Life Café

MOBY, tonight at Life Cafe

2010-02-06T19:03:00.001-08:00

He said he'd stick to the same dish he had back in 1989. What was it? Seitan Philly Cheesesteak sandwich, of course!

French Horn Rebellion Loves Life Cafe 983

2010-02-03T13:52:00.000-08:00

"Increasingly huge Brooklyn-via-Milwaukee fuzz-dance duo French Horn Rebellion is the next step in that whole wave of crunchy-riff, post-Daft Punk, Francophilic blown-out house. "

Read the rest at:

http://blogs.villagevoice.com/music/archives/2010/02/introducing_fre.php

Blah Blog Blah: Life Cafe on a Saturday Night

2010-02-02T06:28:00.000-08:00

Blah Blog Blah: Life Cafe on a Saturday Night

This is a very nice shot of East Village Life Cafe

Half Price Wings & Pitchers during Super Bowl at the E Village Life Cafe

2010-02-01T17:53:00.000-08:00

East Village Life Cafe

Join us February 7
Super Bowl Sunday
6 pm till 12 am
featuring
1/2 PRICE WINGS
&
1/2 PRICE PITCHERS OF BEER

Dinner Specials @ Life Cafe 983

2010-01-14T14:13:00.000-08:00

1/14-1/20

APPETIZER

POPCORN SHRIMP 5.99
served with chipotle mayo

ENTREES

GRILLED SHELL STEAK 14.99
in a red wine, mushroom and cream sauce
with mashed potatoes and broccoli

GRILLED SALMON STEAK 13.99
with a teriyaki glaze, mixed veggies and white rice
(may contain bones)

LAMB CHOPS 12.99
in a red wine sauce
with mashed potatoes and French beans

________________________________________

NEW – Whisk(e)y Flights

Try 3 whisk(e)ys from your favorite
whisk(e)y making region

AT LIFE CAFÉ 983

From Scotland - $18
Caol Ila 12yr – Laphroaig 10yr – Macallen 12yr

From Kentucky - $14
Basil Hayden’s – Woodford Reserve – Knob Creek
________________________________________

Dinner Specials @ Life Cafe 983

2010-01-07T13:36:00.000-08:00

1/07-1/13

APPETIZER

CRAB MEAT STUFFED PORTABELLO 6.99
served over a mesclun salad

ENTREES

½ ROASTED CHICKEN 11.99
with a pineapple chutney, mashed potatoes
and green beans

BAKED COD FISH 12.99
in a miso glaze with julienned veggies and brown rice

PENNE PASTA WITH HOT ITALIAN SAUSAGE 10.99
with tomato, mushrooms, fresh basil,
all topped with goat cheese

SEITAN SAUTEE 11.99
seitan, red peppers, spinach, and edamame
served in a sweet soy ginger sauce.
________________________________________

NEW – Whisk(e)y Flights
AT LIFE CAFÉ 983
From Scotland
Caol Ila 12yr – Laphroaig 10yr – Macallen 12yr
From Kentucky
Basil Hayden’s – Woodford Reserve – Knob Creek

________________________________________

Sean O'Connor Art Show at Life Cafe 983

2010-01-07T09:57:00.000-08:00

" Too old too soon too smart too late"

By Sean O'Connor

Jan. 6th 2010- Feb. 6th 2010

Sean O'Connor is a painter, illustrator, designer, art director and musician living in Brooklyn, NY. Originally from Ohio and mostly self-taught, Sean has spent many years drawing and painting subjects with a focus on the boring and sometimes unsettling truth of life. Expanding his creative ideas and designs he spent three years as a performance artist in the Ohio-based metal group Kaligo and drew inspiration from intense live performances. He moved to New York in June of 2005 to work in film and television. Sean's recent work reflects his career as an animation art director and painter, focusing on creating humorous characters and vivid color design. This collection represents his unique experience as an artist and musician, painting animals and people with mixed media on watercolor paper.

Sean continues to work in animation, film and photography. His most recent projects including Baskin Robins, Interview Magazine, GE, Burberry, Lancome, J Crew, GAP, Calvin Klein, Wazoo candy, Mute Math and concept design work for Curious Pictures.

www.Seanoconnor3.com

Menu Picture Riddle Answer Life Cafe 983

2009-12-11T14:01:00.000-08:00

As for Life Cafe in Bushwick, we got another picture riddle by John Sunderland to reveal. It is Rasputin Imperial Stout. Yeh, you got it!

By the way, John Sunderland's weird and wonderful art work is for sale. If you're interested, contact him direct at j.g.sunderland1@mac.com. You can see more of his works at www.redbubble.com too.

Menu Picture Riddle Answer Life Cafe East Village

2009-12-11T13:55:00.000-08:00

The answer to last week's is Snake Bite (ouch!)

Booze Speak @ Life Cafe 983

2009-11-21T15:14:00.001-08:00

Whiskey, Whisky, Uisce Beatha?

by Andy Mills, Bar Manager Life Cafe 983

Once upon a time, there was a powerful magician. This magician focused all the power he could muster into one magical act; the creation of usquebaugh (the water of life), today known as whiskey to some and whisky to others. The spelling of the word is a perfect demonstration of how different this stuff can be. "What's it made from?" you ask. Anything from malted barley, wheat, rye, corn and more. This fact is only the beginning of the versatility of whiskeys or whiskies. Distilleries age whiskey for different time periods, in different sized barrels made from different types of wood. They even dry the malted grains differently. Some traditional Scottish distilleries use peat moss fires to dry the stuff. Believe me, this makes a world of difference. Then, hell, they may even blend many different barrels from many different distilleries to get a particular whisky the way that it was intended to be. Johnnie Walker is a perfect example of this. The big boys, however, tend to not play these games. They give you the real deal. The single malt whisky, always expensive, usually worth the price, is a more complex, intense and usually awe inspiring drinking experience.

I took on the effort of trying to offer examples of the different flavours and textures of these amazing spirits at the cafe. I am now offering whisk(e)y flights. I have one from Scotland, and one from Kentucky, each includes three different pours of 3 of my favorite examples from the particular regions.

Scotland includes:

Caol Ila 12yr Single Malt - From Islay (Island off the coast of Scotland)

- Tastes like the island (in a good way). Light in color, brilliantly complex. Perfect balance between peat and barrel. Must try. (My favorite distillery) ;)

Talisker 10yr Single Malt - From the Ilse of Skye (also off the Scottish mainland)

- Definitely a little spicy this one here. Very medicinal, very good. This guy one the 2008 Single Malt Whisky of the Year 12yr and under award.

