New restaurant coming to Washington: Janelle's

I had heard rumors of the avenue getting a new Carib place, but thought the discussion pertained to the small take out place to be located near the corner of Washington and Prospect.

While that is clearly happening, it seems like we are ALSO getting a much larger place:

Janelle's

Janelle's states that it will be a restaurant and bar, is located on the CH side of Washington Ave between Prospect and St. Marks.

It looks large enough to sit around 40 people. Construction has been going on for a while, but it's sign seems to have gone up yesterday or today. (?)

yep, noticed that sign up on saturday a.m. as i was taking my dad for a pre-brunch walk through the neighborhood. curious to see what shapes up...

I look forward to preliminary reports.

I noticed this too--as we were walking to Sapid, in fact. Can't wait to give it a try!

I'm glad that the sign is up - if nothing else, it breaks up the hideousness of the tile. That said, I look forward to them opening.

The front of the restaurant now has a banner that proclaims it will have a grand opening on Friday May 27.

Sit down carib dining here we come.

Based on what I saw this morning, I assume they had their opening yesterday.

Here's my Saturday morning report:

The door was open, so I looked in.

The decor and feel remind me of Sugar Cane on Flatbush.

Here's some of their pre-opening press, as per yahoo's local food section:

"Washington Avenue continues to be hot, with a new business opening nearly every week lately. Grub Street is now reporting that the folks behind the new Janelle's Restaurant and Bar, Russel Baptists and fellow Trinidadian Joan Hurst, are set to open the eatery and full bar on May 27th.

The menu for the new spot at 671 Washington between St. Marks and Prospect Place includes comfort foods like rotisserie chicken, baby back ribs, and rib eye steak along with curried goat, oxtail, curried crab, and red snapper with ginger and spices. They also sport a "Back Home Sunday Special" that includes brown stew chicken, macaroni pie, red beans, rice, plantains, crab and calloo, potato salad, and a green salad for $19.95. "

Although open, this place is not yet ready.

Kitchen was slow.

Place was empty.

Food was only ok

Bar did not yet have alc license.

...hopefully they will work out the bugs, advertise, and have their lic approved soon.

(wait until you see the above before you go).

That's pretty discouraging news. I was thinking of hosting my monthly gathering of work colleagues at this place, but based on your feedback, I think I'll reconsider my decision. Hopefully they will smooth the wrinkles...

Jack Krohn said:

That's pretty discouraging news. I was thinking of hosting my monthly gathering of work colleagues at this place, but based on your feedback, I think I'll reconsider my decision. Hopefully they will smooth the wrinkles...

I actually had suggested it as a place for a work gathering as well since the menu looked good (although no vegetarian entree options!) and it was a big/attractive space. I saw it was BYOB, which stinks -- but now I will retract my suggestion for a place in the area. My coworkers love SugarCane, and I was hopeful this would be a less-crowded place for a drink and some food to hang out in. Oh well. Maybe next year.

Is it possible to walk into Sugarcane on a Friday night and get a table for a large group (8-12 people) without a reservation? We've done that at Kombit before, but Sugarcane always seems so crowded that we've never tried it.

its been a while since I've been, but Brooklyn Exposure on Bedford was yummy and may meet the needs of large groups without reservations. (downside: less convenient to the subway than Sugarcane)

http://www.brooklynexposure.com/

....I really hope Janelle's gets its act together. I don't go to places when they first open, I went to it only after it was open for two weeks, and it still needs much work.

No, it's near impossible unless you go on the early side...like around 6 or so.

Janelle's has now been open since late May.

[I.E. All of June and July, and much of August.]

-- I have yet to see more than 2 tables filled in the evening.

-- It has yet to get its liquor license.

People on Yelp are posting experiences similar to mine, while other diners liked it.

I fear it will not survive until it gets liquor lic, or its act together. I suspect it would be doing better if the dining was good, and it MERELY lacked a liquor lic.

Has anyone gone?

I would be a shame if it doesn't get its act together by Labor Day. Such potential for $$$.

Time Out is bestowing publicity on Janelle's

The question: Have they gotten their act together enough to satisfy the curious customers who come?

When I walk by, it continues to be empty.

Went there the Sunday after Irene.

The good: it was the only place on the street open. Nice interior decor. Real potential there.

The bad: The food took around 75 minutes. There were three other tables ahead of us.

