Grub Street

5/11/07

9:51 AM

N.Y. Diet: What Rapper Sean Mims Eats on the Road

Sean Mims enjoys some shrimp now and then.Photo: Melissa Hom

While rapper Sean Mims is off tearing up clubs performing "This Is Why I'm Hot," he thinks longingly of the habichuela con dulce from his native Washington Heights. Mims loves shrimp, is working his way toward sushi, and refuses to eat on planes (not even in first class). Find out what Mims puts on his rider and how you balance Blue Fin with Sonic over on Grub Street.

This Is Why Rapper Mims Likes His Tea Hot [Grub Street]

More: food, sean mims

Grub Street

5/ 9/07

12:31 PM

When Brunch Goes Bad

Lynnea Scalora at Enid's. Photo: Melissa Hom

Meet Lynnea Scalora, a waiter-bartender (and bassist-artist) treading the fine line between the "dolled-up" LES cool and the "messy" Greenpoint cool: She slings booze at the Annex, where "people are very concerned about their image" but prefers waiting tables at the laid-back Enid's. How laid-back? Well, they toss Polish locals out for talking to customers. And scoff at the rubes who order dirty martinis, or coffee-and-dessert, or decaf, or Splenda ("these things aren't what happens at Enid's"). And snicker at bickering couples. Otherwise, it's an oasis of tolerance! There's more Lynnea at Grub Street.

Lynnea Scalora of Enid’s and the Annex Can Tell Her Hipsters Apart [Grub Street]

More: brunch, restaurants

Grub Street

5/ 2/07

9:52 AM

Pure Food and Wine Is Turning French-ish, Bro

Photo: Melissa Hom

David Moltz has been a waiter at the raw-food mecca Pure Food and Wine for a little more than a year. So how does he withstand the onslaught of celebrities, raw-food obsessives, and irritable vegans? By talking to the new chef. "Our new chef makes French-style cuisine," he says. "Me and him totally bro down about French stuff." To learn more about bro-ing down and why the staff had to stop ordering nachos and what goes down on the "hump couch," head to Grub Street.

Pure Food and Wine's David Moltz Hangs With Gisele, Chases Raw Foodists for Tips [Grub Street]

More: food, pure food and wine, waiters

Grub Street

4/19/07

11:02 AM

Not the Nosh!

Photo: Everett Bogue

When they came for John's Pizzeria, we did not stand up, because we do not frequent John's Pizzeria. But who's left to stand up now? Everyone loves the Inhouse Nosh Café, the, well, in-house noshery in the lobby of New York HQ, 444 Madison Avenue. Or, at least, everyone does with the notable exception of city's Health Department, which in its ongoing, rats-video-fueled crackdown yesterday closed the place, claiming 110 violation points. (Twenty-eight or more points necessitates a reinspection.) Grub Street is crushed, and, in this rare case, we've got to say we agree. Poor Nosh.

Health Department Rampage Hits Grub Street Close to Home [Grub Street]

More: food, health, restaurants

Grub Street

4/17/07

4:53 PM

It'd Be Better With Oompa-Loompas

The Roasting Plant's central operations hub.Photo: RJ Mickelson/Veras for New York Magazine

Looks like Max Brenner, the nonexistent "Bald Man" of high-concept choco-bar infamy, has started a trend: Call it the Willie Wonka–fication of the coffeehouse experience. The weirdness continues at the Roasting Plant, where freshly roasted coffee beans are sucked out of transparent vessels through overhead pipes and into a souped-up espresso machine. We're as baffled as anyone, but we also have to grudgingly admit that the shop's main attraction, a Rube Goldberg–meets–H.R. Giger device, looks pretty damn cool. And, who knows, perhaps the beans do stay fresher this way. We'll let Rob and Robin provide further explanation over at Grub Street.

The Roasting Plant’s Coffee Beans Dance Overhead [Grub Street]

More: coffee, food, max brenner

Grub Street

4/16/07

1:27 PM

God Save the King Burger

Photo: Melissa Hom

Ever feel like a big, juicy, greasy hamburger doesn't pack quite big enough of a fat-and-cholesterol punch for you? The line cooks at BLT Burger to the rescue, then. Killing time at the end of a shift one night, the kitchen crew at Laurent Tourondel's Sixth Avenue outpost threw a burger in the deep fryer to see what would happen. The magnificent result was the King Burger, a five-ounce hunk of ground beef coated, fried, and served on a soft bun with lettuce, tomato, and onion. There's more to it, and it's this week's Sandwich of the Week.

Sandwich of the Week: BLT’s King Burger, in All Its Deep-Fried Glory [Grub Street]

More: food, restaurants, sandwiches

Grub Street

4/12/07

9:33 AM

Sam Mason Always Has Room for Dessert

Mason and his fellow molecular gastronomes, Wylie Dufresne and Will Goldfarb.Photo: Melissa Hom

Last time Grub Street checked in with Sam Mason, the former wd-50 pastry chef who's slowly working toward opening his own spot, Tailor, he was worried about the floor. Would the hardwood acclimate to the humidity? Would he have to have grout in his kitchen? This week, it's on to the ceiling and the stairs — who knew there are specific "staircase architects"? — and to that little manner of the menu. But first, it's time to get dessert with members of the Experimental Cuisine Collective. What's that? Find out at Grub Street.

Sam Mason Joins a Molecular Secret Society [Grub Street]

More: food, restaurants

Grub Street

4/11/07

1:41 PM

Employees Only Is Always Crowded, Sometimes With a Brass Band

Photo: Melissa Hom

At West Village cocktail joint Employees Only, the place is jammed from eight till midnight or so nearly every night, on weekends the line to get in runs down the block, and the upstairs neighbors sometimes throw fruit on revelers in the back garden, according to manager and maître d' Dagny Mendelsohn. But it's also just about impossible to get a bad drink from one of the expert bartenders, she says, and there's a decent chance you might snag yourself a barback. Find out the other secrets of Employees Only at Grub Street, where Mendelsohn is this week's Ask a Waiter.

Dagny Mendelsohn of Employees Only Defends Her Customers From Flying Fruit [Grub Street]

More: bars, nightlife, west village

Grub Street

4/ 9/07

1:26 PM

Say Cheese

Photo: Melissa Hom

Happy National Grilled-Cheese Sandwich Month! We presume Hallmark has a card for the occasion — how could they not? — but Grub Street has an even better way to send cheesily good tidings: The Underground Gourmet's list of the eight best grilled-cheese sandwiches in New York. They all sound delicious, and they're this week's Sandwiches of the Week.

Sandwiches of the Week: In Celebration of National Grilled-Cheese Sandwich Month [Grub Street]

More: food, sandwiches

Grub Street

4/ 6/07

11:14 AM

Born to Be Wild Salmon

Photo: Melissa Hom

Over-the-top restaurateur Jeffrey Chodorow — the man behind the near-universally reviled Kobe Club, which has caused him to revile, in turn, critics like our Adam Platt and the Times' Frank Bruni — opens his latest offering, Wild Salmon, today. Grub Street got a look inside the place yesterday, and a look at the menu, and based on that — and not, mind you, on actually eating anything there — pronounces it "the best hand he’s dealt himself in a while." Why? Find out at Grub Street.

Wild Salmon Swims Into View. Yes, 'Pun Intended' [Grub Street]

More: jeffrey chodorow, restaurants

Grub Street

4/ 5/07

1:27 PM

Sam Mason Waits for His Wood

Photo: Melissa Hom

It's time for another Grub Street check-in with Sam Mason, the former wd-50 pastry chef who's working (and working and working) to open his own Soho spot, Tailor. Today we learn of yet another hiccup. Who knew you have to wait three days before laying hardwood floors? But there's an upside to that delay: It gave Sam time to go shopping for sexy Japanese knives. Everything you ever wanted to know about humidity, grout, and Japanese carbon steel awaits in The Launch at Grub Street.