Laphroaig 10yr Single Malt - Also from Islay

- This is an example of the peaty side of things. I guess if I had to describe what a "peaty" scotch was, I would make you drink this very good example.

Kentucky includes:

Basil Hayden's - Small Batch Bourbon Collection

- Aged 8 years, this is one of the smoothest bourbons there is. Amazingly delicate and light bodied.

Knob creek - Another one from the Small Batch Bourbon Collection

- Aged 9 years, this is an example of an "over-proofed", meaning more alcohol, bourbon. Still surprisingly smooth, it's got a nice vanilla spice to balance out the rye it's distilled from.

Woodford Reserve

- Aged 6 years, it tastes like the wood it was aged in. This is an incredibly "woody" take on bourbon topped off with a nice sweetness.

Paper Moon Trio at Life Cafe East Village

2009-11-14T12:32:00.000-08:00

Come on down and hear their new show, “Sweet American Songbook”! Based on time-honored tunes from Tin Pan Alley, Broadway, and classic Hollywood film….Gershwin, Rodgers, Mercer, and more!

Hope to see you there!!

Free Jazz, Great Food & Drinks, Fun Fun FUN!

Beer Speak @ Life Cafe 983

2009-11-07T14:55:00.000-08:00

Why the I in IPA
by Andy Mills, Bar Manager in Brooklyn

It all started in the 18th and 19th century. As is common knowledge, the British have always enjoyed drinking fine ales. Their navy was no exception. They would ration 1 gallon of beer per sailor per day which is equivalent to 8 pints or almost 11 12oz bottles, quite a decent amount of beer I would say. This proved to be a very large problem for sailors taking long voyages into warmer climates such as India (the “I”). The popular ales of that time period would spoil in a matter of weeks, leaving sour, flat beverages for the boys to enjoy. Nutritionally speaking, beer contains essential amounts of vitamin B to long traveling sailors. What could be done? What had to be done?

Freeze it! Nope… Boil more water out! Nope… What?

More hops! Yes… More booze! Yes…

Alcohol makes it harder for microbes to reproduce, while hops discourages growth of lactic acid bacteria. These were the most effective means of beer preservation. Another neat trick was the addition of additional sugars into the beer to keep the yeast alive as long as possible, thus keeping the beer even longer. Just happens, people really enjoyed this new style of beer. Now in the United States the IPA has become one of the most popular styles in the craft beer industry.

It wasn’t a choice then… It was necessity…

Now, it’s a luxury.

Stoudts Double IPA
Adamstown, PA

10.6% ABV

Stoudts Brewing didn’t start out as a brewery and is still much, much more. It started as Stoudts Kountry Kitchen, evolved into a steak house, an antique marll, and finally, turned brewery in the late 70s. All of Stoudts endeavors have been always reaching to obtain the highest quality of craftsmanship. This beer is no different. Packing an extreme amount of hops into this one wasn’t enough. They also needed to balance it with and extreme malty backbone. Amazingly smooth for a beer with a massively high alcohol content, I highly recommend it.

Now at Life Café 983

Life Cafe 983 - Dinner Specials 10/29-11/4

2009-10-31T18:32:00.000-07:00

APPETIZER

SOUTHWEST FRIED CALAMARI 5.99
over a bed of mesclun with a house made
southwestern dipping sauce

ENTREES

SHELL STEAK 13.99
in a mushroom and red wine sauce served with
garlic mashed potatoes and spinach

ROASTED SALMON FILLET 12.99
with sweet potato hash and an asparagus,
spinach and white bean salad

BAKED ACORN SQUASH 12.99
stuffed with spinach, roasted beets, peppers,
carrots and tofu, served with brown rice

BRATWURST PLATTER 11.99
Two brats cooked in beer served with sauerkraut,
Dijon mustard, potatoes and carrots

WORLD SERIES AT LIFE CAFÉ 983
Come watch the games @ Life Café
Drink Specials, Friendly Food, Delicious Staff

MENU RIDDLE ANSWER Life Cafe East Village

2009-10-28T12:13:00.000-07:00

The answer to last week's Menu Riddle at the East Village Life Cafe is . . . ROCKS! As in bar drinks "on the rocks." It was on display until Monday, October 26.

If you got the answer right and left us your email address (that's readable), you'll win a free bottle of champagne! We'll notify you via email. Then call or email us back and let us know when you'll be in to enjoy it.

John's pastel drawings depict as a riddle an item from one of our menus -- the All Day, Brunch, Coffee Drinks, Dessert, any of our menus. And it could be a word, a section heading, anything! Often than not it's one of our menu items. If you study each of them enough and look for clues in his drawings, the answer is bound to pop out to you.

Thanks for playing and good luck with the next one. (John posts new ones on Fridays, unless he's late and puts one up on a Sunday, which has been known to happen from time to time.)

BEER SPEAK @ Life Cafe 983

2009-10-23T18:21:00.000-07:00

Ultimate beer tasting…
by Andy, Bar Manager in Brooklyn

It took about 35 minutes of picking and choosing at Bierkraft + $154 and we had 35 of the world’s best beers ranging from Scheinder’s Aventius Wiezen Eisbock – Dogfish Head’s Raison de Extra (alcohol levels ranging between 6.7% and 28%!!! – average out at about 12%). This was definitely one of the best varieties of beer I have consumed in a sitting. Luckily, I happen to share it with my brother and step-father. We sat in my living room, each one of us had a chalice that we would rinse in between the next sample (at first anyway). We would take turns picking the next beer. It seemed a trend that I would go for Belgians, typically quads, and my family was going toward IPAs with west coast hop profiles. This got me thinking about my next pick.

The best match I could come up with was Houblon Chouffe, a Belgian triple abbey/double IPA blend. When I say this, it is actually NOT two different beers brewed separately and blended together. It is a meld of styles generally so far apart from each other that few would dare such a thing, but not La Chouffe. Being experts at brewing triple abbeys, they wanted to do something a little more challenging. Their take on this unique endeavor, was pure brilliance. In the United States and England, brewers tend to add hops early in the boil if not before the malt is even added, adding a stronger “bittering” effect to the beer. La Chouffe on the other hand, wanted all of the beautiful floral and pine essences that hops has to offer without making the beer overly bitter and acidic. Weighing in at 9% ABV, Houblon Chouffe hit the nail right on the head. Perfectly smooth body of a Belgian triple with a nice balance of hop, not turning the triple into the typical American double IPA. Highly recommended because hey, we were all happy!

