Brooklyn bound riders on the (2) and (4) trains will see modified late night service this week.

Between 12:01 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. between tonight and Friday morning, service on the (2) train will operate as express trains instead of locals between Atlantic Avenue, Prospect Heights, and Crown Heights-Utica Avenue, stopping only at Franklin Avenue Station.  Direct (2) train service to and from Manhattan and The Bronx will operate to Utica Avenue instead of Flatbush Avenue.  A (2) shuttle train with 30 minute headways will operate between Franklin Avenue and Flatbush Avenue…

Additionally, the (4) train will also operate express between Atlantic Avenue and Utica Avenue.

Brooklyn-bound passengers travelling from Manhattan and Downtown Brooklyn to Bergen Street, Grand Army Plaza, Eastern Parkway, Nostrand Avenue, and Kingston Avenue stations should get off the Brooklyn-bound trains at Utica Avenue, then board a Manhattan-bound train to reach these stations…

The late-night (G) train service adjustments reported by Brooklyn News last week remain in effect through the rest of this week.  This involves two sections of (G) service – one section will operate between Court Square, Queens, and Bedford-Nostrand, Bed-Stuy, the other between Bedford-Nostrand and Church Avenue, Kensington.  Trains will operate both sections every 30 minutes with passengers required to transfer at Bedford-Nostrand.  This will be in effect between 11:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m…

Riders on the (L) train should be aware of platform boarding changes for late night service.  Brooklyn-bound riders will be required to board on the Manhattan-bound platforms at 3rd Avenue and 1st Avenue stations in Manhattan and at Bedford Avenue Station, Williamsburg, between 12:01 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. through Friday morning…

Manhattan- and Queens-bound riders on the (N) will see service re-routed over the Manhattan Bridge instead of the Montague Tunnel, skipping the Canal Street, Rector Street, and Whitehall Street stations in Manhattan and Court Street and Lawrence Street stations in Brooklyn.  Riders are asked to take the (4) train as an alternative…

And, finally, the (Q) train will be operating in two sections during late night hours.  The (Q) will operate in two sections – one segment will operate between 57th Street/7th Avenue, Manhattan and Atlantic Avenue/Pacific Avenue, Prospect Heights on the 4th Avenue Line (served by the (D), (M), (N), and (R) trains; the other section will operate between the Atlantic Avenue on the Brighton Line (the normal (Q) train station) and Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue.  Trains will operate every 30 minutes on the Brighton Line between 12:01 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. nightly through Friday.

This is in addition to the ongoing construction on the Brighton Line, causing intermittant delays on the (B) and (Q) trains and local service on the (B) between Prospect Park and Brighton Beach.

For updated service adjustment information, call the NYC Transit information line at (718) 330-1234 or visit www.mta.info.

At his press conference last week, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg told reporters that Brooklyn was one of his favorite areas for fine dining.

“It is amazing the change in Brooklyn in the last dozen years or thereabouts. I’m going to have dinner tonight in Brooklyn,” Bloomberg said at his Thursday City Hall press conference on the Coney Island land deal.

“Time and time again, when I say, ‘Where do you want to go to have dinner?’ Friends who’ve come from out of town pick restaurants in Brooklyn, and that is really different,” the mayor added.

Now, whether or not Bloomberg meant it or was just trying to score points with Brooklynites could be open for debate.  In any event, Bloomberg has been a fairly regular customer at the Stone Park Cafe, 324 Fifth Avenue near 3rd Street, Park Slope, according to the New York Post.

Of course, Bloomberg can afford to dine out at a place where a salad runs between $11.00 and $15.00, a burger $14.00, and entrees around the mid-$20 range and nobody is going to confuse Stone Park Cafe with Nathan’s at Coney Island.

As a related sidebar, the Post also pointed out five other restaurants that its readers should check out (though, as a service to our readers, Brooklyn News is not only including locations, but, where applicable, web sites).

