Food

Today we get word over the tipline about a grody-sounding supposed new trend: edible alcohol. And while we're generally in favor of all things involving booze, these offerings give us reason to pause. We're not talking about penne a la vodka here—think more like "drunken desserts" and "aperitif apps." more ›

The facade of soon-to-be demolished Mars Bar has seen a few changes in recent days. The words Thanks for the memories have been painted above the entrance, and the latest addition is a mural painted next to the entrance, which depicts a sleek, modern building closely resembling the controversial Cooper Square Hotel. more ›

Now that the weekend is almost here, and you can probably escape your desk for food, it's the perfect time to embark upon an ethnic eating adventure. Might we suggest hopping the R train to Sunset Park to check out Yun Nan Flavor Snack, one of the city's only purveyors of Yunnanese (the southern Chinese province bordering Vietnam) food? Don't expect much from the decor at this hole-in-the-wall, but do be prepared for some unique, strangely addictive noodles and dumplings for little more than the cost of the subway ride that got you there. more ›

Something was missing in the new rules for the Passangers Bill of Rights. Peanuts. Though last year the Department of Transportation asked for public opinion on how to deal with passengers with nut allergies, it turns out there is a law that makes it currently impossible for it to ban or restrict them from flights. more ›

Precious theatergoers across the city are being wooed to linger (and drop more cash monies) at the venue before and after shows with the allure of local, artisanal concessions, the New York Times reported yesterday. Tumabdor chocolates, Ceci-Cela pastries, and hummus and lentil stew are showing up at theaters like Classic Stage and St. Ann's Warehouse, who are partnering with local restaurants and producers to provide the high-end snacks. more ›

When it was originally declared in 1970, Earth Day—occurring every April 22nd—aspired to be a time set aside for us to learn about the importance of taking care of our precious but oft-neglected environment. You can still find out how to do that here, but like most great holidays, Earth Day is being exploited for commercial profit. We think any exploitation that involves food and alcohol is probably the least evil, which is why we've rounded up the city's sustainable culinary expressions of appreciation for mother nature. There are green cupcakes at CRUMBS, free coffee or tea at Starbucks, candle-light dinner at Cadaqués, a whole hog to be had at Eataly, cheap local brews in Bushwick's Pine Box Rock Shop, and dinner for tree at L’artusi and dell’anima. All events take place today unless otherwise stated. Click through on the photos for all the details! more ›

The New York Public Library has long been a haven for the niche market of food-obsessed history buffs, maintaining an exhaustive collection of restaurant menus from 1840 to today. But now, they're taking it one step further with the launch of a crowdsourced menu transcription project, in an effort to make their ginormous menu database more digestible (forgive us). more ›

A few days ago, stoners, college kids, and other champions of fine cuisine across the nation breathed a collective sigh of relief when the false advertising lawsuit against Taco Bell, claiming that the restaurant's "taco meat filling" was only about 35% beef, was dropped. But that's not enough for the chain, whose mighty exterior belies a vulnerable inside: miffed, the Bell took out a full-page ad in USA Today with the question "Would it kill you to say you're sorry?" in giant purple letters, clearly directed at plaintiff Amanda Obney and her lawyers. more ›

Click through on the photos for the scoop on the new restaurants and bars around town, which include West Village charmer Monument Lane, the sweet new beer and healthy comfort food spot Little Town NYC, midtown's seasonal/continental Gotham 50, a grilled cheese destination at Melt Shop, and the new Love Gelato Café and Gelateria on 7th Avenue South. more ›

The FDA Food Safety Modernization Act that President Obama signed into law this year didn't just bring us a fancy new FDA recall page. It also is sending the 125-year-old A.L. Bazzini Co., which makes the “official peanut of Yankee Stadium,” out of New York and into the loving embrace of Pennsylvania. more ›

The epic battle of wills between Major League Eating and major league eater Takeru Kobayashi has not cooled since the hot-dog eater went to jail last July 4. Hidden by the League's announcement of a new ladies-only hot dog eating contest was the fact that Kobayashi, a six-time world champion, has been removed from the league's "Wall of Fame." Worse, he's been replaced by no less than Sonya "The Black Widow" Thomas, who has never won the competition (but has eaten a terrifying 41 dogs and buns in ten minutes). more ›

