Patchogue Advance, 26 Nov 1929, p. 16:The barn in the rear of [the] Music Box Grill has caved in. The barn was used eight years ago by Mr. Edwards and Frank Libschick for furthering talking movies. A stage in the rear was used and some of the first talking movies exhibited there. The Music Box Grill is now vacant. Not long ago the barn was on fire but the Brookhaven firemen quickly extinguished the flames.
Patchogue Advance, 29 May 1936, p. 4
The Hof Brau Inn Is Open—An interesting place is the Hof Brau inn on the Montauk highway in Brookhaven, where you are cordially greeted by mine host, Carl Strohm. Charles Van Dien and His Royal Arcadians furnish the gay music for dancing at the Hof Brau.
A LA CARTE;
Food Takes a Cafe Beyond Fun and Games
By RICHARD JAY SCHOLEM
New York Times. Published: July 2, 1995 (transcript excerpt).
NIGHTCLUBS are for fun, not food. Serious diners steer clear of them. It is not unusual to find mediocre or inferior fare and exorbitant prices at restaurants that emphasize entertainment. The Borderline Cafe in Brookhaven is best known as a weekend comedy club, not for its cuisine. The rest of the time this roadhouse at 2647 Montauk Highway (286-8077) promotes everything but its cooking, including karaoke, backyard volleyball games, a piano player and jazz.
The often loud, usually lively, barroom contains its share of macho-tattooed types with baseball caps and long hair. Our pleasant, though uninformed, miniskirted waitress referred to us as "You guys."
The sometimes hard-driving recorded rock and blues music heard in the dining room is anything but appropriate or relaxing. Yes, the Borderline seems like the last place in the world to choose for fine food.
But despite all clues to the contrary, most of the food is excellent, portions are substantial and prices are moderate. Soups, sauces, dressings and breads are homemade. Dishes are often artfully garnished with purple kale, and fresh herbs like basil, mint, tarragon, thyme and parsley abound.
The chef, William Kirk, is a Culinary Institute of America graduate, and the owner, Bruce Elias, went through Johnson & Wales. They both seem to care about good food and want the Borderline to be known for more than fun and games.
Light eaters will find that some appetizers are of main-course size. Seven tender medium-large oysters a la Borderline ($5.95), covered with butter-infused, vividly seasoned bread crumbs, qualify, as do 10 lightly breaded crisp grease-free deep-fried artichoke hearts ($4.50) served on a bed of carrots and greens accompanied by a rather bland lemon-vinaigrette dipping sauce.
Most diners do not order appetizers because there is no need to do so. The price of the hefty entrees includes a hearty soup or a good-size tossed or Greek salad. Few customers can finish those two courses, and doggie bags are the norm.
The inclusion of those soups and salads make main courses, which cost $8.95 to $17.95, considerably less expensive than they seem. The soup one night was special. It was a boldly seasoned thick and tasty bisquelike cream of mushroom made with cream, fresh mushrooms, chicken stock and shallots.
The salads, with their sprightly red-tipped lettuce, red onions, cucumbers and juilienned carrots, are anything but skimpy. Feta cheese, imported olives and a hot green pepper are added to the Greek version.
Two entrees, grilled boneless center-cut pork chops ($14.95) and a special of fusilli with chicken, spinach, basil and tomato ($11.95) were both top drawer, though the flavor of the pasta dish was enhanced by a dash or two of salt. The very tender, very soft pork was hash-marked from the grill. It was escorted by homemade apple sauce, two potato pancakes that were truly latkes to love and a thicket of green beans, carrots and corn cut from the cob. The large, deep bowl of pleasingly peppery pasta was liberally studded with juicy chicken nuggets, sauteed spinach and cubed tomatoes.
Desserts like death by chocolate ($3.50), raspberry sorbet covered in dark chocolate ($3.50), hot-fudge brownie knockout ($3.75) and rice pudding ($2.75) sounded tempting, but were not sampled.
Outside, lost among the signs that promote masters of ceremony, comics, music and sports, there is but a single small reference to fine dining. It should be larger. Openings
4a-Public Site