Food: March 2007 Archives

- Finally! Banh mi sandwiches in Midtown. But are they any good, and are they worth the $7.50 a pop? Midtown Lunch readers chime in with their thoughts.

We walked into Royal’s Downtown yesterday, partly out of curiosity. This gorgeously lit restaurant sits on the western edge of Carroll Gardens, and seems completely out of place. Unlike the cute little restaurants dotted around the area, it’s grand and pretentious, more like a Brooklyn Heights standby that is decorated well but prohibitively expensive. There is only one entree under $20.

[Ed. note: We'd like to welcome Robyn Lee, who wrote for Parisist while she was there and who you may also know as The Girl Who Ate Everything. She'll be taking over Camera in the Kitchen for a bit.]

[Ed. note: We'd like to welcome Robyn Lee, who wrote for Parisist while she was there and who you may also know as The Girl Who Ate Everything. She'll be taking over Camera in the Kitchen for a bit.]

Pair of 8's owner Ron Didner and new Chef Matthew Hamilton (formerly of Prune, Uovo, and Zuni Cafe, pictured at right) pair up with Best Cellars to host the first of this monthly series starting with Wine 101. Wine will be paired with five courses. $70 for a single class and $65 for two or more classes, 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. Call 212-362-8730 to register. 568 Amsterdam Avenue between 87th and 88th Streets.

People tend to go a little haywire over Peeps. We've given you a taste of the madness before, but there's even more sugar-infused insanity this year. Via the epi-log over at Epicurious: chef Francisco Migoya of The Culinary Institute of America has a video up on You Tube demonstrating how to make your own Peeps aptly titled "The Peep Show."

Awesome: The owner of a Burger King at Fifth Avenue and 36th Street is suing its landlord. Apparently the BK at 401 Fifth Avenue got infested with rats "after an adjacent Chinese restaurant shut down earlier this month," according to the NY Sun. And then when Inside Edition caught the rats inside the Burger King (as well as rats in other city restaurants), the owners decided to sue.

Awesome: The owner of a Burger King at Fifth Avenue and 36th Street is suing its landlord. Apparently the BK at 401 Fifth Avenue got infested with rats "after an adjacent Chinese restaurant shut down earlier this month," according to the NY Sun. And then when Inside Edition caught the rats inside the Burger King (as well as rats in other city restaurants), the owners decided to sue.

Gothamist had the chance to get a sneak peek at the new Whole Foods on the Bowery. Although it's scheduled to open to the public tomorrow there was a pre-opening party last night. Yes - that's right, folks: A party to celebrate the opening of a grocery store which already has a few NYC locations.

Gothamist had the chance to get a sneak peek at the new Whole Foods on the Bowery. Although it's scheduled to open to the public tomorrow there was a pre-opening party last night. Yes - that's right, folks: A party to celebrate the opening of a grocery store which already has a few NYC locations.

This week, Bruni visits Rosanjin in Tribeca for kaseiki, finds it "strange and sometimes wonderful" and awards the restaurant two stars. The meal of many small courses is supposed to provide spiritual uplift in its ceremony. For Bruni, "the glory is in the details," like the uni wrapped in a shiso leaf, then battered and fried. The later courses were letdowns, however, and sometimes the small courses left him hungry two hours later.

This week, Bruni visits Rosanjin in Tribeca for kaseiki, finds it "strange and sometimes wonderful" and awards the restaurant two stars. The meal of many small courses is supposed to provide spiritual uplift in its ceremony. For Bruni, "the glory is in the details," like the uni wrapped in a shiso leaf, then battered and fried. The later courses were letdowns, however, and sometimes the small courses left him hungry two hours later.

The Coupon Clipper scours the specials for the best deals in New York's big grocery stores.

The Coupon Clipper scours the specials for the best deals in New York's big grocery stores.

