Brooklyn Central Pizza Launching Brunch This Weekend

When Park Slope's newest high-end pizzeria, Brooklyn Central, opened earlier this month, co-owner Matthew Hyland (above) told me that they'd be rolling our brunch service "within a month." He was true to his word, because it's launching this weekend.

The restaurant, on Fifth Avenue between First and Second Streets, will serve brunch every Saturday and Sunday from 11:30 AM - 3:30 PM. A selection of pizzas from the regular menu will be available, along with some breakfasty items like the Mr. Crock (ham, 2 eggs, gruyere, and truffle oil), Rafa’s Desayuno (chorizo, eggs, onions, crema and cilantro) and the Banana Stonecake (bananas, pecans, maple syrup and cinnamon sugar).

Pizza for breakfast? Sure!

Thai Sky Out, Luck Thai In on Fifth

Thai Sky, the mixed-reviewed Thai restaurant on the corner of Fifth Avenue and Sixth Street, quietly changed ownership a couple months ago. Even though Thai Sky's awning was still up, the new restaurant set up shop and introduced a new name and menu, and recently pasted some temporary signage to the front windows while removing any remaining presence of the previous occupant.

Called Luck Thai, the menu is more expansive than that of Thai Sky, with a quality lunch special and a few surprises like labb, Thai roti, duck Pad Thai, big bowl noodle soup, and Thai beef jerky. The decor is the same, they deliver, and like Thai Sky they're open daily from 11:30 AM to 10 PM.

Luck Thai, 386 Fifth Avenue Brooklyn NY 11215. 718-499-1888.

Open for Business: Padrino's Pizza, 450 Fifth Avenue

It was only a week ago that I first got word that a new pizzeria, Padrino's, was in the works in the space last occupied by a small electronics shop on Fifth between Ninth and Tenth, and on Saturday the slice joint opened for business.

It's a fairly straightforward, no-frills space, with a counter displaying the pies up front and a decent-sized, if sterile, seating area in the back.

The menu is about what you would expect from a New York pizzeria, with a small selection of appetizers like garlic bread, mozzarella sticks, and chicken rolls, a few salads, heros including meatball parm and grilled chicken with broccoli rabe, and your usual assortment of penne and linguini in sauce. There are also baked dishes like stuffed shells and lasagna, and entrees like veal parm served with your choice of pasta. Fried calzones are also available.

Pizza is clearly the main draw, though, and plain pies sell for $14 (slices are $2). Sicilian and "Grandma"-style pies are also available, with traditional toppings going for $3, as well as some more oddball ones like salad, buffalo chicken, pancetta and arugula, and sausage with broccoli rabe. There's also a Nutella Lover's Pie, topped with Nutella and your choice of strawberry, banana, or marshmallow.

Padrino's, 450 Fifth Avenue Brooklyn NY 11215. 347-987-3331. Free Delivery.

Massage Parlor Opens at 493 Seventh Avenue

Priority Fitness moved out of their original home, on Seventh between 16th and Prospect, over the summer, and recently a quasi-shady, generic "Back Care/ Foot Rub" parlor opened up in its place.

Not much else to add, except for the fact that this is the third such opening in the neighborhood in the past couple years.

Bistro Canaille Re-Opens, Now Canaille Wine Bar

Bistro Canaille, the hidden gem of a French restaurant on Fifth Avenue between St. Marks and Prospect, closed back in July "for renovations," which were only supposed to last for a week. They didnt in fact re-open until several months later, and the space looks very much the same as it did previous to its closure. There are a couple glaring differences, though: a much, much smaller menu, and a new name.

Canaille Wine Bar now serves a small (if well-curated) selection of alcohol (two sparkling wines and five of both reds and whites, available by the glass and bottle, two draft beers, and a few varieties of booze), and a small selection of food: bar snacks, cheeses, charcuterie, and a couple specials like a Merguez sandwich and sliders.

Based on the menu, it appears as if they are using their kitchen very sparingly (if at all); offerings are similar to other wine bars in the area, including Wolf and Deer next door. The food at Canaille was always excellent, so it's a shame to see that they've moved away from that. The full menu is below.