THE QUEST FOR THE CUP BEGINS TONIGHT!

The NHL Playoffs kicked off last night with three thrilling games, all with fantastic finishes.  The Canadiens, Penguins and Ducks all pulled off great wins and set the tone for the rest of the playoffs.

Tonight, the NEW YORK RANGERS are up to bat as they open their quest for the STANLEY CUP at Madison Square Garden with a highly anticipated matchup with the arch-rival PHILADELPHIA FLYERS.

These two teams have a long history of bad blood, especially during the playoffs.  Read more about that HERE.  The Flyers have won 6 out of 10 playoff series vs the Rangers and we won't even talk about the fights.

This season, both teams started out slow out of the gates; The Rangers had that miserable month-long road trip from hell to start the season; The Flyers even fired their coach after just three games into the season.  But both teams were able to right their ships just in time to find a groove and make their way into the playoffs where they find themselves facing one another for a chance to move into the second round.

The playoff schedule for both teams play out like this:

April 17: Philadelphia Flyers at New York Rangers, 7 p.m. ET.
April 20: Philadelphia Flyers at New York Rangers, 12 p.m. ET.
April 22: New York Rangers at Philadelphia Flyers, 8 p.m. ET.
April 25: New York Rangers at Philadelphia Flyers, 7 p.m. ET.
April 27: Philadelphia Flyers at New York Rangers, 12 p.m. ET*
April 29: New York Rangers at Philadelphia Flyers, TBA*
April 30: Philadelphia Flyers at New York Rangers, TBA*
*if necessary

Note that Game 2 is on Easter Sunday at 12 noon,  a rather odd scheduling quirk that has annoyed fans and the church-going public just a tad bit.  But that's the schedule and we'll just have to deal with it.

We're looking forward to hosting ALL of the games of this pivotal series, starting with tonight's Game 1 matchup.  We suggest that you get here early to get a good seat.

*If you are wearing NY Rangers gear, every time the Rangers score a goal, you get a shot of 2Gingers Irish Whiskey!

Throughout the series, we will carry  EVERY NY RANGERS GAME (with audio) and have special giveaways during some of our GAME WATCH parties, so make sure to make YELLOW HOOK GRILLE your home for NHL playoff hockey!


See you tonight!

CAMILLE LOCCISANO'S ITALIAN SUNDAY FEAST

In my last post, I hinted at something big coming down the pike for Yellow Hook Grille. I've been inundated with questions on what the big secret was and after shoring up the final details, I can finally announce the news.

We are excited and honored to be hosting a very special event.  The event, "CAMILLE LOCCISANO'S ITALIAN SUNDAY FEAST", is a special dinner/fundraiser benefiting "Frankie's Mission", an organization that supports families of children with cancer.

Cookbook/author Camille Loccisano will be our guest chef as she shares anecdotes and prepares a menu of favorite recipes from her recently released cookbook, "Foodships: Living Life One Recipe at a Time".

In addition, Yellow Hook Grille is proud to fill the air with live music by the talented Sal Casta, a long-time Brooklyn favorite!

The cost for the event is $40.00 per guest and it includes a sit down three course gourmet dinner offering a choice of appetizers, entrees and dessert.  On the menu:

Choice of Appetizer
*Prosciutto Baked Mushroom Caps in Cremini Marsala Moat
*Basil and Coconut Shrimp with Balsamic Apricot Sauce
*Roasted Garlic Potato Croquettes served with Spicey Scallion Cream Sauce
*Tricolor Crostini:
Tomato and Fresh Smoked Mozzarella
Honey Ricotta with Roasted Pine Nuts
Broccoli Rabe and Pancetta

Choice of Entrée
*Linguine Vongole
*Neapolitan Lasagna with Mini Sausage Meatballs
*Gnocchi with Gorgonzola Sauce
*Camille’s Signature Chicken Francese served with an Arugula Salad splashed with Champagne Dressing

Dessert
*Fresh Strawberries with Mascarpone Amaretto Sauce 
*Chocolate Espresso Cake with Whipped Cream

As you can see, this is a tantalizing menu and worth coming by for.  We are currently accepting reservations for this event and please note- RESERVATIONS ARE A MUST.  Checking off "yes" on the Facebook invite is not enough; You must call in to confirm your reservations and time slot at Yellow Hook Grille (718)-238-1089.  Seating times for the event run from 3pm -9pm, so book early to get your preferred seating time.

For those who know Camille and her story, this is a cause that is near and dear to her heart, ever since losing her own son to cancer.  She is a tireless supporter of "Frankie's Mission", and has hosted various fundraisers in support of this wonderful organization.  And we at Yellow Hook Grille are proud and honored to host this event for such a great cause.  To learn more about "Frankie's Mission", check out their web page.

We look forward to seeing you at what should be a great day of feast and fellowship!

*NOTE- We have limited seating after 7pm available; All other seatings are SOLD OUT!

WHAT WOULD JAMES DALTON DO?

Coming from Manhattan to Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, it was only a matter of time before I'd have to deal with a drunken idiot.  No big deal; I've dealt with that element for over 20 years, but always in Manhattan.  I finally had my first "encounter" with a neighborhood agitator on Friday; my first since I started working at Yellow Hook Grille.  It was interesting, to say the least.

The encounter took place during Happy Hour and it wasn't anything that happened suddenly; This was a situation that developed gradually.  It all started innocently enough.  I was grabbing some supplies for a delivery guy out by the patio area when I heard this loud screaming from a male.  I looked up and there was this guy, screaming into his phone while leaning against a car.  Strange, but hey, I'm in Brooklyn.  Expect the unexpected.