The Kensington-Ditmas Park area of Brooklyn is slowly becoming known for its restaurants and dishes, including the “haute barnyard” French Fries at The Farm on Adderley. Meanwhile, the wide swath of Coney Island Avenue running through the center of both neighborhoods remains a mainstay of ethnic restaurants from Prospect Park to Brighton Beach -- everything from all-night, tri-level Pakistani joints to Turkish baklava places. It’s sort of like the restaurant bustle of Jackson Avenue in Queens, but decompressed over a 5-mile stretch. In this mix are a dozen or so Mexican Torterias; tiny shops, usually with signature sandwiches. Most of these places are closet-sized, just big enough for a stove at the back, a regular household refrigerator or a steam table. Torterias are often home bases for roving tamale carts; moreover they’re round-the-clock operations, with employees pickling their own jalapenos, pulling and braiding homemade Oaxaca string cheese, or clipping cilantro leaves from plants growing in window boxes.

amNewYork features State Senator Jeff Klein's letter grading idea for restaurants on its cover. In the wake of the media capturing rats running around a KFC-Taco Bell that had just passed a health inspection, the Health Department has been under fire.

amNewYork features State Senator Jeff Klein's letter grading idea for restaurants on its cover. In the wake of the media capturing rats running around a KFC-Taco Bell that had just passed a health inspection, the Health Department has been under fire.

We've already told you where to find your gefilte fish, so let's talk about some of the other Seder staples:

The annual Gambero Rosso Slow Food Italian Wine Tasting reminds us a little of the Oscars. People lined up outside the Puck building anxious to get in, half the men are dressed in Armani and everybody’s dying to find out who will be the big star of the evening. The space is packed with industry-types, producers and wine geeks who are on the lookout for the next great Italian wines. The top producers honored at this tasting have won the tre bicchieri (three glasses) award, which recognizes top premium Italian Wines. This year there was not one wine that swept the tasting, but there were quite a few standouts. Here are our favorites:

The annual Gambero Rosso Slow Food Italian Wine Tasting reminds us a little of the Oscars. People lined up outside the Puck building anxious to get in, half the men are dressed in Armani and everybody’s dying to find out who will be the big star of the evening. The space is packed with industry-types, producers and wine geeks who are on the lookout for the next great Italian wines. The top producers honored at this tasting have won the tre bicchieri (three glasses) award, which recognizes top premium Italian Wines. This year there was not one wine that swept the tasting, but there were quite a few standouts. Here are our favorites:

- Is New York going to go the way of LA with posted letter grades for restaurant health inspections?

- Is New York going to go the way of LA with posted letter grades for restaurant health inspections?

Something new to add to the list of kitchen gear that very well may change your life forever: the Baker’s Edge Brownie Pan. Rejoice, all you edge-lovers of brownies, blondies, snickerdoodle bars, whatever- this one’s for you. Made of cast aluminum and sporting a blocky M-shape, with interior sidewalls spaced 2 and ½ inches apart, the Baker’s Edge pan is designed to give every slice of finished product at least 2, sometimes 3, edges of corner-style distinction. The company claims that the additional surface area provided by the pan’s interior labyrinth not only creates more edge-pieces, but also optimizes their crispiness; the mad scientists over at Cooking For Engineers did a side-by-side comparison test with a standard 9”x13” nonstick baking pan. Baker’s Edge has a retail price of $34 and yields about 15 square brownies per pan, and can also be used for lasagna and gratins. With scissors, some parchment paper, and a can of nonstick spray, it is also entirely conceivable to make one giant, wavy brownie for someone you love- perfect for people whose name starts with the letter M! (or W). At the very least, the maze-like effect of this pan’s unfilled interior is enough to flummox small, furry denizens of some NYC kitchens, so even if you don’t plan on doing a lot of home baking, merely keeping the Baker’s Edge in your cupboard may be enough to slow down some this new wave of rodent intelligentsia that has been plaguing our city’s great restaurants. You never know. Buy it online, or locally at The Brooklyn Kitchen.

We've all heard the old adage that there's nothing more dangerous in the kitchen than a dull knife. A sharp knife cuts cleanly through things. A dull knife forces you to use more pressure, then may bounce off the surface of the onion you're trying to slice and onto another surface, such as--for instance--your hand. Ouch!

Workers at Vietnamese restaurant Saigon Grill have gone on strike - and have also been locked out by the owners - for over two weeks. Now, the workers have filed a lawsuit against Saigon Grill for a wide range of labor violations.

