Split Thread: James Restaurant (in old Sorrel Space) Open!

Hopefully, they will be intelligent enough to accept credit cards. I think that's one of the main reasons that Sorrel failed.

alafairnadia wrote: I definitely would have visited this spot more often had it accepted credit cards.

Carrying around a hump of cash in your wallet can be annoying and if you lose it you can't debate it. If you lose credit cards, you can shut them off; if you lose my cash, you lose cash.

There's also a nice big bar being installed, which looks promising.

Just walked by and there is a sign on the window proclaiming that they will be "Open Soon". The interior looks great!

Subject: Re: now the sign says...

too big for the sink wrote: they're opening june 24th.

they've been having private parties, and it looks pretty cozy in there with all the candles lit.

o'rly? what kind of food, do we know? my birthday is june 24th ...

Food looks real good:
http://jamesrestaurantny.com/

Subject: Hmmm

I am so looking forwards to this place, they did a great job renovating. Very impressed that they have a Website running so fast. There are loads of places on Vandy that have been open for a while and are depending on word of mouth to get their info on food and events out instead of a site. The food looks good and not many places know how to cook Skate. Def going to give it a try!

Starving now even though i ate so much last night. A Rhubarb for dessert always hits the spot. A steak Au Poivre with a side of Gratin would make me a very happy man after such a disastrous week!! The rack of lamb sounds amazing. Good to see a top notch Restaurant instead of botched Mexican, Middle Eastern, Pizzeria's and Bar Burgers and Sandwiches all over the place. Its weird that the article says that there has not been a restaurant like this since the farm. The farm is ok, food can be good one day and quite crappy the next. Anyhow really excited about Jame's and it seems that they will have Top notch cocktails and i hope that if they do, they have people that know how to mix instead of just creating a Drink menu giving it to the staff and leaving them to interpret the recipe one from the other. Spoke to Deborah a couple of days ago and she was very nice and seems to be excited that people have an interest in her place.
Good Luck

There is a small article onJames at WWW.Eater.com check it out! I like the pictures of the Bar it looks nice..

Just checked it out with another PH resident, it was nice about 5 people at the bar but not sure if they employee's or not. Had a drink, did not try food tonight since i am pretty broke this week, but who knows i rather spend money on good drinks and food than anything else.
Good Luck James
P.S Impressed that they have their website up and Running!

From Off the Menu in the NY Times today:

JAMES Seasonal American food with European influences, like fava bean ravioli with morels, and ricotta cheesecake beignets, are what Bryan Calvert knows best. Mr. Calvert, the chef of this brownstone restaurant with vintage décor, worked at Bouley and Union Pacific. The restaurant, which he owns with his wife, Deborah Williamson, opened yesterday: 605 Carlton Avenue (St. Marks Avenue), Prospect Heights, Brooklyn, (718) 942-4256.

We went there last night for dinner. Pretty F'n fantastic. I had the steak, probably the best I have had in a while an it isn't even a steak house. My girlfriend had the Skate we both thought the food was amazing. A bit expensive for everyday eating but perfect for a nice dinner out.

The dessert was incredible we had Chocolate Ganache Cake with Hazelnut Center and Brandy Ice cream. MMMMMMMMMMMM! I think the ice cream is home made.

The Staff was great, food took a little time to come out and at first we were the only ones in there but they kept apologizing for it. Totally worth the wait. Normally I have only one glass of wine with dinner but it was so good had to have two (at $7 a piece).

for drink choices they have a full bar about six red and six white wines to choose from. However only a three of each that you can get by the glass. My Girlfriend got the cheapest white and I got the cheapest red and they both were excellent. They have three beers on tap but they didn't have labels on the taps so I couldn't tell what they were. I assume one was Guinness because I saw the traditional Bar spoon hanging in front of it.

And yes they take credit cards at least Visa and Master card don't know about Amex.

I really suggest everyone try it. Lets give this new little restaurant a big PH welcome.

P.S. Also if you want to look at the menu go to their Website
http://www.jamesrestaurantny.com/

Their menu apparently changes seasonally so when I went to Menu pages is was incorrect.

WENT THERE LAST NIGHT NO FOOD THOUGH, JUST DRINKS, the place looks and feels amazing. The sun light was coming through the windows, had this amazing orange glow coming through like a fairy tale, anyhow it was a bit busy when got there, sat on the bar with Friend and ordered drinks form the bartender, watch him make the drinks and i do have to say as much of an asshole as i am, i take my drinks seriously , the cocktail list is not much to talk about, i mean pretty standard but was i was hoping for was them to actually train the bartenders to make their drinks. A restaurant/Bar can have the most amazing cocktail list but if they do not train their bartenders properly their drinks will always taste like shit. And there are a couple of places on Vandy that have tried having a cocktail list but have failed due to the lack of interest on the part of their staff, won´t name names though, even though the exception is weathered up. Anyhow, my drink was whatever, i wanted to stay and drink more but i just could not, the music was killing the atmosphere and Deborah will know who i am because i told her so, i know they are going for an old school world feeling and such but walking into a place that is packed and having fucking music that brings the mood down to me is a downer, i rather have shitty food and good atmosphere that good food in a Graveyard , same problem that Farm has, no fucking ambience whatsoever. Like she said, concerned about the older patrons and neighbors and yes most of the people that were there had snow globes on their heads, but remember this, these people 30 or 40 years ago were 20 or 30 years old, they were fucking, going to Plato´s retreat, dancing and snorting coke like an ant eater bear, the were wild, just because they live in the heights and have white hair does not mean they don´t appreciate music. And most of all if you want a restaurant to be full of The early bird special that is fine, but if you want to attract the younger crowd who will actually come time and time after time and give it a vibe then do something about the music. I mean i went to weather up afterwards and Eliza was there, i am the only person there and yet the music she had on was cool, not loud, not rock, not punk but good old Jazz and soul and coming from a place that was packed with shitty music to a place that was empty and good music really made a difference, so get the cocktails and music right and i got no complaints!