I go back inside the restaurant and as I make my way towards the front of the bar, I can see out of the corner of my eye, the same guy, now in full rant mode.  I turn to get a better look and I see that he's clearly drunk and still screaming at his phone, while carrying what looks like a can of Four Loko (they still sell that crap?).  He turns and stares at the bar and my "Spidey-Senses" tells me to keep an eye on him.  He began to make his way towards the bar and I had this feeling that he was going to try and come into the bar.

I make a beeline towards the door and got there just in time to block his entry.  He looks me up and down and says that he wants to come in.  Now this guy was drunk, twitchy and at the point where depending how you dealt with him, it could either be a smooth interaction or a cluster*** situation.  "Now", I asked myself,  "What would James Dalton do?".

(James Dalton, for the uninformed, is the classic bouncer, played by the late Patrick Swayze, from the cult film classic, "Road House").

Truth be told, if he wanted to, he probably could have torn me from limb to limb.  He was a big, burly biker guy.  But I wasn't going to let it get to that point; not if I could help it.

The next few minutes was a combination of him wanting to come in to use the phone, to him bragging about belonging to some motorcycle gang, to saying he used to own this block and that Mr. Lento knew him and his reputation. Lots of chest puffing, some "Don't you know who I am?" and a few more of "If you don't let me in, there's going to be trouble" talk.  Yada, yada yada.  Each time I simply deflected the conversation and tried to keep him at an even keel.  I wasn't interested in getting into a pissing match with him- We had a Happy Hour crowd and early diners and the last thing we needed was some jacked-up idiot making a scene and killing our night before it even began.

So I let him go on with his tough talk for a bit, but each time he attempted to walk in, he got rebuffed. And each time he raised his voice, I simply kept my voice on an even level so as to not add fuel to the fire. And when he finally realized that between myself and half of the Yellow Hook staff guarding the door, he wasn't going to get in, CC Ryder decided to move on down the block.

Unfortunately for the store across the street, they got the brunt of his ridiculous antics until the police showed up and shooed him away.  At the end of the day, everything worked out and we got a good laugh out of it.  I can only imagine what other "colorful individuals" I'll come across during my time at The 'Hook.  Stay tuned...


Cheers!

SPRING COMES TO BAY RIDGE & YELLOW HOOK....

April 3rd, 2014.  As we shake off what's (hopefully) left of this crazy winter, we finally look forward to one of the things that makes Yellow Hook Grille unique: The Patio.

I've been here for about a month now and that's all I've been hearing about is "The Patio, the Patio, oh I can't wait to sit out by the patio!".  Granted, by all accounts, the patio is impressive in size, especially for Brooklyn, where real estate is at a premium.  And while I did get a glimpse of what the possibilities are with this space during the recent Bay Ridge St. Patrick's Day Parade, I want to see for myself what the "patio scene" is really all about.  My gut feeling is that the reality will indeed match the hype, but I still want to see it for myself.  In other words, Bay Ridge, show me what you got. ;)

As the weather warms up, we've begun prepping the patio for full service.  The phone's already ringing off the hook with inquiries about the patio.  Right now, the patio is open for session drinking and we look to have full-service up and running shortly (inquire with the hostess when you arrive).

Speaking of warm weather, this weekend is shaping up to be a beautiful one and we are going to take full advantage of it!  Starting with our "Weekend Kick-Off" on Friday, we'll serve up $4 domestic drafts, well drinks and wine (4pm -7pm), and whatever happens after that?  Who knows!

SATURDAY is FINAL FOUR SATURDAY, and we're set for a great double-header, starting with UCONN vs FLORIDA (6pm), followed by KENTUCKY vs WISCONSIN (8:50pm).  We're serving up a special on Heineken/ Heineken Light buckets... with a twist!

Purchase a bucket of Heineken/Heineken Light (5/$20), and you'll get a raffle ticket, good for a chance to win our "VIP National Championship Game Experience" on Monday night.  This "Experience" entitles you and five of your friends to join us for the Big Game, where you'll get your own VIP table, complete with wings and buckets of Heineken or Heineken Light!  Afterwards, you'll even get to take home your own Fender Guitar, courtesy of Heineken!

SUNDAY is "Sunday Funday, Bay Ridge Style", where we start things off with our famous Sunday Brunch, complete with Bloody Mary's, mimosas and Amstel Radler shandies, which goes perfectly for daytime session drinking (and at a paltry 2% ABV, perfect for an afternoon of gossip-brunching without worrying about being tossed into a cab).

Later in the day, stick around for a live music set by the KINGS COUNTY RAMBLERS,  always a crowd favorite!  Start time: 4pm. No cover charge.

This is just the start of what should be a whirlwind of activity in and around Yellow Hook.  We have some big events planned in the near future, including a MAJOR event scheduled for the end of the month!  Come back here over the weekend for the scoop!  And don't forget, we're making final preparations and taking reservations for EASTER SUNDAY (April 20, 2014)!  We have a great menu planned for that day, so leave the apron at home and make plans to spend Easter with us!

So keep checking in and as always, for the most up-to-date information on news and events of the 'Hook, check our Twitter and Facebook pages.

And FINALLY.... CONGRATULATIONS to our own Bay Ridge, Brooklyn on landing the Art of Brooklyn Film Festival, slated to run May 7-11, 2014!  Hollywood comes to the neighborhood this Spring!  Make sure you get a chance to support this great event!


Cheers!