The incoming president of the Obesity Society has resigned amidst controversy surrounding his work on behalf of the restaurant industry. Last month Dr. David B. Allison (pictured), a professor of biostatistics and nutrition at the University of Alabama, drew fire from colleagues when he submitted an affidavit questioning the city’s new rules requiring chain restaurants to prominently display calorie information on their menus. The Obesity Society supports the requirement, which will go into effect at......

The incoming president of the Obesity Society has filed a 33-page affidavit questioning the city’s new rules requiring chain restaurants to prominently display calorie information on their menus. Dr. David B. Allison (pictured), a professor of biostatistics and nutrition at the University of Alabama, cites a study indicating that dieters who get distracted by calorie information are more likely to overeat. And even if the daunting calorie details prompt diners to go for lower calorie......

Ignorance will no longer be bliss for drinkers at some of New York’s fine franchise restaurants. Starting next month, whether you like it or not, you’re going to find out calorie information on every drink you order at Olive Garden, Applebees, T.G.I. Friday’s or Pizzeria Uno. The new Health Department law requiring chain restaurants with more than 15 locations nationwide to print calorie counts on menus also requires them to display their beverage stats. The......

The company that founded Chuck E. Cheese, which famously replaced lazy live musicians with ruthlessly efficient animatronic animals, now has their sights trained right on your server. According to this breathlessly excited vision of the future, soon “a new trend will be found at your favorite restaurants”! [Emphasis added.] Computerized touch screen ordering at your table is destined to radically marginalize the entire restaurant service industry, liberating diners from the bondage of inattentive service and......

Community Food & Juice: If you like the Clinton Street Baking Company, you'll like Community Food & Juice. DeDe Lahman and Neil Kleinberg bring the magic uptown with not only the same delicious comfort food, but this time with spot that meets Green Restaurant Association guidelines. 2893 Broadway, between 112th and 113th Streets, 212-665-2800. dell’anima: former Batali alums Chef Gabriel Thompson (Del Posto) and sommelier Joe Campanale (Babbo) team up to create a cozy neighborhood......

Restaurants have been having a relatively difficult time in NYC lately and are striking back in court. There was the trans-fat controversy that had the Board of Health ready to ban the possibly unhealthy oil from use in restaurants, if a suitably tasty replacement could be found. Then there was the rat fiasco, when scores of rats frolicking in a West Village restaurant drew onlookers and news crews, initiating a wide round of restaurant re-inspections......

- Chef Jason Neroni (pictured in happier days at right), who left Porchetta recently citing "irreconcilable differences" with owner Marco Rivera, was arrested and charged with petit larceny [Gawker] UPDATE via Eater: according to Neroni rep Steve Hall, Neroni voluntarily went to the precinct with his lawyer last night; there is a court date set in mid-May. - Rubin Caslow, chairman of Acme Smoked Fish Corp. in Greenpoint, Brooklyn -- the largest smoked fish producer......

Yesterday, Mayor Bloomberg signed a City Council bill that requires businesses with bicycle delivery workers to improve its bicycle safety measures into law. Read all about bill 24-A, which requires businesses to supply helmets, to make sure the delivery guys wear them, and to make sure the bikes are safe, as well as 58-A, which requires signs about bicycle safety and laws to posted in English, Spanish or whichever language is spoken at the......

As more restaurants are being closed as the city's health department tries to improve its inspection procedures, questions remain. First: As many of rodent problems are due to garbage pickup issues, will the city allow commercial businesses to have garbage disposals? Though residents are now allowed to have garbage disposals (thanks to Mayor Giuliani), business still aren't. The NY Sun reports that restaurant groups, like the National Restaurant Association and the Latino Restaurant Association, believe......

Fret not, lovers of trans-fats, as it seems that the Board of Health has had a change of heart about banning them from city restaurants. Dr Thomas Frieden, the City Health Commissioner, spoke at a Crain's New York Business breakfast yesterday (we would love to see that menu), sharing that the original July 2007 deadline for banishing the good stuff may have to be postponed. A new proposal will be presented at a December 5th......

Ooh - anyone planning on opening up a new bar in a trendy area but didn't get a liquor license may be outta luck: The state has decided to halt liquor licenses for "new nightclubs, bars or cabarets that want to open within 500 feet of three more establishments that already have a full liquor license." Nautrally, the New York State Restaurant Association is upset - president Rick Sampson said. "This is certainly going to......