Food

Starbucks has just introduced "Via Ready Brew," their $1 instant coffee packet, and according to CEO Howard Schultz, "It took a lot of courage to say that even though instant coffee is the worst cup of coffee you can have, we are going to reinvent it." Only time will tell whether Schultz's courage is actually madness, but the instant reaction hasn't been too favorable. Though the company insists Via "completely replicates" a fresh-brewed cup, many customers have been blanched. One tells the Daily News simply, "It's bad," while another observed, "You can get a cup of coffee for $1 on every corner of New York City that tastes better than this. Maybe it's a product for people in other cities. I don't see it selling here." more ›

Is the long-shuttered age-old West Village "speakeasy" Chumley's finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, or is this just more false hope? After closing in April 2007 because an interior wall collapsed during repair work, the classic landmark bar, which opened in 1831, has had more false starts and rumored advances than the Arrested Development movie. At one point, the owner described the state of his establishment as "a bombed-out farmhouse" from a WWII movie. But now it's been learned that Chumley's is applying for a liquor license and seeking the blessing of the local Community Board, which it most definitely deserves. Keep hope alive! On second thought, forget it. more ›

With the days of the extravagant Power Lunch all but forgotten in these tough times, Midtown steak hotshots Maloney & Porcelli are resorting to blatant falsehoods to get their meat sold! Their new website, Expense-a-Steak, lets customers enter their bill total and download a sheet of false receipts for the amount. For example, a fake $231 bill is separated into seven receipts for places like "Office Supply Hut" and "The Panini Experience." They're even offering fake doggy bags with Chipotle logos on the front! The ruse didn't come a moment too soon, because as the press release reminds us, "one of the biggest casualties of the financial crisis is the expense account meal." And President Obama isn't do anything about it, so at least Maloney & Porcelli is stepping in. more ›

Just as Tyra Banks discovers gourmet food vendor trucks, Blackbook has joined the growing backlash against their trendy proliferation. It's yet another article that looks at the turf wars between the arriviste artisanal food trucks and the old-school hot dog and kabob guys. But at least this one comes with a clever neologism: "vendrification," which is what happens when the new upscale trucks start "shaking up the culinary terrain of the streets." more ›

The Health Department wants New Yorkers to reduce sugary beverage consumption, but the department's employees can still buy the controversial carbonated concoctions from vending machines in the lobby at department headquarters. The Post recently "found" the machine in the 125 Worth Street, and some of the drinks available are Gatorade, Snapple and Coca-Cola—which are being singled out in a $350K anti-soda ad campaign. Naturally, a lobbyist for the beverage industry was happy to comment: "[This] just shows you that we shouldn't allow the Department of Health bureaucrats to make decisions for us, because their decision-making process is often jaundiced." Well, at least it wasn't a cigarette vending machine. more ›

After years of protests and a long, drawn-out lawsuit, the city is moving forward with a plan to convert a large part of the 80-year-old Pavilion in Union Square park into a restaurant. The Parks Department recently put out a request for proposals to operate a seasonal café in the park's refurbished pavilion; the deadline is in two months. According to the Post, the winning bidder would secure a 15-year contract to run the private café six months out of the year, and also have the option to operate a satellite cart or kiosk. more ›

Your fifteen minutes are over, gourmet food vendor truck vendors. NYC's crowded streets couldn't stop you, the Halal mafia couldn't scare you off, but the fancy food vending trend—which gave us everything from gay ice cream to, uh, Eurotrash—has finally screeched to a halt, now that Tyra Banks has stepped in. more ›

Meet McDonald's "Mom's Quality Correspondents," brand ambassadors for the corporation who tour the country convincing other mothers that McDonald's food can provide perfectly nutritious sustenance for their children. It's unclear how much these fast food collaborators are being paid to sell out America's children to the fast food industry, but they've been at it for a couple years now, and they hit Manhattan yesterday to put an end to the crazy idea that McDonald's products are uniformly unhealthy. more ›

We usually let you know about stuff like this in our indispensable daily events blast, GothamList, but we just didn't have room today, so here's a heads up on two very special food-oriented events going down this weekend. On Saturday and Sunday a dozen big-shot chefs, three mixologists, one ice-cream maker, DJs and artists from NYC and Paris will descend on P.S. 1 in Long Island City for Le Fooding d'Amour, a culinary celebration of the two cities. more ›

