Restaurateurs Marc Meyer and Vicki Freeman took some time out of their hectic brunch schedule at Five Points to cook up some matzoh brei, a traditional Passover dish. They generally don't limit their matzoh brei eating to the Passover season. "We eat it all the time," says Vicki. At their house it is generally served plain, although Vicki admits to eating it with applesauce and sour cream when she gets it at Shopsin's. Marc......

Bruni visits the recently reopened Provence (now owned and run by Cookshop & Five Points’ Marc Meyer and Vicki Freeman), awards the restaurant one star. He likes the minimal changes they’ve made to the design; the food, not so much: “Provence’s is inconsistent and dull,” he says. He does like the wine and the cheese selection though. Also in the Times, ">Peter Meehan goes to Grand Sichuan East Village for $25 and Under. Says, “Of......

This week ">Bruni two-stars Belgian Resto. Loves the beers, the fries and mussels, and the hint of Asian seasonings in some dishes: "Resto's version of Belgium is neither clichéd nor isolationist," he says. It’s not great for your arteries, either, he points out, but sometimes it's worth the health risk. In ">Dining Briefs, Bruni stops by Perilla (the new restaurant opened by Top Chef winner Harold Dieterle). Says "Like a bistro with elegant tailoring, it......

There's been a flurry of activity on the openings front recently. Even if spring hasn't quite made it to town, these new spots are starting to bloom and shake off the winter blahs: - Insieme, the new restaurant from the folks at Hearth (Paul Grieco and Marco Canora, pictured at right), is scheduled to open on Monday. It will be serving an Italian menu, focusing on "uncomplicated food" and "sincere hospitality." If Hearth is any......

All the buzz surrounding Cookshop, Chelsea's newly ordained bringer of farm fresh, local, and sustainable foods, had Gothamist anxious to get inside with our camera. Sure enough, we got a peak at the space before crowd started flowing in for dinner, catching a glimpse at the firewood beneath the oven, waiters filling miniature dishes with coarsely ground salt for the tables, and new flowers being placed in fresh water and crystal clear vases. Owned......