When Mile End’s Noah Bernamoff felt like he didn’t have an ideal neighborhood bar in Boerum Hill, he decided to open one of his own — and call up a few of his talented friends for help. Bernamoff, master bartender Damon Boelte, Rucola’s Julian Brizzi, and food photographer Daniel Krieger have together launched Grand Army, which offers a little bit of everything. “We have great cocktails, but it’s not a cocktail bar,” Bernamoff says. “We have great wine, but it’s not a wine bar. We have great beer, but it’s not a craft brewery.”
The initial plan was to have the food program be simple and straightforward — oysters, raw fish — but when former wd~50 chef Jon Bignelli came on board, the concept evolved. “He has increased the ambition,” Bernamoff says. “The project migrated a bit from being strictly an oyster bar to being an oyster bar with great food.” You can expect dishes like seared octopus with celeriac, boquerones, and a soft poached egg over clam broth and fava beans. Take a look:
Menu [PDF]
Grand Army, 336 State St. (at Hoyt Street), 718-422-7867