It's been two weeks now since Portland coffee mecca Stumptown opened its first local shop inside the Ace Hotel. And while the third wave coffeeshop is generally known for its beans, it seems to be the baristas getting all the attention. Last week's Times review noted one having "the bone structure of a male model" and said the staff looking so cool they probably "skateboard to work." Now Eater finds reactions from those complaining about "horrible attitude, great coffee" to one who is excited to be served by a "sexypants with the floor plans for tattoos." Have you been there yet? more ›

Gansevoort 69: Last summer, when Florent ended its decades-long run as a 24/7 Meatpacking District oasis, the building's owner Joanne Lucas saw her hopes of finding an upscale boutique tenant evaporate. Then Lucas's attempt at running a restaurant (under the original name R&L) came off like a depressing ghost of its former self, and the space closed again. The new venture, Gansevoort 69, looks a lot better than the previous effort, with a design that keeps some of the old (the original bar and terrazzo flooring) while creating something new. more ›

Deep fried bacon: It's a thing, as you can see here. Does the photo make your stomach turn or growl? If the latter, you can experience this dish for yourself at The Red Cat in Chelsea, where bacon tempura has reappeared on the menu after a couple years' absence. Why deep fry bacon? If you have to ask, you've lost sight of the American dream. Why now? The dish, which costs $10, was featured on the Food Network's "Best Thing I Ever Ate," and popular demand led to a re-baconcarnation on the menu. This is why the terrorists will never win. [Via Grub Street] more ›

Chef Wolfgang Puck opened Spago in LA back in 1982, and, to this day, it remains the prototypical Hollywood hotspot. The chef, originally from Austria, later went on to open the steakhouse Cut (replete with celebrity headshot menus for the celebrity diners), Chinois, an Asian fusion restaurant in Santa Monica, and myriad other fine dining and casual restaurants nationwide. Yet he's still largely an unknown entity to New Yorkers, unless they make a jaunt down to his American Grille in the stellar Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa in Atlantic City. more ›

This week The Observer coins a new word to describe those enthusiastic eaters who spend an inordinate amount of time discussing, blogging, contemplating, and tweeting about food: They are foodiots, and New York is crawling with them. We hope this catches on, because "foodie" just doesn't go far enough to describe a mother tweeting about her homemade pear tofu purée nutmeg baby food. more ›

Just when we thought we'd have to go all the way to New Haven for the best slice of pizza pie, the 5 Borough Pizza Tour declares the best slice can be found right over in Staten Island. Salvatore of Soho (of Staten Island) came out on top; however, our resident pizza and Staten Island expert, John Kuhner, tells us "My favorite is Nunzio's, but the most famous is probably Denino's." Either way, it sounds like a good amount of our city's top slices are over there, so let's steal their recipes before selling the borough off to New Jersey. more ›

Will the standard Hawaiian shirt uniform of Trader Joe's employees soon be hitting Chelsea? Reportedly the store is in discussions to open a shop at the Mattel Building, located at 675 Sixth Avenue, between 21st and 22nd streets. That's only 11 blocks from the flagship TJ's in Union Square, but we doubt this will help with that laborious line. more ›

Your tax dollars have enabled the Health Department to conclude a groundbreaking study on the calorie counts of beverages at Starbucks and Dunkin' Donuts. And what they found might shock you: Calories in blended coffee beverages are high. The report is the prelude to another study due out next spring, which is expected to show if New Yorkers were affected by rules requiring chains like Starbucks to display calorie counts. Back in 2007, the average customer consumed 12% of a 2,000-calorie a day diet on beverages alone. more ›

This week the Times's Pete Wells (filling in before incoming chief dining critic Sam Sifton takes the reins) reviews Hotel Griffou, the trendy speakeasy-style restaurant from veterans of the Waverly Inn, Freemans and La Esquina. He finds the plating "scattershot" and the service "wildly inconsistent." But the place "does have its allures. Each dining room has a different motif, as if the restaurant were trying to ignite a collect-them-all frenzy. A friend described the Library as 'very man-cavey,' outfitted with wooden ducks, a manual typewriter, a fiddle, a saddle, shelves filled with law books, a football that looks as if it was in play when F. Scott Fitzgerald was at Princeton, and four fox pelts." The Times also has a roundup of the new street food vendors, just in time for the Vendys this weekend. more ›