You may get a sinking feeling as you approach Mr. Robata, the new Japanese restaurant on Broadway, in the north end of the theater district—you'll find it located next to a souvenir shop and directly next door Flash Dancers, "A Gentleman's Club." Not a promising location (depending on what you're into) but behind its doors awaits a little oasis of sophisticated Japanese cooking. To start, you may consider the Foie Gras Cappuccino? more ›

Sure, ramps get all the hype, but there are plenty of other delicious green things popping up at the city's Greenmarkets as spring finally comes into its own. For example: asparagus. more ›

A junior chef at a posh midtown restaurant associated with Gordon Ramsay has filed a complaint with the State Division of Human Rights, accusing cooks at Gordon Ramsay at The London NYC of sexually harassing her. And after she couldn't take it any more and complained, the male chefs refused to work with her and staged a walkout. Commis chef Janet Kim claims she was groped, called a "whore" and propositioned for oral sex while working in the kitchen, and she tells The Post, "We're way past 'Hell's Kitchen'. It's more like Dante's Inferno." more ›

The best part of Easter Sunday—after the colorful Fifth Avenue Parade and before the Peeps sugar coma—is always what we like to call, the "Easter-Feaster". Maybe you've got family in town, or you've convinced your mother you can't make it out for her "famous" lamb shank this time, or you just want somewhere to show off your Easter bonnet. Whatever your reason, there's no judgment here; check out these six promising options. more ›

Last we heard of Eliot Spitzer's old escort Ashley Dupre, the multi-talented young lass was looking to get into real estate. We guess the commissions weren't good enough though, because now Dupre is joining up with the luminous likes of Heidi Montag, Real Housewives of New Jersey's Danielle Staub, and The Bachelor's Jake Pavelka for a new reality restaurant show called Famous Food. We're imagining a combination of I'm A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here and Celebrity Rehab with a dash of America's Next Great Restaurant, and we can't wait. more ›

Yesterday afternoon, chef and owner Peter Hoffman announced that his 21-year-old Soho restaurant Savoy will serve its last meal on June 18th. He plans to keep and reopen the space this fall with a new name and concept. more ›

Celebrity chef David Bouley just opened his new, much-delayed, Japanese restaurant Brushstroke but his neighbors could care less. In fact, one neighbor of Bouley's Duane Street mini-empire has gone and sued the chef over the rancid garbage his staff leaves on the street, claiming it has led to "an infestation of fruit flies, blood-sucking bugs, bugs that just raise welts, odors of rotting garbage, seeping black ooze through the floor and dangerous waste piled high in front of 155 Duane Street." more ›

Yes, putting in your time at the Park Slope Food Co-op is important. But you know what else is important? Castle with Nathan Fillion. At least that seemed to be the reasoning of one volunteer. A tipster e-mailed FIPS on Monday night about a strange sign he saw on the door of the Co-op. He writes: more ›

It used to be that if you wanted a taste of of locally cured pickles or bacon caramel popcorn at the Brooklyn Flea, you had to first fight past hordes of bargain hunters diving for refurbished cabinets and vintage jewelry. Until now! The recently expanded Williamsburg Flea is launching a food-only Saturday market, cheekily named "Smorgasburg." more ›

With warm weather just around the corner, USA Today has taken a look at some of the strange new drinks coming to chains near you (Mountain Dew Coolattas! Jamocha Oreo Shakes!) and one new drink in particular deserves calling out for its sheer genius (really a new cup). In June 7-Eleven will be putting out a line of dual-chambered Slurpees for those times when one flavor just isn't enough. And it gets better. more ›

Since New York started handing out letter grades with their Department of Health inspections, a number of college cafeterias have been performing quite poorly and students and their parents are not amused. Today the Times catches up with the story, and though the schools are rushing to fix things ("We let the students down,” one admin said) it is too little, too late for some. Why bother with school food, these kids want their Five Guys, and they want it now! more ›

