There are a number of restaurants opening in 2008 that we've been eagerly awaiting and we thought we'd highlight some that particularly piqued our interest and have us drooling in anticipation. John Dory -- this new meatpacking seafood spot comes from Spotted Pig owner Ken Friedman and Partner/Executive Chef April Bloomfield. Mario Batali and Joe Bastianich are also partners, not to mention neighbors. Sara Ochs will serve as the Chef de Cuisine. It is designed......

If you're like a third of the people we know right now (ourselves included), you've got a cold. Although the medical community encourages increasing one's fluid intake when the plague sets in, it's unlikely that boozy drinks are on the list of approved beverages. Regardless, we've been craving warm, cozy drinks all week. One of our neighbors swears by the hot toddy to cure a cold -- we haven't read any clinical studies, but it......

What’s worth watching on food-TV this week? Tonight on No Reservations (10pm on the Travel Channel), Anthony Bourdain goes to Tuscany. Gordon Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares (the US version of his BBC show) is on Wednesday at 9pm (Fox). This week, Ramsay makes over Dillon’s in NYC—this is the makeover over which Ramsay was sued (and charges were subsequently dismissed). Want your restaurant Ramsified? Go to the show’s website for a downloadable application form. On Top......

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......

What’s worth watching, food-wise, on TV this week? Tonight on No Reservations (10pm on the Travel Channel), Bourdain goes to French Polynesia. Serious Eats reviews the series—and his trip to Brazil—here. On Top Chef, Episode 9 airs Wednesday at 10pm (Bravo). This week, Chef Geoffrey Zakarian is the guest judge. On last week’s episode, no one was eliminated. Grub Street hates it when everyone makes nice. We agree: it doesn’t make very good television. And......

May 19: Taste of Tribeca It's time for the 13th annual Taste of Tribeca, with tasting plates from Tribeca restaurants including Chanterelle, Bouley, The Harrison, Tribeca Grill, Megu, Mai House and Blaue Gans. The proceeds will got to support arts and enrichment programs for the kids at Tribeca's public elementary schools, P.S. 234 and P.S. 150, who have illustrated the new “Taste of Tribeca Cookbook” ($15), which will be on sale at the event.......

October 29: Europe in NYC Just in case you can't afford to zip across the Atlantic this weekend, Food & Wine and Travel + Leisure magazines present Europe in NYC, where you can at least close your eyes and pretend while you sample European wines, authentic regional cuisine and participate in food, wine and travel seminars. Events include a Culinary World Cup: "Iron Chef style" featuring Alain Sailhac (French Culinary Institute) representing France, Cornelius Gallagher......

Either way, you'll get your fill this week. Time Out New York reports that Marcus Samuelsson of Aquavit is serving up the crawdads in a variety of dishes, including tacos, sushi, and crayfish and foie-gras skewers. Although the full crawfish tasting menu will run you $90 for dinner, there are more modestly priced options -- lunch for $25 and dinner (not the full tasting menu) for $35. Call for more information and reservations. Aquavit, 13......

The Post tallies up the city's most eligible bachelors (and, yes, the usual suspects are there, like Derek Jeter, Rocco DiSpirito and Adrien Brody as well as some not so usual, like Billy Crudup – who knew the dump the soon to be mother of my child type which is hot to Page Six and homophobe Jeremy Shockey; Gothamist, though, is thrilled with the inclusion of chef Marcus Samuelsson, sigh). The Post also adds what......

Gothamist cannot wait to go to "Restaurant," the new restaurant/reality series from Rocco DiSpirito (Union Pacific), Mark Burnett (Survivor), and NBC (Channel 4 here in NY). There's nothing we like more than food and a little insanity. The Times Styles section looks what seems to be a hilarious casting/hiring process, as employees need to be competent but cute. But in a city of actors who work as watiers, Gothamist has to hand it to the......

The James Beard Winners were announced last night and some of the New York City winners are: Outstanding Chef (Nationwide) Eric Ripert; Le Bernadin Best Chef, New York City Marcus Samuelsson; Aquavit Best New Restaurant (Nationwide) L'Impero; Scott Conant, chef Outstanding Wine Service Jean-Luc Le Du, sommelier; Daniel Check out photos and winners in the restaurant categories as well as winners in other food-related (journalism, restaurant design) areas. Gothamist once swooned when seeing the......