Nominees for the 2008 James Beard Foundation Awards, which are kind of like the Academy Awards for chefs, have just been announced. This year’s ceremony will take place on June 8 at Avery Fischer Hall; New York contenders include Gavin Keysen of Café Boulud, up for Rising Star Chef. For the nationwide awards, Gothamist interviewees Dan Barber and Michael Psilakis have been nominated for Outstanding Chef and Best New Restaurant, respectively. Gramercy Tavern, owned by......

This week in the Times, Bruni one-stars Irving Mill (pictured). Says, “It’s a self-conscious heir to Gramercy Tavern…if only it performed that way.” He does like some of the food, and the wine list. “At Irving Mill’s finest moments, with its finest dishes, it’s decidedly more than pleasant,” he says. But the cooking is inconsistent, the menu sounds more flavorful than it tastes, the desserts are only so-so, and the space too big, says Bruni.......

Get to a phone, frugal foodies – New York’s winter Restaurant Week goes down next month, but reservations are being accepted starting today. And since these places tend to fill up fast, now is not the time to let any fear of commitment hold you back. Over 200 restaurants will be offering a special three course, prix-fixe dining option for a set price of $24.07 for lunch for and $35 for dinner. (Though not every......

The entrée is so over, the top chefs tell us. Yesterday Times reporter Kim Severson sunk her teeth into the long decline of the entrée and the increasing dominance of side dishes and tapas at many fine restaurants. As former Gramercy Tavern chef Tom Colicchio tells her, “Eating an entrée is too many bites of one thing, and it’s boring.” Amid all the evidence of diminishing entrée options at restaurants nationwide (at Gemma, entrées are......

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,......

This week in the Times, Bruni goes to Alto and L’Impero, both now run by chef Michael White (formerly of Fiamma Osteria). He finds Alto “better than ever” and bumps it up from two stars to three. “Alto is now a full throttle dining experience, no matter where on the menu you turn,” he says. L’Impero doesn’t fare so well, and receives two stars (down from the three it received from Eric Asimov in 2002).......

Earlier this week, StarChefs held its 2nd International Chef’s Congress on the top two floors of 7 World Trade Center. Open to industry professionals only, this annual event draws notable chefs from all over the world and provides the opportunity to honor its Rising Stars, an award the culinary organization gives to young professionals. A full list of this year’s winners, including Michael Anthony of Gramercy Tavern, Chris Lee of Gilt, and Daniel Eardley......

Given the conspicuous absence of farmers in New York City, the decision to stage a Farm Aid benefit here may seem surprising. But when one considers the booming popularity of Greenmarkets throughout the city, the metropolitan locale makes a certain sense. This year’s Farm Aid will feature an abundance of organic food on sale from local farms, so health-conscious New Yorkers are sure to feel right at home. And for one week starting today, top......

There's an excellent Vows column in this week's NY Times Weddings & Celebrations. It's the one for Fran Boyd and Donnie Andrews, two Baltimore residents whose difficult lives were the basis for the HBO dramas The Corner and The Wire. Boyd and Andrews were featured in a page one story in the Times last week, and the Vows column explains more of how they met and how they supported each other during prison sentences,......

People really do be lovin' some of that there Hill CountryBBQ. It's a bit stale by now, but Jason Perlow is seeking help from all you Korean food loving souls. Eater has the line of the week during their postmortem on the BABBP declaring - “Now, we will cease eating for three days, or until such time we stop sweating pork juice.” Meg pulls a Chodorow and follows Bruni to Gramercy Tavern, she likes what......

This week in the Times, ">Bruni goes to Gramercy Tavern, awards the restaurant--now helmed by chef Michael Anthony--three stars. It was last reviewed by William Grimes, when Tom Colicchio was cooking and when it also received three stars. Bruni says the restaurant delivers what diners want: “a kind of unstrained graciousness and unlabored sophistication.” Nearly everything he tasted was “exquisitely cooked,” and while the desserts aren’t the best ever, “there are some fine choices.” In......

We were fortunate enough to be at the Time Out New York Eat Out Awards last night to watch the winners of both the Readers' Choice awards, chosen by readers who made over 14,000 submissions, and the Critics' Picks awards, selected by the TONY staff. The coveted plates hang on restaurant and bar walls throughout the city. Four gold plate awards went to those who won some of the top honors -- A Voce, for......

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." And the boys at......

The great divide between New York City restaurant chefs and serious home cooks is becoming narrower by the day. Chefs pen guest columns for the New York Times telling us what to look for when buying turnips and get interviewed by bloggers about where the most durable knives can be found, all in the name of improving the home cook’s game. A chef might even be followed around the city in order for us to......

- The nominees for the annual food blog awards are out -- go vote for your favorites! We're voting for the guys at NYC Nosh and Smitten Kitchen in their respective categories. - Ever wonder what 200 calories really looks like? Wisegeek gives us some great visuals. - Gramercy Tavern is now serving a collection of 25 vintage beers and 4 vintage ciders including England’s Thomas Hardy’s, Brooklyn Brewery’s Chocolate Stout, and Belgium’s Saison de......

Tim, Nina and the gang are at it again. This year's NYC Zagat Restaurant Guide is now available, compiling surveys from 31,604 participants and covering 2,014 restaurants. First off, although we generally do most of our restaurant research online, we definitely appreciate two additional features that are part of the new physical guide: a foldout map listing the 50 "New Yorkers' Favorite Restaurants," and sticky arrow tabs designed for users to place throughout the book,......

