In case you missed it yesterday, the Times Dining section contained an article detailing stories of the various drunken and debaucherous diners who have tied on a few too many at the city's high-end restaurants. That's right -- people don't just pass out and make an ass of themselves at Tortilla Flats these days, but they do so at the likes of Daniel, Bouley, Cru and even per se. The Times quotes Phoebe Damrosch, author of “Service Included: Four-Star Secrets of an Eavesdropping Waiter,” as saying that “more people throw up in the dining room of Per Se than your average college bar.” Classy. more ›

You may know Bob McClure as "Jed" on The Burg, but off screen he's an integral part of the family biz: McClure's Pickles. They're serious about their spicy garlic dills, which are now available in their two hometowns: Brooklyn and Detroit. We asked Bob a few questions recently about pickle flavors, what drink goes best with a dill, and more. more ›

The big NY Times Dining feature is about how dining in the year 1985 shaped NYC's restaurant going experiences through today. Led by chefs and restaurateurs David Bouley, Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Danny Meyer, Drew Nieporent, and Alfred Portale, diners were treated to fine fare in sketchy neighborhoods, less pretension, smaller checks, lighter California cuisine, and the reliance on fresh, Greenmarket ingredients. An overall democratization of going out for a delicious meal (freed from the restraints of what Nieporent calls the "Le/La restaurants") which might have become the genesis of the modern day foodie. more ›

Today's New York Times Dining & Wine section sounds the death knell for the Bronx Terminal Market, once a thriving hub of trade in locally-grown produce. Squeezed out of the wholesale market by cheaper, more plentiful imports and lower transportation costs, and too big to profitably tour the Greenmarket circuit, many of the region's medium- to large-scale farmers are on the out-and-out. And discontent has been simmering in the food world over the declining quality and ethics of the Greenmarket system. What's a New Yorker who cares about fresh food and supporting local farmers to do? more ›

Garrett Oliver's personal site, as well as his bio on the Brooklyn Brewery site. And Tien went to Brooklyn Brewery's Happy Hour last Friday. more ›

Our favorite local BBQ mastermind, Adam Perry Lang of Daisy May's, is profiled today in the Times Dining section. Alex Witchel looks at his work not only at Daisy May's but also at Robert's Steakhouse, the delicious and well-received steak joint at the Penthouse Executive Club (read: club where executives are entertained by exotic dancers), perhaps the first meat market where you can eat meat, plus his culinary credentials gathered from NY (Daniel Boulud, Les Halles, Chaneterelle), Paris (Guy Savoy), and Santa Fe (for a little BBQ). We wonder if Frank Rich demanded to accompany Witchel to Robert's Steakhouse - he was the "Butcher of Broadway," you know. more ›

Yesterday's Times Dining piece about the ex Daniel/Mozu chef who opened up the Hell's Kitchen BBQ joint, Daisy May's USA BBQ (623 Eleventh Avenue, at 46th Street, 212-977-1500), makes us wonder if there's a movement by swank restaurant chefs to specialize in approachable foods and sell in approachable settings (storefront, van off the highway). Maybe all the good spaces on Smith Street, Fifth Avenue (Park Slope), and Lafeyette have been taken. Or maybe it's more fulfilling to feed the masses than in overly precious settings. Either way, Gothamist will take it, especially Adam Perry Lang's "irresistibly lush and smoky beef short ribs, chicken that is moist with a little kick, succulent Kansas City-style ribs and chunky pulled pork" at Daisy May's. Time for a food field trip.
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To millions, she's the foul-mouthed, tough cookie Susie Greene on Curb Your Enthusiasm. But in real life, Susie Essman is only slightly less salty, as this Times Dining article by Alex Witchel reveals. It takes place in Aspen, during the HBO U.S. Comedy Festival. Susie sees a man in a mink, and says, "To me, there is nothing more repulsive than a man in a mink. A straight man, I'm talking about." Love to love you, Susie.
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