The union that organizes restaurant workers at Tavern on the Green is spoiling for a fight with the new leaseholder, who's trying to renegotiate the union's contract. The new operator, Dean Poll, was awarded the license by the Parks Department last month, but he's under no obligation to honor the previous labor contract. So he wants the workers to agree to a pay cut, agree to no advance notice for layoffs or reduction in hours, and a change to the banquet staff to a vague new hourly rate, without tips. They're currently paid $5.26 an hour with tips. more ›

Does David Chang know we're still in a recession? Momofuku Ko has announced that starting next week, lunch prices will go up $15 and dinner prices up $25. This means lunch tops out at $175, up $25 from just last year. Apparently, this is to provide them with "the opportunity to cook with a greater variety of ingredients." Keep in mind, this is $15 more for a meal that still takes three hours to serve. more ›

[UPDATE BELOW] More reports of Mister Softee's violent threats against rival ice cream trucks have surfaced. And this time the target is the infinitely superior ice cream purveyor Van Leeuwen, whose Twitter feed announces, "Truck had to leave midtown :( . There were 3 Mr. Softie Trucks threatening our drivers life. Scary stuff! Sorry guys, maybe another time." Or maybe you just stay off Softee's turf and your fancy trucks don't accidentally burst into flames, capisce? more ›

Remember Center Cut, the eco-friendly but still murderous steakhouse that restaurateur Jeffrey Chodorow opened last year? It looked spectacular, but some critics found the space cold, the menu uneven and overpriced. So Chodorow cut it from his portfolio and changed the emphasis to bounty from the sea. The new venture is called Ed's Chowder House, and the eponymous "Ed" is chef Edward G. Brown, who's well-respected for his meticulous seafood sourcing; he also runs the kitchen at Michelin Star-rated restaurant eighty one. more ›

Celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck, the man behind restaurants like Spago in Beverly Hills and a product line ranging from coffee to canned food, may finally be coming to NYC. After a recent book signing, Puck told us, "We're talking about something [in New York], and I can't say we're in the advance stages, but these people really want us to do a very important project in New York." Though he later added, "Sometimes I joke to the press in certain cities; in Miami they asked me if I was there to open a restaurant, and I said, 'Not one, three!'" more ›

A new list picking 50 foods and naming the best spots in the world for them finds that various locales around the five boroughs have the top burgers, ravioli, pork belly and pastrami sandwiches (at Katz's, natch). But if you're looking for the best slice, you're in the wrong town. more ›

With rooftop farms all the rage right now, it's nice to see the eco-trend has even made it over to the South Bronx. We're told "a new state of the art affordable housing complex planned for the South Bronx will feature a 10,000 square feet (930 sq meters) fully integrated rooftop farm. The greenhouse will use left-over heat from the residential portion of the building and water harvested from the greenhouse roof. The farm will be used to provide fresh, perishable vegetables to a local non-profit food cooperative." All in all, the farm will supply enough produce to meet the annual veggie needs of up to 450 people! A great thing in any neighborhood, but particularly the South Bronx, which we're told "suffers from food deserts, where residents lack access to fresh vegetables at affordable prices." Learn more about the urban farm here; that's one step closer to becoming the urban farming capital of the world! more ›

Motorino: This top-notch thin-crust pizzeria was an instant hit in East Williamsburg, but will it compete in downtown Manhattan, which is now flooded with "artisan" pizza options? Anyone who's eaten at the original knows the answer's hell yes, and chef Mathieu Palombino is confident his authentic Neapolitan pizza will make its mark. He has the added advantage of inheriting a space already known for pizza excellence; it was previously the home of Una Pizza Napoletana, which left behind its Acunto wood-burning oven, handcrafted in Naples. Palombino's filled the 36-seat space with marble-topped tables and kept the vibe comfortably casual, with shiny subway tiling and wooden bistro chairs. Motorino's Manhattan menu is slightly smaller than the original, and includes seven classic pies, plus a variety of seasonal pizzas. 349 East 12th Street; (212) 777-2644 more ›

