This week in the Times, Bruni three-stars Le Cirque, bumping the restaurant's rating up from the two stars he awarded it in 2006. Executive chef Christophe Bellanca’s menu “nimbly straddles the line between predictable decadence… and creative flair,” he says. He also says that you’ll pay—a lot—for what you get, and that Le Cirque isn’t quite as reliable as other three star restaurants. In $25 and Under, ">Peter Meehan is at Soba Totto, where he......

Photo of tuna at Tsukiji Market in Tokyo courtesy Tien Mao. Hold onto your chopsticks; the Times recently commissioned a toxicology report on sushi from 13 local establishments and got back some rather unappetizing results:More than half of the restaurants and stores surveyed sold sushi with so much mercury that eating just six pieces a week would exceed the amount the EPA says can be safely consumed by an adult of average weight, which the......

This week in the Times, Bruni two-stars Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar & Grill (the new one, at Columbus Circle). After a few rocky meals immediately after the opening, “the food has been consistently first-rate,” says Bruni. “Much of it also reflects the [owners’, Eric and Bruce] Bromberg’s winning playfulness.” He also says that while the sushi isn't the best in town, the fried chicken may be. In Dining Briefs, Bruni visits Cooper’s Tavern (pictured) in......

This week in the Times, Bruni goes to Alex Ureña’s Pamploma, gives the restaurant two stars. “Pamplona is Ureña [the chef’s former restaurant] with an attitude adjustment,” he says. “His best dishes are more than memorable enough to redeem Pamplona’s shortcomings.” In the Post, Cuozzo goes to BLT Market, where he finds “Tourondel’s first fully-composed dishes since Cello.” Says the restaurant revives the corner of Sixth Ave and Central Park South, and “What BLT Market......

Bacaro: Frank DeCarlo of Peasant and his wife Dulcinea Benson transport you to Venice in their 80-seat wine bar/restaurant on the Lower East Side. Northern Italian menu offerings include cicchetti, (think Venetian bar snacks) like crostini, sardines, artichokes, and more, cheeses selected by Lou DiPalo, and pastas, quail, and duck for those seeking heartier fare. 136 Division Street, between Orchard and Ludlow Streets, 212-941-5060. Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar and Grill: The Blue Ribbon team is......

This week Inside Edition aired footage of rats in some of New York's more popular restaurants. The statement we received from the program states: "In middle to late August, Inside Edition’s 'Rat Patrol' took to the streets of Manhattan between 1am and 4am peering their cameras and flashlights into the windows of a wide variety of eateries from fast food places to fine dining establishments." In total they found 22 restaurants harboring the urban......

We’re not going to spend this space waxing poetic about the farewell to summer and how sad we all are to say goodbye. Folks tend to be so negative on Labor Day – it’s not like the summer immediately ends on the 4th of September. But if this “impending doomsday to summer” is enough to get people to party like they mean it, then we fully support the cause. Now we know we are......

Frank Bruni, in the Diner's Journal, waxes poetic about the oysters at Wild Salmon and Aquagrill, and discusses the reasons why he often disobeys the "rule" that one is not supposed to eat oysters in months that don’t have an ‘r’ in them. We're with Frank on this one. We love oysters in the summer. The platter above was from a recent oyster happy our at P.J. Clarke's downtown. They were cheap, but didn't hold......

Sidecar: This new Park Slope spot is run by a former Blue Ribbon chef, features a contemporary American menu and is designed to be reminiscent of an old railroad dining car. The cocktail menu consists of classics like the gin fizz, interspersed with originals like "Dr. Tucker's 59," Plymouth gin with lemon and ginger. For now, however, the cocktails are only on the menu, not in the glasses -- they're still awaiting a liquor license,......

While Tiny's Giant Sandwich Shop is easily our favorite cheap sandwicherie, we also have a designated favorite not-so-cheap sandwicherie: Blue Ribbon Bakery. Sandwiches are only offered during lunch time, but that might be a good restriction so that we don't blow money on them too often, which mostly cost between $12 and $15.......

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......

"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. For those of you without hours to wait for a table at these coveted tables, but a......

Unless you've been under a rock (or perhaps out of the country for the last week or so), you've probably seen all the hooplah about this fall's upcoming culinary offerings. New York Mag was first on the scene with their fall preview issue, followed closely by the New York Times (offering "sooner" and "later" openings), and Andrea Strong. Here are some of the spots we're the most excited to try: - Gordon Ramsey comes to......

September 7: Sake Tasting Oer thirty Japanese brewers will offer over 100 different types of sake, shochu, and wine previously unavailable in the US for a public tasting. Nibble on hors d'oeures as you speak to the brewers themselves to learn more about individual types of sake. Please call 212.647.9196 or email finfo@enjb.com for more information or to purchase tickets. $40 plus tax. 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM, En Japanese Braserie, 435 Hudson St. September......

