Last week, Upper East Side mainstay Paty's Taco Truck was towed and charged with "selling merchandise in front of a parking meter." Protesters say the truck has been getting unfair attention from the police and are accusing the 86th Street Association of getting the cops to do their bidding. During a recent confrontation, cops told protesters they were "following orders" and that the 86th Street Association is unhappy with the truck. But as Street Vendor Project legal director Matt Shapiro pointed out, "the 86th Street Association doesn't make the law in this city." more ›

If you don't have any plans to head for the beach or the hills this weekend, don't you dare feel envious of those who are making the great schelp out of town. Fourth of July weekend is always a great one to stay put and savor the extra elbow room, and to help make sure you're well nourished, here are some great dining deals and other food specials going on around town. Click on the images for all the details. more ›

This week the Times’s Frank Bruni rhapsodizes about Perbacco (pictured), which has been open for about five years on East 4th Street, but has a much-buzzed about new chef: 26-year-old Italian hot shot Simone Bonelli, who comes from “the northern city of Modena and the kitchen of Osteria La Francescana, where Italy’s old guard meets Spain’s New Wave.” A two star rating from the Times is a slam dunk for a casual restaurant in this price range, and Bruni declares that “some of what I ate lingered in my thoughts for days: a special of agnolotti, for example. [Perbacco] has graduated to a whole new level, worthy of its name, which means “wow.” more ›

Bar Boulud: Times restaurant critic Frank Bruni recently lost his patience waiting on hold for 15 minutes to make a reservation, which should give you some sense of how feverish the excitement is for Daniel Boulud’s latest foray. The tony uptown wine bar, across the street from Lincoln Center, enjoyed the raging buzz of a sneak-preview opening on New Year’s Eve and now the 100 seat restaurant is open for real. Judging from the photos, the modern yet warm interior does look inviting; a long vaulted ceiling is intended to “invoke a classic wine cellar”, a backlit gravel wall echoes an old world vineyard, and three private “wine themed” dining rooms are available for the swells. more ›