Who doesn't want free cookies from a complete stranger on an inflatable couch? If the idea doesn't freak you out, then bookmark this Twitter feed, where one seemingly good-intentioned fella updates his whereabouts. Why would you want to know where he is? Because he's going to give you a free homemade vegan cookie! He tells us, "I have been going out a couple times a week, inflating a green couch, giving out FREE COOKIES, and making friends. I'll be out today in Union Square around 4:00-6:00 p.m." If you miss him, you know where to find him next. His name is Scott Alexander, and according to this website, he's got a wife at home, is "a doorman by day and a musician by night." Another blogger recently encountered the cookie man, saying, "everyone knows chocolate chip cookies are a sure way to open hearts-even if they’re vegan. (These really were the best vegan treats I’ve had)." Sounds good to us, even if it is, what he calls, "a reverse promotional experiment" to spread his music. more ›

A study published yesterday in the New England Journal of Medicine estimates that a national tax of just one penny per ounce on sugary beverages would raise $14.9 billion in its first year, which could help pay for some sweet health care initiatives. Such a tax was floated by Governor Paterson earlier this year, then quickly defeated by the beverage industry. Will the same thing happen here? The health care reform plan from Senator Max Baucus has an estimated cost of $774 billion over 10 years, but includes no mention of a tax on sugary drinks, which some doctors think could lower Americans' soda consumption and ultimately reduce consumers' health problems. But according to some critics, the risk is that the tax it could transform America into a communist-run labor camp! Coca-Cola CEO Muhtar Kent called such a tax "outrageous. I have never seen it work where a government tells people what to eat and what to drink. It if worked, the Soviet Union would still be around." Any patriots out there who want to stop the government from forcing feeding tubes down the throat of every decent, soda-loving American can join the beverage industry's fight at Americans Against Food Taxes. more ›

Anticipation has reached a fever pitch for next Saturday's Fifth Annual Vendy Awards, the Oscars/Golden Globes/MTV Music Award/Olympics of street food, and now organizers have sprayed lighter fluid on the flames of our excitement by announcing the finalists in a completely new category: Rookie Vendor of the Year. The four contenders are NYC Cravings (Taiwanese), Schnitzel & Things (Austrian), Picnick Smoked ("Good for You BBQ"), and fabulous frontrunner Big Gay Ice Cream Truck (self-explanatory). But Big Gay is also nominated for the best dessert truck category, so voters could surprise the food world by honoring truck owner Doug Quint (right) in that category, like that time Kate Winslet won for The Reader, not for her devastating work in the superior Revolutionary Road. The nominees were selected by elite members of the food blog mafia, and the awards, which serve as a fundraiser for the Street Vendor Project, will be held on the 26th at the Queens Museum of Art. The tax-deductible tickets, which are almost sold out, get you food from the vendors and an open bar. Here's a look back at last year's Vendy's, which was a big win for Calexico. more ›

Brooklyn Bowl has been open for a while now, and for the most part receiving favorable reviews... until Bloomberg News paid a visit, that is. While the establishment has fancy foods and couches, unlike the still-preferable Gutter, their writer points out that it may just be the ESPN Zone of Hipsterburg, complete with "barbecue-sauced balls." Being draped in leather couches and flat screen televisions comes with a price, of course, and the piece focuses on what they call lazy comfort food with a Times Square price tag. One menu item that isn't really fit for this economic climate is the $13 milkshake; it contains whatever a normal milkshake would, with the added ingredients of Nutella and whiskey (what, no truffles and gold flakes?). Sounds good, tastes good, but as the writer points out, "a $13 milkshake can’t be right. Leave my junk-food prices alone." Okay, so maybe Fred Flintstone wouldn't bowl here, but would you? more ›