Sam Mason on the Sexiness of Japanese Steel [Grub Street]

More: construction, food, restaurants

Grub Street

4/ 4/07

11:08 AM

Mom Always Said Not to Play Ball in the Fancy French Restaurant

Photo: Melissa Hom

You think it's easy being a waiter at a high-end French restaurant? Hardly. Chanterelle server Ian Tomaschik has to serve and clear a six-course tasting menu while also replenishing bread and silverware and making drinks and coffees. "In the beginning," he told Grub Street, "I didn't think I could pull it off." But he has, for six years, and it's worth it: "Once I saw the name Barry Williams on the reservation list. I was like, I can’t believe I’m waiting on Greg Brady." Tomaschik is this week's Ask a Waiter.

Ian Tomaschik of Chanterelle Will Serve You Fake Wine If Your Secretary Asks [Grub Street]

More: restaurants

Grub Street

4/ 3/07

11:22 AM

Welcome, Whole Foods Backlash!

With a brand new Whole Foods on Bowery (and, seemingly, everywhere else), will neighborhood organic markets wither? Indie rocker Jason Trachtenberg, who leads the Trachtenberg Family Slideshow Players when he's not stocking shelves at the all-volunteer 4th Street Co-op, fears losing customers to the giant supermarket. "They’ve completely oversaturated the organic market, and they’re not even all organic," says Trachtenberg . What did Whole Foods say in its defense? Find out about the benefits of foot traffic over on Grub Street.

Bowery Whole Foods: An Effing Steamroller? [Grub Street]

More: co-ops, whole foods

Grub Street

4/ 2/07

11:36 AM

You Deserve a Big, Fishy Break Today

Photo: Melissa Hom

Something's particularly fishy around town right now, and it's not just all those Catholics abandoning meat. Or, actually, it ever so slightly is: Loosely timed to coincide with the Lenten season, McDonald's has debuted the Double Filet-o-Fish — and the Underground Gourmet is giddy. There's more to the sandwich than just a double dose of deep-fried mystery fish. What's the special twist? The UG tells all at Grub Street, where it's the Sandwich of the Week.

Filet-o-Fish Sandwich Now Twice As Delicious [Grub Street]

More: food, mcdonald's

Grub Street

3/30/07

2:18 PM

Morgan Spurlock Is Getting Fat

Photo: Melissa Hom

Self-styled muckraker Morgan Spurlock — whose facial hair, if you can believe it, is now even more irritating than when he first ate his way to prominence in Super Size Me — claims he's getting fat. And that's hardly a surprise when you consider what he's been eating: chicken parm, doughnuts, dinner at Per Se. He even had a burger! (Though it wasn't McDonald's.) Find out how else he's super-sizing himself in this week's New York Diet.

Morgan Spurlock Splurges at Per Se, Loves Peanut-Butter Doughnuts [Grub Street]

More: food, morgan spurlock

Grub Street

3/29/07

3:49 PM

Sam Mason's Floor Won't Weather Itself

Photo: Melissa Hom

Former wd-50 pastry chef Sam Mason may have run into some speed bumps on the road to opening his Tailor, on Broome Street, but he's still chugging along, and he's still chronicling said chugging for Grub Street. In the latest installment, Mason sees his restaurant taking shape — literally: They're framing the kitchen and laying floors — and wonders how he'll make those floors look as weathered as he wants them to be. Stiletto-heeled dancing, anyone?

Sam Mason Needs Fifteen Women in Stilettos to Complete Construction [Grub Street]

More: chefs, food, restaurants

Grub Street

3/28/07

11:51 AM

Duck!

Photo: Melissa Hom

We haven't yet been to Morandi, Keith McNally's new Italian spot in the West Village, but as lunchtime approaches — and as we learn about chef Jody Williams's duck sandwich — we must say we're tempted to head over. It's Muscovy duck breast on Balthazar Bakery bread, plus lots of other things. We'll let Williams explain, in this week's Annotated Dish at Grub Street.

Morandi's Deceptively Simple Duck Sandwich [Grub Street]

More: food, keith mcnally, morandi, restaurants

Grub Street

3/27/07

9:44 AM

We All Scream for Lobster!

Photo: Melissa Hom

If it were us, we might not have named the thing a Lobster-Roll Ice-Cream Sandwich, because it sounds, well, gross. But look at the picture and consider the ingredients: a buttered-and-griddled top-cut hot-dog bun, filled with chocolate sauce, vanilla ice cream, and more chocolate sauce. And then remember that had Ed McFarland, of Ed's Lobster Bar, called it something else, it might not be this week's Sandwich of the Week. And then where would we be?

That's Right: A Lobster-Roll-Inspired Ice-Cream Sandwich [Grub Street]

More: food, ice cream, sandwiches

Grub Street

3/23/07

11:37 AM

Daniel Boulud Chefs Where He Eats

Chef Daniel Boulud in the kitchen at Daniel. Photo: Melissa Horn

So what does a chef actually eat? Grub Street dared to ask the question of Chef Daniel Boulud. Turns out he eats regularly at his own restaurant Daniel. But he also spares twenty minutes for sushi at Sushi Yasuda, samples new spice mixes, and previews his upcoming spring menu. Sunday means brunch at Balthazar and the occasional Citymeals-on-Wheels gala, where Boulud can sample hors d’oeuvre from the city's finest chefs. So work, eat, and raise $1.1 million. Not a bad gig. To find out who makes Chef's favorite tart flambé, check out Grub Street.

Chef Daniel Boulud Eats Sushi at $10 Per Minute [Grub Street]

More: daniel boulud, food

Grub Street

3/22/07

9:55 AM

Eating London: Please, Platt, We Want Some More

From Scotland to England: New York's inimitable and indomitable Adam Platt spent five days eating his way through London for this week's magazine. He learned that now, finally, there's plenty worth eating alongside the Thames but that there's more density and variety — and less cost — next to the Hudson. But he also learned a whole lot more, which couldn't all fit into his allotted magazine space. Head, then, to Grub Street, where he provides the Gobbler's Ten Rules for Eating Well in London. (Hint: You'd better like lamb.)

How to Eat in London [Grub Street]

More: adam platt, food, london

Grub Street

3/21/07

11:29 AM

Everybody's Friends at Nolita Thai Joint Lovely Day

Photo: Melissa Hom

Eve Dunlop has been a waitress at Nolita's neighborhood Thai joint, Lovely Day, for two years, and she tries to give the place a "hangout" kind of vibe. "We're trying to make a friendly environment," she says. "Anyone's welcome to join in our conversation." So might the locals who come by to hang out and converse — some of whom have been known to get naked ("we're all friends here," Dunlop says) — be the sort you'd call hipsters? Not at all, she says. "They're neighborhood people, young working professionals who are into music and art." Of course. Totally different. Eve's got much more to say at Grub Street; she's this week's Ask a Waiter.

Eve Dunlop of Lovely Day Insists Her Customers Aren't Hipsters [Grub Street]

More: food, nolita, restaurants

Grub Street

3/20/07

12:44 PM

Back to the Shack: Danny Meyer Speaks

Photo: Shanna Ravindra

It's not spring till tomorrow, but even in this last remaining dark day of winter, there's a glimmer of happy, summery news: The Shake Shack has reopened. It happened yesterday afternoon, Grub guru Josh Ozersky reports, and he spoke to Danny Meyer, the Shake Shack's owner and arguably New York's favorite restaurateur, about what new is in store at the Madison Square burgery. The part we find most exciting: Magic wands! Huh? Find out at Grub Street.

Danny Meyer on Shake Shack 2.0 [Grub Street]

More: danny meyer, shake shack

Grub Street

3/19/07

4:48 PM

Manhattan's Bargain Is Brooklyn's Splurge

Moroccan in Bay Ridge? Turkish in Gravesend? Sign us up. Grub Street has prepared a quick, opinionated guide to the more offbeat pleasures of Brooklyn Restaurant Week. At some places, the three-courses-for-$21.12 model actually sounds like a markup (how much chicken do you need to put away at Los Pollitos II to even hit that total?), but hell, that's part of the charm.

