June 1, 2011
Century-old Monte’s is reborn again
After unexpectedly closing down in 2008, the century-old Monte’s on Carroll Street is finally set to reopen today, in name — and signature ricotta cheesecake — only.
And that’s the good news.
The former speakeasy and Rat Pack playground — which long claimed to be the oldest Italian restaurant in the borough — was beginning to lose luster as customers grew weary of its over-the-top décor and increasingly lackluster Italian-American food.
“We wanted to keep the neighborhood feel of the old Monte’s, but make it a lot more modern and fun,” said new co-owner, Tina Castelvetre.
That means updated interiors that resist kitsch with sage green and exposed brick walls — and the gigantic murals of Venice have been replaced with vintage Brooklyn street maps, wrought iron sconces, and the occasional pizza paddle.
“We kept what we could, like the old bar,” said Castelvetre. “We just gave it a new marble countertop. The tables got a new base. The red booths aren’t original, but we kept the look the same. Everything else needed to be gutted — it was all rotted through.”
The most striking aspect of the renovation is an entirely open kitchen, where patrons can watch pizzaiolo John Censullo shuttle thin crusted pies from a massive wood-burning pizza oven.
And while the 100-year-old recipe for Monte’s famous ricotta cheesecake remains untouched, soggy platters of veal piccata and spaghetti marinara get the boot.
“I didn’t go to one of the best cooking schools in Italy to make chicken parmagiano,” said new chef Christian Sbordi, whose resume also includes stints at The Rainbow Room/Cipriani’s and Le Caprice in Manhattan.
“There’s nothing wrong with shrimp fra diavolo, but I’m a three-star chef. I want to create three-star modern Italian food … that people can still afford.”
The new menu includes a roster of carefully selected meats and cheeses ($9 each, or $18 for five) and starters such as polenta fries ($7). Pastas will range from $14-20, and main courses will top out at $32.
Sbordi is particularly excited about his lamb meatballs with ricotta, sherry onions, cauliflower and sesame cream, grilled octopus with radicchio, chick peas, and green olives, homemade “trenette” pasta with wild boar ragu and parmagiano foam, and pan seared sesame-crusted tuna with caponata and saba, a syrup made by reducing the first grape pressings for wine.
Pretty fancy stuff for a restaurant that once drew visitors more for its exploits than its food — if it drew visitors at all given its isolated location next to the Gowanus Canal.
That once-distant locale, however, is part of a burgeoning scene.
“We respect the history of Monte’s, but it wasn’t serving the neigborhood anymore,” said Castelvetre. “Now we have a place where you can come with your family, or for a dinner date, or a few late night drinks with friends. That’s what the area needs right now.”
Monte’s [451 Carroll St. between Third Avenue and Nevins Street in Gowanus (718) 852-7800].
©2011 Community Newspaper Group
i wonder if anyone will reopen the old democratic club building on Union Street, just west of 5th, where the true godfather met with us locales (just like in the movie) to squash tickets, avoid the military draft, get a hack license, or in my case - support my candidacy for elected office.
http://www.brooklynpaper.com/stories/34/22/24_montes_2011_6_3_bk.html
March 7, 2011
UPDATE! Monte’s name will remain, but new owner will change food and look of the old joint
We’ll always have Monte’s!
Though the 102-year-old red sauce Italian restaurant on Carroll Street closed last year, the new owner of the soon-to-open eatery in the same space says the new joint will bear the same historic name.
“It was always the plan to keep the name, ‘Monte’s,’ ” said Dominick Castlevestri, who frightened locals because his renovation permits listed the name of the restaurant as “Dominick’s on Carroll.”
“That’s just the ‘doing business as’ name,” he said. “Monte’s it is.”
But even if the name will remain the same, the approach will change, said Castlevestri, who has run pizzerias for 11 years and lives in the area (though he would not be more specific).
“We’re importing a wood-burning oven from Italy,” he said. “And we’re going to do small Italian dishes. New Italian.”
That’s welcome news to foodies, who long ago realized that Monte’s had become known more for its exploits than its food. Once a Prohibition-era speakeasy and then notorious Rat Pack hangout, Monte’s heaping platters of veal saltimbocca and linguine with clam sauce made few concessions to new palates.
And the look of the place will, unfortunately, change.
“We had no choice but to do a complete makeover because everything was rotted,” he said. “We restored the original bar. We’re going to put in nice new booths and counters, and an open kitchen.”
Frank Perone, who has owned the building for 15 years, said that Monte’s shut down because “business was slow” — but he thinks the space between Third Avenue and Nevins Street is in good hands.
“I wanted to pick the right person, someone who was going to do an extreme makeover,” he said. “I liked the way Dominick conducts himself. He’s going to do well here. The neighborhood has changed, new faces. I know Dominick will be in business for a long time.”
It better be — because, if not, Castlevestri will have to answer to one opinionated neighbor.
“My mother still lives on the block,” he said.
©2011 Community Newspaper Group
April 30, 2009
This is one ‘Crazy’ tour of South Brooklyn’s mob past
Marvin Lichtner/Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images
Joey Gallo and his gang used to hang out at a President Street tenement. Don’t look for it, it’s long gone.
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