Belleville.. for the last time
A friend and I had dinner here last night. The last time I tried this place was last summer for a brunch that turned out to be ok but nothing to rave about. I had heard something about the place changing hands, blah, blah.. so we tried it again.
Just to give some history.. when this place opened on 5th Ave it was right at the beginning of "restaurant Row" and it really was a good place. Whoever was in charge of the kitchen leaned to seasonal dishes and the menu was small and very well chosen. I remember some winter meals we had there back then that were lovely.
So last night we ordered two main dishes. Cock O Van (yeah I know how to spell it but this dish was a joke and I am trying to make one) and skirt steak cooked in some wine reduction. That dish came with fries and a little soggy salad. Both dishes were served in flat soup bowls. That would work for the chicken but the steak, salad and fries were all piled up in this too small dish so the whole thing was a mish mosh. If I ordered these dishes in a cafeteria I could understand the badness. Both dishes tasted like they were cooked yesterday and re heated.
Dinner started at around 9pm and the place was half full. There was one waitress serving and no one busing table. Poor lady was overwhelmed. Took forever to bring the menu, forever for her to return to take drink orders. I ordered a bloody mary that was undrinkable. My dinner partner ordered wine. The waitress eventually brings the bottle and 2 glasses to the table, pours wine in to one glass and leaves the glass in the middle of the table. Just to be clear this was not a fine wine where the service would be to "present" the bottle. She quickly scampered off to another table put the other glass she was holding on that table and poured a glass at their table again leaving the glass in the middle of the table.
The bread only came after we asked for it twoce.
Somewhere in the middle of the meal the place fills up and people emerge from the kitchen who TRY waiting on tables. These 2 guys looked like they had been washing dishes in the kitchen and were pulled in to service. I say that because of the sloppy, damp look they both had.
We waited forever for the check.
A total disappointment
Just to give some history.. when this place opened on 5th Ave it was right at the beginning of "restaurant Row" and it really was a good place. Whoever was in charge of the kitchen leaned to seasonal dishes and the menu was small and very well chosen. I remember some winter meals we had there back then that were lovely.
So last night we ordered two main dishes. Cock O Van (yeah I know how to spell it but this dish was a joke and I am trying to make one) and skirt steak cooked in some wine reduction. That dish came with fries and a little soggy salad. Both dishes were served in flat soup bowls. That would work for the chicken but the steak, salad and fries were all piled up in this too small dish so the whole thing was a mish mosh. If I ordered these dishes in a cafeteria I could understand the badness. Both dishes tasted like they were cooked yesterday and re heated.
Dinner started at around 9pm and the place was half full. There was one waitress serving and no one busing table. Poor lady was overwhelmed. Took forever to bring the menu, forever for her to return to take drink orders. I ordered a bloody mary that was undrinkable. My dinner partner ordered wine. The waitress eventually brings the bottle and 2 glasses to the table, pours wine in to one glass and leaves the glass in the middle of the table. Just to be clear this was not a fine wine where the service would be to "present" the bottle. She quickly scampered off to another table put the other glass she was holding on that table and poured a glass at their table again leaving the glass in the middle of the table.
The bread only came after we asked for it twoce.
Somewhere in the middle of the meal the place fills up and people emerge from the kitchen who TRY waiting on tables. These 2 guys looked like they had been washing dishes in the kitchen and were pulled in to service. I say that because of the sloppy, damp look they both had.
We waited forever for the check.
A total disappointment
Comments
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I was once a big fan of this place. They had one particular dish, the Merguez sausage, that I just couldn't get enough of. I went there many times for lunch and dinner and always enjoyed myself. Yeah, it was nothing really special, but a good local bistro is a great prize to be enjoyed.
Then I had a kid and didn't really get out for a few months.
When I finally got out for lunch again, everything had changed. The Merguez sausage was gone and the bistro standbys like hamburger and moules frites just weren't good any more.
But what capped it was the service. There was hardly anyone in the place, and our French waiter wouldn't look at us, was brusque, curt, slammed down the menu, slammed down the plates, and generally made it clear from the get-go that people like us were lucky to get served at all.
And before you say anything -- we have always been very generous tippers. 20% is the norm. I respect the job of waiting tables, and I treat waiters with respect. The attitude was all on his side.
If I'm going to get the full withering French hauteur, then I want the full unbelievable complexity of masterful French cooking from a genius chef. I want Jacques Pepin himself in the kitchen sweating bullets to turn out the meal of a lifetime.
Nah, take it back. It still wouldn't be worth it. I won't be sorry to lose this place, I'm sad to say. -
i'm so glad you posted... i have been jonesing for some mussels and i heard that Belleville was supposed to have that down pat. however, i had mucho reservations becuase i'd also heard this place turned lousy.
i won't waste my time or my money there.
not to turn this into a mussels jag, but the mussels i had at Loulou last year (tasty french/belgian style, with white wine and garlic) in Ft. Greene were really yummy. but it is a bit of a hike for me right now, since i'm recovering from surgery with limited mobility. i was hoping to find a place in the slope that could fit the bill. any suggestions? -
get yer mussels at 12th St B&G
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Flexichick wrote: get yer mussels at 12th St B&G
But last time I had them there they had like lemongrass or curry in them or something. I like traditional with white wine, garlic and onions. -
shishkab wrote: i'm so glad you posted... i have been jonesing for some mussels and i heard that Belleville was supposed to have that down pat. however, i had mucho reservations becuase i'd also heard this place turned lousy.