- Only the Blog Knows Brooklyn provides Park Slope picks for Dine-In Brooklyn.

As we've mentioned before, today is World Water Day. Over 290 local restaurants are participating in the Tap Project -- just fork up $1 for the tap water that's usually gratis and UNICEF will donate that money to help provide clean drinking water to children around the world.

High profile chef Wolfgang Puck has taken foie gras off his menus. Farm Sanctuary, a organization dedicated to the protection of farm animals, had targetted Puck for an aggressive campaign beginning in 2004, and engaged him and his companies in conversation last summer along with the Humane Society of the United States. Puck's changes aren't limited to foie, but extend to more animal-friendly food practices across the board. According to the New York Times:

He has directed his three companies, which together fed more than 10 million people in 2006, to buy eggs only from chickens not confined to small cages. Veal and pork will come from farms where animals are not confined in crates, and poultry meat will be bought from farmers using animal welfare standards higher than those put forth by the nation’s largest chicken and turkey producers. Mr. Puck has also vowed to use only seafood whose harvest does not endanger the environment or deplete stocks.

Tribesmen and women city-wide are frantically polishing off the last crumbs of their chametz and stockpiling matzo in preparation for Passover. April 2-10 is a torturous time for many and, though crispy potato kugels and nutty bowlfuls of charoset may soften the blow, there’s still a grim specter that hovers over Gothamist’s Passover table.

The Coupon Clipper scours the specials for the best deals in New York's big grocery stores.

The Coupon Clipper scours the specials for the best deals in New York's big grocery stores.

Bruni goes to Varietal, calls it "an epicurean Advanced Placement exam" and awards the restaurant one star. He says, "Varietal can become so entraced with the unusual ingredients it's deploying, the unconventional ideas it's hatching and the uncommon pose it's striking that it seems not to ponder the off-kilter or underwhelming results." He does love the wine selection, and, when combined with the best dishes, says eating there can be an exciting experience. Just order carefully, and skip dessert.

“We’re going to force him to eat some blood sausage. That’s what friends are for, right?” Behind the line, a cook nods, and Chef Brad Farmerie of Public restaurant gets back to the business of garnishing entrees. He stacks a few slices of house-made boudin noir on a small bread-and-butter plate, sending it out to a former sous chef who happens to be visiting from England. Farmerie, who turned 34 last week, presides over the eclectic kitchen of Public Restaurant on Elizabeth Street, which at times resembles a cabinet of curious chutneys: the chef is known for pairing proteins with unusual spices and condiments, like wattle seed and aleppo pepper. Far from creating slapdash fusion cusine, though, Farmerie experiments with each of his ingredients until his finds a flavor profile that works. He frets over the quality of his galangal; worries about the subtlety of vanilla in his foie gras ballotine. He is also the rare chef who always keeps some braised pork belly on hand for an impromptu amuse bouche, but also strives to make his vegetarian plates vegan, and more importantly, to make sure that they taste good.

If you've ever been to Pearl Oyster Bar, you might recognize Ed McFarland, who was the sous-chef there for six years. Ed has now struck out on his own with Ed's Lobster Bar, a spot for "New York seafood cuisine inspired by New England's long tradition."

If you've ever been to Pearl Oyster Bar, you might recognize Ed McFarland, who was the sous-chef there for six years. Ed has now struck out on his own with Ed's Lobster Bar, a spot for "New York seafood cuisine inspired by New England's long tradition."

Inside Edition, better known for covering tabloid stories and entertainment, has found something that mixes the best of both worlds: Looking for rats in NYC restaurants. Perhaps the most famous restaurant goers these days are city rats, and Inside Edition was on them like paparazzi on Britney Spears:

INSIDE EDITION took to the streets of Manhattan between 1:00 AM and 4:00 AM peering their cameras and flashlights into the windows of a wide variety of eateries, from fast food places to fine dining establishments. INSIDE EDITION found many of the restaurants shared one common denominator, vermin.