Now available @ Life Cafe 983

Life Cafe 983 Dinner Specials 10/23 - 10/28

2009-10-23T16:17:00.000-07:00

APPETIZER

STEAMED MUSSELS 5.99
in a basil fra diablo sauce
served with garlic bread

ENTREES

SHELL STEAK 13.99
in a demi sauce served with
garlic mashed potatoes and asparagus

SALMON FILLET 12.99
in a black pepper, ginger and butter sauce
with mixed vegetables and brown rice

VEGAN MEATLOAF 12.99
with a mushroom gravy,
roasted potatoes and French beans

BRATWURST PLATTER 11.99
Two brats cooked in beer served with sauerkraut,
Dijon mustard, potatoes and carrots

BRAT SANDWICH AND BEER SPECIAL 8.99
Bratwurst on a baguette with sauerkraut,
Dijon mustard and of course
one ice cold bottle of Sam Adams Oktoberfest

ME and my BUNS: How do You Like Yours?

2009-10-19T10:00:00.000-07:00

(and a chance to win below!!)

by John Sunderland ©
Illustration "Retro Burger" is a classic drawing from John's weekly Riddle Raffle at Life 983

I order a Life Café Burger about once a week. To me as an older Yorkshireman from England, the American Burger is an international icon and the Life Café version is an excellent example.

The nearest thing we came to real burgers in the early sixties in England was watching Wimpy, the ever-famished character on the Popeye cartoons who suffered from perpetual burger lust, suck down another one, promising to re-pay the money he’d just hustled by Tuesday or Thursday. We kids, of course, knew he really meant never. Wimpy could eat his own weight in burgers during the course of a cartoon and always got away Scott free.

“Wimpy” was also the name of a burger cafe in our northern town. A visit was something of a treat. It wasn’t overly styled as an American version, though they did do milkshakes and Coke and called chips “fries.” And they had revolving pedestal seats just like in the films. In fact, apart from cartoons, as a kid I had no real idea that the “Burger” was an American institution destined to take over the world!

The best thing about Wimpy’s though wasn’t their burgers; it was their bright colored ketchup and mustard dispensers which sat plump and heavy on the yellow Formica tables. It was risky but if you were clever, you could squeeze the ketchup bottle hard enough to make it blow little red bubbles (ketchup farts really); but get it wrong and you could erupt ketchup all over your mum’s new coat

Why I’m writing this is because as I sat at the bar of Life Café 983 last night I was mesmerized by a chap next to me by the name of Brent Herrig. He’d ordered the Life Burger and was very seriously and studiously, almost scientifically, applying a thick coating of ketchup to the under-side of the top half of the bun. Then carefully and skillfully as he held the bun in mid air he moved it in a rotational way watching closely as the thick red wave moved around glutinously within its circumference. I’d never seen anyone do that before; seems Brent had a personal thing going on, his little ritual before munching it down. I asked him how the burger was and he said the Life Café Bushwick burgers (he hasn’t been to the East Village yet) was in his top three best burgers for New York.

All you could do with a Wimpy’s burger in 1962 was see how far you could get the melted cheese to stretch in thin rubbery threads as you held the top of the bun aloft, like some hovering UFO. I could get it to stretch about a foot before the cheese cooled and went solid.

Now that I’m older and more aesthetically sensitive, I sit at the bar and see just how tall and elegant I can make my burger by piling up everything (except fries) onto the meat patty with the bun on top. I imagine it’s a design for a new building, or the leaning tower of tomato and onions. Then I sit back and marvel at my unique creation, just before it falls over.

HOW DO YOU LIKE YOUR BUNS?

LIFE CAFE BURGER ARCHITECTURE CONTEST

How do you like to dress your Life Burger? Share your version in our Comments Section on the Life Café 983 Facebook Fan page for a chance to WIN YOUR BURGER, compliments of the house.

Your burger will then be featured on our specials menu with YOUR NAME attached!

Not a Facebook fan yet? Click the Badge below!

Become a Fan!

One Winner will be selected from the Facebook Fan page on November 1st, 2009. No Purchase necessary, yada yada yada!

And check out our friend Brent's amazing photography at www.brentherrig.com

BEER SPEAK @ Life Cafe 983

2009-10-15T15:26:00.000-07:00

Beer as bread...
Andy, Beverage Manager in Bushwick Brooklyn

In the early 14th century, stuck with colder temperatures in Germany, monks were forced to use lagering yeast (activates @ colder temperatures) rather than the ale yeasts (activates warmer) that were more popular in milder regions of Europe. Lagers are generally light, mild flavored beers. During fasting however, monks decided they needed to throw more malts in the beer to add additional nutritional value. This was the invention of the bock style that is growing in popularity. If that wasn't strong enough, even more malts were pitched and thus... the dopplebock, or double bock. Monks would use these beers in place of bread during Lent and other such Roman Catholic holidays that require fasting.

Sprecher Dopple Bock

Glendale, Wisconsin

(8% ABV)

Beer from Wisconsin? Is it PBR? NO! Although the founder of Sprecher, Randal Sprecher, was in fact a brewing supervisor for Pabst Brewing, he is not making Pabst here. Since it's founding in 1985, Sprecher has been on the forefront of reviving the lost arts and old world brewing processes. My personal favorite is the Dopple Bock. A little sweetness is added to this malt monster from the use of roasted dark malts. After brewing, the beer is put into cold storage for 6 months. If properly stored, it can be aged for years, calming the sweetness and adding body. Wonderfully complex either way.