Take the Cab to Deepest Brooklyn for Restaurant Week [Grub Street]

More: brooklyn, food, restaurants

Grub Street

3/16/07

1:36 PM

If You Have 1.7 Million Friends, Do You Really Need to Eat?

Photo: Melissa Horn

Tila "Tequila" Nguyen is the queen of MySpace (or the "Madonna of MySpace," if you read Time), with about 1.7 million virtual friends. She flies back and forth from Los Angeles to New York for photo shoots (here) and celebrity appearances (there). And when she's in town, Tila likes to sample the room service at the W Hotel and the vegan faux-meat goodness at Red Bamboo. Sound pricey? Don't fret. Tila's allergic to alcohol. "I'm still a cheap date," she assures Grub Street.

‘MySpace Queen’ Tila Tequila Drinks Sprite with her Fugu, Likes her Omelets with Ketchup [Grub Street]

More: food, myspace

Grub Street

3/15/07

1:45 PM

The Gobbler's Guide to Eating Like a Frenchman

Where, o where, in this city of hiply casual dress codes and hautely fusioned cuisine options and Danny Meyerly chatty service can one find a good, old-fashioned, exorbitantly expensive, extravagantly presented, high French meal? That's what the Gobbler's globe-trotting friend Maurice wanted to know. And the Gobbler, as is his wont, came up with the answers. His list of New York's top 10 outposts of continental opulence is at Grub Street.

Where to Send Your French Friend Maurice for Continental Opulence [Grub Street]

More: food, france

Grub Street

3/14/07

10:41 AM

There's a Sucker Born Every Minute, and Some of Them Must Like Pizza

Photo: Everett Bogue

A further sign — as if more were needed — that New York is today a bastion of late-Roman decadence: One city slice shop now serves a $1,000 pizza. The pricey pie comes laden not with gold but with caviar, and Grub Street had the chance to taste it yesterday. So what does caviar'd pizza taste like? Bagels and lox, apparently. In which case we humbly remind you that the Zabar's premade bagel-and-nova sandwich costs something like four bucks. We're just saying.

We Try a $1,000 Pizza, Maintain That We Aren't Publicity Tools [Grub Street]

More: food, money, pizza

Grub Street

3/13/07

12:43 PM

The Oyster Bar's Got Soft-Shells — in March!

Photo: OysterBarNY.com

And they keep making it sound like rising global temperatures are a bad thing. Feh! How else would we be lucky enough to have soft-shell crabs in March? Yup, that's right, rising ocean temperatures have tricked the clueless crustaceans into shedding their skins early, making the summertime treat available before you've even filed your taxes. Where can you find 'em? Only at Grand Central's Oyster Bar, which claims to have cornered the market on the currently available supply of the critters. What else does global warming mean for the fate of crabkind? Find out on Grub Street.

Don't Tell Al Gore: Soft-Shell Crabs Already Here [Grub Street]

More: environment, food, grand central terminal

Grub Street

3/12/07

1:27 PM

Fancy French Dip: Mmm, Jus-y

Photo: Melissa Hom

The things we did not know about the humble French-dip sandwich are, it is now clear, legion. We did not know that it was invented in Los Angeles. We did not know two restaurants dispute which of them came up with it first. And we did not know that Flatbush Farm, in Park Slope, serves what is quite possibly the best one in New York, an Haute Barnyard combination of heritage meat, melted Gruyère, and a horseradish sauce, served on name-brand bread. It's Grub Street's Sandwich of the Week, and we now know we'll be disappointed by whatever we end up scrounging for lunch.

Haute Barnyard Take on a Classic SoCal Sandwich [Grub Street]

More: brooklyn, california, food, park slope

Grub Street

3/ 9/07

1:49 PM

Some Models, Apparently, Eat As Much As You Do

Photo: Melissa Hom

Think models don't eat? If Missy Rayder — currently featured in Gap's khakis campaign — is any indication, that's hardly the case. Missy runs down her week of noshes in the new New York Diet, and we count mentions of "really greasy" French fries, lobster rolls, "the best brisket ever," and Heath bar ice cream from Cold Stone Creamery. That's not all. Find out what else she scarfed down this week on Grub Street.

Model Missy Rayder Drinks Garlic and Eats 'Dragon Bowls' [Grub Street]

More: food, models

Grub Street

3/ 7/07

9:33 AM

We Just Go to the Penthouse Club for the Intellectual Conversation

Photo: Melissa Hom

You're not particularly surprised that Sara, a waitress at the Penthouse Executive Club — presumably Frank Bruni's new favorite cocktail lounge — looks like, well, that. You're also probably not entirely surprised that Sara once received as a tip a pair of two-carat, platinum-set diamonds, from a regular customer who, she explains, "always liked to sit with me." But you likely didn't expect that Sara is also working on a doctorate in philosophy, that she calls working at the club her "mind-body dualism" ("I maintain an accurate balance in the social-physical world and the thought-filled world," she says), or that she's never walked in on anything more explicit that PG-13. Learn lots more about Sara at Grub Street.

Sara of the Penthouse Executive Club Knows Your Children's Names [Grub Street]

More: bars, nightlife

Grub Street

3/ 6/07

5:42 PM

None Is the Lonesomest Number

It's a classic story: A brash outsider, fizzing with ambition, comes to the big city and gets a thoroughly educational thrashing. And yet now that Lonesome Dove, the Manhattan outpost of Tim Love's Texas steakhouse, has shuttered, the blogs are pouring a little moonshine on the ground for the departing joint. Sure, some of the dishes were ridiculous, as was that cowhide on the sidewalk, but there was also a little Manhattan snobbery — and, dare we say, a touch of misplaced blue-state rage — in the collective drubbing administered to Love. Grub Street has put together a collection of links in tribute.

Lonesome Dove Flies Away [Grub Street]
Bonus: Adam Platt's original evisceration [NYM]

More: food, lonesome dove

Grub Street

3/ 5/07

1:19 PM

Rats Ruin It for Everyone

Grub Street brings us the worrisome news that the New York City Department of Health is going all vigilante on area restaurants following last week's embarrassing rat infestations. This weekend's victims? West Village stalwart John's Pizzeria and neighboring Risotteria. Operators of both restaurants were furious, as were thwarted customers. Grub Street has all the dirt (which may or may not be in the restaurants themselves).

Customers Rush to Pizzeria's Defense [Grub Street]

More: pizza, restaurants

Grub Street

3/ 2/07

2:52 PM

Daniel Pinchbeck Hates Processed Food, Likes Coffee

Photo: Melissa Hom

Daniel Pinchbeck, the mind-expanded author of Breaking Open the Head: A Psychedelic Journey Into the Heart of Contemporary Shamanism and 2012: The Return of Quetzalcoatl, realized the first time he took mushrooms — back in college — just how much he didn't like processed food, and he's been trying to eat on a higher plane ever since. How does he do that? With a lot of coffee, it seems, and occasional stops for raw food. Find out his latest noshes in this week's New York Diet, at Grub Street.

Psychedelic Writer Daniel Pinchbeck Likes His Chocolate With ‘Special Properties’ [Grub Street]

More: food

Grub Street

2/27/07

3:48 PM

Purple, Annotated

Photo: Melissa Hom

Varietal pastry chef Jordan Kahn is, we're told, the pastry chef in New York right now. And what does the pastry chef want his desserts to taste like? Purple, apparently. In this week's Annotated Dish, he deconstructs his "Meditation in Purple," explaining all its luscious ingredients. Check it out at Grub Street.

Varietal's 'Meditation in Purple': Need We Say More? [Grub Street]

More: chefs, food, restaurants

Grub Street

2/23/07

12:41 PM

David Cross Is Both 12 and 42 Years Old

Photo: Melissa Hom

In the fall and winter, David Cross drinks red wine with "almost every meal." (In the spring and summer, apparently, it's beer.) We'd assume he means every non-breakfast meal, but, then, he also has chili for breakfast, so who knows? He even likes red wine with his favorite snack, pretzel rods dipped in Smucker's all-natural peanut butter, chunky. What else did he have red wine with last week? Find out in the latest New York Diet at Grub Street.