Generally speaking, Gothamist isn’t moved by most of Greenpoint’s many Polish restaurants. Perhaps owing to some early scarring experiences at a fading Borsht Belt resort, we’re seldom inspired to board the G Train and make the long haul north for a plate of boiled cabbage.

Generally speaking, Gothamist isn’t moved by most of Greenpoint’s many Polish restaurants. Perhaps owing to some early scarring experiences at a fading Borsht Belt resort, we’re seldom inspired to board the G Train and make the long haul north for a plate of boiled cabbage.

Yesterday morning, the nominees for the 2007 James Beard Foundation Awards were announced at the Beard House on West 12th Street. In additional to New York restaurant stalwarts David Waltuck of Chanterelle, Floyd Cardoz of Tabla, and Terrance Brennan of Picholine (which was rebooted in 2006 to impressive reviews, the nominees also include a bumper crop of young chefs including David Chang for Momofuku Ssam Bar, Daniel Humm for Eleven Madison Park (both for Rising Star Chef of the Year), and cut chemist Will Goldfarb of Room 4 Dessert (for Outstanding Pastry Chef). Three other nominees from San Francisco, Boston, and Chicago round out the Rising Star Chefs category; Goldfarb faces competition from four other nominees in the pastry category, including Michael Laskonis of Le Bernadin.

There’s a little wine company that has been getting a lot of attention lately. Oriel Wines keeps on popping up in publications, wine cellars and conversations around the country. The reason behind the buzz is Oriel’s business model. Oriel hires top winemakers from around the world to create wines for them. They search out those whose style of winemaking reflects the terroir or personality of the region. Currently, Oriel is commissioning around 30 wines from nine countries, ranging in price from $15 to $100. With thousands of anonymous wines crowding the shelves of any wine store, Oriel is attempting to create a brand that makes buying wine – no matter the place or the grape – a little more user friendly.

There’s a little wine company that has been getting a lot of attention lately. Oriel Wines keeps on popping up in publications, wine cellars and conversations around the country. The reason behind the buzz is Oriel’s business model. Oriel hires top winemakers from around the world to create wines for them. They search out those whose style of winemaking reflects the terroir or personality of the region. Currently, Oriel is commissioning around 30 wines from nine countries, ranging in price from $15 to $100. With thousands of anonymous wines crowding the shelves of any wine store, Oriel is attempting to create a brand that makes buying wine – no matter the place or the grape – a little more user friendly.

Some love it to the point of being freakishly cultish. Others don't see what the big deal is. But everyone can agree on one thing: you can do plenty of productive things with the time you spend waiting on line to get a burger at Shake Shack.

- The good folks at Gawker run a witty IM conversation between Choire, Emily and Balk mercilessly dissecting Bruni’s Room Service roundup last week in Dining In/Out.

- The good folks at Gawker run a witty IM conversation between Choire, Emily and Balk mercilessly dissecting Bruni’s Room Service roundup last week in Dining In/Out.

212-533-7000

212-533-7000

It's the time of year when the Gothamist Food mailbox is chock full of pleas. You want it . . . you need it . . .you must have your Shamrock Shake. We've tried to help you find them in the past, but to no avail. But now, dear readers, the mystery of why a Shamrock Shake is nowhere to be found in the five boroughs has been solved, thanks to the investigative team at the Daily News:

"New York region no longer stocks the Shamrock Shake," Jennifer Nagy of McDonald's regional marketing told me. "Our branches can vote region by region," and in New York City, the five boroughs and surrounding areas, they're not voting green.

Continue reading "The Mystery of the Disappearing Shake: SOLVED"

March 19 - March 30: Dine in Brooklyn

March 19 - March 30: Dine in Brooklyn

We were warned that we couldn't finish one. We scoffed and tucked into the meaty monstrosity with confidence and very nearly made it through. It was smoky and alluring, a heavy indulgence that could feed four and should rightly feed two.

We were warned that we couldn't finish one. We scoffed and tucked into the meaty monstrosity with confidence and very nearly made it through. It was smoky and alluring, a heavy indulgence that could feed four and should rightly feed two.

