Welcome back to our semi-weekly column, Market Fresh, in which we take a look at one ingredient that's showing up in the city's Greenmarkets right now and tell you what to do with it. Last time, we discussed the merits and virtues of asparagus, and today, we're looking at another green monster, spinach. more ›

So far, the reviews have all mentioned that you cook out of a small kitchen here, but I really think you have one of the smallest kitchens in the city back there. It’s just rough. It’s just me and my cook during service. We don’t have room for a kitchen staff, really. I receive deliveries, prep the food, sometimes wash dishes during service. I also cook the food. more ›

Brunch is for assholes, as the poet on the T-shirt sings, because you usually end up paying through the nose for lackluster food, harried service, and interminable waits. (We're looking at you Dizzy's.) But it doesn't have to be that way; here are a few new (and a few old) solutions to getting through brunch without stabbing anyone. Of course this list is far from exhaustive—add your favorite spot in the comments, so we can get there five seconds ahead of you and snag the last open table. more ›

If you're staying in town this weekend and still don't have plans for the 4th, it's not too late to catch the spirit of '76; there are plenty of barbecue options within the five boroughs, whatever your budget or neighborhood. All the events below take place tomorrow, July 4th, unless otherwise specified. more ›

Easter, as you may know, is the holiday that often seems to celebrate the wonders of brunch, although rumor has it there's some religious thing involved as well. Whatever the holiday means to you, here are some Easter brunch (and dinner) options that sound particularly delectable. more ›

Paul Adams goes to Back Forty (pictured) for the NY Sun this week. “The restaurant takes its focus on farm-to-table cuisine almost to the point of self-parody,” he says. Back Forty could benefit more by the presence of Peter Hoffman (the chef and owner) in the kitchen, not so much at the greenmarket, says Adams. more ›

This week in the Times, Bruni two-stars Allen & Delancey. Loves the atmosphere; says “the food at Allen & Delancey is at once sophisticated and accessible, reliant on fail-safe luxuries deployed in a modestly creative and occasionally playful manner.” Says that in some ways it’s similar to what he did uptown (at Gordon Ramsay at the London) but it works much better in this context. In $25 and Under, "> Peter Meehan goes to Food... more ›

This week in the Times, Bruni three stars Fiamma and rates it a top pick. Says that the restaurant is not, by any means, classically Italian, but “when a restaurant turns out this many dishes that make you stop mid-chew, nudge a companion and nod your head vigorously—because you’re excited; because you need to start working off the calories any way you can—it needn’t worry about fitting into a tidy box.” Also in the Times,... more ›

In a neighborhood full of heaping plate entrees-under-$10, Back Forty makes a somewhat daring entry onto Avenue B (near 12th Street) with its a la carte style menu featuring chef-and-market driven dinner fare. Back Forty’s website describes itself as a place “meant to be comfortable for a quick bite before a movie, an easy meal for a collection of friends or a simple family meal. It’s dinner not a dining experience.” Dining experience--if by... more ›

Back Forty: Peter Hoffman of Savoy brings his fresh-from-the-farm mentality to the East Village, complete with farm implements decorating the walls. The term "Back Forty" referred to the undeveloped quarter of a 160-acre homestead where farm families went to relax and unwind. The menu may be small, but includes a grass-fed beef burger, Maine shrimp and bacon beignets, and a whole grilled Catskill trout. Wash it down with a house cocktail, or if you've got a sweet tooth, a root beer float. 190 Avenue B, near 12th Street, 212-388-1990. more ›

This week's New York Mag runs down some of this season's upcoming restaurant openings -- better start planning now. We've already given you the scoop on Will Goldfarb's Picnick and Peter Hoffman's Back Forty, due in September and October respectively, but we're looking forward to some of the other spots highlighted by Rob and Robin, especially noodle shop Bun, from Mai House chef Michael Huynh and his wife, Thao Nguyen, and El Quinto Pino, from the Tia Pol gang. more ›

- Outsourcing is coming to a high-end restaurant near you, and no we are not talking about phone reservationists working abroad who do not understand that a 5:45 reservation is unacceptable to you. more ›