With total honesy even if the mussles still are exceptional ( and I have that as a distant memory, as well) don't bother. We chat so much about restaurants that we regret closing and those that we will miss not at all. IF ( and I am not starting a rumour) This place closed it would be no loss at all, in my opinion.
i won't waste my time or my money there.
not to turn this into a mussels jag, but the mussels i had at Loulou last year (tasty french/belgian style, with white wine and garlic) in Ft. Greene were really yummy. but it is a bit of a hike for me right now, since i'm recovering from surgery with limited mobility. i was hoping to find a place in the slope that could fit the bill. any suggestions?
I often comment on restaurants here and I really want to find positive things to say but in this case I don't even regret that I have nothing positive to offer and I am so convinced in my negativity I would never try it again. -
A shame that Cocette is gone
If you are looking for mussels, Johnny Mack's are OK:
http://brooklyn.citysearch.com/profile/7356560/brooklyn_ny/johnny_mack_s.html
I've had good mussels at Bogota Latin Bistro, but I fear they are not a regular menu item:
http://www.menupages.com/restaurantdetails.asp?areaid=0&restaurantid=28067&neighborhoodid=116&cuisineid=0 -
You're right, Veets, Belleville was very good when it opened and then after a couple of years, everything went downhill. My husband and I kept going back, hoping that maybe the horrible service and mediocre food was just a bad phase and they would go back to the way they were, but I guess that will never happen. I will not go back there either. It's a shame, because it's a nice space for a restaurant.
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Sorry to go OT but WT and Veets - I have a great and very quick recipe for a great mussel dish -
start with the lemon butter sauce:
2 tbs clarified butter
2 tbs finely chopped onion
2 tbs finely chopped garlic
6 tbs fresh lemon juice
2 tbs dry white wine
kosher salt, white pepper
2 tbs cold butter
Heat clarified butter, add onion and garlic and saute till transparent. Add lemon juice, white wine and season to taste with salt and pepper. Simmer 2-3 minutes to reduce liquid remove from heat and swirl in cold butter sauce is smooth.
Mussels:
4 cups mussels
2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
2 tbs chopped onion
2 tbs chopped garlic
2 tbs of Pernod
1-2 tbs chopped basil
juice from 1/2 lemon
lemon butter sauce
Soak cold mussels and then scrub clean removing any beard and then rinse in cold water. Heat olive oil in a 10 inch skillet and add the mussels. Cover and cook until shells open (about 2-3 minutes). Add onion and garlic and toss and cover pan for 1 minute. Add Pernod, basil, lemon juice and lemon butter sauce. Return uncovered to flame for 45 seconds then serve.
It really is quick and inexpensive and good for last minute meal with some crusty bread and pasta. -
Hey Stacey.... Thanks for the recipe. No kidding... for those people who have some pots at home and a stove.... A simple dish like this is one that should be cooked at home. No reason to spend the money to eat mussles done with such a simple preparation in a restaurant. Wanna really indulge ?Buy twice as many mussles as you would get in a restaurant por portion and it still won't cost you what it would for that meal out. There are still some fish stores where mussels can be gotten but C-Town on 9th Street has a great fish/ seafood selection and adhering to the old line NY theory... Monday and Tuesday are good days to buy fish.
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Hi Veets,
Could you elaborate a little bit on the Monday/Tuesday wisdom on buying seafood? I have bought mussels from c-town and the 2 seafood stores around 3rd/4th St. and 7th Ave. Although they were all okay, none was as plump and juicy as the ones I ate in restaurants (NYC or, of course, Belgium). I never really paid attention to which day of the week it is when I bought seafood. Any more advice will be much appreciated.
I also recently started buying seafood at the new Union Market. So far so good. -
WTGirl wrote: [quote=Flexichick]get yer mussels at 12th St B&G
But last time I had them there they had like lemongrass or curry in them or something. I like traditional with white wine, garlic and onions.
they must have changed the recipe. Too bad. I'm not into curry -
Costco has really excellent mussels at $2/lb, sold in 5-lb bags.
Clearly the next Brooklynian get-together should be not a bar gathering, but a mussel-bake. It's obvious there's a crying need for satisfying mussels locally. And there should be alcohol, too, of course -- I like mine with Hefeweizen or Kronenbourg. -
albertitto wrote:
well maybe this is true for stores but for restaurants fish is delivered on Tuesdays and Fridays--so Mondays are the worst day to order fish if you like it fresh.
Could you elaborate a little bit on the Monday/Tuesday wisdom on buying seafood?
I hate to say but the Fish at FreshDirect is really very good compared to any of the stores in the slope. And of course Fairway but the freshest is the Farmer's market. -
A.O.C. has great mussels.