Comedian David Cross Likes His Peanut Butter and Pretzels With a Glass of Wine [Grub Street]

More: comedy, david cross, food

Grub Street

2/22/07

11:11 AM

Apparently We're Calling This Chodogate

Photo: Getty Images

Yesterday morning, as you likely saw and no doubt heard, Kobe Club proprietor Jeffrey Chodorow took out a full-page ad in the Times dining section to lambaste Frank Bruni's previous pan of his establishment. In the seven-paragraph (and, we must note, poorly punctuated) screed, Chodorow claimed Bruni's attack on him was personal and bashed the critic for having no real "food background." (Remind us, by the way, not to eat in Chodorow's restaurants, as, lacking a food background of our own, we'll clearly be unqualified to know whether we enjoyed our experience.) He also named three critics who, unlike Bruni, liked the Kobe Club: New York's beloved Gael Greene (who indeed fawned over the restaurant in her 240-word squib), and Bob Lape of Crain's and John Mariani of Esquire (who are both known to be on the take). He didn't mention that lots of critics hated it, including New York's chief food critic, Adam Platt, who gave the Kobe Club no stars and called it "a bizarre agglomeration of restaurant fashions and trends, most of them bad." But Platt earned a glancing dig, when Chodorow announced an "After Adam" feature on his new blog. Platt responded yesterday afternoon on Grub Street, and last night, Grub's Josh Ozersky checked in with the ranting restaurateur to find out if there was more to say on the topic. Apparently there was.

The Gobbler Responds to Mr. Chodorow's Broadside [Grub Street]
We Ask Jeffrey Chodorow If He's Been Feeling Well Lately [Grub Street]

More: adam platt, frank bruni, jeffrey chodorow, restaurants

Grub Street

2/21/07

12:41 PM

Show Me the Way to the Next Liquor Bar

Photo: Melissa Hom

For as long as there have been bars, there have been bartenders, and for as long as there have been bartenders, there have been liquored-up customers talking to them. What do they say to you when you're the bartender at Schiller's Liquor Bar? Well, the girls give you their numbers, the guys tell you about the urinary exploits, and a middle-aged guy likes to ask about sex clubs. There's a lot more in this week's Ask a Waiter, at Grub Street.

Boyfriend Cheating? Corey Lima of Schiller's Is There for You [Grub Street]

More: alcohol, bars, lower east side, restaurants, schiller's

Grub Street

2/20/07

11:37 AM

Balthazar Boss Turns Bolognese

Photo: Patrick McMullan

Keith McNally created the New York iteration of the French bistro. Now he's gone Italian. The Underground Gourmet talked to him about his new West Village trattoria, Morandi, the great floor his wife picked out for it, and why this could be his last restaurant. It's at Grub Street.

Keith McNally on Why Morandi Will Be His Last Restaurant Ever [Grub Street]

More: keith mcnally, morandi, restaurants, west village

Grub Street

2/19/07

12:55 PM

Mmm, Mmm, Good

Photo: Zoe Singer

We know, we know. We never should have gone out in this weather dressed like that; of course we'd catch a cold. But what's done can't be undone, and now that we're sneezing and sniffling, what can we do? Grub Street to the rescue! In today's At the Market column, Zoe Singer rounds up the best chicken-soup options around the city and tops it off with a tip on the best seasonal oranges for fresh-squeezed OJ. Our sinuses are clearing up already.

Chicken Soup for the House-Bound Soul [Grub Street]

More: food, health

Grub Street

2/16/07

2:08 PM

Raw Foodie Sarma Melngailis Has a Secret

Photo: Melissa Hom

What does one of New York's leading raw-food restaurateurs — Sarma Melngailis of Pure Food and Wine — eat in a week? You'd be surprised. It's not just vegan-friendly vegetable concoctions and "weirdo shakes," as she calls them; there's also some lamb and venison, too. "Here’s how I rationalize occasionally not eating raw-vegan," she explains at Grub Street. "I always want to try good food." What other good food did she eat? Head to Grub Street to find out.

Raw Foodist Sarma Melngailis Drinks Grapefruit Sake Mojitos Before Noon [Grub Street]

More: food, vegans

Grub Street

2/14/07

11:34 AM

CB3 Loves Petraske, Hates His Plans

One thing was clear at the Community Board 3 meeting last night: The East Village board loves Milk and Honey proprietor Sasha Petraske. "He is probably the only owner in nine years who has run [his bar] according to his representations," said committee chair Alexandra Militano, who also noted he's received no complaints in nine years, as Daniel Maurer reports on Grub Street. So does all that good behavior and good will mean they'll allow him to open his planned Mighty Ocelot wine and beer bar on East 5th Street? Of course not. Noisily angry neighbors flooded the meeting, complaining that Petraske's establishment would create too much noise. And the board voted to recommend the State Liquor Authority deny his application. The full tale is at Grub Street.

Neighbors Tell Milk & Honey's Sasha Petraske, 'Welcome to the East Village, Now Leave [Grub Street]

More: alcohol, east village, nightlife

Grub Street

2/13/07

4:10 PM

Something's Fishy at Picholine

So you've been to Picholine, and you've had the $80 three-course prix fixe, and you've loved the first course, chef Terrance Brennan's famous sea-urchin panna cotta, which you know to be one of only two items on the menu held over from the previous incarnation of the restaurant. But, still, you've always felt like you don't quite know the dish. And you've always wished Brennan would stop and explain it to you. Well, kids, now you're in luck: Grub Street's got a new Annotated Dish, and it's Picholine's sea-urchin panna cotta. Learn all about its fishy fabulousness at Grub Street.

Picholine’s ‘Oceanic’ Sea-Urchin Panna Cotta [Grub Street]

More: food, restaurants

Grub Street

2/12/07

1:29 PM

Extra! Extra! There Is Chick-fil-A in New York

Photo: Melissa Hom

Rob and Robin deliver an astounding piece of news in their Sandwich of the Week update today: There actually is a Chick-fil-A branch — one, solitary outpost — in Manhattan. Even more astounding: It's located in an NYU food court, and the dedicated dining duo infiltrated said food court — sans student I.D. but avec verisimilitudinous knapsnack — to sample the wares. How was it? "Deliriously good," they report, "in a heavily seasoned monosodium-glutamate kind of way." Mmm … MSG. All the details are at Grub Street.

Sneaking Past Security for the Sandwich of the Week [Grub Street]

More: food, nyu

Grub Street

2/ 9/07

12:48 PM

The Gobbler's Guide to Avoiding Bad Meals

Who knows what evil lurks in the heart of bad New York restaurants? The Gobbler knows. In his Grub Street column this week, Adam Platt distills the nine signs you're about to have a really sucky meal. From maître d' inspections to the "truffles-truffled" dichotomy to warnings about the size of the desserts (anything bigger "than your mother's handbag" is to be avoided), the Gobbler's got the telltale clues. Check them out on Grub Street.

Signs You're About to Have an Awful Meal [Grub Street]

More: food, restaurants

Grub Street

2/ 8/07

11:32 AM

How to Make Eggs Like a Pro, and Other Adventures in Opening a Restaurant

Photo: Melissa Hom

Former wd-50 pastry chef Sam Mason will be opening a joint of his own, Tailor, at the beginning of March. As he prepares for the big day, he's been chronicling his exploits for Grub Street. In today's installment, he considers tableware, purchases some kitchen machinery, and reveals how to make the most perfect soft-boiled egg. (Hint: You won't be able to do it at home.) Learn about it at Grub Street.

Sam Mason and the Fabulous Egg Machine [Grub Street]

More: food, restaurants

Grub Street

2/ 7/07

4:46 PM

‘Dutchman’ Flames On at Carlyle

The Carlyle is an institution, and so, by now, is Per Se; still, glaring at each other diagonally across the park, they seem to belong to slightly different universes. No more! Brian Van Flandern, a former head mixologist at Per Se, is bringing his bag of tricks to the Carlyle's Bemelmans Bar. Van Flandern's signature, career-making, in no way autobiographical "Flaming Dutchman" (key ingredients: cognac, sherry, gin, and a lot of publicity) will be reborn at its new home with a slight twist. No word on whether Per Se's notorious "Tonic With Gin" concoction, which involved brewing small batches of homemade tonic water from imported quinine, will be reprised as well. Our Grub Street brethren have the rest of the scoop.