Life Cafe 983 Dinner Specials 10/15-10/21

2009-10-15T15:20:00.000-07:00

APPETIZER

ASIAN STEAK SALAD 5.99
Pan seared marinated steak over mesclun
in a ginger dressing

ENTREES

SIRLOIN STEAK 13.99
in a cognac mushroom cream sauce
served with garlic mashed potatoes and spinach

SALMON FILLET 11.99
in a dill mustard cream sauce
with mashed potatoes and broccoli

SEITAN SAUTEE 10.99
with mushrooms, red pepper, walnuts and spinach
in a soy ginger sauce over linguini

BRATWURST PLATTER 11.99
Two brats cooked in beer served with sauerkraut,
Dijon mustard, potatoes and carrots

BRAT SANDWICH AND BEER SPECIAL 8.99
Bratwurst on a baguette with sauerkraut,
Dijon mustard and of course
one ice cold bottle of Sam Adams Oktoberfest

LIFE IS JUST A BOWL OF CHILI at Life Cafe

2009-10-14T15:51:00.000-07:00

Veggie Chili was the first hot item I served at Life Café in 1981. Warming, filling, loved by everyone, chili epitomized what people were looking for. Oh, and it was cheap.

To get the Cafe opened quickly I scrounged the neighborhood for snacks, the kinds of munchies loose change would buy. Dennis, a college buddy of David Life’s, arrived from Michigan about that time for a visit, curious and excited over our latest adventure, a real café in New York City.

One day Dennis and I talked about a menu. He jumped up exclaiming, “You must serve CHILI!” I was swept up by his enthusiasm and followed him into my kitchen.

“Start with cans of beans. You got fresh tomatoes? Onions? First sauté up some onions. And lots of garlic. Green pepper is good. You got celery? We can put some of that in. Where are your spices?

“Oh, Dennis, that’s too much cayenne!

“Oh, yeah. Ha, ha! I love it. Let’s throw in some black pepper too. Hot. It’s gotta be hot, hot, hot!

I didn’t serve his recipe but he convinced me about chili! I came up with my own recipe after researching the trusty old vegetarian cookbooks that had traveled with me cross-country. Dave and I were vegetarians since living in Michigan. I enjoyed discovering non-meat alternatives and experimenting with unusual ingredients. At Life Cafe, it was natural for me to serve food Dave and I liked and believed in eating. It was a challenge though to come up with menu ideas to appeal to a wider palate and to find ingredients that weren’t as readily available then as they are today.

But I had a mission. The health and fiscal advantages of vegetarianism were apparent. And I believed that by offering it on our menu showed we cared.

I charged fifty cents for Life’s Three-Bean Vegetarian Chili so our cash strapped artist and non-artist neighbors could enjoy a hot meal. I made sure that my chili was nutritious in case it happened to be the only meal someone ate that day. If a customer had an extra buck and wanted to splurge, the chili was available with brown rice and freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese for a bigger protein boost. This simple dish replenished one’s spirit with a near-to-complete protein meal.

Because it was the first item on Life Cafe’s menu and quickly became its backbone, Life’s Vegetarian Chili holds a special place on the menu for me. It’s a symbol of the ideals that Life Cafe was built upon, and serves as a reminder of where I started. It’s a symbol of what Life Cafe is about.

Life Cafe Naked Music

2009-10-12T10:00:00.000-07:00

Yes, but it's not as racy as it sounds. Naked just means acoustic!

Join Dana McCoy
for her Monday Night
NAKED MUSIC SERIES
starts 8 pm

For more info on Dana, Naked Music and her other projects, go to http://www.myspace.com/nakedmusicseries

Columbus Day at Life Cafe

2009-10-11T13:57:00.000-07:00

Yeah, got a day off!
Let's celebrate.

Come have brunch at Life Cafe East Village and Life Cafe 983 Bushwick
10 am

Life Cafe E Vill. WEEKLY DEALS

2009-10-11T13:33:00.000-07:00

Five good ways to beat the recession. (Hey, we try to do what we can!)

Mondays
Half price bottle of wine when you buy 2 Big Plates or 2 Entree Specials

Tuesdays
Buy any sandwich and we'll throw in a pint of draft beer

Wednesdays
Buy any Life burger (and they're real good) and we'll throw in a pint of draft beer

Thursdays
Get a free dessert (from a choice of 3) when you buy any Big Plate or an Entree Special

Fridays
Buy Life's Wings and get half price off pitchers of Margaritas (dare you to order the suicidal!)

Life Cafe East Village Dinner Specials

2009-10-10T13:27:00.000-07:00

We change our specials every Thursday. This is what we've cooked up for you this week, Oct. 8th thru Oct. 14.

Fresh Homemade Pasta stuffed with spinach and cheese
baked and served with fresh tomato sauce 11.99

Enchiladas Suizas
two soft corn tortillas stuffed with chicken, spinach, mushrooms, onions and topped with our own Salsa Verde and jack cheese. Served with black beans and Mexican rice 12.99

Pan Seared Pork Medallions with Red Pepper and Citrus
served with mashed potatoes and asparagus wrapped in crispy Serrano ham 12.99

Rigatoni ala Bolognese
pasta served with a classic Italian hearty meat sauce with a touch of cream 12.99

Life Cafe 983 Dinner Specials 10/8-10/14

2009-10-08T13:55:00.000-07:00

APPETIZER

POPCORN SHRIMP 4.99

Served with chipotle mayo

ENTREES

SIRLOIN STEAK 13.99

in a cognac mushroom cream sauce

served with garlic mashed potatoes and spinach

CRAB STUFFED COD FISH 13.99

served with white rice and broccoli

PENNE PASTA 11.99

with vegan hot Italian sausage broccoli and mushrooms in a pesto sauce

BRATWURST PLATTER 11.99

Two brats cooked in beer served with sauerkraut,

Dijon mustard, potatoes and carrots

BRATWURST SANDWICH AND BEER SPECIAL 8.99

Bratwurst on a baguette with sauerkraut,

Dijon mustard and of course one ice cold bottle of Sam Adams Oktoberfest

BEER SPEAK @ Life Cafe 983

2009-10-07T10:00:00.000-07:00

By Andy, Beverage Manager in Bushwick, Brooklyn

LOVE FOR THE BEER

In the early days of beer brewing, things were very different. Beer was an accidental product born out of the necessity of our ancestors to boil water for drinking. These same people used grains and other malted starches for flavor, very similar to the way people have used tea leaves for thousands of years.

Except there was one really big difference…

Whoa . . . sugar from malted grains + airborne yeast = ALCOHOL!!! (and bubbles)

Then things changed . . . .

Beer became the world’s third most popular beverage behind tea and water, mostly for recreational purposes. Today, in Belgium alone, there are estimated to be about 8,700 different beers distributed. Sadly for us in the States, in the 1970s European traditional methods of brewing almost entirely disappeared from bars and stores throughout the land, and imports were not yet a significant player in the market. Only pale lagers remained, leaving the American beer drinking public with little options.