The stroller wars continue in Park Slope, and the frontline has moved from the sidewalk to the classy little romantic Italian restaurants, where everyone's a cry baby! Old man Loffredo recently paid a visit to the neighborhood's fairly new establishment, Provini, where he was encountered with a great wine list and a healthy portion of the "You'll never get to be an adult in Park Slope without tolerating my kids" crowd. Not a very good pairing! Indeed, one toddler even broke a wine glass in his presence; behavior that garnered eye rolls from the waitstaff and should clearly be reserved for less fancy pants places. Take it Chuck E. Cheese stroller pushers! more ›

This week the Times's interim chief dining critic Pete Wells takes a hammer to deservedly acclaimed chef Michael Psilakis, whose latest venture, Gus & Gabriel, is inspired by the culinary tastes of his son, TGI Friday's, and whiskey. Wells's review is disastrous, which means it's a fun read: "When three children under age 10 leave their milkshakes almost untouched, you know there’s trouble." The restaurant's "colossal misfires are almost impossible to believe and harder still to explain." Specifically: "Almost every chef in town is experimenting with techniques for building a better burger. Mr. Psilakis may be the only one to have perfected a new technology that magically strips out all the taste. The skin on what is advertised as 'crispy chicken' was as crisp as a balloon, and the biscuits on the plate were wet and doughy, as if the cook had decided halfway through that he would rather make dumplings." more ›

With the U.S.'s decision to put tariffs on tire imports from China—and China's unhappiness with the decision—there are concerns that China may impose retaliatory action on imports of U.S. poultry and vehicles. However, the NY Times suggests there's a secret weapon that Chicken Little might appreciate (or might not). A poultry economist and consultant, Paul Aho, tells the Times, "We have these jumbo, juicy paws the Chinese really love so I don’t think they are going to cut us off." While exports of U.S. chicken to China and Hong Kong only amount to 2% of the total poultry export revenue, it's very profitable: "About half of the chicken parts sold to China are wings and feet, which are worth only a few cents a pound in the United States. As delicacies in China, they fetch 60 cents to 80 cents a pound, a price that no other foreign market comes close to matching." And apparently U.S. poultry companies are the "world’s leading supplier of king-size chicken feet." Cato Institute trade expert Daniel Griswold said there's some risk, "If we are playing a game of chicken with China we are going to be big losers." In the meantime, China wants talks with the U.S. at the WTO. more ›

Last night the gorgeous old Cheyenne Diner was unceremoniously carted away on flatbed trucks to its new home in Birmingham, Alabama. Did anyone else mistakenly think it was already gone? Actually, only its signs were removed, back in January, after a push to keep it in NYC by moving it to Red Hook failed. Because that's just what Manhattan so desperately needs. Birmingham businessman Joel Owens bought the 1940s-era streamlined diner for several thousand dollars; he tells CNN, "I think it's the most beautiful diner in the world. If you think about what's wrong with today, in order to fix the problems of today, you've got to look back... [to] when it was better. I think [the diner] is symbolic of the glory days. Technology and more money doesn't necessarily mean progress. We long for simpler times. These types of buildings can be an instrument for our youth to learn from the past. Teenagers need a clean environment for entertainment, a 'hang out.'" Here in New York, we obviously need more condos; naturally that's what the owner of the Cheyenne's midtown site plans to build on the site. more ›

After three-week vacation, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart came back last night. Cleveland Cavaliers star LeBron James was the interview guest, and Stewart made a plea from suffering Knicks fans, hinting that King James could come to New York and enjoy the splendors of Shake Shack and the American Museum of Natural History. Oh, and an "I Love NY" mug. more ›

Police shut down part of West Third Street today so President Obama and former President Bill Clinton could enjoy a leisurely lunch at Italian restaurant Il Mulino, a Village mainstay. The two political powerhouses dined for about an hour and a half following Obama's big speech at Federal Hall urging Congress to pass stronger regulations on the financial industry. Did they chat about that one time Barry wrested the Democratic nomination from Bill's wife? No one knows, but according to reports they dined alone in an empty restaurant, so there was probably no standing ovation, like when Barack and Michelle finished their meal at Blue Hill. As they walked from the restaurant to their waiting limos, Clinton lapped up a reporter's question about the quality of the food, saying, "It was good. It was Il Mulino, how could it not be?" Suck it, Yelper B.D.! As for what they ate, Clinton remarked, "We had fish, pasta and salad. It was very healthy. Even I was healthy." Meanwhile, over on Hudson Street, former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich glumly dined at a picnic table outside at Lucy Browne's. The street was not closed for security, and no one stopped Eater from getting this classic photo. more ›

