on Franklin Avenue that can be eaten in cool air conditioning with a beer.

However, Roadhouse seems to offer pizza as an after thought. Despite this being on of its strengths, it does not prominently declare itself a place that specializes in pizza. It may benefit from better signs in the window and an Italian name.

I also feel it's location puts it far away from many other establishments.

Meanwhile, I see Barboncino as having several advantages over Franklin Roadhouse:

Good street frontage.

A location closer to EP, where people are spending lots of time and going to the subway.

An atmosphere consistent with dating/dining, as opposed to a dark atmosphere with tables made from industrial lumber.

Wine in addition to beer.

Salads if they are smart.

Clear branding: Classy Italian pizza and pasta place.

Customers are able to see in from the outside.

....but, yes, time will tell. If their service and food lives up to its billing, it will survive. If it doesn't, it will go under.

catwalkertexasranger

Have you been in The Roadhouse? The pizza is decent, the burgers are good,the onion rings are legit and a lil' better than DutchBoy. The beer prices are good.

The interior is made up primarily of things sold at a Patrick Swayze yard sale. Bottom end everything no design, even less thought put into it. The outdoor space? You wouldn't board your dog in that back yard, everything done in super time saver mode. Get a partner and an architect/interior designer or call it a day. Places are killing each other outdoor space, this one is as inviting as the train station for comfort and appeal

whynot_31

catwalker wrote: Slice of Brooklyn, Gino's and Nino's are asleep at the switch.

I wonder which of the existing pizza places will close first. Given its corner location, Slice of Brooklyn seems the most under utilized.

ntfool

I've been to Franklin Roadhouse two or three times, and two things about it confound me:

1. It feels like there should be a bar in here, but there isnt. I keep finding myself drifting over to the counter by the pizza oven, expecting bottles, taps and stools. I'm not saying that I need, or that there is a demand for, another bar right there, it just feels like this place wants to be a bar and isn't. The "ambiance" (aforementioned, and very amusing "Swayze Yard Sale") screams bar to me, not pizza place, or whatever it is.

2. Don't call a place "roadhouse" and then not serve barbecue. It just seems wrong. I was all excited that a bbq joint was opening up, and its pizza. Good pizza, but still.

Having said all that, I certainly don't mind Franklin Roadhouse. Tee burgers are good, the pizza is better, and the prices are decent.

Earlier in the summer, a friend of mine and I went to have a quiet beer in the back, and were horrified to discover what appeared to be an extremely tightly-packed Abercrombie & Fitch photo shoot in the backyard. We left immediately and walked to Sepia.

Perhaps I've finally become the cranky old man I've always pretended to be.

whatchuwant

I agree that the Roadhouse is suffering from an identity crisis and yes, that counter is SCREAMING to be made into a bar. I fear that that specifically will be the downfall of the place. The burger is good. The pizza is good. Having watched many places come with a clearly defined identity only to struggle to get their food right, it's surprising to see this place struggling with identity yet have rockin' food.

Frustrating and sad!!!

chekhovian

Looks like Roadhouse is at least understanding some things about pricing. When it opened, the only beers under $7 were Bud Light and the mysterious Roadhouse Red. Again, we're talking about Franklin Ave here, not midtown. I do see signs now for all-day happy hours with crap beers for $2, but I'd contend that makes more sense than $9 cocktails (see Bearded Lady, blessedly on the Prospect Heights side of Wash).

I think Whynot has an argument, but I wouldn't bet on any of those upscale factors securing this much anticipated Barboncino establishment.

xlizellx

Chekhovian said:

Looks like Roadhouse is at least understanding some things about pricing. When it opened, the only beers under $7 were Bud Light and the mysterious Roadhouse Red. A

That's not true ... I went on opening day and ALL of their beers were $3 all the time. And the Roadhouse Red is simply Killian's with a different tap handle -- it's a really common thing with large types of beer to allow company's to rename it as a "house" beer.

chekhovian

Maybe it was some opening day promotion. When I went there, Roadhouse Red and Bud Light were $4 and other specialty beers like Stella were $7. And the place was empty, I wonder why.

whynot_31

Should one of us lets the folks at Roadhouse know about this thread, or should we just keep our impressions to ourselves?

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Franklin-RoadHouse/212054922146747?ref=ts

[email protected]

hatemail

They haven't posted anything since May on their FB page.

I dunno. Been a couple times. Not a huge fan.

xlizellx

Went to Roadhouse tonight. The pizza was really good. Beers were between $3 and $6 for taps. But the atmosphere is so weird!

We walk in and it's empty -- Because there is no AC and it is at least 25 degrees hotter inside than it was outside. We walk to the counter and wait. A woman asks what we'll have. We order a pizza and 2 beers and quickly walk to the back yard to cool off.

We sit outside for a bit and then wonder if we're supposed to wait for the pizza inside? Will they bring it out? It was a weird feeling. After 20 minutes, a guy brings out our pizza and some plates. No clearing of the now-empty tables' glasses, no asking if we want more beets, etc. When we're done eating, we bus our own table and come to the counter again to pay (cash or mastercard only? weird) and there's a line for a tip on the receipt to sign. It was so awkward -- I mean, it's a restaurant and they brought us the pizza, but I had to bus my table and get up to get my own beers....I tipped as if I was at a bar, not a % because I wasn't sure what to do.

If this place was more bar-like with good food, I'd get it. If it was more restaurant-like with beers, I'd get it. But now? I'm just confused.

But good pizza!