Coffee Shop was closed for a few days when the Department of Health tallied up 102 points of violations - 28 or more requires a closure - at the restaurant, finding "Cooked or prepared food is cross-contaminated" and issues with plumbing among the concerns. The Union Square eatery posted a snippy sign explaining the closing, and owner Charles Milite went to the NY Times and said Coffee Shop was "caught in the cross hairs of this unfortunate Taco Bell Situation," since Coffee Shop had operated for 17 years without incident. And he promised the restaurant would reopen yesterday.

Apparently New York is slowly but surely being taken over by frozen yogurt establishments. Both the traditional press and food bloggers have spoken volumes about Pinkberry, a West-coast chain known affectionately as "Crackberry" for its addictive qualities. Since we first reported on it in October, there have been articles in the New York Sun, the New York Times, and posts from Restaurant Girl and Off the Broiler. But a challenger to Pinkberry arrived recently -- Yolato, where, according to today's NYT dining section "the creaminess of gelato meets frozen yogurt’s refreshing tang." Yolato's first location opened in January, and its second opened today, and the Pinkberry empire has plans to open two more Manhattan locations.

Bruni visits Nish (the former March) on the Upper East Side, awards the restaurant two stars. The restaurant is "March minus some of the manners and mannerisms," says Bruni, more casual and more accessible. While he likes most of the food, as well as the affordable wine, he finds that it "isn't so dazzling as to guarantee the kind of success that’s eluded [chef Wayne Nish] over the last few years."

The Grasshopper Bar at Baked is the more portable version of the eponymous cake that the Red Hook bakery also sells, a 3x3 inch paean to the ultimate Betty Crocker housewife kitchen caveat, an old-fashioned, unholy marriage of Cool Whip, Crème De Menthe, and a little brownie mix.

With this weekend's spring forward, we can begin to look towards Spring and all that it will do for the selection of products at the Greenmarket. Dreaming of shoots and early tender leaves does feel a little off, especially since the spring forward is three weeks early this year. One of our farmer pals, clearly feeling conspiratorial, even made the suggestion that our feeling off about this early time jump-up is only temporary. His "theory" is that as global warming accelerates, this shift will fit better with weather patterns and that the government will have pulled a fast on us by realigning our expectations of normal seasonality.

Between the New York Times barbecue cover story last week and the giveaway pulled pork yesterday in Madison Square Park, it would seem as though New York is going all kinds of rubbed and sauce-slathered crazy (don’t forget to free up the second week of June for the mammoth Big Apple Barbecue). While the current media blitz over toasted bones and brash pit masters inevitably continues, Gothamist would like to divert just a little of your attention to some barbecue-appropriate side dishes and accoutrements, in particular, from the Carolinas and Georgia.

The name might smack of molecular gastronomy but at Alchemy, a new Park Slope gastropub, there’s nary a TeppanNitro to be found. In fact, owner Kevin Read’s formula is a simple one—fine ingredients, delicate, but not precious preparations, and a convivial environment reminiscent of Alchemy’s London counterparts.

The name might smack of molecular gastronomy but at Alchemy, a new Park Slope gastropub, there’s nary a TeppanNitro to be found. In fact, owner Kevin Read’s formula is a simple one—fine ingredients, delicate, but not precious preparations, and a convivial environment reminiscent of Alchemy’s London counterparts.

There was a big fire at Bond Street Sushi this morning (MANHATTAN: 75-365, BOND ST X LAFFAYETTE ST, FIRE IN A 4 STY 25 X 80 MD, MAIN BODY FIRE K/D --MNS, 5:32am.) Our tipster, who lives across the street, reports the restaurant was gutted. Too bad-- though expensive, that's long been one of the best sushi spots downtown.

Brothers Eric and Bruce Bromberg are continuing to increase the size of the Blue Ribbon empire. Their latest addition, Blue Ribbon Bar, is an intimate spot with only about 20 seats, but the wine list is extensive, even offering a variety of flights. Given the proximity to Blue Ribbon Bakery and Blue Ribbon Market, it should come as no suprise that the menu has a section dedicated to "toasts," featuring pates, cheeses, and hand-churned butter, the latter paired with sea salt or cinnamon sugar. The remainder of the menu is filled out with snacks, small plates, and seafood, including nightly specials and a unique cocktail list. Service is friendly and courteous, but space is tight; we'd advise a visit on off hours for a more relaxing experience.

