Brooklyn: Gowanus

Deal of the Day: The Bell House

greendollarsign.pngTake advantage of the 2-for-1 happy hour at the Bell House (located in the Gowanus area of Park Slope) from 5 to 7 p.m. before the fun really starts. In anticipation of next weekend, the Brooklyn Food Conference is hosting a Soul Session (cough, karaoke) from 8 to 10 p.m. Free, with a $10 suggested donation. (149 7th Street, Brooklyn NY 11215 (map);718-643-6510

How Red Hook Vendors Will Spend Election Night

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Rafael Soler of Soler Dominican pupusa fame; tacos; pupusas grilling.

It's natural to wonder what street vendors do at night. When they start breaking down the trucks, it's tempting to invite them over for a drink, or share very personal American moments with them.

Turns out you can spend election night with the Red Hook ball field vendors at the Bell House in the Gowanus neighborhood of Brooklyn. The free Red + Blue Election Night Party will feature a menu of pupusas from Vendy Awards finalist Rafael Soler, tacos from Fernando Martinez, and huaraches from Eleazar Perez. Reasons why this is awesome: it's not even ball season anymore, it's at night, and at a spot slightly more convenient than Red Hook.

Brooklyn Based is also promising red and blue cupcakes, and there will be a Weezer cover album playing songs from the "Blue Album." The party starts at 7 PM, and last until it ends. The Bell House: 49 7th Street, Brooklyn NY 11215 (between 2nd and 3rd Avenues; map).

Hot Diggity: This Dawg Shack Place Looks Promising

The Dawg Shack (by Adam "Slice"<br />
Kuban)

Oh, sweet! How did this escape me? Not more than a few, short, walkable blocks from my home in Park Slope is a new option for the hot dogs.

Gowanus Lounge reports on Dawg Shack, on Union and 3rd streets. And while I like hot dogs just fine, I think the rest of owner Jose Maldonado's menu sounds spectacular—homemade chili (either as dog topping or in a bowl of its own), burgers from freshly ground beef, lunch specials including brisket and chicken cutlets.

Here's Maldonado's philosophy, as he told the Brooklyn Paper: "'I'm a little spontaneous about what goes on the menu,' he admitted. 'Yesterday, I made brisket. Today, I made chicken cutlet. I’m trying to think of what I’m gonna make tomorrow.'"

This place is a block from my train stop. I totally know where I'm getting dinner tonight.

The Dawg Shack

252 Third Avenue, Brooklyn NY 11215 (at Union Street, Gowanus; map)
718-855-0757

Closings: Brick Oven Bar Be Cue in Gowanus

Brick Oven Bar Be Cue, we hardly knew ye. I'd been eager to try the pizza offerings at this unlikeliest of barbecue joints, housed in a gritty former warehouse on the corner of Third Avenue and 6th Street in Brooklyn's Gowanus neighborhood. But in the last couple of weeks, the place never seemed to be open. After a quick phone call to confirm hours, the owner, Emmanuel Maropakis said he'd given it two months and decided to close. "Not enough interest," he said. And as for the pizza, that never happened. "I couldn't find the right guy to do it," he said.

Clover Brewer at Root Hill Cafe in Gowanus/Park Slope

Root Hill Cafe

Clover-Brewed Coffee at the Root Hill CafeI was already running late this morning, and the Root Hill Cafe is, technically, out of my way as I make my morning beeline to the subway station. But I had a feeling. A thought slowly started to nag at me—What if they have a Clover machine?

Over the last few months, I've been watching this space on the corner of Fourth Avenue and Carroll Street in Brooklyn transform from a spottily run car service to a hip little coffee house with lots of thoughtful architectural details. And given that it opened just last week—at just the right time to have possibly snagged one of the last non-Starbucks Clover brewers—I didn't mind adding a few minutes to my commute by crossing the street to find out and put that nagging thought to rest.

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For Sale: Eating Pleasure. Price: $2

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Bouchon Bakery's bouchon, Shake Shack's cone, and Burgers and Cupcakes' mini-cupcake

So what can you buy for $2.00 or less that is good enough to tell your friends about, (not including pizza slices, which I'll deal with separately)?

My top 11 list (is that a baker's ten?) list, not in any particular order. Please pardon the lack of visuals and links. I'm totally crazed this morning.

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