As a cabbie, I hear a lot of things. I hear people confess their deepest, darkest secrets. I occasionally overhear people talking about insider stock trading. And when there is an event that catches the public’s imagination or enters the city’s collective consciousness, I hear about it. What I’m saying is that I’ve got my thumb squarely on the pulse of this city. Well, I’ve at least got it on the pulse of the people......

LAist is flashing a sad peace out to their editor Carolyn Kellogg with one hand and bumping knuckles with their new head typist L.A. blogger king Tony Pierce with the other. Where do ist editors go when they hang up the 'editorial we'? They take on MySpace, apparently. At least Ben Brown does. Austinist reminds of the just rewards of less savory careers this week and then they witness the Arctic Monkeys and We Are......

through June 18: 1996 at Rain Rain celebrates its 10th anniversary by rolling back prices and reviving dishes from their opening year. Reminisce over Duck Fajitas, Classic Green Curry Chicken and Fried Banana Splits, and Guest also receive an additional 10% off on their next visit. Enjoy the vintage prices Monday through Friday 6:00pm-11:00pm, Saturday 5:00pm-12:00am and Sunday 5:00pm-10:00pm. 100 West 82nd Street. To make reservations please call 212-501-0776. June 8: A Taste of the......

The waitress slid the martini in front of us with the grace of a blindfolded, 300 lb linebacker. Much of it didn’t survive the 10-foot journey from the bar to our table, and as we looked down at the half-empty martini, it was hard to remain optimistic about the cocktail we ordered. With hesitation we slowly brought the drink to our lips. Why did we select a martini as our cocktail of choice at......

Sometimes, when we read New York magazine, we think, "Wow, this is for people who make about $300,000 more than what we dream of making" because, hey, it's a $30,000 dress. But this week's issue has a story about missing Pabst Blue Ribbon in Brooklyn - something for the very struggling masses - as well as a story making a deal with a grandma to have her help out with the deposit on a Brooklyn......

Gothamist has been on a perpetual quest to find the perfect Bloody Mary for about 3 years now. Perhaps this quest has been created as an excuse to drink before noon, but it seems that in a city with over 2,000 brunch options, finding a good Bloody Mary has resulted in the Goldielocks complex. They have been too spicy, too bland or have enough horseradish in them to choke, well a horse. Recently, Gothamist’s......

With the weather getting cold so quickly (did we blink and miss Fall?), wine drinkers have a tendency to make the switch from white to red wines. But before you pack up your whites with the flip-flops, you may want to check this Sancerre that knocked our socks off. Sancerre is a white wine, from the Loire Valley in France, made with Sauvignon Blanc grapes. They are crisp and vibrant with citrus and floral......

Yesterday, a bicyclist was killed at East Houston and Elizabeth Street. Andrew Morgan, the manager at Blue Ribbon Bakery on Bedford and Downing, was knocked down by a truck, and screamed for a delivery truck to stop. But the truck continued to make a right turn onto Elizabeth, pinning Morgan. A forklift and inflatable bags where used to retrieve Morgan, who was later pronounced dead at St. Vincent's. The police did not charge the driver,......

June 13 - 26: Festival de Helados Rosa Mexicano brings us ice cream, ice cream, and more ice cream in exotic flavors and combinations at their annual celebration. Rosa Mexicano, 61 Columbus Avenue, at 62nd Street, 212-977-7700. June 16: Spanish Wine and Tapas Got a craving for Spanish wine and tapas? You've got plenty of chances to get your fix this week. First, on the 16th at Discovery Wines, 10 Ave A at Houston Street......

Crazy Legs Conti, Competitive Eater...

This week's food events have a heavy Brooklyn emphasis -- get out there and represent, yo. Thursday, October 14 -- A Taste for Democracy This one's tonight, folks! The Taste of Democracy is organized by Citizen Action of New York’s Volunteer2004.org campaign. At the event, volunteers will be able to sign up for phone banks calling voters in the battleground states from New York City and for traveling by bus or car to door-knock in......

Eating In: Blue Ribbon's Clam Stew for Two...

Eating In: Aquagrill's Fresh Oyster Platter...

From April 18 through April 22, Brooklyn will have its own restaurant week with 3-course meals priced at $18.98, a nod to 1898, the year Brooklyn joined Manhattan. Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz said of the 93 restaurants (from 20 neighborhoods) participating, "Trust me, when any of these restaurants see me coming in they have a smile on their face - and that's not because I'm the borough president, if you know what I mean."......

Chelsea Peretti...

Vice magazine co-founder Gavin McInnes, explains to the Times' Style section why white-trash chic is in these days: "For middle-class kids just out of university and living in Williamsburg. the closest thing right now to bad-ass culture is blue-collar culture, so you have hipsters play-acting blue collar. Instead of saying, `I'm a PlayStation-reared, e-mailing-all-the-time Friendster loser,' they're getting lots of tattoos and drinking Pabst Blue Ribbon and listening to the Yeah Yeah Yeahs." Anyway, besides......