Neighborhood: February 2005 Archives

I've lived in Brooklyn for almost two years now and it's only with this last haircut that I think I may have found a good, affordable salon for a cut. Sure, I had a couple of great $100 cuts in the city (and a couple not-so-great $80 ones), but after tip, you betta luv that haircut and it betta grow out real nice. I know rents are higher here, people have to eat, etc., but $100 is just too rich for me. I even tried the Bumble and Bumble free practice cuts, where I got the most boring (yet most nerve-wracking) bob of my life. With the flight deals back to my former home of Atlanta being as cheap as they are, it was almost worth the flight just for a reasonable cut and color. That is until I went to the Beehive Salon in Williamsburg. Now, I've only had one cut there, by a very down-to-earth woman named Jessica, but so far, so good. She took her time, cut wet and dry, and never even reached for the razor (a personal pet peeve of mine as razors do not work with fine hair).  Best part: The cut was $55 before tip. Whew, I even had enough left over to buy a cappuccino from Gimme Coffee. Anybody else have stories of happy hair or horror hair to tell?

Had dinner the other night at the newish restaurant, Bouillabaisse, on Union Street near Columbia in Carroll Gardens West. The food aside, and it was very good, the restaurant has a very strange menu presentation technique. It happens right after your party is seated and its hunger momentarily sated with a basket of bread: The waiter brings the menu. Not a strange turn of events, except that the menu is a giant (and I do mean giant) chalkboard with the day's dishes scrawled across its  surface. The shock and giggle of seeing a rather demure waiter toting a giant chalkboard across the restaurant quickly turns to horror when said waiter proceeds to just stand there and hold the huge slate tablet while your eyes frantically scramble across its uneven lines. It's hard to stare at a menu when the waiter is staring back at you and holding a giant menu. There's no chance to muse "O honey, why don't you get the salmon and I'll get the steak" or to argue about the shared appetizer.  After a few tense moments later, the waiter politely asked, "Do you know what you want?"  Heh, I don't even  know what your menu says because I'm still focusing on the giant chalkboard in your hand.

All giant chalkboard jokes aside, the food pleased. By far, the best dish was the filet mignon. The oft-overused expression of the knife sinking into the steak as if it were butter is apropos.  The dish's accompanying sides of mashed potatoes and sauteed carrots and leaks nicely complimented the richness of the meat. We also ordered the bouillabaisse, which in layman's terms is a seafood stew. We were a little let down by the simple, somewhat bland, broth, but the seafood was top-notch. We haven't sampled a lot of bouillabaisses, so I'm not sure how spicy and flavorful the broth should be.

Go now, while the place still doesn't have a liquor license: Our appetizer (crab cake), two meals (fillet and bouillabaisse) and dessert (a very satisfying creme brulee) came to about $55 before tip.  Bring your own bottle of wine, and this dinner's a steal.

You can find Bouillabaisse at 126 Union, between Columbia and Hicks streets. Phone (718) 855-4405. The website isn't up yet, but its address is www.bouillabaisse126.com.

No need to travel to Park Slope for a Brooklyn Industries T-shirt. Cobble Hill/Boerum Hill/Carroll Gardens is getting its own store soon, very soon. How soon? According to a clerk at the Park Slope location, they're shooting for the end of the month.  The store is on the corner of Smith and Atlantic.