- While browsing this NYT article about pulperías in Galicia, Spain we are reminded about how good the octopus is at the initially-jeopardized E.U. was when we went Friday. Come to think of it, the Baked Rigatoni with Milk-Braised Berkshire Pork, the Fried Smelts and the meatballs were darn tasty as well.

Walking down 8th street in Greenwich Village you’ll find some of the most random collection of stores all snuggled together. From Ricky’s, Johnny Rockets and Otto to the eclectic series of shoe stores dubbed “shoe row” you never now what’s going to pop up next. But with three months under their belt, Is-Wine, the new kid to the block, seems to have no trouble fitting right in.

After a long-term struggle with the local community board over their liquor license, the Blind Tiger will be opening just in time for their 11th Anniversary. Per owner Dave Brodrick's email:

The draught system is going in, we just ordered fifty kegs and I don't know how many cases, Louise is firing up the kitchen, and Carl Uhlman is flying back from Hawaii, having had to cut his vacation short.

Continue reading "The Blind Tiger Lives Again"

This will probably be a familiar sight: An explanation from your neighborhood restaurant that details why it's closed. And most likely it will include a complaint about the Health Department's sudden change in restaurant inspection behavior in this post-rats at a KFC-Taco Bell world. This sign was spotted outside The Coffee Shop by Joe Schumacher, proving that model-esque hostesses and servers are no match for making sure there are rubber gloves in the first aid kit.

We don’t find ourselves up in the fruit-named streets of Brooklyn Heights that often, unless we’re romantically strolling along the Promenade, or have gotten lost on our way home from Grimaldi’s. And we can very safely say that we’ve never ventured up there to drink. Brooklyn Heights might be one of the most beautiful stretches of the city, but it’s dining options, not to mention bars, have also ventured towards the safe and reliable, not to mention the expensive. But we heard about some impressive cocktails that were being mixed at Jack the Horse Tavern and figured it’d be fun to find out.

If you happened to miss it this week, you should take a good look at Peter Meehan's exploration of New York barbecue. Aside from giving us enough 'cue porn to make meat lovers swoon and vegetarians squirm, Meehan provides a thorough overview of the barbecue landscape, including spots in Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, the Bronx, and Wingdale, just a short ways upstate (sorry, Staten Island).

"Those thinking of opening restaurants in the West Village have especially stiff competition these days with Little Owl and Waverly Inn among the notable newbies in the neighborhood. Throw two-week-old Blue Ribbon Bar into the mix and the the field only gets tougher, especially for those coveting tasty fare with an ever-so-chic atmosphere gracing the dining room.

March 10: Cantina-Style: One Pot Meals Cooking Demonstration and Luncheon

From beastly brisket sandwiches to Bruni-sanctioned shrines to pork, Brooklyn has established itself as a dining destination worthy of a restaurant week all its own. Now in its fourth year, Dine in Brooklyn (Monday, March 19, through Friday, March 30) offers an opportunity to sample nearly 200 of the borough’s best at $21.12 (honoring Brooklyn’s zip code, ‘112’) for three courses.

Pictured: Assari Ramen from Menchanko-Tei.

While it seems like many restaurants are suddenly closing in the wake of the scandalous appearance of rats at a Greenwich Village KFC-Taco Bell, the Health Department claims it's just going about business as usual. Their statement to amNY: "Our policy remains the same: Inspectors should cite violations that they see. Our only mission is to enforce the health code and keep restaurants safe for customers." And the DOH denied that closings had spiked recently, which makes this graph very weird.

Bruni awards Sfoglia two stars. The Upper East Side Italian restaurant "hits a sweet spot between simplicity and sophistication, both in its look and its food," he says. He raves about most of the food, including the desserts and the bread, and recommends that you go for lunch as it takes about a month to get a dinner reservation (longer after his review, no doubt).