Per Se Mixologist to Light a Flaming Lemon Peel Under Bemelmans' Ass [Grub Street]

More: brian van flandern, cafe carlyle, per se

Grub Street

2/ 6/07

5:12 PM

On Super Bowl Sunday, Spotted Pig Staff Partied Like It Was 1999

Photo: Melissa Hom

Where does Spotted Pig owner Ken Friedman hold his holiday party? Not at the Spotted. When does he hold it? Not during the holiday season. And what does he serve? More food that you can imagine. This past Sunday — Super Bowl Sunday — Friedman threw a belated holiday party for his Pig staff at Del Posto, another eatery owned by part Pig owner Mario Batali. The feast was one of Dionysian excess — a roasted pig, mac 'n' cheese with black truffles, innumerable apps, cake "served by scantily clad babes." Rob and Robin have the complete menu — plus photos! — at Grub Street.

Batali Helps Devise Insane Feast for Spotted Pig Staff [Grub Street]

More: food, parties, spotted pig

Grub Street

2/ 5/07

2:13 PM

Beef Lifts Us Up Where We Belong

Photo: Melissa Hom

Bad news for all the single people of New York: Valentine's Day is mercilessly creeping up on us. (Depressing, isn't it?) There are several gastronomic ways to mark the date, as the Underground Gourmet points out on Grub Street today. You could stay at home and order pizza; you could drown your sorrows in a vat of Häagen-Dazs; you could spend the evening with the gallant General Tso, who in such cases we have always found to be both an officer and a gentleman. Or if you're determined to celebrate your singlehood — and perhaps ensure that you remain that way — you could try the sandwich the Underground Gourmet has identified as Sandwich of the Week: the Breakup Burger. Find out all about it at Grub Street.

Sandwich of the Week: Twisted Burger's Breakup Burger [Grub Street]

More: food, holidays, valentine's day

Grub Street

2/ 2/07

12:44 PM

Room Service, at Your Service

The self-consciously hip Flatiron club Room Service has several gimmicks, and one of them is this: With a reservation for one of the curtained-off VIP cabanas — and 24 hours' notice — a Room Service concierge will deliver anything your VIPness desires. So what have patrons been requesting? Grub Street's Daniel Maurer got his hands on a list of every item demanded over a two-week period, and it runs from Ben & Jerry's to wasabi peas. We promise some stops along the way are more salacious.

Weird Deliveries Demanded by Club VIPs [Grub Street]

More: celebrities, clubs

Grub Street

2/ 1/07

10:39 AM

All Hail the Top Chef

Photo: Bravo

Well, hey, who'd have thunk it? Turns out Ilan won Top Chef. (Of course he did. No surprise ending has been this preordained since John Faso thought he stood a chance against Spitzer.) But, still, even though the result wasn't in doubt, the great existential question of reality television demands attention: What did it mean? Thankfully, Grub Street's Josh Ozersky joined New York's favorite couch potato, Adam Sternbergh, to answer just that question. Read their colloquy on Grub Street.

Ilan Won, Yes, But What Does It All Mean? [Grub Street]

More: bravo, reality tv, restaurants, top chef

Grub Street

1/31/07

3:44 PM

Gramercy Park's Park Chinois: Imitation Is the Highest Form

Photo: iStockphoto.com

A room at the Gramercy Park Hotel: $500. The steak-frites at Balthazar: $30. Being able to order the latter while staying in the former, at any hour: Priceless. Grub Street's Daniel Maurer is reporting that when Park Chinois, the hotel's restaurant, finally opens in the spring, its 24-hour room-service menu will offer facsimiles of classic dishes from many well-known New York restaurants. The list isn't close to final, but Grub Street's got the inside track on some likely contenders.

Gramercy Park Room Service: 'This Next One Is a Nobu Cover' [Grub Street]

More: food, gramercy, hotels, restaurants

Grub Street

1/30/07

5:32 PM

No, One Does Not Go to Lucky Cheng's for the Food

We know we're biased, but we say this in all seriousness: Grub Street has just published its best Ask a Waiter thus far, and what we have to imagine will be the best Ask a Waiter ever. It's with Dirty Delta of Lucky Cheng's, and you'll learn everything you ever wanted to know — plus much more — about being a drag-queen waitress. What does Dirty think about the East Village institution's food, for example? "You don't come to Lucky Cheng's to eat gourmet food," she says. "You come to see some bitch in a G-string acting crazy at your table." But of course. There's so much more at Grub Street.

Dirty Delta of Lucky Cheng's Serves Orgy Bowls to Britney Spears [Grub Street]

More: east village, restaurants, transvestites

Grub Street

1/29/07

5:14 PM

Feeding the Paper Lions

If you pay attention to local foodie press, you've been hearing a lot about PrimeTime Tables, the new service that, essentially, scalps reservations at top restaurants. You've heard speculation about who's behind it, debates about its morality, doubts about whether it actually works. But you haven't heard what it's like to actually use the service. Until now. This weekend, Grub Street's Josh Ozersky pulled off a feat of participatory journalism the likes of which hasn't been seen since George Plimpton last suited up in Detroit. Read all about it on Grub Street.

We Submit Ourselves to PrimeTime Tables [Grub Street]

More: food, internet, restaurants

Grub Street

1/25/07

11:46 AM

Watching ‘Top Chef’ With a Top Chef

Everybody's watching Bravo's latest hit, Top Chef — even professional chefs (and professional food bloggers). After last night's installment, Grub Street's Josh Ozersky checked in with chef Jimmy Bradley for the Red Hat, Mermaid Inn, and Harrison restaurateur's take on the developments. Last season's winner, Harold Dieterle, previously worked at Bradley's the Harrison. With that insight, who does Bradley think will win this time? Ilan. Why? Find out on Grub Street.

Red Cat Owner Betting on Ilan to Win 'Top Chef' [Grub Street]

Related: Sam Talbot (Formerly) of ‘Top Chef’ Splurges at Nobu [Grub Street]

Earlier:
‘Top Chef’'s Marcel Doesn't Love Joel Robuchon That Much [Daily Intel]

So Hot She’s Flammable: Host Roasted by Top Chefs [Intel]

More: bravo, chefs, restaurants, top chef, tv

Grub Street

1/22/07

1:04 PM

$72,000 Monthly Rent for Time Warner Bistro

Photo: Corbis

So how expensive is it to open a restaurant in the Time Warner Center? According to rumors Grub Streeter Josh Ozersky is hearing, rent alone can set you back $72,000 a month. Grub's sources say that's what Marc Murphy will pay to open a new branch of his Tribeca bistro Landmarc in the upscale mall at Columbus Circle. If Jean-Georges Vongerichten couldn't make a go of it there, can things work out for the far more modest Landmarc? Josh considers the question at Grub Street.

Landmarc in the Time Warner Center May Already Be Doomed [Grub Street]

More: restaurants, time warner center

Grub Street

1/17/07

4:01 PM

Restaurant Week, Already?

Image: NYCvisit.com

Next week is Winter Restaurant Week, which means $24.07 at lunch and $35 at dinner for a three-course meal from one of the dozens and dozens of participating New York City eateries. That's quite a deal for lunch at Gramercy Tavern or dinner at Spice Market. But the catch is that there are only so many reservations available — and buzzy spots like those two are probably long booked. What to do? Grub Street to the rescue! Josh Ozersky lists four spots low enough on buzz to give you a good chance of snagging a spot but high enough on quality to earn his recommendation. It's at Grub Street.

A Restaurant Week Guide to the Forgotten and Underappreciated [Grub Street]
Winter Restaurant Week 2007 [NYC&Co.;]

More: food, restaurants

Grub Street

1/16/07

1:31 PM

A New Restaurant for Old Grange Hall Space?

