What makes a New Yorker a New Yorker? The eternal question is of such importance that they even debate it half-way around the world in Hong Kong. more ›

Some of the jurors who endured the 19-week-long trial surrounding the late Brooke Astor's estate explained their decision to find Astor's 85-year-old son guilty of grand larceny. Yvonne Fernandez, 52, said of Anthony Marshall, whom prosecutors said was driven to loot his mother's fortune for his wife Charlene, "It sort of reminded me, when I was in Brooklyn years ago and there was a blackout, and the lower-income people were stealing refrigerators and TVs, and they felt that was due to them," adding, "We all have our flaws, and you know, of course, the flaw here was greed." more ›

The folks at Serious Eats have launched the first of their city guides today, focusing on -- where else -- New York City. The guide is designed to highlight NYC's "essential eating experiences," and doesn't contain many surprises. You'll find quintessential New York icons like Russ & Daughters and Katz's Deli for "Best Old-School New York Landmark," Blue Ribbon for "Best Late Night Eats," and Blue Smoke, Hill Country and Daisy May's for "Best Barbecue," along with a list that should fill the bellies of many tourists. Visitors should take particular note of the list of eats under the category "Must Eat Before Leaving City," which includes the holy trinity -- a hot dog from Gray's Papaya, a slice of pizza from Di Fara, and a burger from the Shake Shack. Anything they missed? Not a whole lot of love for the outer boroughs, particularly Queens. . . more ›

Earlier this month news of Brooklyn Bowl opening in Williamsburg started to spread. The bowling alley, located over by The Gutter and right next to the Brooklyn Brewery, is also a venue, and has promised to offer up some grub once they open in the fall. So far former Wetlands owner Peter Shapiro and manager Charley Ryan, who are opening the joint, have been hush hush about the dining options at the place, but now Eater reports that they'll have "a full Blue Ribbon menu." The downside? The menu might only be served in the VIP section, which (if true) would seriously harsh the vibe, Wetlands dudes. more ›

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. more ›

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 agency defines as 154 pounds, 70 kilograms. People weighing less are advised to consume even less mercury. more ›

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. more ›

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... more ›

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. more ›

Vynl, 507 Columbus AvenueOn three separate nights cameras caught the critters feasting "on scraps that were left on the dirty kitchen floor and climbing over crates of glassware" at Da Silvano's (pictured top left). The owner there said the problem was caused by nearby construction and recent renovations and claimed he will be throwing out everything edible in the restaurant and starting fresh. Ah, not even the celeb hot spots can escape the wrath of roaches and rodents. more ›

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. more ›

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 a candle to ones we've had at Aquagrill, Blue Ribbon or Pearl Oyster Bar. more ›

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, so feel free to BYO. 560 Fifth Avenue, between 15th and 16th Streets 718-369-0077. more ›

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. more ›

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. more ›

"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. more ›

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: more ›

September 7: Sake Tasting more ›

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. more ›

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. more ›

through June 18: 1996 at Rain more ›

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 the Steak and Lube in the Pittsburgh Airport? It may have been desperation that sets in when you have a two-hour flight delay on a Friday night. Unfortunately, the foreshadowing was a good indicator of what was about to come. The warm liquid coated our mouth with a sweetness that screamed too much vermouth. The vodka was harsh and the olives…well, mushy is the best we can describe them. If a martini is such a basic cocktail then why is it so difficult to get a great one? We can’t blame this solely on Pittsburgh, as the Steak and Lube is probably not a fair representation of the city’s potential. But even in New York, there is so much martini-deviation from place to place. This week New York Magazine did a piece with Jean-Luc Le Du, to find the best gin Martinis in the city. While their selections represented a great cross section of cocktail bars in the city – after all Employees Only, Angel's Share and Milk & Honey are some of New York’s staples, we did a little research of our own, to seek out the best vodka martinis – unfortunately the Steak and Lube didn’t make the cut. more ›

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 brownstone - who wouldn't agree to have a baby quickly and live with your grandmother for a hunk of Park Slope real estae? And then there is New York's "Cultural Elite" section, where they name their favorite New Yorkers and various entertainment offerings in TV, music, movies, etc. - which is amusing to see, if only to learn that TV critic John Leonard loves Mary Louise Parker a hell of a lot and that Jack White is good theater. So, next week, we expect not to relate so much. more ›

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 luck has changed – and it’s about bloody time. more ›

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 notes. The wine that we tried that rekindled our love for Sancerre was the Philippe Raimbault Sancerre Apud Sariacum 2003. At a cost of $21, this wine backs a lot of bang for its buck. more ›

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, only issuing a summons for driving with an expired inspection sticker, because it "looked like an accident." A friend said about Morgan, who moved here from Austin a year and a half ago, "He loved it here. He loved the people. He thought the more time he spent here, New York became smaller." more ›

June 13 - 26: Festival de Helados more ›

Crazy Legs Conti, Competitive Eater more ›

This week's food events have a heavy Brooklyn emphasis -- get out there and represent, yo. more ›

Eating In: Blue Ribbon's Clam Stew for Two more ›