Bristen's is now... Island Thyme

Sigh - so much to say about oxtail...

This place has a good location for walkers from the train or area bars. It has a pretty good layout w a clean dining room. Cozy backyard that w a couple of 1000 could be inviting and warm in the hospitable way rather than patio pavers gone wrong with the only thing to stop the sun is your head.

Every time I eat at Cheryl's I am reminded that if you take a burger and put 20% effort into it's purchase and prep it will really stand out. James also has a standard menu w some extra effort. DutchBoy is trying hard to pay attention to details. The lack luster everything from the management of Island Bristen's was it's doom. Food was always pretty good but not special. Paying extra for toast w breakfast, maybe in midtown but not on Franklin Ave.And the hours..? This place is clean enough to reopen today w the right person behind the concept and execution of something special. If this pizza guy makes a pie w half the attention that he is putting into the build out it will be another welcome addition. If the jackboots at every level of government would stand down on Chavela's we could all enjoy a cool drink made by people who are all about details. I hope the Island TYme will reopen soon using some outside help on menu developement

Me either.

Although I saw people in there pretty often during the last few months, I often saw it closed. This latest incarnation repeated the unpredictable hours of the past.

I don't know if the space is owned or leased, but I have decided that the present proprieter can't make it work.

I hope a new team gets the space.

Now that the avenue has an ice cream place open, I'd put in bagels and soups/salads. Three meals would be available. A half sandwich and a soup would be $7 for lunch. Neptune diner might kick my ass if I wasn't really good at what I did.

Tate-

A poster on this Chavellas thread stated it was problems with wheelchair access.

http://www.brooklynian.com/forums/topic/chavellas-moving-to-736-franklin-near-sterling-place

Gossip heard today about Island Thyme closing.

Apparently about 6 weeks ago, the executive chef walked out. Seems the quality control was seriously lacking (leaving uncooked chicken on indirect heat and then cooking it) and he got fed up and bounced. The chef under him was not up for the task of taking over and that's why there were spotty hours for a while. Sounds like she just got fed up with the whole deal and couldn't financially survive it.

The thing about oxtails is that it's akin to chitterlings and cow's feet and pig's feet and pig tail. You see, oxtail is what poor folk ate. Yeah, it's mostly fat and bone, yeah, it's not choice meat, but it was the ingenuity and the knowledge of alchemy of the oppressed that have made it now considered a delicacy... But y'all wouldn't know that.

Bristens, Island Thyme, so sorry to see you go. Another Black business bites the dust. Free marketeers will no doubt argue their argument, but we know the deal.... I loved the oxtail by the way....

MHA, I don't understand -- are you saying that black people are bad at running businesses? I don't agree with that at all.

I personally don't think that space is big enough for Cheryl's. I see her with a larger space ala Chevela's.

Based on this thread, a little part of my head has been thinking about the Island Thyme space for the last five days.

I have been trying to figure out what would work best in the space.

I have considered the following:

-local, existing businesses

-the age of people on Franklin

-the income of folks in the area

-the eating preferences

-a desire to make a reliable, year-round profit

....and tried to think of a business that I think the avenue and neighborhood would support.

Although some of you may disagree, I do not think the Avenue could support something as expensive and formal and Cheryl's at this moment.

My thoughts are now complete, and I am ready to reveal my idea:

I have concluded that an old school hero/sub/hoagie shop could work.

Given the space available, it would be larger than Syd's Serious Sandwich Shop on Nostrand, and could closely resemble City Sub on Bergen.

There would be indoor and outdoor seating.

It would have yummy bread like City Sub.

There would be beer, but it would be priced so you would order a beer with your hoagie; you wouldn't spend your whole evening there drinking.

discuss.

Away we go Postal.

yes, it is too bad.

All I can think of is, that the owner of Island Thyme quickly sold the restaurant equipment for the little $ it would generate.

Or maybe the landlord decided they wanted to rent it quickly, rather than hold out for higher paying restaurant tenant?

....yes, a postal place is pretty boring.

Maybe someone else will open up a hoagie/sub/sandwich place.