The craft beer proliferation is very recent in the history of American beer. In the 1980s a trend started when home brewers, sick of having no options, started larger scale productions. One by one, breweries started popping up all across the United States and the industry continues to explode. This movement was spotted by European brewers that wanted a piece of the action and some of the world’s best beers came gushing in.

Happily enough for me, I personally get to watch what I like to call the Quality Beer Movement (craft beer AND amazing imports). I see it everyday when someone comes into the bar and has their first Maredsous Triple or St. Bernardus Quad and get’s their socks blown off and shows the look of regret for never trying this before. This is my inspiration. The education and smile of anyone willing to try something new and learn drives me to search the world for new, creative or just awe-inspiring beers.

Luckily, I have a couple thousand from just one country that I have yet to try.

BEER SPEAK @ Life Cafe 983

2009-10-04T10:00:00.000-07:00

By Andy, Beverage Manager in Bushwick, Brooklyn

LOVE FOR THE BEER

I love beer. Have for a long time. And I love sharing what I love with our customers, many of whom love beer as much as I do.

Welcome to my first experience with beer.

I was 9 years old in a small rural town in central Pennsylvania. My brother had a friend over for the night and my parents had evening plans. You can imagine what that meant. We were bad, bad boys; we found an 18-pack of Coors Light that my father shouldn’t have left in the fridge in the garage and got really drunk, so drunk that my brother’s friend swung his pants around his ankles and jumped around pretending to be a frog. Hey, we were young; what can you expect! It was a marvelous feeling, of laughing and not knowing why. My first high . . . .

It doesn’t end badly either. I obviously liked it; whether it was the cheap 12 pack of Bud I had when I was broke to that magnificent angels-f**king-in-your-mouth experience of the Belgian quad that I paid $35 dollars for, it’s all good. Good enough for me to base a career on. That good.

CURRENT PREMIUM DRAFT

Here’s one I found true love for.

It’s St Bernardus Abt 12, A Belgium Abbot - Quad Ale (10.5% ABV).

This style of beer is traditionally saved for the most senior monk of the monastery, the Abbot. "Quad" simply means that sugar was pitched into the fermenting beer four times, making it quadruple fermented. Like most beers of this style, the color is dark brown. The flavor is amazing. Big malt base with a little bit of dark fruit flavor from the Belgian high gravity yeast. This beer was fermented openly. Having no cover on a shallow fermenter allows natural air-borne yeast to cultivate in the beer, instead of being added. Really cool process.

Another fact about this: I’M NOT GOING TO HAVE THIS ONE, BUT A COOL FACT INVOLVING ST BERNARDUS --
Westveletren Abt 12 - Consider by most beer snobs to be the best beer in the world.
Westveletren is an monastery five miles away from St. Bernardus. The monks at the abbey control the beer they make so strictly that Belgian citizens have to call months in advance in order to procure the beer, at which time, their names and purchases are recorded in a database. Belgian citizens are only allowed to purchase six cases of 12 11.2oz bottles a year. Non-Belgian citizens are allowed only one case. The story goes that 50 years or so ago, this ultra secret, illegal to resell recipe escaped down the road to a little brewery called St. Bernardus. :)

Could St. Bernardus Abt 12 be the best beer in the world?

More on hoppy happenings next week.

*(ABV = Alcohol By Volume)

LIFE CAFE 983 DINNER SPECIALS 10/1-10/7

2009-10-03T10:30:00.000-07:00

APPETIZER

HAMBURGER EMPANADAS 4.99

Served with chipotle sauce and sour cream..

ENTREES

SIRLOIN STEAK 13.99

In a red wine reduction,

served with mashed potatoes and asparagus.

GRILLED SALMON FILLET 12.99

Served in soy sesame sauce

with mixed vegetables and brown rice.

ROASTED CORNISH HEN 12.99

Served with oven roasted garlic potatoes and broccoli.

EGGPLANT NAPOLEON 11.99

Stuffed with ricotta cheese and mozzarella,

served with a side salad.

What is NAKED MUSIC at Life Cafe?

2009-01-29T14:50:00.000-08:00

Dear NAKED Fans,

The Naked Music Series is a very sweet mic-free acoustic music concert series that’s been running since 2007 on Monday nights. They recently moved to Life Cafe on E. 10th St. and Ave. B for the next few months. Our host is Dana, your dressed Naked Angel. Performances usually start at 8 pm. There’s a $5 food/drink minimum, and you're going to want more once you taste the delicious food. otherwise, no cover. Visit their NAKED blog at http://www.myspace.com/nakedmusicseries for more info.

Look Who’s Playing NAKED at Life Cafe:

Feb. 2 Robert Gary
Feb. 9 Kagero
Feb. 16 Chris Frank
Feb. 23 Open
March 9 Copasetic
March 16 Kaiku

There will be a second artist on each Monday as well. Keep in touch.

LIFE CAFÉ BUSHWICK does the Inauguration & Martin Luther King Jr. Day

2009-01-17T15:10:00.000-08:00

ALE TO THE CHIEF

Join Life Cafe 983 in Brooklyn in celebration of the beginning of a new era in the U.S. with a throwback to some classic American traditions. Monday, January 19 and Tuesday, January 20.

BRUNCH served on Monday, January 19, 11 am to 5 pm.

BOTH DAYS --
We’re featuring All-American specials.
Watch HD television and sound for all the festivities.

-- Get kicked started with a Bloody Mary and our famous Huevos Rancheros at brunch & breakfast.
-- Enjoy an American Hot Dog and Fries with all the fixin's all day each day.
-- Chase down this classic American dish with a draft of Ale to the Chief, a special Inaugural microbrew by Avery Brewing out of Boulder, Colorado. (Andy Mills, our tireless bar manager secured the last keg in all of New York City!!! First come first served!)
-- Compliment the delicious draft with an Apple Pie shot ($3).
-- And if you're feeling extra patriotic, have a Bud and shot of whiskey for $5.
-- Better yet, have a bottle of Blithering Idiot, a barley wine by Weyerbaucher Brewery out of Pennsylvania, to toast you-know-what or to just say “Bye Bye” to you-know-who!

Jolly good, fine, super then, Ale to the Chief!
See you Monday and Tuesday.