Photo: Kate Attardo

Grub Street has news today that there may finally be a new tenant for the West Village restaurant space best known for housing Grange Hall (and, more recently, Blue Mill) — and it's not highfalutin mixologist Sasha Petraske, who'd previously said he was interested. Nope, the new guy is Harold Moore, a chef who's worked for some of New York's top French toques. Josh Ozersky explains at Grub Street.

Harold Moore of March to Take Over Grange Hall-Blue Mill Space [Grub Street]

More: restaurants, west village

Grub Street

1/12/07

3:47 PM

Colson Whitehead Likes Meat

Photo: Melissa Hom

We all know how to eat breakfast like a champion. Lunching like a MacArthur genius, or dining like a novelist, well, those are less clear-cut endeavors. It's a good thing, then, that Colson Whitehead — MacArthur genius, novelist, Fort Greene resident — chronicled a week in his eating life for Grub Street. The man is an admitted fan of "any sort of meat-in-dough combo — whether it's hot dogs or wontons or pork tacos," but there's lots more in there, too. Check it out on Grub Street.

Colson Whitehead Is a Big Fan of Meat Inside Dough [Grub Street]

More: authors, brooklyn, food, fort greene

Grub Street

1/11/07

4:33 PM

Ted Zagat to Leave the Family Business

Grub Street is breaking the news that guidebook scion Ted Zagat is leaving his parents' Zagat Survey LLC, where he's been the company's president and COO. Writes Grub's Daniel Maurer: He joined the company to "'spearhead the launch of its nightlife guides' and eventually 'moved his way up the company ladder' before 'calling it a day.'" There's more at Grub Street.

Junior Zagat Resigns [Grub Street]

More: food, jobs, zagat survey

Grub Street

1/10/07

1:34 PM

New York Critics May Not Love Gordon Ramsay, But British Gays Do

London superchef Gordon Ramsay opened his New York outpost in November, and critics have not been kind, faulting its food, its service, and its design. But Pink News, a British gay news service, may have identified a larger problem. Ramsay has apparently been ranked one of Britain's Top 50 gay icons, which would mean his West 54th Street location puts Gordon Ramsay at the London about 35 blocks north of its ideal location. It's part of Grub Street's continuing coverage of the (avowedly heterosexual) Mr. Ramsay.

Gordon Ramsay, Gay Icon [Grub Street]

More: chefs, gays, gordon ramsay, restaurants, u.k.

Grub Street

1/ 4/07

1:12 PM

The Art of Making a Restaurant

Photo: Melissa Hom

Yes, yes: We know it's not easy to put something together. (Every minor detail is a major decision, etc.) But just how hard is it to open a new restaurant in the big, bad city? To find out, Grub Street has enlisted Sam Mason, the onetime pastry chef at wd-50 who's opening his own restaurant in March, to file a weeklyish status report. In today's installment, Mason opens his new kitchen toys and considers the profundities of garbage. It's at Grub Street.

Sam Mason Reckons With Garbage [Grub Street]

More: restaurants

Grub Street

1/ 2/07

1:27 PM

‘New York’ Critic Loves Hot New Restaurant to Death

You've heard, of course, of the Sports Illustrated Curse: That teams or players featured on the mag's cover inevitably don't perform as well as they're expected to. We're now forced to wonder if there's a similar Adam Platt Curse, as Dona, a restaurant New York's esteemed chief food critic named one of the city's best newcomers in the current issue, and helmed by a chef, Michael Psilakis, Platt picked as an up-and-comer to watch, has announced it will be closing after Saturday night. Josh Ozersky has the scoop — and more details — at Grub Street.

Dona Closing Saturday [Grub Street]

More: adam platt, restaurants

Grub Street

12/21/06

9:06 AM

Food, Glorious Food!

It may or may not be the most wonderful time of the year, but there is no doubt it is the most well-fed time of the year. Indeed, we're all busy shoveling so much stuff into our mouths this month, we may not give proper consideration to what's coming out of it. Fortunately, New York food critic Adam Platt is here to help. How is ravenous different from famished? Stuffed different from sated? Platt considers twenty terms for degrees of hungriness, and he ranks them all on his Gobbler Scale of Rabid Food Consumption. It's at Grub Street.

The Scale of Rabid Food Consumption, From Ravenous to Blacked Out [Grub Street]

More: adam platt, food, holidays

Grub Street

12/18/06

1:31 PM

Charlie Rose Stole Their Chicken (and That's Not a Euphemism, Sadly)

Photo: Patrick McMullan

Yes, yes. We all know boldfaced names often get preferential treatment, and we know that loyal regulars do, too. So it's no particularly great surprise that when Charlie Rose waltzes into a neighborhood joint in the West Village, he'll be favored and flattered a bit. But recently, Rose went a step further, "accidentally" receiving nearly immediately upon his arrival a roasted chicken destined for — and long-ago ordered by — other diners. Here's the truly delicious part: The patrons whose dinner he droit du seigneured were none other than New York's Underground Gourmets, Rob Patronite and Robin Raisfeld. At Grub Street, read their tale of woe — and remember that the pen is always mightier than a fawning maître d'.

Charlie Rose, Chicken Thief [Grub Street]

More: charlie rose, food, restaurants, west village

Grub Street

12/14/06

3:18 PM

Openings! Openings!

Tired of eating at the same handful of places? (Aren't we all?) Well, good news then. Grub Street's got word of two big new restaurants coming to the ol' Apple. First, "haute southern favorite" Lola has finally gotten itself a new Soho space, a liquor license to go with it, and even a famous chef; look for a February opening. Plus, Hearth chef Marco Canora has announced he'll be opening a new Italian spot in midtown; it's set for March. The Grubbies have the details, and now we're hungry.

Lola Scores Liquor License, Teary-Eyed 'Top Chef' [Grub Street]
Hearth's Marco Canora Opening Two Restaurants in One [Grub Street]

Grub Street

12/13/06

5:39 PM

Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Waiting Tables at Stanton Social

You know you've always wondered what it's like to be a waiter at Stanton Social. (No, really. You have. Just stick with us on this.) Well, today's your lucky day! Grub Street talked to Jason Raines, an actor-waiter, and Jason revealed what to drink when you're with Robert Downey Jr., what it takes to get your check comped, and why Jessica Alba was the restaurant's poster child, if briefly.

Stanton Social's Jason Raines Will Comp Your Meal If Customers Make Out Near You [Grub Street]

More: food, lower east side, restaurants

Grub Street

12/12/06

4:44 PM

It's a Beautiful Day in Gordon Ramsay's Neighborhood

So let's say a superstar British chef comes to New York, and let's say he opens up a new restaurant right around the corner from your apartment. That'd be a good thing for you, right? Wrong, if you live behind Gordon Ramsay's new restaurant at the London NYC. Residents of the building backing up against the hotel have been complaining about incessant noise and unpleasant odors from the restaurant's exhaust fans. Today Grub Street investigated, and the results aren't pretty. Some view, eh?

We Spot-Check Gordon Ramsay's Stink [Grub Street]

More: midtown, restaurants

Grub Street

12/11/06

5:41 PM

Hot-Dog Recession Ends; Hot-Dog Inflation Rampant!

Photo: AP

It kills us to give George Bush credit for this, but apparently the recession is over. What recession, you ask? No idea. But the price of Gray's Papaya's omnipresent "Recession Special" has finally been raised, from $2.75 to $3.50. (Such inflation on your watch, Bush? So much for fiscal conservatism.) It seems this is part of a general Gray's price hike — the standard dog jumped at the start of this month from 95 cents to $1.25 — and, indeed, just a symptom of a much larger hot-dog inflationary trend. Grub Street reports this sad Gray's news — and rounds up what a dog will set you back at nearly every frankfurter emporium in the city. We'd tell you how the inventory was assembled, but, trust us, you don't want to know how the list was made.