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^^UGh-hate AOC!
Fairway has an excellent fish department. And, I agree, mussels are cheap to buy and easy to make! -
What happened to Belleville anyway? I've rarely seen a restaurant turn so sharply and suddenly from good to bad.
My totally uninformed guess is that---whether because of new management or something else--someone made a decision that they had to cut costs and raise their margins in a big way. They started using an inferior cut of beef in the steak frites overnight, for instance. Their steak frites used to be one of the best bargains (for the quality) in the neighborhood--but it looks like it must have been too big a bargain to sustain? -
Hoo boy, this isn't sounding good fro Belleville. Hubby and I were thinking of going there more now that our favorite, Cocotte is gone. Now, after reading this, I am thinking not.
So, anyone have any suggestions for good places to go with similiar food to what Cocotte had? And, i won't go to AOC Bistro ever again,so, something other than them please -
WTGirl wrote: well maybe this is true for stores but for restaurants fish is delivered on Tuesdays and Fridays--so Mondays are the worst day to order fish if you like it fresh.
Has this changed since the days when Anthony Bourdain was still in the kitchen? Cause he said Sunday and Monday were OUT as far as seafood...? -
LongTimeSloper wrote: Hoo boy, this isn't sounding good fro Belleville. Hubby and I were thinking of going there more now that our favorite, Cocotte is gone. Now, after reading this, I am thinking not.
You might give Moutarde a chance. In previous discussions about French Restaurants Moutarde got many positive comments.
So, anyone have any suggestions for good places to go with similiar food to what Cocotte had? And, i won't go to AOC Bistro ever again,so, something other than them please -
LongTimeSloper wrote: Hoo boy, this isn't sounding good fro Belleville. Hubby and I were thinking of going there more now that our favorite, Cocotte is gone. Now, after reading this, I am thinking not.
I can't second the recommendation of Moutarde; have been disappointed by them several times. What's wrong with AOC? (Haven't yet been there and was hopeful.)
So, anyone have any suggestions for good places to go with similiar food to what Cocotte had? And, i won't go to AOC Bistro ever again,so, something other than them please -
Ugh...had brunch at Moutarde, and it was painfully bad. service, food, across the board.
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I have never been to Moutarde but went to Belleville once and it was the last time. The service was dreadful. I won't go into the details as it is really a variation on the stories already posted, except to say that I was really surprised. It's hard to believe that people can be so clueless about service nowadays in a place like Park Slope.
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linusvanpelt wrote:
That's another one that was very good when it opened and then went downhill. Too bad.
I can't second the recommendation of Moutarde; have been disappointed by them several times. -
linusvanpelt wrote: [quote=LongTimeSloper]Hoo boy, this isn't sounding good fro Belleville. Hubby and I were thinking of going there more now that our favorite, Cocotte is gone. Now, after reading this, I am thinking not.
I can't second the recommendation of Moutarde; have been disappointed by them several times. What's wrong with AOC? (Haven't yet been there and was hopeful.)
So, anyone have any suggestions for good places to go with similiar food to what Cocotte had? And, i won't go to AOC Bistro ever again,so, something other than them please
Hubby and I went there for brunch a couple of months ago and it was a nightmare. i believe I wrote a big rant here about it all, I won't go back!
We had been to Moutarde's a few times in the last couple of years and were pleased. We stopped going just due to the fact that we liked Cocotte better. But, the last few posts sound like they have gone downhill also. maybe we will give them another shot just to check it out. Still going to give LouLou's a shot too. -
thanks for all the mussels suggestions, y'all!
and yes, go to Loulou! and yes, stay away from Moutarde. -
If I recall, AOC problem was service-related, not food-related right? Service can get better. The quality of food usually doesn't.
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LongTimeSloper wrote: So, anyone have any suggestions for good places to go with similiar food to what Cocotte had? And, i won't go to AOC Bistro ever again,so, something other than them please
What happened to you at AOC? I ate there and thought it was really good... -
What about the new french place on 5th.. Cantile or something. Do they do Mussels? I really liked the mussels I had at Beast in PH. They were in a light garlicy tomato based sauce with a buttery, crunchy toast.
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Old Time Brooklyn wrote: If I recall, AOC problem was service-related, not food-related right? Service can get better. The quality of food usually doesn't.
yes, big time service related issues. made me very angry. I usually will give a place a 2nd chance with stuff like that, but, this was just outrageous IMO (and a friend of ours was there the same day going through the same thing) that i don't even want to go near them again. I guess I am just stubborn that way -
LongTimeSloper wrote: [quote=Old Time Brooklyn]If I recall, AOC problem was service-related, not food-related right? Service can get better. The quality of food usually doesn't.
yes, big time service related issues. made me very angry. I usually will give a place a 2nd chance with stuff like that, but, this was just outrageous IMO (and a friend of ours was there the same day going through the same thing) that i don't even want to go near them again. I guess I am just stubborn that way
I've eaten there a couple of times and had a pretty good experience each time. Not perfect, but I thought they tried. You should give them another try.
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