Last time we checked in on the McCarren Greenmarket, it was begrudgingly moving to a concrete-heavy spot on Union Avenue between Bayard and Driggs, but now the NY Post reports that the market got a little upgrade, and will be moving to Driggs and North 12th this October. The move is being made after the Parks Department was concerned about how damaged the grass was becoming at their current location of Bedford Avenue and Lorimer Street. CB1 Parks Committee member Dewey Thompson told the paper, “It is a terrific transition step towards permanently demapping Union between Driggs and North 12th and a perfectly suitable use for the street, especially considering the fact that, for years, the Greenmarket, while offering the community much-needed fresh greens has been crushing some of the highly endangered green grass in the park." Some vendors are concerned with losing money due to less pedestrian traffic, so everyone go buy some apple cider donuts and pumpkins this fall! more ›

Eurotrash: In the old days, eurotrash did key bumps at Kokie's; now Eurotrash serves meatballs by the Levee (which replaced Williamsburg's aforementioned cocaine bar). Eurotrash isn't a restaurant, but when you're getting your drink on—either at the Levee or Radegast Hall across the street—a starchy bargain food truck in a parking lot sure beats a fussy restaurant, with all their RULES about keeping your voice down and calculating gratuities. Opened about a week ago in a lot next door to the Levee, Eurotrash serves Belgian fries ($3 or $4), Swedish Meatballs ($5) over rotini with gravy and cranberry preserves, Fish and Chips ($5) consisting of 4 oz. Corona-battered cod and Belgian fries, and Bangers and Mash (Irish sausages served over mashed potatoes with gravy). North Third Street and Berry, Williamsburg more ›

Just days after failing to win the right to continue running a mediocre overpriced tourist trap in a 19th century Central Park sheepfold, Tavern on the Green is filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. CEO Jennifer Oz LeRoy tells the Times it's "our only alternative given the current situation." In four months, Central Park Boathouse owner Dean Poll will take over the location, and in the meantime Tavern will attempt to burn appease some 20 creditors, such as the New York Hotel Trades Council, which is owed $1,778,764. Tavern also owes the Parks Department—which declined to renew its lease—$76,923, and one imagines LeRoy's gonna love shrugging off that one. Meanwhile, the dining industry paroxysm is even hammering celebs like Mario Batali—the Crocs-wearing chef was a partner in the far-out seafood restaurant The John Dory, which just went belly up after nine months. The landlord is now suing Batali for $75,000 back rent. Oh, and Café des Artistes, the Lincoln Square restaurant that just closed after 90-plus years, is also jumping on the bankruptcy bandwagon. Expected to be screwed in that filing are the restaurant's employees, who are owed $116,471 in benefits through their union. more ›

After announcing last week that Shake Shack would be opening new outposts in Dubai and Saudi Arabia, The Union Square Hospitality Group has now brought tremendous joy to the exotic land south of Houston. According to a press release, the newest Shake Shack will be located at 47 Prince Street, on the northwest corner of Mulberry & Prince Streets—by far their furthest location downtown. Shake Shack impresario Danny Meyer exults, "We’re ecstatic to have found this one-of-a kind downtown location in the Nolita neighborhood—just steps away from the heart of SoHo. Shake Shack is thrilled to make its home in this bustling, vibrant community that attracts throngs of people—New Yorkers and tourists alike—on a daily basis." It's unclear exactly when this bad boy will be open for business, but we're told it'll be built as a stand-alone building on a long vacant lot—where lines are probably forming as you read this. more ›

Would you eat something growing in Central Park? One blogger recently took Wildman Steve Brill's foraging tour (check out our interview with him) and found plenty of edible plants in the area. more ›