-- Remember that insane case from back in March with the Cravath, Swaine & Moore lawyer who got busted for seducing two sisters? He's been in lockup since he was captured at the St. Marks Hotel, and the judge just refused to release him on bail. -- A grad student discovered something new about the predatory dinosaur Coelophysis bauri-- while standing at 81st Street Stop on the C! -- A book-keeper at Gramercy Tavern......

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......

Bruni goes to midtown’s Turkish cafe Sip Sak, gives it one-star. All his favorite dishes are the “secret” ones that don’t appear on the menu. He calls Sip Sak “a kooky artist’s warped--and wonderful--canvas.” The kooky artist would be Orhan Yegan, the cafe’s principal chef and owner. Eater (a bit off, having put the money on two-stars) invites readers to compare a NY Mag review--albeit a brief one--to a Bruni review, as Sip Sak just......

While working our way from a Shake Shack lunch to the Greenmarket, we found ourselves on 20th Street between Broadway and Park. None of the restaurants were really open as our lunch of a double shack and well-done fries (the only way they are above average) was actually more like a brunch since the only way we can tolerate the line situation is by showing up at 11am. A great new wine store was......

A high-end restaurant row is rapidly emerging on West 20th Street between Broadway and Park Avenue South. Three-star restaurants Gramercy Tavern and Veritas, nearly opposite one another, are now joined by the outstanding Greek newcomer Parea, just a few doors down. Parea, which means “group of friends,” is the creation of Michael Symon, the chef of Lola restaurant in Cleveland. (Many may know Symon from his profile in Michael Ruhlman’s "The Soul of a Chef.")......

New Yorkers may think we're the best in the world generally, but as far as restaurants of the world are concerned, we only made it to number eight. Thomas Keller's Per Se was the only New York restaurant to make the top ten of the world's 50 best restaurants, as named by Restaurant magazine, although his West Coast restaurant, French Laundry, came in at number four. Other New York eateries on the list include......

Back when, as wee bit food junkies learning about the relation of pork bellies to bacon from Trading Places, we never imagined that bacon was already living a double life right in front of our eyes on non-breakfast menus, hiding as fatty pork down at places like Judy Doo’s Chinese Restaurant. Grateful for the early exposure, we were full-on joyful when chefs at innumerable restaurants in the early 2000’s began to prepare it every......

The anticipation is getting to be too much. First, Tony Migliaccio of Noodle Pudding fame took over the former wine store on the corner of Brooklyn Heights' Hicks and Cranberry Streets. Shortly after, word was that he'd signed over the lease to a budding restauranteur. And, for the past several months the windows of the former Michael's Wines space have been covered in brown paper, with only sporadic signs of work within. What's going on?......

Charlie Suisman over at Manhattan User's Guide broke the French omerta on the New York City restaurants Michelin guide and listed the restaurants receiving 1, 2 or 3 stars. Only thirty-nine restaurants were reviewed. Here's a quick analysis: - Parlez francais: Frenchmen/French-themed restaurants take three of the four 3-star slots (Alain Ducasse, Jean-Georges, Le Bernadin); the fourth is American-born Per Se (lucky for punch bowl owners) - Time Warner Center sweep: Per Se, Masa (2......

The 2006 Zagat guide to New York City restaurants comes out today. First, the stats: Over 30,000 people surveyed 2,003 restaurants. The average meal cost in New York is $37.61, making it the most expensive in the U.S. The most popular restaurant list looks quite a bit like last year's: Gramercy Tavern, Union Square Cafe, and Babbo knocking Daniel out of it's previous number three slot. Top food rankings go to Le Bernadin, Daniel, and......

through September 18: Free Champagne at the Biltmore Room To celebrate its 2nd anniversary, The Biltmore Room will serve a complimentary glass of Veuve Clicquot Champagne to each dinner guest through Sunday, September 18th. Starting September 18th, the restaurant will offer all bottles of wine at half-price every Sunday, until Thanksgiving. Ah, we love anniversaries. The Biltmore Room, 290 Eighth Ave. (bet. 24th & 25th Sts.); 212-807-0111. September 21: Sagra di Maiale You know how......

Marco Canora, formerly of Craft and Gramercy Tavern, prepares Italian-influenced cuisine at the East Village's cozy-yet-elegant Hearth. With an extensive and somewhat esoteric spirits' list and decor highlighted by exposed brick throughout (and even a tiny hearth), prime seats in the house are at the narrow bar by the kitchen, where you can watch chefs prepare fresh gnocchi and chiffanade herbs for garnish. Hearth is open 7 days a week for dinner and located......

Yes, it is March. And, blustery days make Gothamist yearn for the "lamb" that is forthcoming, in a figurative, Weather Channel sense. But, foodies that we are, we simply can't help but want to take things rather literally on that score as well. Nixing the idea of eating lion, NYC offers plenty of opportunities to enjoy lamb, from the hearty Grilled Leg of Lamb Sandwich with Prune-Hyssop Butter and Arugula at Nolita's Porcupine, to the......

Last week, it was a two-star review of Eleven Madison Park. A few weeks before, the new restaurant at the new MoMA was appraised. And today, another Danny Meyer restaurant is in the news, but not for the food or decor: The bookkeeper at Gramercy Tavern was arrested for pocketing $250,000. Newsday reports that 26 year-old Sandrene Austin was charged with felonies - second degree grand larceny and falsifying business records. Austin was supposed to......