An aspiring cook has filed a lawsuit against the chef and owners of Spitzer's Corner, the popular Lower East Side scenester hangout that's previously been in trouble for serving booze to minors. According to the lawsuit (in full below) executive chef Sung Park, general manager David Moon, and owner Robert Shamlian violated multiple federal and state labor laws. Former employee Edward Kim claims they told him he would gain invaluable culinary experience from a renowned Michelin star-awarded chef, but instead made him slave away for up to 90 hours a week for as little as $3 an hour. more ›

So Thanksgiving is next week. If you still haven't decided whether you’re going to cook, leave town, or stay in bed, you might as well just face facts and make your dinner reservation now. For $40 or less, here are a few spots that are either offering traditional dinners at low prices like the $10 deal from A Piece of Chicken, or are featuring otherwise interesting menus, like the Lebanese-themed Thanksgiving dinner at Al Diwan. more ›

Popular Lower East Side gastropub Spitzer’s Corner is in trouble for serving alcohol to minors. Eater has it that the establishment, which boasts 40 "world-class" craft beers and microbrews on tap, was “infiltrated” by an undercover police informant who was served alcohol without being carded. The owners are paying a fine, the bartender is fired, and the neighborhood nightlife – which on weekends makes Mardi Gras look like a model U.N. meeting – just might get a tiny bit less rowdy if this is part of a wider crackdown. (We can dream.) more ›

FOOD: Take a few beer and food bloggers, mix them up with an eclectic menu and and extensive beer list and you've got Bloggers and Beer. Four panelists will be selecting food and beer pairings, and the price of admission entitles you to a mini-meal of the four pairings. Pairings by Nick Fauchald, Food & Wine's "Mouthing Off," Samuel Merritt, Civilization of Beer, our own Laren Spirer and Jeff Gorlechen, Six Points Brewing Company. more ›