Cheers!

LIFE CAFE EAST VILLAGE GOES ON (and on, and on....)

2009-01-16T15:52:00.000-08:00

BRUNCH on Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Join us for an extra day of brunch – the best brunch in the East Village, 10 am – 4:30 pm
Monday, January 19, 2009

RIDDLE RAFFLE GOES ON

New Art Exhibit – New Riddle Art Contest (Can you do it? Are you up to it?)
Weekly Riddle Raffle (just a reminder)

NEW ART EXHIBIT -- Menu Riddle Gallery
An exhibition from a selection of the best from two years of our favorite John Sunderland Menu Riddle Art from both Life Cafes.
On display twice a month, the first and third Thursdays, January to May. Works available for sale.

These works are from our collection of weekly Picture Riddles based on items in the menus from both Life Cafés. THE ANSWERS ARE GIVEN! THE RIDDLES RESOLVED!

But we’re not letting you off the hook yet…the three pictures carry a common theme. Guess the common theme among them & win….

A bottle of champagne & a complimentary meal for two
AND
Entry into a special raffle – Grand prize: an original commission
John will produce an original commission based on a riddle theme suggested by the winners (or a pastel portrait if preferred).

All you need to do is put your answer on a comment card & drop it in the box. We’ll pick winners on Thursdays when John changes the show.

John holds his “Master Class” in Riddle Art early afternoon every Thursday at the E. Village Café when he creates his original, surreal illustrations. Come watch.

WEEKLY RIDDLE RAFFLE (don’t forget it)
Each week on Thursdays at both Life Cafes we feature an original illustration by John Sunderland. Often bizarre and surreal, the images are our pictorial riddles – the answers to which you are invited to guess. The basis for the pictures and the source of inspiration comes from any item or term on any of our menus. Each week the Raffle is drawn and new winners can come to Life to claim their prize – A FREE BOTTLE OF CHAMPAGNE – to enjoy at the Café (we will email you). To enter, simply write your answer on a comment card with your contact info and pass it on to a member of our lovely staff.

INAUGURATION, BAIL OUT, RECESSION PRICES....Let's Celebrate

2009-01-14T17:40:00.000-08:00

BREAKFAST AND LUNCH DEALS ARE BACK
INAUGURATION DAY ALL-DAY CELEBRATION

Breakfast/Lunch Deals are back
Due to popular demand and based on common sense, the much loved two eggs special and pancakes platter for $4.25 have returned. So has the cup of soup and ½ sandwich for $5.95. From 10 am -- 4:30 pm Monday through Friday for a limited time.

Inauguration Day All-day Celebration
We’ve waited 8 long years for this moment. Life Café presents: 2009: A New Life (and Yes -- we can!)

Double QUIZZO this week (Tuesday, Jan. 20 and Thursday, Jan. 22) @ 9 pm
With our very funny and very charming hosts, Harith Abdullah and Jon Schubin.
They appear twice this week for a very special Inauguration Edition & their regular Thursday

1st Prize -- $30 off bar tab
2nd Prize -- $15 off bar tab
3rd Prize – a signature Life Café logo tote bag
Inauguration QUIZZO Night Random Question Prize – a bottle of Ommengang Rare VOS (A Belgian-style Abbey Ale)

All Day Long at Life Cafe
Free Margarita Bar (one per customer please)
Brooklyn Lager and Magic Hat at 1985 prices -- $3 a pint
(let's see what the new Prez pulls out of HIS hat!)
Buy any entrée and get a homemade dessert on us

Heard at Life Cafe

2009-01-11T17:47:00.000-08:00

"Life is like a box of chocolates."

"Life isn't what you make it all the time...sometime it gets lost in the baking!"

We love reading the comments you all make on our comments cards. Keep them coming.

Last month the hubby and I got a 5:45 am call from central station alarm -- the alarm went off at the East Village Cafe. Read our John's story below about the incident....he writes and posts his work on redbubble.com. Go there and see his art and other great fun writing....

REAL LIFE ALARM. Installment 1. by john sunderland
My regular reports of my life as an owner of Life Cafe in the East Village of New York.

REAL LIFE ALARM. Installment 1.

One of the worst things that can happen to a restaurant/bar owner is when the phone rings in the deepest and darkest part of the night. It usually happens when you’re so asleep, you could have your legs amputated and not know till you fall out of bed the next morning.
For me that time is around 4.30am, just the time that the phone rang last night.My wife and I live in Bushwick, a part of Brooklyn and a 15 minute high speed drive into Manhattans’ East Village where our place is.
When the phone rang last night, it was my wife (we co-own the place) who was first out of bed. My eyes and mouth both open with a “Oh f*” knowing what the call is likely to be about. Then she’s back into the bedroom from the office where she took the call, and pulling on her clothes. I follow, and ask her what’s the report?
As I guessed it’s from the alarm company who told her the alarm has been set off and it’s “Zone 4’. That sends a chill through both of us, as it’s the back entrance, a cause for worry!
It’s 4.45am on Saturday morning. We’re both now in our old Volvo estate car, and shooting down the road, at speed. My wife is the best driver in New York, so I have to believe. When I first came to live with her in the city I was so scared by her New York driving that I believed the romance was doomed, either metaphorically or physically. (I’m an emigre Yorkshireman and the last place I lived in England was populated by sheep and occasional tractors.)
When we race in for an alarm call, she doesn’t stop for red-lights. When I point out that this is just the time of night that late revellers are going home, drunk and driving- and we’re shooting the lights, she says she’ll tell the police we are on our way to an alarm call. I’m not thinking of them, I’m thinking of the legitamate complaints from drivers who have just slammed into us and killed us! Besides that chance of violent death we’re speeding our way to confront thieves who have possibly broken into our place and are now, as we drive, looting our liquor cellar and checking their weapons!
Minutes earlier, as we cross the Williamsburgh Bridge from Brooklyn over the East River, the alarm people told her that they’ve notified the police. But that’s no comfort to us as we have no expectation that they will be there when we arrive. Sure enough, when the old Volvo containing us two old people arrive- there are no police to be seen.Once again it’s just adrenalin pumped Kath and me, 58 year olds, with no idea when we pull up the roller shutters and open the door to the dark interior, what we are going to find inside!
(What happened inside -in the next entry).