We first encountered breast milk cheese—the forbidden fromage—last year at chef Daniel Angerer's Klee Brasserie, then again this winter when a London restaurant was sued by Lady Gaga for serving "Baby Gaga" breast milk ice cream. But until now, most of our experiences with boob cheese have been confined to restaurants, not art galleries. more ›

[UPDATE BELOW] Ramps are SO IMPORTANT, you guys. But springtime ramp-mania may have taken its toll, because according to a few botanists, the delicate Alliaceae (aka the "God of all vegetables") are being overharvested. James Chamberlain of the United States Forest Service told the Times, "I think we’re having an impact on ramp populations. I would say that we’re overharvesting the plants.” This could be as bad as the great Bitters shortage of 2010! more ›

Training for the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest yet? If you're a woman, you could just be that much closer to the a crown! Because according to George Shea, chairman of Major League Eating, stuffing your face with hot dogs is basically like tennis. “Leading sports organizations including the NCAA, USTA and professional golf have long had separate championships for men and women,” he said in a statement. “Sonya Thomas has been called the Michelle Wie of Brie and the Mia Hamm of Ham, but she’s never been called Nathan’s Famous July Fourth Champion. Perhaps this is the year she secures that title." more ›

In one of the more bizarre, if endearing, fundraisers we've heard of, a Red Hook bartender is planning a 15-hour marathon ping pong tournament next Saturday to raise money for his much-needed dental work (the result of a car accident several years ago). And not only is bartender Jamie, whose lack of teeth hasn't held him back from a rigorous ping pong training schedule, playing nonstop at B61 Bar from 1 p.m. to 4 a.m., but he is challenging well-documented tabletop doyenne Susan Sarandon to a match as well. more ›

Jesús Núñez's Upper West Side Spanish-modernist restaurant Graffit gets the Times treatment today and walks away with one-star from Sam Sifton. At the restaurant "Núñez deconstructs ideas, melts them, renders food surreal," but that isn't always a good thing. Crazy dishes like a poached egg whose whites have been replaced with cauliflower puree and a dessert that features "an astringent gelatinized film" of Moscatel "spread across a plate, with bits of dried fruit and vegetable suspended within it—sweet to one side and savory to the other," may be pretty but they are ultimately failures. Luckily the restaurant still has some successful dishes with big flavors (Sifton loves the pear salad and the salt cod) and great service. more ›

And the list of free promotional food trucks gets longer! Dunkin' Donuts, already nearly inescapable in our fair city, has gone and joined the food truck game. And when they say truck they mean truck. Just look at that picture! more ›

Click through on the photos for the scoop on the upcoming "Brooklyn Beer Blitz" brewery bike tour, the new bigger location of Chinese restaurant Xi'An, tickets to the previously sold-out Manhattan Cocktail Classic gala, and next week's candy making demonstration from PapaBubble. more ›

Recently, City Councilman Leroy Comrie Jr. floated the idea of requiring fast food meals to meet certain nutritional standards if they include toys. However, his mission is being thwarted by...free will! In a lawsuit, Sacramento mom Monet Parham accuses McDonald's of luring children with toys, but the fast food chain says the case should be dismissed because parents can always choose not to buy the meals for their kids. "In short, advertising to children any product that a child asks for but the parent does not want to buy would constitute an unfair trade practice," they said in a statement. However, not everyone is buying it. more ›

A California woman who filed a class action lawsuit against Taco Bell accusing the wildly successful fast food chain of false advertising has withdrawn her lawsuit, which alleged that Taco Bell's "taco meat filling" is only about 35% beef, with binders, preservatives, additives and other agents making up the other 65%. And hence, calling it beef was balderdash. But Taco Bell pushed back hard against the lawsuit, spending between $3 million and $4 million on an ad campaign defending its beef. The company also threatened to countersue the plaintiff, who has now quietly dropped the lawsuit. more ›

Soon enough sober commuters will have another option for lubrication when passing through Grand Central: Park Slope's Beer Table has signed a seven-year-lease for a 300-square-foot outpost in the station's Graybar passage between Lexington Avenue and the Great Hall. more ›

