Five Months After Destructive Fire, Colonia Verde Will Return to Fort Greene

Way back in February, Fort Greene's relatively new Latin American restaurant Colonia Verde was put out of commission by a fire. Owners/chefs Felipe Donnelly and Carolina Santos-Neves, who also own Comodo in Soho, hoped that the rebuilding would only take weeks, but the damage was way more extensive than anticipated. Now, many months later, it's set to reopen on June 23.

The rebuilding process has, according to a release, resulted in several "slight changes" to both the space and the menu. On the menu side, those changes seem to be towards making it more extensive. There are more categories than the basic appetizer/entree/dessert format now – plates "for the table," and both "from the garden" and "from the land," as well as "from the fire" (which, in all seriousness, are what this place has always been known for). There will be yucca hand pies, grilled razor clams, and octopus al pastor, plus a totally revamped wine and cocktail menu.

But the best news here, beyond the simple fact of reopening, is that this place has a seriously good backyard, so the return could hardly be better timed.