One of the greatest gifts in life is that of being given a nice, cooked meal. An arguably better gift (and downright city survival skill) is the ability to cook for oneself. Last August, armed with a handful of basic kitchen tools, some moxie and a typepad account, writer Cathy Erway began to document her endeavor of not eating out in New York, which is, not coincidentally, the name of her blog. Erway has given up truffle tasting menus and egg sandwiches alike, all in the name of figuring out some elusive truth of dining in. Not Eating Out in New York reads equal parts cookbook, diary, and notes from an elaborate science project, especially when Erway posts “brownie points,” or nutritional ratings in the form of little brownie graphics, at the end of recipes. What’s more is that each recipe is usually very cost effective, and flight-tested in Erway’s Fort Greene apartment kitchen. Last weekend, Gothamist had the opportunity to catch up with Erway to talk about her experiment-in-progress, which has been going on now for seven months.

...back to the French Quarter, NOLA, that is: Next Monday the 12th from 6-8 pm at ACME Bar and Grill, join forces with the Culinary Corps, a group wielding a powerful combination of outreach, philanthropy, and culinary prowess -- something their website has dubbed “culanthropy.” In order to raise funds for their inaugural service-oriented trip to New Orleans taking place later this month, the group will host a light-duty fund-raiser at ACME; door prizes, such as a mind-blowing, year-long subscription to the “cookie of the month club,” and a dinner for two at L’Ecole at the French Culinary Institute with Sommelier’s Choice wine pairing, will be up for grabs. Snacks and one free drink are included with the $20 donation price of entry.

The Coupon Clipper scours the specials for the best deals in New York's big grocery stores.

Despite a recent triumph for Carroll Gardens, an area that once hosted one of the city’s most concentrated Italian communities, there are few remaining vestiges of the neighborhood that was. Among them is Sam’s Restaurant, a quintessential red sauce joint and pizza destination helmed by Louie Migliaccio, the self-named “Son of Sam.”

Despite a recent triumph for Carroll Gardens, an area that once hosted one of the city’s most concentrated Italian communities, there are few remaining vestiges of the neighborhood that was. Among them is Sam’s Restaurant, a quintessential red sauce joint and pizza destination helmed by Louie Migliaccio, the self-named “Son of Sam.”

- Anthony Bourdain unplugged at the South Beach Wine & Food Festival. Not as riotous as his post over at Ruhlman on TVFN but worth a peek. (via Snack)

Some people go to great lengths to avoid it. They’ll tilt to the side, go in at it slowly - taking perfect measure to avoid a big, frothy head on top of their beer. Perhaps it’s just residual habit from those college keg days, but there is good reason to stop the temptation and just say yes to head. Now don’t get us wrong, we’re not suggesting getting head with just any beer. But with yeasty German wheat beer the head not only acts as protective barrier but also adds a great texture to the drink.

• The foie gras battle rages on sparked by a sign at Fairway on the Upper West Side.
• Jacques Torres is in a hot chocolate war in DUMBO (his use of exclamation points is also noted).
• Michael Psilakis and Donatella Arpaia find a new home at Anthos, in the former Acqua Pazza space on 52nd Street. Restaurant Girl gets an early peek.
• And with Japanese Restaurant Week starting today, we find Grub Street's guide very handy.
Continue reading "Tidbits"

The vagaries of a properly made Tortilla Española have plagued Gothamist for years. A thick egg based dish, a tortilla has a more robust structure than its slutty cousin, the omelet, and is traditionally made with only potato and egg. The addition of other vegetables (peppers, peas, chives and onions most frequently) or other leftover foodstuff--from noodles to ham--is also common in the Spanish home.

The vagaries of a properly made Tortilla Española have plagued Gothamist for years. A thick egg based dish, a tortilla has a more robust structure than its slutty cousin, the omelet, and is traditionally made with only potato and egg. The addition of other vegetables (peppers, peas, chives and onions most frequently) or other leftover foodstuff--from noodles to ham--is also common in the Spanish home.

A new shocking Health Department-related video has emerged, but there are no rats in this one. Apparently, a restaurant inspector looks like he's sleeping at a restaurant's bar area before handing over a notice of inspection failure!