A Sneak Peek at Cafe Dada's Menu, Opening Today on Seventh and Lincoln

The French-Hungarian cafe I first told you about back in December will finally be opening its doors to the neighborhood today, in the space that was last occupied by Ozzie's Coffee.

Cafe Dada is a collaboration between two friends, Murat Ozcan and Gabor Ferencz. They met while working front-of-house at Rockefeller Center's Brasserie Ruhlmann, and Murat is a gregarious presence at the other cafe he owns, Couleur Cafe, further down Seventh.

The interior of the space is gorgeous, and preservationists will be pleased to learn that all of the original woodwork from its time as a pharmacy has been retained, and in fact more was uncovered during renovations. Stay tuned for photos; in the meantime here's the menu (click to enlarge). As promised, there's a solid assortment of both French and Hungarian specialties, with an expended menu (including more entrees, wine, and beer) to come.

Has Brooklyn Bread Closed Up Shop? (Updated)

UPDATES BELOW.

Brooklyn Bread, the bakery/cafe on the corner of Fifth Avenue and Sixth Street, appears to have shut down operations.

A couple tipsters have sent word this afternoon that the space is in the process of being gutted. Workers have been hauling out furniture and equipment and the "interior is a disaster," according to one.

Calls to the cafe have gone unanswered, and the lady who answered the phone at the Court Street location wasn't aware of what's going on. Either they're closed or are undergoing a sudden, extensive renovation. My guess is that they're in fact closed for good; stay tuned for confirmation.

UPDATE: Thanks to a tipster for passing along word that the landlord upped the rent, so they'll be moving further south, to Fifth Avenue and 15th Street. No vacant storefronts to speak of on that corner, so it'll be interesting to see how this develops.

UPDATE 2: Brooklyn Bread will in fact be moving into the space currently occupied by Sweet Treasures Bakery, which was formerly Three Star Bakery, on Fifth between 16th and Prospect. They two business will be sharing the space, according to the employee who answered the phone, but the baker, Anthony, declined to provide any more details.

Photo via Yelp

After 40 Years, The Park Florist to Close at End of the Month

Another longtime Slope business is about to close its doors for good.

The Park Florist, which has been on Seventh Avenue between First and Garfield since 1972, will be shutting down, as the owners, Simon and Doris Silberman, have decided to retire.

Best known for their creative floral arrangements and charmingly cluttered atmosphere, the florists specialized in everything from high-end wedding arrangements to simple single orchids. There were also a bunch of knick-knacks and other garden aids, generally of the antique variety.

The store is also of note for its multi-generational ownership, as Simon and Doris' granddaughter could usually be found assisting customers. It's comforting to know that they've decided to shut down on their own terms, as opposed to being forced out by a rent hike, say.

The florist will be closing at the end of the month; until then all merchandise is 50% off.

Open For Business: Events at Stone Park, 357 Third Street

Stone Park Cafe's private event space, which has been under construction for a couple months in the space last occupied by Villa Pizza Rustica, on Third Street just west of Fifth Avenue, opened up over the weekend.

It's a beautiful space, right next door to Stone Park proper, with an open kitchen, counter space, plenty of room to mill about, and a backyard. It fits 63 people in total, and a link to a forthcoming website will be on Stone Park's news page soon.

Brooklyn Crepe and Juice Coming to Lugo Space

It's been a couple months since Lugo, the small photography studio that was on Fifth Avenue between Lincoln and Berkeley for the past three years, packed it in and moved to Sunset Park. I noticed some construction going on in the space over the weekend, and it turns out that Brooklyn Crepe & Juice, the small juice bar/crepe shop on Flatbush between St. Marks and Prospect, will be opening up a second outpost in the space.

This one will be a little bit bigger than the original, which is well-liked and has developed somewhat of a cult following for its super-fresh ingredients, friendly service, and creative options. Aside from sweet and savory crepes and fresh-squeezed juice made to order, they also offer soups and salads.