Red Rose Revamped.

Walking by 315 Smith Street the sign above caught our eye. Is this place new? It took us a moment but we realized that this Italian restaurant, Red Rose, has been there forever (30 years to be exact).  They've gotten a long needed new sign is all.  You can see how badly they needed one by looking at the before shot below. We're thinking the new sign will bring in first time customers since it's something that really pops out and demands to be seen. The fact that the place gets good reviews should turn those first timers into regulars.

Chio on Columbia.

117 Columbia, formerly Casa Di Campagna, has a new tenant.  Also an Italian restaurant, Chio focuses more on Mediterranean fare.  We'd passed by several times and weren't sure what was going to open in that spot.  The picture above is from a week or so before the opened.  The menu is fresh and dynamic.  In our own Mary Gaglio's words, who was one of the first to try it, "it's so delicious, everything we had was great".  And with nothing over $20, it's pretty moderately priced.  Anyone else had a chance to try it?  Tell us what you think!

Mama Maria's Make Over.

                           Mama Maria's swaps out its old awning for a simple sign. (DNAinfo/Heather Holland)

This is soooo cool!  We had no idea about this when it was going on but came across this blog (picture above) on DNAinfo New York.  Mama Maria's Italian restaurant on Court Street has gotten a makeover, Gordon Ramsey-style.  They will be on Kitchen Nightmares!  Now although it doesn't air until the fall you can see the improvements already, especially in the very different signage they have put up.  You can read the whole article here.  It talks more about the changes that have been made to the restaurant and is really interesting.  Check it out.

Caselnova, Now serving Brunch!

Our favorite neighborhood Trattoria, Caselnova, has just started serving brunch. The first day they opened for brunch was last Sunday. Along with some traditionals, like Eggs Benedict, they have an Italian twist on breakfast by serving things such as breakfast pizzas and Italian (instead of French) toast. All of this comes with a complimentary cocktail. Being right near our Columbia Waterfront office, the restaurant is at 215 Columbia, we order from there all the time and can vouch for the tasty food (especially the pizza, which you can see in a small photo below). They're playing Monday night football, as well, and they also have weekly specials, such as 1/2 price bottles of wine on Wednesdays. Last we looked kids ate free on Tuesdays and Mondays were 2 for 1 pizza nights. Check in with them on that as it may have changed. You can follow them here on facebook for more daily specials. So, if you haven't checked this place out yet you should. And definitely keep them on your brunch list.

Brucie Italian Market/Restaurant

We've all been waiting and wondering what would become of the space at 234 Court St, the old Cube 63 sushi restaurant. Well, the waiting is over. Brucie opened last weekend with dinner hours and a limited menu and will be opening fully for lunch and more food offerings next week. Brucie, named after a couple of the chef/owner, Zahra Tangorra's, canine friends (Zahra's dog is named Burrito and Burrito's dog buddy is Lucy), is an Italian market/restaurant. The menu, which you can view on their website www.brucienyc.com, will change often depending on what's fresh and in season. Their meats are hand-picked from Nectar Hills Farm and poultry is obtained from Hoosic River Poultry. The focus is on quality products and ingredients.

There are pictures of the interior below. The first picture is of their back room, which will be used for private parties and also 5 course tastings, priced at $50 per person. As you can see the decor is lovely. The copper-top bar, made with reclaimed barn materials, was crafted by a friend of the owners, Brian McGowan (ilkny.com). They are planning on obtaining a permit for backyard use so at some point they'll have outdoor seating. More future plans include cooking classes and lasagna service, which would entail you bringing a pan to the restaurant in the morning and picking it up before dinner with a ready-to-cook lasagna. Cool idea! While we visited they gave us a taste of their fried cheese ravioli and it was soooo delicious. Can't wait to try more!

Broken English

And yet another new restaurant hits Cobble Hill, Broken English on Bergen St. On first glance one may assume that this spot is a British Pub complete with ales on tap and fish and chips. Nothing could be further from the truth. Broken English is an Italian eatery who's focus is on simple Roman-esque dishes. Co-owners Roy Marino (formerly of Village hotspot Morandi) and Antonio Pergoli hail from Salerno and Rome respectively and the restaurant's name is an inside joke, paying homage to their friendly banter in "broken English." The real question remains, does our hood need another Italian restaurant? The yelp reviews are mixed filled with clashing opinions ranging the full spectrum, most with the conclusion that this place will "grow in to itself". Have any of our Realty Collective family members been yet? Please comment away!