Back when antediluvian diners sought opinions without the help of the Internet, Tim and Nina Zagat built a restaurant survey and ranking empire, which grew into a sprawling international family of guides on everything from dating to dumping. Just before the financial collapse really got nasty, they tried to sell the whole enterprise for $200 million, and are rumored to have turned down offers as high as $100 million. Today, the Post finds the Zagats in deep weeds, largely due to competitors like Yelp, which now boasts more than 7 million U.S. visitors per month with reviews on all sorts of things, including Zagat! By comparison, Zagat's website, which requires a $25 annual fee, averaged just 270,000 unique visitors last month. The company laid off 16 people, and the Zagats have given up trying to sell it. As one Yelper opines, "If Zagat was the bomb, [Yelp] wouldn't exist, so thanks for sucking so bad, Zagat. I almost was forced to go to Chinese food in Chinatown due to an out-of-town colleague who had armed himself with Zagat and biblical notions of self importance... In the end, I won and we ended up at a real restaurant that didn't have to pay for a review." Well, not exactly. more ›

Still no word from Sam Sifton, Frank Bruni's replacement at the Times, so let's turn to New York's Adam Platt, who files on Daniel Boulud's beer and sausage mecca on the Bowery, DBGB. Platt visits with his famous actor brother Oliver, and notes that "the menu contains fourteen varieties of sausage made by acolytes of the Parisian pâté genius Gilles Verot, plus a 'Tête aux Pieds' (Head to Feet) section, which includes an entire deboned pig’s trotter and little squares of crispy fried tripe, a Lyonnais offal specialty. 'This is right up my alley,' declared my giant fresser brother as he cut into the pig’s foot (I’m not touching that monster,' sniffed Mrs. Platt) and then the surprisingly delicate tripe, before working his way through the excellent sausages, which have catchy names like “Beaujolaise” (a deliciously fat, pork-stuffed link sweetened with red wine), 'Boudin Basque' (spicy, porky blood sausage over whipped potatoes), and 'Vermont' (more pork, garnished with melty curls of Cheddar and crème fraîche)." more ›

With more and more upscale food trucks crowding the scene, the turf wars keep escalating. The Department of Health doesn't assign locations, so vendors are left to work it out among themselves, are some say the gyro-cooking owners of the Halal trucks are violently threatening the competition. Clive Dennis, who operates a Jamaican cart on Park Row downtown, tells the Post, "It's like a mob thing—these halal guys think they're the only ones who should be selling food on the street." Dennis says that after he refused to cave, they called 311 to make bogus health-code-violation complaints about him. And when Olivia Cardosa tried to set up her Mexican truck El Rey del Sabor on West 43rd Street last month, a brawl erupted. (Midtown Lunch has the video.) Then last Monday Cardosa arrived to find three giant planters cemented into the sidewalk. She claims it was "the halal guys," and the landlord of the building there confirms that "somebody moved our planters and cemented them in place, so we had to chip the cement off to move them back." These guys obviously mean business—how long before that cement gets poured to make some heavy shoes? more ›

Opening "softly" tomorrow, A Voce Columbus is the new big sister location of the cozier A Voce in the Flatiron District. The original location made a big name for chef Andrew Carmellini, who is currently saving Robert De Niro's restaurant reputation at Locanda Verde in the Greenwich Hotel. Then came chef Missy Robbins, who joined A Voce after her tour as Executive Chef at the Obamas' favorite Chicago restaurant, Spiaggia. more ›

Malta: Okay, this unappreciated Williamsburg restaurant isn't new—it opened some six months ago—but this little gem hasn't gotten the attention it deserves, and seems to be struggling in the shadow of the neighborhood's newer cool kids, such as Brooklyn Star, Vutera, and Walter Foods. Part of that may also have to do with the rather uninspired interior design, but tucked away in the back is Malta's hidden strength: a serene backyard garden that's often shockingly deserted. You might think the emptiness portends lackluster food, but Malta, open for dinner daily and brunch on weekends, is high quality at reasonable prices. more ›

One question has been floating around Tom Mylan after he quit his position at Marlow & Daughters: What will he do next? Well, Brooklyn Based has answers! Today, Mylan revealed his newest project: a "food dork megaplex" in Williamsburg. It will be home to two endeavors. The Lab will be "New York's first real cooking school for home cooks", with a full supply of cooking, baking and beer making supplies, as well as an entire room dedicated to spices. The Meat Hook will be a sustainable butcher shop run by him and Brent Young, also formerly of Marlow & Daughters, offering cuts of local meat and ready made sauces and stocks. Mylan says "permits, construction and the gods willing we should open our over-stuffed doors in late October for end of year food mayhem." Considering there's something called a "Wild Turkey wild turkey" on the menu, we believe it. Maybe a Buffalo Trace buffalo steak could be next? more ›

