Need rec for one lunch or dinner near BAM

[lisavf]

We're going to a Saturday matinee at BAM in two weeks, driving two hours to get there, so we would like to have either lunch before or dinner after, then it's back home. Cost is not an issue; good food and good service is important. I am willing to consider all cuisines. I do want a nice sit-down meal, not burgers/pizza. Can anyone offer recommendations?

Thanks in advance.

[efdee]

There's a new Italian place, Caffe E Vino, at 112 DeKalb Ave, that is near BAM and open for lunch and dinner. It was recommended to me but I haven't tried it yet. Their website is under construction but the phone # is 718-855-6222. Has anybody been?

[bobjbkln]

Thomas Beisl, an Austrian Bistro is just across the street. I assume they do lunch and/or early dinner. Mixed reviews here recently. Convivium Osteria is a Portuguese/Italian restaurant with really good food and atmosphere. Opens at 5:30 PM. About a 5 minute walk.

Stir It Up is a very simple BYOB Jamaican restaurant with very good food and gentle Island style friendly service.

If you are into Sushi, Taro Sushi is clearly the best non-upscale atmosphere (but upscale food) place in all of NY. Both Stir it Up and Taro are 5 minutes away.

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Convivium Osteria
68 5th Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11217

Taro Sushi
244 Flatbush Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11217

Thomas Beisl
25 Lafayette Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11217

Stir It Up
514 Atlantic Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11217

[sam1]

sorry...thomas beisl is on its last legs and it shows. hands down the worst meal i had in 2007. id avoid at all costs.

taro sushi...best sushi for the money...and go to chocolate room for dessert and have a chocolate brownie sunday with vanilla ice cream.

[bobjbkln]

Note to Lisavf: I haven't been to Thomas Beisl in about 18 months, so I will defer to sam1's opinion. I stick with the other three recs, however. (Although truth be known, I don't like Sushi and have never eaten at Taro's, but I put it in because it gets near universal acclaim on this board)

[lisavf]

Thanks for the responses. After discussing, we decided we would prefer to have lunch so that we can get out of town and back home more easily. If we decide against sushi, any other recommendations for lunch? And sam1, where is the chocolate room? That might be just the ticket for a post-show coffee before we get on the road.

TIA to everyone. I always get the best recs from the great folks on these boards!

[jinx]

Our new place of choice when going to Bam is Cafe Lafayette. Learned about it from this board :) Small, cute bistro place, definitely open for lunch. BYOB is a plus--and Greene Grapes is around the corner.. Burgers (all we've had so far) are very good and other mains look good too. Two blocks from BAM.

http://www.99cafelafayette.com/

I see you said you don't want burgers but this is more than a burger joint, has a full french/mediterranean bistro-y menu and is very cozy.

[bobjbkln]

Stir It Up is open for lunch.

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Stir It Up
514 Atlantic Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11217

[jacobdev]

Melt, on Bergen St, between Flatbush and 5th Ave. is open for lunch and has decent New American and good service.

The food at Stir It Up is good, but if you're looking for good service or any sort of upscale experience, it might not be a place you'd want to take someone.

[lisavf]

Yes, that's what I was thinking. Under different circumstances, Stir It Up looks like it would be an interesting place. But this is one of those times when we want a good, reliable meal in a nice atmosphere after a long drive. In addition to Melt, I see that iCi and Jolie both serve lunch or brunch on Saturdays. Any other suggestions, or any thoughts on these three?

[bobjbkln]

I have not had brunch at either, but dinners and atmospheres at both are quite good, although I think iCi is the nicer and more special (food) of the two. In either case, they are probably not within easy walking distance of BAM, but you should fin any problem parking by the restaurants. Personally, I don't particularly like Melt (haven't had their brunch either).

You might also be interested in Alchemy, a self-styled gastropub with decent food, drink with a comfortable atmosphere. It's within a short walking distance of BAM. I think they have a full lunch (not brunch) menu.

[lisavf]

Thanks, bobj. I've added Alchemy to my list. Their website lists brunch for Saturday - a phenomenom I'm not accustomed to. On a day like we're planning, I like to have a lunch which is more like a small dinner, but we will not complain if a good brunch is what we get. A short drive is not a problem, but walking distance is a plus.