Vinegar Hill House, 72 Hudson Avenue, between Front and Water Streets, DUMBO

The Post says: “This old-fashioned restaurant in the shadow of the Brooklyn Navy Yard features a giant wood-burning oven, where its delicacies, including a tart drizzled with creme fraiche, are concocted.”

One would certainly hope this oven makes that $8.00 mashed potato dish as tasty as a potato one would by from the local grocer.

Located between the Navy Yard and the Manhattan Bridge, Vinegar Hill House is a short walk from the York Street Station of the (F) train.

Marlow and Sons, 81 Broadway, between Berry Street and Wythe Avenue, Williamsburg

The Post says: “This tiny eatery serves up fresh oysters and jalapeño-rum cocktails along with an oldschool atmosphere.”

And, there’s also the $9.50 roast beef sandwich on the lunch menu.  Other than the oysters, there isn’t a large menu selection, though the $22.00 brick chicken on the dinner menu certainly sounds tempting enough to try.

Marlow and Sons is located in the shadow of the Williamsburg Bridge; the nearest subway stop is the Marcy Avenue Station on the (J), (M), and (Z) trains five blocks to the east.

Tanorren, 7704 3rd Avenue, at 77th Street, Bay Ridge

The Post says: “A massive menu is among the highlights at this Middle Eastern restaurant, where garlic and spices aplenty adorn such dishes as ground lamb.”

The $15.00 chicken kabob appears reasonably priced, especially when served with rice and salad.  Half portions of these entrees are available between 12:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m.

Tanorren, which celebrates it’s 10th anniversary in Bay Ridge this year, is located one block away from the 77th Street/4th Avenue station on the (R) train.

Noodle Pudding, 38 Henry Street, between Cranberry Street and Middagh Street, Brooklyn Heights, (718) 625-3737 (no web site found; link to Menutopia’s listing)

The Post says: “It’s like a SoHo transplant with its trendy crowd and trendier wait time of up to 45 minutes, but the gnocchi and buffalo mozzarella are worth it.”

Bounded by the Brooklyn Bridge and the BQE, what is known about Noodle Pudding is that it’s an Italian restaurant.  Unless Menutopia is missing an item or two, the menu doesn’t seem as long as expected from a decent Italian restaurant.

Noodle Pudding is located across the street from Cadman Plaza Park and is accessible from the High Street Station of the (A) and (C) trains.

The General Greene, 229 DeKalb Avenue, between Adelphi Street and Clermont Avenue, Fort Greene

The Post says: “Check out the sangria and the candied bacon at this Southern tinged food hall, where the barstools are refurbished tractor seats.”

Seats in the dining room, however, appear to be only slightly more comfortable than a typical seat on the (L) train.  With that said, breakfast is served during the week between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., which seems a little odd, but if it works, more power to them.

The General Greene is located minutes from LIU-Brooklyn, the Brooklyn Hospital Center, Fort Greene Park, and the Brooklyn Flea Market.  The nearest subway stops are Clinton-Washington Station on the (G) train and Lafayette Avenue Station on the (C) train.

There are hundreds of restaurants in Brooklyn, and these are just five that the Post seemed to think quite highly of.  Of course, your mileage may vary, as the old saying goes…

The NYPD and members of City Council are asking for the public’s assistance in searching for subjects involved in what is being described as a “hate crime” assault in the borough two months ago.

Officers from the 83rd Precinct recieved a report from a hispanic male that he had been assaulted while riding his bike along Broadway between Marcy Avenue, Williamsburg and Lafayette Avenue, Bushwick, between 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. on September 23.

The victim told police that 3-to-4 black males assaulted him with a blunt instrument, and that the perps had directed anti-Hispanic statements during the attack.  Police were not able to obtain a further description of the subjects.

The offices of Councilwoman Diana Reyna (D-Bushwick), Councilwoman Rosie Mendez (D-Lower Manhattan), Council President Christine Quinn (D), and Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez issued a joint statement condemning the attack:

“In the City of New York, hate incidents like these will not be tolerated.”

Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to call NYPD Crime Stoppers at (800) 577-TIPS, text “577TIP” to CRIMES, or log on to NYPDCrimestoppers.com.