Restaurant roundup: The Big Ragu, SB Restaurant and Wine Bar and more

Restaurant roundup: The Big Ragu, SB Restaurant and Wine Bar and more

The Big Ragu; credit Yelp

Nobody told us that the Williamsburg branch of Chef Michael Psilakis’ MP Taverna had closed. But it has. The enormous space always felt rather empty, so we are not overly surprised. Especially since the food was tragically mediocre.If you were a fan, be comforted by a few new openings.

The Times tells us that there’s a new Milan-style pizzeria in Williamsburg. It’s called The Big Ragu and is from the same people who own the popular Artichoke chain. They’re open daily until 2am:

Francis Garcia and Sal Basille, who own Artichoke Basille’s Pizza, are opening a knife-and-fork pizzeria (call the mayor) serving a style of pizza, popular in Milan. The crust is fluffy, there are cooked and raw tomato sauces, and the pizza is cut in squares. Other ingredients like meats, peppers and anchovies can be added.

679 Grand Street (Manhattan Avenue), Williamsburg, Brooklyn, 929-250-2847.

On Kent Ave., the restaurant that was formerly Gran Sasso, has reopened as SB Restaurant and Wine Bar:

This elaborate new installation in Williamsburg, in development a couple of years, is the work of the entrepreneur Patricia Nicholson. The chef Antonio De Ieso, who was raised in Florence, Italy, brings his experience working at Le Cirque, Circo and Caffe dei Fiori to the kitchen. His Italian menu gathers some international touches for inventive house-made pasta dishes, and a lineup of pizzas, like one called Sun and Moon that’s half pizza and half calzone. In season, he will rely on herbs from the restaurant’s garden. The dining room has a 50-foot bar and soaring ceilings with a skylight. There’s a lounge and a lower-level wine cellar room.

65 Kent Avenue (North 10th Street), Williamsburg, Brooklyn, 718-388-6200.

Also, Eater reports the Brooklyn Cider House is now serving brunch. We paid them a visit a few weeks ago and loved their ciders, despite their inattentive service:

Starting on Saturday, Brooklyn Cider House will start serving brunch with a menu that includes the “hangover helper,” grilled Spanish chorizo with caramelized onions, Italian green peppers, two sunny-side up eggs served on a toasted baguette with home fries; “hide & leek,” braised leeks and country grits beneath two over-easy eggs; and chicken and waffles, three pieces of fried chicken wings over a powdered buttermilk Belgian waffle. Brooklyn Cider House’s four house ciders — Raw, Bone Dry, Kinda Dry, and Half Sour — will be offered along with Ciderosa, the Bone Dry cider topped with french orange juice. Brunch will be served on Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the bar room of the space.

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