Bummer Indeed: Gray's Papaya Finally Raises Prices [Grub Street]

More: food, money

Grub Street

12/ 8/06

3:35 PM

All the Petraske You've Been Dreaming Of

Image: iStockphoto.com

How many openings has Grub Street broken in the last 24 hours? So many we've nearly lost count. First was news of a new Sasha Petraske saloon, this one to forgo the mixology maven's usual carefully constructed cocktails for beer and wine. Next was the report that Amalia, the restaurant and lounge scheduled to open a few weeks ago in the Dream Hotel, won't awaken there till late January. (But Grub's got renderings now!) Finally came one more bit of Petraskiana: The Milk and Honey and Little Branch proprietor wants to add food to his empire, aiming to open a restaurant in the old Grange Hall space in the West Village. Need to know more? It's all on Grub Street.

Milk and Honey Owner to Do Wine and Beer — and Queens! [Grub Street]
Dream Hotel's Restaurant Still a Dream, But Opening in January [Grub Street]
Sasha Petraske to Take on Fine Dining, Too [Grub Street]

More: bars, restaurants

Grub Street

12/ 6/06

2:52 PM

To Boldly Go Where No Toque Has Gone Before

You thought NASA wanted to establish a base on the moon just to further the causes of science and exploration? Hardly. The space race is back, baby, and this time the enemies challenging America's rightful dominance are — zut alors! the French. Pardon? That's right. Apparently bored of Tang and freeze-dried ice cream, NASA will soon be sending astronauts to space with meals crafted by Rachael Ray. The cheese-eating surrender monkeys, however, have contributed menus to the International Space Station, via the European Space Agency, by none other than multi-Michelin'd Alain Ducasse. Grub Street has the details — and, now that the battle is joined, will no doubt imminently have news of France's surrender.

Ducasse, Ray Feeding Astronauts [Grub Street]

More: food, france, space

Grub Street

12/ 5/06

11:34 AM

Floating Bar-Restaurant to Leave Its Pier, Too

Speaking of long-tenured tenants of the Hudson River piers: The Frying Pan, that floating West Chelsea institution docked for years at Pier 63, is finally sailing off into the night. The 1929 lightship that houses the bar and café is being forced from its mooring as the city rebuilds that section of Hudson River Park, reports Daniel Maurer at Grub Street. Will that leave the pan permanently unfried? Oh, no, far from it. Grub Street's got the goods.

City Sinks Beloved Party Vessel; New Location in the Works [Grub Street]

More: hudson river, restaurants

Grub Street

12/ 4/06

4:27 PM

Eating on a Jet Plane

Photo: Bombardier.com

Think there are no new ways left to demonstrate that you have much, much too much money? Think again. As Grub Street's Daniel Maurer reports, there's now a service — Jet Dining, it's called — that will pick you up, fly you across the country in a private jet, get you a dinner reservation at the restaurant of your choice, and drop you back home in time to wake the kids up for school the next morning. And it's only a mere $30,000 to try the new Batali restaurant in Los Angeles tomorrow night. The cost of the meal is included in the tab, but there's no word on whether the Jet Dining can score you a last-minute table at Per Se. Curious about other trips? It's all at Grub Street.

Got $25,000? A Learjet and a Table at Mozza Await [Grub Street]

More: food, travel

Grub Street

11/30/06

11:36 AM

Make Burgers, Not War

Photo: iStockphoto.com

Love greasy fast-food burgers but hate the guilty residue of knowing the multinational corporation producing your patty is destroying the world and exploiting its employees? Well, boy, are you in luck! Joe Bastianich, the less Batalian half of the Babbo–Del Posto ownership team, has a brilliant new idea for a sustainable, progressive burger joint. Tentatively called Heritage Burger, it'll be run as a nonprofit. Josh Ozersky has all the details at Grub Street.

Joe Bastianich Has a Hamburger Dream [Grub Street]

More: food

Grub Street

11/29/06

9:23 AM

Vegas, Vegas, It's a Helluva Town

New York, New York, Las Vegas, NevadaPhoto: Getty Images/AFP

Tired of going away for a weekend and having that vacation spot feel, you know, different from home? Then it's your lucky day. Because God forbid Las Vegas should have any indigenous cuisine, Grub Street's Daniel Maurer broke news yesterday that potentially three more noted New York restaurateurs will be joining the other big-name, franchised eateries in Sin City. Soon, it seems, you'll be able to gamble and ogle showgirls (do they even still have showgirls in Vegas?) while dining Terrance Brennan's Artisanal, Jeffery Chodorow's Asia de Cuba, or François Payard's Payard Patisserie. Grub Street's got the details.

Terrance Brennan to Make Vegas Just a Little Bit Cheesier? [Grub Street]
Chodorow and Payard May Also Ride Gravy Train to Vegas [Grub Street]

More: food, las vegas, restaurants

Grub Street

11/22/06

10:52 AM

Smoked Versus Fried: You Make the Call!

I think that I shall never see / a foodstuff lovely as a deep-fried slider.Photo: Melissa Hom

You know you like smoked food. (Mmm … ribs; mmm … lox.) And you know you like deep-fried food. (Mmm … well, anything.) But it takes a craftily hungry mind like Grub Streeter Daniel Maurer's to carefully consider a question you never would have thought to ask: Is the same bit of food better when smoked or deep-fried? Daniel enlisted two Park Slopers in his quest — Biscuit's Josh Cohen smokes and ChipShop's Chris Sell fries — and they've been testing everything from PB&J; to sushi. And in this morning's climax, they face off over White Castle sliders. Which method comes out on top? Take a ride on Grub Street's Trans-Fat Express to find out.

Biscuit Battles ChipShop: Is PB&J; Better Fried or Smoked?
Biscuit Battles ChipShop, Part Two: Is Sushi Better Fried or Smoked?
Biscuit Battles ChipShop, Part Three: Are White Castles Better Fried or Smoked?

More: food, park slope

Grub Street

11/17/06

5:06 PM

Google Opens New Cafeteria, Induces Mass Jealousy

Photo: Everett Bogue

Google moved its New York headquarters into the old Port Authority building in Chelsea a few months ago, and this week its fabled cafeteria finally opened. Grub Street has Wednesday's opening-day menu, and, well, let's just say we're no longer quite as enamored of 444 Madison's (usually) beloved Inhouse Nosh Café. Hanger steak, striped bass, ice cream imported from the Bay Area — and that's just the beginning. Check out the whole thing at Grub Street.

New Google Cafeteria Crushes Competitors' Cafeterias [Grub Street]

More: food, google

Grub Street

11/15/06

4:12 PM

And Adam Platt Saw the Beef, and It Was Good

Photo: iStockphoto.com

New York is teeming with big-deal new steakhouses these days, and New York's venerable restaurant critic, Adam Platt, has been eating at most of them. Thinking of adding your own offering to the meaty mix? Absolutely free of charge, Platt tells you how to do it right. Over on Grub Street, it's the Gobbler's Nine Commandments of New York Steakhouses, running from the first course ("Thou shalt serve a crappy shrimp cocktail") to the last ("Thou shalt serve very large, though tedious desserts"), with many stops along the way. What are the other seven commandments? Check them out on Grub Street.

The Nine Steakhouse Commandments [Grub Street]

More: food, restaurants, steak

Grub Street

11/14/06

12:03 PM

Another Openin'

It's all openings all the time, it seems, at Grub Street this morning. Fatty Crabber Zak Pelaccio isn't going national, Josh Ozersky reports, but he is going international — taking over an Alain Ducasse restaurant in London and launching a Malaysian place there. Rob and Robin, meantime, bring news that carb impresario Maury Rubin is expanding his empire with two new Manhattan branches of Birdbath, his ecofriendly bakery. And Josh also has word of changes in Michael Psilakis's Greek-food empire, including the reinvention of one restaurant and the creation of another. It's all on Grub Street.

