Food & Drink Cures All Pain declares the tongue-in-cheek motto stamped on Sidecar’s seal. Come sundown, this American bar-bistro sparks to life, attracting Park Slope locals and night owls who pass through its glass facade with the hope that the owners, brothers Bart and Johnny DeCoursy, will make good on their promise.
Bart (ex-O’Connor’s) directs the front-of-house where friends and singles meet at the long mahogany bar, sipping the cold lemony namesake cocktails. From above, bare bulbs wash the exposed brick walls in a Cointreau-colored rinse that invokes a sepia-toned nostalgia more often associated with bottled Coke served with bendy straws.
Johnny, a Blue Ribbon veteran, mans the stove to deliver posh pub grub that boasts fresh ingredients prepared on premise. A robust list of daily specials run the gamut from basmati rice-filled red pepper to jerk chicken, complementing ol’ reliables like the requisite Sidecar burger, which arrives with its top bun on the side to spotlight the cheese-smothered tender 8 oz. patty and a heap of homemade skinny fries. Another crowd pleaser is the bean dip starter followed by the Banh-De, a spicy pork-and-pate stuffed Vietnamese sandwich, accompanied by a shot of cucumber juice.
Opposite the open kitchen a jukebox glows, calling attention to its novel existence, while Spy Hunter, an arcade game, stands alone in the back. Shortly after midnight, the barkeeps break out the Wii to engage late night imbibers in bowling on the flat screen until the, well, wee hours of the morning. Open until 4 a.m., Sidecar is popular with sleepwalking bar and restaurant industry folk looking to chase their nightcap with some virtual smackdown.
On a recent Sunday during brunch (served both weekend days), the brothers shared their plans to open the cozy back deck for table service by May 1st. “The whole area will be covered in white oak to contrast with the black walnut used inside, and there will be planters lining the edges,” said Johnny, who plans to grow herbs to be used in his dishes. While Johnny envisions the trappings outside, his daughters Amelia, five, and Isabel, three, weaved stealthily between patrons inside, trotting up to the front windows to spy on passersby on Fifth Avenue.
Turning two in July, it’s still too soon to tell whether Sidecar will be the panacea as advertised. But judging by the constant stream of regulars and new enthusiasts filling the house, it seems that by mixing business with pleasure, the DeCoursy brothers are brewing a recession remedy that just might work.
How to get there: Take the R train to Prospect Ave. or F train to 4th Ave. (Sidecar, 560 Fifth Ave., Brooklyn, 718.369.0077, sidecarbrooklyn.com)
Photos: Courtesy of Amy Cao
Sarah Knapp is a Brooklyn based entrepreneur whose love for the outdoors and community building led her to the October 2013 creation of OutdoorFest. She has a BA in History, is a Wilderness First Responder and a NY state hiking, camp and boating guide. Her proudest achievement to date is reading the Aeneid in Latin. 
Allison was one of our first top writers and Chief Editor but is no longer working with offMetro. Allison is a native New Yorker, who has lived in Rome, Tuscany, Melbourne, Toronto and Los Angeles. She frequently contributed travel pieces to Family Travel Forum, using her own children as guinea pigs as they travel the globe. She never missed a chance to sample local delicacies, as her love for travel goes hand-in-hand with her love for food and wine. 
Josh Laskin is a freelance travel writer and photographer based in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. When he is not at work or on the road, you can find him in the mountains snowboarding, climbing, hiking, fly fishing, mountain biking, and eating bagel bites.
Annie is a travel writer, environmentalist, and surfer based in Venice, CA. She heads up our West Coast team, keeps our grammatical errors in check, and makes sure our California writers always have a plan for their next adventure. Follow Annie’s travels @annelisemcb.
Carly Pifer is a freelance writer who has been known to follow whims inspired by romantic movie scenes or colorful street style shots to India, Japan, Tunisia and Argentina. After stints living in Seoul, Boston, Paris and Los Angeles, writing and searching for something intangible, she landed somewhat steadily in Brooklyn and has begun to find inspiration in her more immediate surroundings. 
Kate E. O’Hara is a New York based freelance writer and photographer who loves all things food—especially the people who make it and market it. Her writing aims to capture the essence of the food experience; the stories that go well beyond a plate of ingredients. In addition to her love of food, Kate is also known to have a hankering for red wine and craft beer. You can also find Kate on Instagram