Flatiron Joe's: In the former home of the short-lived Lonesome Dove Western Bistro, Jay Shaffer, who owns Shaffer City Oyster Bar and Grill down the block, has created a casual spot where, for the time being, he's serving up bar snacks like sliders and nachos. He plans on serving lunch and dinner starting in October. 29 West 21st Street, (212) 414-3139. 8th Street Wine Cellar: This long awaited cozy wine bar is a welcome addition......

Two articles in separate sections of Sunday’s New York Times brought out Gothamist Food’s inner Freakonomicist, which isn’t as painful as it sounds. The National section of the Times reported that in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, its use as a baby name slipped down to the 382nd place overall on the girl’s list, marginally good news for those of us named Brenna (#381, baby). Unrelated, and over in the City section, the fate of......

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......

- The Daily News explores the world of the NYC gastropub, including the Spotted Pig, E.U., Spike Hill, recently opened Alchemy and the Inn LW12 (Augieland gives us a preview), and soon-to-come Borough Food & Drink, a Chodorow creation. - A hearty bowl of ramen will keep you warm, and Manhattan Users Guide has highlighted some of the best. - After being on Eater's Deathwatch for a while now, The Lonesome Dove is officially dead.......

Bruni joins the chorus of unenthusiastic reviews for Lonesome Dove Western Bistro, awarding it no stars. The best he has to say is that chef/owner Tim Love "seems dedicated to getting first-rate cuts of meat" (which the kitchen then overseasons). The Eater boys are off by a star, having put their money on Tim Love's credentials and the assumption that Bruni's visits would improve over time. They didn't. Also at Eater, photos of the dining......

Bruni three-stars the recently renovated Picholine. Though he doesnt much like the physical changes-"still too quiet and sadistically bright"-the renovation "reinvigorated this restaurants soul," he says. In fact, he now likes it so much he celebrated his recent birthday there. And the Eater oddsmakers nail it again. Theyre also all over the reopening of Waverly Inn (Graydon Carter edition). Also in the Times, Peter Meehan visits Italian restaurant Lunetta on Smith Street in Brooklyn for......

Where can you taste dishes from Bobby Flay, Lidia Bastianich, Dan Barber, Tom Valenti, Joey Campanaro and Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto all under one roof? At New York Magazine's annual Taste of New York, a fundraiser for City Harvest. The cocktails (from some of the city's best: Pegu Club, Flatiron Lounge, and Little Branch) were flowing and the crowd was on a mission to taste everything these chefs could dish out. One of the......

Julia Moskin sits in for Bruni again this week, gives two stars to the new dining room at the Morgan Library. It's eccentric, she says--open only during museum hours, which means that it only serves dinner on Friday nights, and even then only until 9pm. But "there's no institution that joins a menu and a museum as seamlessly." Also in the Times, Sarah Lyall's got an update on food in British school cafeterias, and the......

Last Monday saw the opening of Texas transplant The Lonesome Dove - Western Bistro, an oddly named, upscale roadhouse of a restaurant on 21st Street. Packed to the gills, the opening was livened up by a musical duo pumping out country tunes, troughs of Lone Star beer and a parade of people brought into the kitchen to break in a wood wall with “LD” cattle branding irons. Of the apps sampled, the Prairie Butter and......

- Look for Grub Street, the just launched New York Magazine food blog, to have an interview with newly anointed NYT Dining editor Pete Wells on Wednesday. - An amusing read from the LA Times about “the Chicken that Killed Grandpa”. - Random Menupages.com restaurant of the day - Luzia's, Portuguese/Spanish on the UWS. Is it any good? You tell us. - File under an offer you cannot refuse. After the preview party for Lonesome......