Zak Pelaccio Opening New Restaurant — in London [Grub Street]
Ecofriendly Bakery Suddenly Bent on World Domination [Grub Street]
Michael Psilakis Aims for A-List With Midtown Opening [Grub Street]

More: food, restaurants

Grub Street

11/ 8/06

1:28 PM

Mario Batali, Slowly Roasted

Photo: Getty Images

We confess we've been a bit confused all along about why there was a big-deal celebrity roast scheduled for Mario Batali: Aren't these sorts of things usually reserved for comedians? We always thought so. But somehow last night's for-charity skewering of the chubby chef at Capitale became one of the big high-profile parties of the week. Roasters included Sarah Silverman, Triumph the Insult Comic Dog, and Anthony Bourdain. Josh Ozersky was there, too, and he reports the night's best jibes at Grub Street.

Mario Batali Is a Kobe Human, and Other Great Lines From His Roast [Grub Street]

More: events, food, mario batali, restaurants

Grub Street

11/ 8/06

11:22 AM

Grub Street Pigs Out

Casella, and dinner.Photo: Josh Ozersky

Cesare Casella, the chef at the West Village's Maremma, is creating his own breed of pig, and Grub Street's Josh Ozersky is more than a little obsessed. On Monday, Grubbie Josh hitched a ride with Casella and a crew of other leading city chefs to head upstate and visit Stonewall Preserve, where this genetics experiment is happening. They met the pigs, and they ate one. What did they think? And who was there? Head over to Grub Street for the story.

Cesare Casella Invents a New Pig! [Grub Street]
Earlier: Chef Plans to Build a Better Big [Grub Street]

More: food

Grub Street

11/ 6/06

1:13 PM

Platt Reviews Hearst Cafeteria; Mag-Food Aficionados Rejoice

There's a not insignificant population of this city that actually stops to consider the relative merits of magazine-company cafeterias. (We know, for example, that we need to try Hearst and the new second-string Condé at 750 Third, and that we really ought to recheck Time & Life, which we were always fond of but haven't been to in years. Oh, and that some of the best shrimp cocktail you'll ever eat comes at Newsweek-catered events.) These wacky folks (ahem) can tell you what's good at one place and bad at another, who's got the best prices, and — in the most extreme cases — on which days you'll get which specials. So why shouldn't there be professional critics reviewing these places, too? Finally, there are! On Grub Street, Adam Platt gives his evaluation of the new Hearst cafeteria, located in the Norman Foster–designed Hearst Tower, catered by Restaurant Associates, and boasting sushi every day. Is it enough to lure him away from 444 Madison and our little, beloved In-House Nosh Café? Click over to Grub Street to find out.

The Gobbler Visits the New Hearst Cafeteria, Finds Chiseled Cheekbones [Grub Street]

More: food, hearst

Grub Street

11/ 3/06

12:52 PM

French Chefs Prep for Marathon the Way Americans Prep for Heart Failure

The marathoners' lunch at Nougatine yesterday.Photo: Melissa Hom

So how does a team of French chefs in town for the marathon prepare for the big race? By eating, of course. But we're not talking old-school, spaghetti-dinner carb-loading. No, these guys — sponsored, we kid you not, by the French tripe council — are spending three days wolfing down enough butter and cream to keep us from walking much farther than to the bathroom, let alone running 26 miles. Their full gastro-itinerary? Josh Ozersky's got it at Grub Street.

French Chefs Prepare for New York Marathon With Eating Marathon [Grub Street]

More: food, france, marathon

Grub Street

11/ 2/06

2:54 PM

Daniel Picketed!

Outside Daniel Tuesday night.Photo: YunCee Ng

When you drop $216 on dinner for two – that's with one drink and a tip, of course – you naturally expect what Zagat reviewers have dubbed a "luxurious temple" of "fine dining" where the "flawless" New French fare is "enthralling," the wines "wonderful," service "seamless," and the "exquisite room" "adorned with gorgeous flowers." What you might less expect, however, is a "labor war" "brewing" "out front." But that's just what diners at Daniel – a 28/28/28, if you're keeping track at home – discovered when they arrived Tuesday night. Grubbie Josh Ozersky explains that Mr. Boulud is battling a group called the Restaurant Opportunities Center of New York, and he lays out the terms of the battle on Grub Street.

Daniel Under Attack! (Again) [Grub Street]

More: daniel, labor unions, restaurants

Grub Street

10/30/06

10:27 AM

The Tea Room Is Coming! The Tea Room Is Coming!

Photo: Jed Egan

The Russian Tea Room most recently closed four years ago. It's most recently returning this week, opening for a soft launch on Wednesday and taking its first reservations for Friday night. And today our very own Grub Street scores the first pictures of the caviar emporium; rest assured, there's still a juggling bear.

First Look Inside the Russian Tea Room [Grub Street]

More: photos, restaurants, russian tea room

Grub Street

10/26/06

10:33 AM

Be Thin Like Adam Platt

Photo: iStockphoto.com

How does a restaurant critic — a man whose very vocation requires him to eat prodigiously — stay lithe and slim? (And how can the rest of us get a job where weighing in at 225 is considered "slim"?) In his most recent Gobbler contribution to Grub Street, New York's leviathan of a professional eater, Adam Platt, shares the trade secrets for keeping in shape. Remember, he says, that nutritionists are your friends and that bread baskets are your enemies. There are more tips where that came from; just take a run down Grub Street.

How a Restaurant Critic Diets [Grub Street]

More: exercise, food, health

Grub Street

10/25/06

1:17 PM

When Chefs Wish Upon a Star...

Allons, enfants de la patrie, le jour de Michelin est arrivé! That's right, enfants, the new New York Michelin rankings came out yesterday, and it's good to be Per Se, Le Bernardin, or Jean Georges — the city's only three-star establishments. There are plenty of reasons for people to be happy, but also plenty of things to grumble about. Down on Grub Street, Josh Ozersky gives his take on the red book's choices — and he gets some chefs, including starry Eric Ripert, to weigh in, too.

Michelin's Explosive New Red Book [Grub Street]
Chefs Curse, Bless New Michelin Guide [Grub Street]

More: food, michelin guide, restaurants

Grub Street

10/24/06

4:09 PM

Queens Food Cart Wins Big at Vendys; Berlin Falls

Sunday night was the high point of the year for aficionados of our fair city's fairly delicious street food. That's right, it was the 2nd Annual Vendy Awards, which names the city's most outstanding food vendor. The winner was Samiul Haque Noor, who runs Sammy's Halal in Queens, where, according to his nomination, "the secret spices in this man's chicken … have the entire South Asian community of Jackson Heights lining up for more." But anyone could tell you that. Over at Grub Street, Josh Ozersky checked in with the outgoing Mr. Vendor, Rolf Babiel of Hallo Berlin, who looked back on his year of service and regretted that the experience wasn't a little more like being Miss Universe. (In context, it actually makes sense.) Take a walk down Grub Street for the whole story.

Last Year's Vendy Winner Envies Miss Universe [Grub Street]

More: food

Grub Street

10/20/06

11:19 AM

Beer, Glorious Beer

Photo: iStockphoto.com

Over at Grub Street, Josh Ozersky, Grubber-in-chief, has pointed us to what might be the single best thing going on in New York this weekend — or, for that matter, ever. It's the Brewtopia Great World Beer Festival, and it's at the Javits Center today and tomorrow. It costs $60 to get in, as we understand it, and then it's all you can drink. And, hell, that's cheaper than our average weekend-night bar tab, which is certainly not all you can drink. (Well, at least not de jure, anyway.) Grub's got the full info.

Beer-Fueled Madness at Javits Center This Weekend [Grub Street]

More: alcohol, beer, events

Grub Street

10/ 9/06

6:00 PM

DiSpirito Bottoms Out

You know all about adorable Rocco — the restaurants, the failed restaurants, all the TV appearances (and failed TV shows). What you don't know is just how bad things have gotten for him. Bertolli, the olive-oil company, has been mounting a stealth-marketing campaign, in which hacky "chefs" indirectly pitch the product. And, as our well-fed colleagues at Grub Street have noticed, Mr. DiSpirito is at the fore of that gastroridiculous bunch. Grub Street has the whole story.

Having Hit Rock Bottom, Rocco DiSpirito Speaks [Grub Street]

More: advertising, rocco dispirito

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