The Writing On the Wall

2008-12-02T15:25:00.000-08:00

EAST VILLAGE LIFE CAFE

Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving. There is much to be thankful for. It’s true! To remind us, John wrote a poem on the wall at the East Village Life Café. It’s the little everyday things to be grateful for, and I was grateful for his reminder. We reproduced it below. I hope you enjoy it.

We launched Chef Vincent’s new brunch menu on Thanksgiving Day. While it was a rough start, as new menus often go, everyone got fed and enjoyed their meals immensely. A particular favorite by vegan and meat eaters alike is the “Tempeh Reuben Sandwich.” Go to the East Village Menus “Brunch” page where you’ll find it listed with all the other improvements and fun twists Chef’s done to the Life Café fare. We’ll soon have his rendition of our All Day Menu launched. And he’s already doing his dessert magic; like his delectable “Lemon Tofu ‘Cheesecake’” that he serves in a champagne flute. Really!

Come in soon to enjoy what he’s done. We do brunch from 10 am to 4:30 pm Saturdays and Sundays. Chef prepares his scrumptious breakfast breads then too. A basket of his assorted sweet breads comes with every order.

John is creating his Riddle Raffle pastels right in the café in the East Village now. You can watch him working on a new one there early every Friday afternoon catching the wonderful soft low sunlight filtering through the trees in Tompkins Square Park.

The Writing on the Wall
Thanksgiving

Life Café has always had a tradition of communication, whether through conversation, performance, or art displayed on its walls. Prose and poetry, usually in the form of live spoken events was a feature of the café life back in the 80’s and 90’s. Today that tradition continues with the appearance of poems and art written and drawn in chalk on the walls by John Sunderland.

(If you have a poem about Life Café life, email it to us and if we like it we’ll feature it in the café blog).

For Thanksgiving, this appeared:

WHAT ARE YOU THANKFUL FOR?
My dog,
my cat.
my favorite hat
Summer, spring,
winter, fall,
Hey I love it all!
Sandy beaches,
pears, peaches
Food and drink
My best pal
Beer and wine
getting over my hangover
Waking, breathing,
all my bits
A good laugh
taking a bath
Thinking, loving,
making up,
making out,
forgetting what we
fell out about
Jokes
A sense of humor
My Auntie Sal
and Granddad Bill
and all he left me in his will
My old bike,
that first hike,
hills, mountains, streams
Being alive to the world
The great outdoors
The great indoors
Sweet dreams
All love means
Going to bed,
you’re in my head
Bacon and beans
Martinis, Bellinis,
Champagne, lemonade,
whiskey, rum
That mole on your bum,
Pals, friends, amigos,
chums
Conversations
Trains coming into stations
Sunshine, clouds,
rain, wind,
Hiccups, sneezes
Both sides of my brain
Aspirin, sex, cuddles
Staying home
My first date, my mate
My first skates
Not being late
My kids, their friends
Shopping, reading,
Talking, walking, singing
Dancing
Living

This small furry creature was discovered nibbling crumbs from the sidewalk tables on Halloween night in late November. A rare and as yet unidentified species!

LIFE CAFÉ 983, BUSHWICK, BROOKLYN

Something crazy goes on at 983 on Wednesday nights. It’s not official. No, no, it’s the staff. (Maybe we’re too lenient? Oh, but it is fun…) Some of the staff make up a theme for the way they dress. One week was “Ballroom Dancing” and our lovely Shaeffer behind the bar wore a large gleaming rhinestone necklace and swirling skirt and looked absolutely fabulous. Last week was “Sweaters with Animal Print”. Next week I was told it’s “Your Worst Holiday Sweater”. They’re artists, so they do come up with good imagery. So stop in Wednesday anytime after 5 pm and get an eyeful and a chuckle. And, hey, you could join in. Just give a call a couple of days ahead to find out what they’ve come up with for that week.

Oh, don’t come Wednesday, December 10th as 983 is closed for a holiday party. Last seating is 6 pm and we close at 7 pm.

Here’s a seasonal image from Bushwick. This is last week’s Riddle Raffle drawing at 983 titled “Seasonal Pick” after the group of Special Drinks from our drink men. I know, I know, it’s tacky. But so is John. After all, he’s a Yorkshireman, and they’re funny guys, in all meanings of the words!

By gum, we do like to have fun….

Cheers,
John and Kathy

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2008-11-24T18:43:00.000-08:00

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2008-11-24T18:18:00.000-08:00

THANKSGIVING AND BLACK FRIDAY AT THE EAST VILLAGE

TURKEY AND VEGAN DINNER

A New Life

We would love to introduce you to the new Life and its new menu for brunch

PRIX FIX BRUNCH WILL ALSO BE SERVED

Thanksgiving Day 10 am to 5:30 pm (last seating). We close at 7 pm.

Black Friday Brunch 10 am to 4:30 pm. All Day Menu served till 2 am

Murray's Free-Range Organic Turkey 26.00

served with house-made stuffing with apples & dried cherries along with maple candied yams and roasted root vegetables infused with Southwestern seasoning

and don't forget our homemade pear/cranberry chutney

includes cup of rutabaga apple soup or roasted beet salad with warm goat cheese, coffee, tea or beverage and

dessert of rustic sweet potato pie (chunky) or apple & dried cherry pie

Stuffed Acorn Squash (Vegan) 30.00

With apple/dried cherry stuffing drizzled with anasazi bean sauce, five-grain croquettes (organic jasmine rice, amaranth, teff (a healthy wheat alternative), quinoa & millet), steamed root vegetables and hijiki drizzled with miso/tahini sauce

Includes cup of squash potage (a winter squash soup) garnished with watercress or carrot mint salad,

coffee, tea or beverage and

dessert of pear/cranberry crisp or

lemon tofu cheesecake with strawberry topping

Prix Fix BRUNCH

now served with fresh house-made breakfast delectables of

scones, biscotti, muffins and more

And a lot of exciting twists on many of your old favorites

2008-11-11T18:17:00.000-08:00

Yes, we all have had a lot of ups and downs recently in the world, but Life goes on. We elected a new President and started down a path of change. Speaking of change, we've got a lot of fresh new things happening at the East Village Life Café that compliments nicely with Barack Obama's message of hope. Our sister location, Life Café NINE83 in Bushwick, Brooklyn, is tweaking things up too.

