Closed for Business: Canaille Bistro, 78 Fifth Avenue

Canaille, the small French Bistro on Fifth Avenue between St. Marks and Warren that had a great reputation but was marred in recent months by a prolonged closure and a menu revamp, finally closed for good over the weekend. I ran into the building's owner right after the "For Lease" sign went up, and he told me the reason for the closure was unpaid rent. The space has already been cleared out, and according to the listing, the rent is $4,500/month, plus electric, or $67.50/square foot/ year. 

The cozy bistro, run by the husband and wife duo of Philippe de Crespi and Marie MacLean, was considered one of the neighborhood's hidden gems, and they arguably served the best French food around. The owners were in the restaurant nightly, and eating there was like dining in their living room.

In July of last year, after five years in business, the restaurant closed suddenly, and even though a sign said it would only be closed for a couple weeks, it didn't open back up until October.

Sadly, when it did re-open, it was but a shadow of its former self. Renamed "Canaille Wine Bar," it appeared as if the kitchen was no longer operational, as the emphasis was on cheese, charcuterie, a few cold appetizers, and wine. It was only open sporadically, with odd hours, and the axe finally fell over the weekend.

This is a loss that's actually worth mourning (even though the classic Canaille has been gone for months); a real mom and pop passion project restaurant that served fresh-made, no-frills French food in a low-key, unpretentious atmosphere. Sad to see it meet such an unceremonious fate.

Dinosaur Barbecue to Open in May

Hot on the heels of the announcement that a Franklin BBQ vet will be opening a barbecue restaurant on Flatbush Avenue between Bergen and Dean Streets comes word that the most hotly anticipated barbecue joint in the area right now, Dinosaur, will be opening its long-in-the works Brooklyn outpost on Union Street just east of Fourth Avenue in just a couple short months.

"A lot of you have been wondering on the state of the new Dinosaurs in Brooklyn and Buffalo. Brooklyn is slated to open in mid-May," the restaurant, which also has a perpetually-packed Harlem location, posted on its Facebook page earlier this week. The gigantic space sustained major damage during Hurricane Sandy, but it looks like they didn't let it set them back too much.

Along with Fort Reno, Fletcher's (down on 3rd Avenue near 8th Street), and the one coming to Flatbush, I foresee a barbecue walking tour in the near future.

Closed for Business: Tasti D-Lite, 339 Seventh Avenue

The Tasti D-Lite on Seventh Avenue between Ninth and Tenth Streets has closed up shop. Many thanks to a tipster for sending word that a "For Rent" sign is in the window and that it wasn't open last night. And while the phone line hasn't yet been disconnected, calls have gone unanswered.

There's certainly no shortage of frozen yogurt in the neighborhood, with the newest one, Yogurtland, opening about six blocks away in January. Winter is never a great time to run a frozen yogurt shop, especially one with so much local competition. This location was also robbed three times by the same bandit last year, losing about $600 in total.

Franklin Barbecue Alum Setting up Shop on Flatbush Avenue

For those who aren't familiar with Austin, Texas' Franklin Barbecue, you just need to know one thing. It's good. Like, good. So good that the line to get in is oftentimes a hundred people deep by 10 AM on a weekday, and when maestro Aaron Frankin runs out of barbecue, which is usually shortly thereafter, he closes up shop. And keep in mind, this is in Texas. It's not just hype, either; the brisket falls apart when you pick it up and the sausages have more snap than you knew was possible. In fact, The Daily Meal just named it the 26th best restaurant in the country.

And why is any of this important? Because one of its alumni, John Avila, is opening a barbecue restaurant at 227 Flatbush Avenue, Between Bergen and Dean, in the ramshackle building last occupied by a kitchen and tile shop, according to DNAinfo. If this place is even a reasonable fascimilie of what Franklin is doing down in Austin, then this place could very well end up serving the city's finest barbecue.

Thus continues the barbecue boom in this area, with Fort Reno and, soon, Dinosaur Barbecue setting up shop just a short walk away.

In other news, an outpost of macaroni and cheese shop The Elbow Room will be opening up right next door. They're best known for their multiple varieties of the comfort food, with stands inside the Barclays Center and another in Newark. This will just be a take-out counter, with an attached "general store" that will sell sausages and the like, and it will serve as a commissary for the Barclays Center stand. 

Photo via Andrew Zimmern

El Jalapeno to Close

El Jalapeno, the Mexican restaurant on President Street between Fourth and Fifth Avenues, is for sale, and will be closing as soon as a buyer is found.

The restaurant, which has been regarded by some as serving the best Mexican food in the neighborhood but never really found its footing thanks to its off the beaten path location, has reduced menu prices by 25 percent and is selling beer for $4.

When I spoke to the manager, he told me that his father, who was a regular fixture in the restaurant as well as a co-owner, recently passed away. His business partner, the other owner, also passed away recently, leaving the restaurant in a sad state. They're unable to continue on without them, so have decided to put it up for sale.

I was always a fan of El Jalapeno, and it's sad to learn that it's coming to such an unfortunate end. I'd recommend trying their food before they close for good; I've never been anything other than impressed by it.