The Soup Bowl is Coming Back!

As the summer officially begins to die down, I'm pleased to announce that there's at least one thing you can look forward to this winter: Butternut Squash Lobster Bisque.

The Soup Bowl, chef Richard Gussoff's devilishly delicious soup stand on Seventh Avenue between Eighth and Ninth Streets, will be proudly returning like clockwork this winter to the space that's currently occupied by Uncle Louie G's Ice Cream.

"We will definitely be back in the same location at the beginning of November," Chef Gussoff confirmed when reached by email. They plan on opening up in more than one location, but as of right now no new outposts are in place yet (that means we get it all to ourselves, so not such a bad thing).

I can't say enough about how good these soups are. Read my profile of the shop from last year to get your mouth watering, and I'll see you in November!

Tower Electronics Loses its Sign, Reveals Ugliness Hiding Behind It

We have a new candidate for Ugliest Corner in the Slope: the southeast corner of Fifth Avenue and Thirteenth Street, where the long-shuttered Tower Electronics Center once stood (along with its sign that was mising a "T," so it was actually Ower Electronics Center).

That old sign was nothing special, but was old so it at least retained some charm. Not any more, though. The sign came down at some point within the last week, and, well... let's just say I hope something comes along to fill this space, stat.

Previously, via Google Maps.

With Ozzie's Moved Out, Its Interior Gets Back to Pharmacy Roots

One of my favorite things about Ozzie's (okay, the only thing I really liked about Ozzie's) was the fact that many of the original wooden pharmacy fixtures were still in place after most likely 80 or so years. Display cases, old lighting fixtures, even the old hand-lettered "Prescription Department" sign and its woodwork all the way in the back have stuck around. And of course the old display windows, with its "TRUSSES-BELTS-CANDY" sign.

Since packing up and clearing out last week in anticipation of moving across the street into (most likely half of) the space that used to be home to La Taqueria, a peek through the doorway reveals that without any of their signage or furniture to distract, the old pharmacy looks like it can re-open next week. Let's keep our fingers crossed that the space's next occupant is as kind to its history as Ozzie's was.

Back in Business: Sandy's Coffee Shop, 577 Fifth Avenue

I was disappointed to discover back in early June that the tiny Sandy's Internet Coffee Shop, a cafe on 16th Street just east of Fifth Avenue, had closed down and was being gutted. I had never seen any customers in the place, so I wasn't very surprised, though.

I was surprised, however, to find yesterday that Sandy's is back in business, with a renovated space and a slimmed down menu.

Owner Sandy Adame herself was back behind the counter, and she informed me that her four-year old shop had re-opened last week after reconstruction and a management reorganization (I'm fairly certain that someone else had been running the space for a while and it's now back in her hands).

To drink, Sandy's got coffee, cappuccino, fresh-squezzed juice, Jarritos and Mexican Coke. Sandwiches are no longer on offer; food is now limited to salads, pastries, madelines, and Mexican tamales made by Sandy herself, filled with chicken with green sauce, jalapeno and cheese, vegetables and cheese, or chicken mole.

I tried the chicken with green sauce, and it may just be the best tamale I've encountered in the neighborhood. Seriously, those tamales alone make this place a true hidden gem.

Welcome back, Sandy!

Sandy's Coffee Shop, 577 Fifth Avenue Brooklyn NY 11215.

Citibank Construction Begins at Hollywood Video Space

It was first announced here last month that the long-vacant space that was last home to Hollywood Video, on Fifth Avenue and Eighth Street, would next be home to a Citibank branch. Now it appears as if construction is underway. Not really worth getting too excited about, unless you're a customer who will no longer have to schlep over to Seventh and Carroll to make a deposit, of course.