"American with a Twist" at 835 Classon

whynot_31

As reported by @randalV on this thread: http://www.brooklynian.com/discussion/44176/any-info-new-business-coming-to-classon-bet-ep-linc-next-to-new-ice-cream-shop-#Item_34

835 Classon will become a coffee shop

...and it might be run by Cafe Forte.

835 Classon

They have skills, and (as readers are likely aware) are located just a few blocks away.

http://www.cafeforte.info/

Here's what we wrote about Cafe Forte when it first opened: http://www.brooklynian.com/discussion/44644/coming-soon-forte-cafe-619-st-johns-near-franklin/p1

RandalV

Urway owner says he spoke to the owner, who said it's a Forte spinoff. I spoke to the owner outside the space, and he declined to confirm. So consider this unconfirmed I guess.

whynot_31

I have added a question mark to the title.   Perhaps one of our readers will confirm it with the people at Cafe Forte, and then I will remove said question mark,

naturegirlbk

Update:  I just spoke to the lovely young woman who will be the proprietor of this new restaurant. She confirmed that there is no connection at all to Cafe Forte, so I guess we can change the title of this thread and eliminate the question mark and references to Cafe Forte.

She mentioned that the fare would be "American with a twist", and that they'd be opening in October. She seemed quite level-headed, bright, and focused, so I think we might actually get a place with a normal name. That would be swell. 

(Note:  A few years ago I spoke to a member of that building's condo board and he said no restaurants or cooking of any kind would be permitted in those commercial spaces.  So, I inquired about this today, and the gal informed me that they do forbid cooking with an open flame, so she'd be utilizing a work-around method.  I'm personally not much of a chef, so I dont know much about alternatives to flame-cooking, so if anyone here can fill in the blanks on what alternative methods she might be able to utilize, that would be great...I'd love to learn something new today.)

booklaw

Cooking in or on an all electric oven...  Convection oven... toaster oven... Microwave... Electric rotisserie...

whatchuwant

That would be the utilization of an entity we call Chef Mic! As in microwave....

Pop a panini press, a conveyer belt toaster and a giant plug-in soup kettle on the counter and she'll be all set for hot foods. 

 

whynot_31

I've heard the prohibition expressed more in terms of "cooking that requires venting" than "cooking that requires flame".

Needless to say, commercial cooking with flame requires venting. But there are also things like deep fryers and griddles that are flameless, but require venting. I would be surprised if a landlord opposed to flame would allow those uses.

With me?

So, something like a Subway Sandwich place could work: All of their cooking takes place in some strange far away factory.

...those bread ovens things don't get hot enough to require venting.

naturegirlbk

Oh..then I guess I'm more of a chef than I thought...Microwave....check. Toaster...check.  Panini press...check.  And I even can replicate my grandmother's amazing chicken soup from scratch (no plug-in kettle required.) Wow...maybe I should apply for the chef job there...Perhaps I'm actually qualified. :-)  Of course...Just joking....I'm SUPER-THRILLED that someone is taking over the space and bringing something new to the neighborhood and to that lovely corner space in particular.  I wish her much success and longevity with the new spot!!!

naturegirlbk

Oh...and I've said a couple times on other posts about other vacant spaces, that I'd love to see a casual crepe / panini spot open up, so perhaps she has that and other goodies in mind in terms of offerings...niether would require flame or venting...I guess we shall see in October.  

BTW - In the event the food-fairies are listening and granting small wishes today, I'd really like to see a "Just Salad" location or something very akin to that open up nearby. Cue fairy dust....

whynot_31

@naturegirlbk -
Did she say whether she has another existing location?

naturegirlbk

Sorry...I didnt ask, and she didn't tell.  She was in the middle of chatting with her contractors, so I  didnt want to interrupt for too long. I just gathered the basics and let her get back to business.

naturegirlbk

...But if anyone happens by, and wants to try to get more info, you cant miss her...A lovely young freckle-faced gal with an abundance of long, beautiful red curly hair. And regrettably, I'm quite awful with remembering names, but I believe she said her name is Finnegan.

whynot_31

Ms. Whynot adds that most griddles and fryers use natural gas as their source of heat, and that this involves a flame.

...albeit not a visible "open" one.

So, I think we can state that any appliance that is not electric and/or requires a vent is nixed.

lox

Induction cooking is also a possible alternative to gas/flame. But then again there's the venting issue...

RandalV

Looks like the name is Blind Hare, and it is hoping to serve beer and wine.

whynot_31

confirmed: They have informed CB8 of said intentions.

naturegirlbk

I havent seen any activity or progress in this space in approx 2 months, and I recall the proprietors mentioning a goal of October for the opening, which is definitely not looking likely at this rate.  Anyone see or hear any updates about this pending cafe?

whynot_31

I have seen some activity in there, but not a lot: painting.

At present there is no record of them filing an application with SLA for 835 Classon: https://www.tran.sla.ny.gov/servlet/ApplicationServlet

Has anyone seen carpentry work?

Appliances?
They have not requested a kitchen inspection yet.

goldemi1

Any idea what happened to this development?  They were doing a bit of work up until around November last year and seems no activity since then.

naturegirlbk

I have been wondering the same.  I live steps from there and haven't seen any activity since late summer 2015. :-(

downinthecrown

What is going on with this? Any update? Makes me sad to see the empty space.

goldemi1

I peeked in today through a hole in the paper and the place is loaded with building materials it seems, which I hadn't seen before.  And the other day I saw a man go in, retrieve some tools, and head out.  I wondered if workers are just using this as storage of materials for other projects and it's indefinitely stalled.