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The wait is over, red deli reopens Friday as Ted & Honey
Josh Guttman | June 25, 2008
Well, it’s been a long time coming. Roughly 12 months ago, the red deli abruptly closed its doors in a bizarre development that found its long-time owner, Christophe, in China and the deli in shambles. We reported on it here, here and here again. Nearly a year later, the space has been completely refurbished - new paint, new floors, new ceiling, new kitchen - and most importantly, new ownership, and is putting the final preparations in place for a grand opening this Friday!
Long-time neighborhood resident Michelle, who learned her trade at a Danny Meyer Manhattan restaurant, convinced her brother Ted, to leave his position as chef at Six Penn Kitchen in Pittsburgh and move up to the big leagues of Brooklyn. As I’ve had a bird’s eye view of the deli’s implosion and resurrection, I’m predicting great things from this bro-sis combo and I think it will have been worth the lengthy wait.
They’ve definitely gone upscale in both menu and preparation from previous ownership, though thankfully, prices have remained reasonable. They are sourcing almost all the food from local farmers and purveyors, including a special custom blend of d’Amico coffee and ice cream from Blue Marble. Ted prides himself on making everything in-house, right down to the mayonnaise. You’ll notice his herb plants sitting in front of the deli during the day. The space was designed by a team of artists, led by Michelle’s husband’s marketing firm. Along with coffee, espresso, snacks and sandwiches, they are adding a full breakfast menu and a weekly take-home dinner menu that offers a different dish each night. Some highlights from the dinner menu include smoked chicken jambalaya and lamb bolognese pappardelle. The breakfast menu is also stepped up, now including an assortment of crostinis (a nod to the neighborhood’s Italian heritage), breakfast wraps (including one made with grits, cheddar, ham and eggs) and rhubarb strawberry cream cupcakes - yum! They also plan to have seasonal soups and lots of goodies for kids. They’re making a real effort to keep the place eco-friendly, with low impact biodegradable cups, plates and utensils. While they lean free range/organic, Ted believes “locality and carbon footprint are as important as organic designation. Everything we prepare is artisinal in nature and made with a lot of love.” If Ted and Michelle deliver on their vision for Ted & Honey, I think that love will be returned many times over.
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