While the NYC Health Department is busy running around warning citizens about the dangers of sugary sodas, the bureaucracy still isn't doing anything about diet sodas with excessive amounts of amphibians. Excessive, of course, meaning one—the FDA has confirmed that either a frog or a toad was in a Florida man's Diet Pepsi. No, this did not happen in NYC...yet. According to CNN, Fred DeNegri was grilling in his backyard tiki bar in July when he cracked open a cool, refreshing diet beverage; took a big sip; and started gagging. The FDA later traced the can to a local Pepsi bottling plant in Orlando, but after an investigation "did not find any adverse conditions or association to this problem." And Pepsi insists, "The speed of our production lines and the rigor of our quality control systems make it virtually impossible for this type of thing to happen." So no one knows how the poor thing got in there, but DeNegri's wife says, "It was disgusting. And now, what started out as a normal afternoon in our tiki bar has blown up into this crazy thing." Hopefully for them, a crazy lucrative thing—they are, naturally, consulting with lawyers. (Below, the full-size photo.) more ›

It's been forever since Williamsburg's Pies 'n' Thighs moved from their old location to their new South 4th Street digs ... but another entire summer has nearly passed without even a whiff of barbecue. This morning, however, we noticed what looks like an exhaust being installed—and where there's an exhaust, there's a kitchen, and where there's a kitchen there's both pies and thighs! Ergo, meat lovers may be reunited with their old favorite dishes soon enough. We've contacted the owners for comment and will update when we hear back. more ›

Times dining critic Frank Bruni has finally left the building in a fusillade of publicity, and his replacement Sam Sifton didn't file this week. But in the "Dining Briefs" section, Betsy Andrews reviews the Brooklyn Star, a cozy Southern comfort restaurant in Williamsburg run by Joaquin Baca, a former partner in the Momofuku empire. She says Baca "excels at making veggies fattening, and good. His casseroles ($8) — garlicky summer squash and mushroom-rich green bean with slivered almonds — are toasted to gooey goodness in his open kitchen’s 100-year-old brick oven. Creamed corn with smoked trout ($4) and earthy black-eyed peas and rice ($4) are spoonful-by-spoonful delicious. Surprisingly for the former Momofuku partner, meats are a mixed bag." more ›

The 2009 U.S. Open tennis tournament kicked off yesterday in Flushing with fireworks, Heidi Klum, an unseasonable chill, and a hotly contested match between Venus Williams and Vera Dushevina, a 22-year-old Russian who, despite being ranked 47th, gave the number 3 ranked Williams a serious run for her money. After narrowly losing the first set to Dushevina, Williams came from behind to squeak out a second set win, then pounded the white Russian 6 games to 3 to win the match—a victory she credited to all the fans shouting "Go Venus!" throughout the long two-and-a-half hour contest. more ›

The American Beverage Association is more than a little defensive about the city's new public awareness campaign which depicts human fat pouring out of cola, energy drink, and sweetened ice tea bottles. The ads, which are intended to educate the public about the high caloric content of sugary beverages, debuted yesterday, and Kevin Keane, a senior vice president at the Association, was quick to run to the Post: "It's absurd and over the top and unfortunately is going to undermine efforts to educate about a serious and complex issue like obesity." Also, why does government keep picking on soda? Earlier this year Governor Paterson proposed a tax on soda, which was successfully shot down by the beverage industry. Keane wonders, "Why aren't they going after cake? Why single out soft drinks?" But Cathy Nonas at the Health Department says, "It's just horrifying to see how many preschoolers are drinking these sugar-sweetened beverages" and even abusing sports drinks: "In terms of physical activity... water is the most important thing before, during and after an event." Well, the American Beverage Association has got kids covered on that because according to their website "all BEVERAGES provide hydration." Your move, cake! more ›