Welcome to the first post of the Life Café Blog! I've been planning to launch our own blog for weeks, and I'm really excited to use this medium as another way to connect with you. This post concentrates mostly on the East Village café as there's so much to update. We'll keep you posted on what goes on the Bushwick here as well.

My life's been entwined in Life Café for 28 years (as of this month actually!). My goal has been to provide an open door, a haven for all who walk in. It's always been more than just a business; Life Café has been a way of life for me, even if it's tougher than most. Life Café is more than great food; it's about people connecting to people.

In future blogs we plan to share the funny, amazing or just plain interesting stories that abound at Life Café from the past, present & possible future. We'll also post the weekly specials for both the E. Village and the Brooklyn cafes and anything else newsworthy. For this one, though, I just got to tell you what's new in the East Village first because I'm really energized about it.

We have a new chef, new & improved menu items, a new mangeress (as John, my Yorkshire, England, husband would call her), an ever–changing beer and wine menu, an expanded "Rescue Breakfast/Lunch Deal" and a slew of events planned for the coming months. We're doing a special brunch in the East Village on Thanksgiving Day and Black Friday. So let's get started.

Our new chef is Vincent Viseclia who's a pastry chef too, so we're looking forward to some great baking. For brunch, he's already introduced scones (espresso-chocolate and berry vanilla), muffins (Blue Heaven and carrot) and a new cornbread recipe. Scone and Muffin flavors will change weekly. His cornbread is light and moist. I couldn't believe my first bite; it reminded me of the wonderful cake my Lithuanian grandmother used to bake for us kids back in Detroit in the 50s and while we all pine for it, no one in the family knew her recipe! Imagine my delight. Funny thing, Vincent reminded me he used to make muffins for Life Café back in the 80s. Come to brunch and you'll have a basket of these baked wonders on the table just waiting for you to bite into. Also new to brunch is his light and tender Belgian Waffles served with fresh berries and assorted fruits with maple butter. Also new to brunch (as well as for breakfast during the week) is his light and fluffy pancakes and his French Kiss, French toast made with Brioche and his special batter topped with bananas poached in rum served with pastry cream. The staff raves about them so you know they have to be good. Crepes are coming soon!

He has a new source for our ground beef and turkey for our burgers that are moist and juicy and surpasses most others. These cost us a little more, but he assures me you'll love them so much I won't be sorry because you'll keep coming back for more.

Thanksgiving at the East Village café will be especially delicious. We're serving brunch Thanksgiving Day on Thursday, November 27th from 10am to 5:30 pm (last seating). We close at 7 pm. A special brunch menu includes a delicious turkey dinner platter made with Murray's organic free-range turkey and a Vegan platter. We'll also have something a little different on the regular brunch menu available. On Black Friday, November 28th we'll serve the same brunch menu from 10 am till 4:30 pm. We'll have the details in the next blog.

Bushwick Life Café will be closed Thanksgiving Day but will be opened on Black Friday at 11 am as usual and serving up brunch until 4:30 pm.

If your change purse is a little low, when you come in Monday through Friday between 10 am and 4 pm (for a limited time) you'll find our "Rescue Breakfast/Lunch Deal". Get two eggs, oven-roasted potatoes, toast or cornbread and coffee or tea OR buttermilk pancakes and coffee or tea for $4.25. We also run a lunch special for $5.95, a combo that includes a tasty soup of the day and a special half sandwich which have been selling very well. Hey, whatever we can do to help out until the "bailout" kicks in (let's hope that it won't be as long as some predict). We don't expect to save the world, but we'll save you some breakfast.

Andy Mills, the Beverage and Bar Manager at NINE83 treks all the way from Bushwick Life Café and helps us out in the East Village. He rotates beers regularly. Newest on tap is Six Point Brownstone. We also have Blue Moon Belgian White, Magic Hat #9 along with favorites Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, Stella Artois, Guinness and Brooklyn Lager. A couple of new bottled beers Andy's brought in are Sam Adams Octoberfest, Hoptical Illusion Ale and Victory Prima Pilsner.

I love staying local with the Brooklyn Brewery microbrew brand. They were the first beers I brought in to Life Café when we got our first license to sell alcohol, a beer and wine license. Back in Lansing, Michigan, I used to make my own beer and wine and I was really tempted to brew beer on 10th St. and Ave. B. While the 80s East Village was a no-man's (and no-wo-man's) land, I figured I'd better not create any more problems than we already had in the neighborhood by selling a home brew. There must have been a law against it. Oh, well.

The red wines Andy's brought in recently have been well received. Particularly popular are the full-bodied Francis Ford Coppola Shiraz that sings of California sunshine for a chilly fall afternoon. The Wyatt Cabernet Sauvignon has a distinctive flavor of cinnamon and raisins, very nice for this time of year.

That reminds me; we've brewed up some tasty hot mulled cider — you'll get a whiff of the mulling spices when you walk in the door...so good.

Rebecca Hailey's been bartending for us for two months and became a manager at the end of October. She's "a smile on legs" as my husband says and she will indeed make you smile because she's just like that. Originally from New Jersey, she comes to us via Philadelphia. She's brought some of that Philly factor with her. She's got Quizzo going on Thursday nights at 9 pm, a Philly import that started in 1996, that's about to take over in New York City like it's done in LA. Quizzo happens on Tuesday nights starting November 18th too. A photography exhibit by Carrie Miller is being installed. Stop in to see her show and meet her at her opening party on Monday, December 1st at 8:30 pm. RENT closed on Broadway on September 7th and our tribute wall to Jonathan Larson will remain. It's above the Jonathan Larson Bench that we dedicated on September 5th at the incredible RENT Finale B Video contest party before the 50 passionate and wonderful RENThead video contest winners.

Come in for the charming Chas DePaulo on Wednesday, November 12th at 9 pm for some darn good musical entertainment. He's a member of the famous Irish band The Groundhogs and is an international session musician. For the winter Rebecca's also working on putting together a writers' series and improv comedy. If you're a writer and are interested, get in touch with Rebecca at get in touch with Rebecca at info@lifecafe.com

Don't forget to stop by and see John's weekly edition of his popular Riddle Raffle pastel drawing of the week. Guess what it represents (the clue is in one of the menus). Winners receive a bottle of champagne!

Tune in next time. And remember, Life's worth loving. Enjoy at least one thing in Life everyday and you won't go astray. Let us know what it was. Stay tuned to find out how.