The food: Not bad, but skimpy portions (two tiny slivers of plaintains to go with dinner,etc) and there are much better options for Caribbean food (God Is, Islands etc) on Washington.

It'll be out of business within a year. The space is nice enough, though, that someone who knows how to run a restaurant should be able to move in and be successful.

xlizellx said:

I actually had suggested it as a place for a work gathering as well since the menu looked good (although no vegetarian entree options!) and it was a big/attractive space. I saw it was BYOB, which stinks -- but now I will retract my suggestion for a place in the area. My coworkers love SugarCane, and I was hopeful this would be a less-crowded place for a drink and some food to hang out in. Oh well. Maybe next year.

I have yet to see a white person in SugarCane... Meanwhile Franny's is ONLY white folks... Whats up with that?

Franny's is wonderful, but it is expensive... this may boil down to "who has the $$"?

Comparing Sugar Cane and Franny's seems odd to me. They are different places, with different menus and atmospheres.

....This white folk has had a beverage at Sugar Cane and it was not cheap, leading me to believe that the folks who fill Sugar Cane on a nightly basis have $.

If Janelle's gets its alcohol license and dining act together, it should be interesting to see who becomes the core crowd.

So far they have not managed to improve their kitchen service. ....pouring a drink and running a bar requires many of the same skills as running a restaurant, so I continue to fear this place is not going to make it.

They now have their alcohol license, but not a single table was occupied.

...at 6:45 on a nice Saturday evening, when all of the other establishments on Washington seemed to be doing ok.

whynot_31 said:

They now have their alcohol license, but not a single table was occupied.

...at 6:45 on a nice Saturday evening, when all of the other establishments on Washington seemed to be doing ok.

Really? What about Skazzy? Seems like I only ever see three patrons in there at at time...

WhyFi said:

3?!

Every time I go by, it's empty.

I have seen Skazzy empty, but was hoping there was a Breakfast and Lunch business that I was not aware of.

Should my Business Deathwatch List include Skazzy as well as Janelle's?

I'm white and I've eaten at Sugarcane.

Most white folks are afraid.

Whatchuwant said:

I'm white and I've eaten at Sugarcane.

Most white folks are afraid.

I don't think afraid is the right word. Maybe not so comfortable? I think the bar is great and I sometimes like the food, but I don't always feel so comfortable in there and I'm black.

I think Sugarcane's biggest draw is its fashion conscious, high income, single customers; not necessarily its food or drink. The food and drinks seem to be priced a little higher in order to maintain its particular crowd.

...there are lots of places like that around, those who don't seek that scene don't frequent such scenes. Each bar/restaurant in NYC attracts a particular mix (sexual orientation, racial, or income, etc), those who don't seek the particular scene simply frequent a different one.

Even though NY is a big city with lots of scenes, I don't think Janelle's is going to make it. ....mere decor isn't enough.

whynot_31 said:

I think Sugarcane's biggest draw is its fashion conscious, high income, single customers, not necessarily its food or drink. The food and drinks seemed to be priced a little higher in order to maintain this crowd.

...there are lots of places like that around, those who don't seek that scene don't frequent such scenes.

I totally agree with this and it actually made me realize why I don't always feel comfortable there. Because it attracts lots of singles it also attracts some aggressive men, which I absolutely hate. I try and avoid the place, but will go if a bunch of my friends are going. Being there in a group makes it easier to brush of thirsty dudes.

Ishtar-

I suspect you and your friends may be encountering the "curse" of being good looking.

As a result of:

1. Seeing no advertising

2. Seeing few, if any, customers during dinner hours.

3. Having a reputation for slow mediocre food, with small portions.

SINCE THEY OPENED IN LATE JUNE, I hereby predict that Janelle's will be closed by Jan 1, 2012.

Other predictions (be them more pessimistic or more optimistic) are welcome.

I'm more of a pub person, so I haven't been to Sugarcane. I haven't heard much about it so I usually decide to go to one of the other 1000+1 places around there. Black Sheep, Born, Frannys, Piquant... Oceans! I have been to all these instead, lol.

I plan to hit Farm also, before Sugarcane, but I need to pay off some credit cards

I predict that Janelle's will hire a team of nubile Jamaican lasses to man the tables while dressed in thongs and mini-tees. Business thereafter will boom and Jack Krohn will dine there nightly.