Stoner holiday 4/20 is coming up tomorrow. Not that you really need a holiday as an excuse to burn one, but if you do find yourself with the munchies, try to wander your way in the direction of a Two Boots pizza. Between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. they'll be giving away free half-slices of "The Dude" pizza, made with tasso, ground beef, cheddar and mozzarella. But watch out, the dangerous combination of a pot buzz and the meat sweats could trigger some strange hallucinations: more ›

Next month the community board that covers North Brooklyn is expected to vote on a moratorium on new liquor licenses in Williamsburg and Greenpoint. Board chairman Christopher Olechowski tells the Wall Street Journal, "We feel that the community is over inundated with the bars and it's becoming not only a quality of life issue but it's a safety hazard. Too much of a good thing starts turning into something that turns counterproductive for a community. Where are we going with this?" Good question—we were thinking first The Diamond, then The Gutter, then maybe the late night happy hour at The Soft Spot, followed by Lucky Dog, and shots at The Woods? And guess what? The State Liquor Authority isn't going to stand in our staggering, loudmouthed way. more ›

For the second year in a row, the annual Vendy Awards will be held on Governor's Island. But it's not all about the food this year. The Vendys will be introducing the "Most Heroic Vendor" award, which director Helena Tubis tells us could go to anyone from the guy who called the cops on the Times Square bomber to the one who remembers your complicated coffee order every morning. "In recognition that we work with all street vendors, we wanted to go beyond recognizing culinary achievements," she said. more ›

Welcome to the Lunch Quadrant, where we offer you four lunch options (two standing, two sitting) by a given subway stop. After leaving Manhattan for Long Island City last week we're back in this week with a look around Wall Stret. In particular this week going around the Wall Street 2/3 stop and the Broad Street J/Z stop. There are definitely other options in the area though—don't be shy about adding your favorites into the comments! more ›

As if The Donald didn't have enough on his hands with his reality show, his fake presidential campaign, and his efforts to be involved with every New York landmark he can, now he's getting litigious in the Holy Land. Last week his company filed an injunction to prevent an Israeli company from selling Trump Vodka without his consent or authorization. more ›

From what we've gathered, America's chain restaurants just don't understand the difference between alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. First a 15-month-old was served a margarita at an Applebee's, then a two-year-old was served sangria at an Olive Garden. Today, a Chicago mom is claiming her four-year-old daughter, Brooklyn (or Brooklynn), was served a Mudslide at Chili's. It's never been a better time for toddlers to get their drink on, and as long as they hand over their plastic keys to a designated driver, what's the harm? more ›

Several restaurants in Manhattan are cashing in on the Tax Day blues by offering alcohol-related specials to help diners forget about where all their hard-earned money is going. Both Boqueria Soho (171 Spring Street) and Boqueria Flatiron (53 West 19th Street) are offering a free special-edition cocktail to customers who ask for it tonight. Called the 1040EZ, it's made with tequila, lime juice and blood orange, and arrives free with the check if diners mention this offer. Meanwhile, all BLT locations will be offering half-price drinks all. night. long. That includes cocktails, beer, wines by the glass and bottles of wine! Participating locations are BLT Steak, BLT Prime, BLT Fish, BLT Burger, BLT Bar & Grill, and Go Burger. (Details on locations here.) more ›

In case you couldn't tell, Passover is starting, meaning Chosen People across the city are attempting to keep a kosher home and lifestyle. And according to news sources around the city, they're doing that in many different ways. First off: Passover apps! more ›

Earlier this month the police shuttered Rob Shamlian's two LES spots Los Feliz and Mason Dixon, citing underage drinking. Los Feliz reopened this weekend and Mason Dixon is expected to reopen soon, but their shutterings have brought new attention to the dramatically increased police presence in the area of late. Bar owners are claiming conspiracy ("There is something amiss when a restaurant with great food, great relationships with the neighbors, no noise complaints, and a responsible policy toward underage drinking gets shut down."), and recent statements from the number two at the 7th Precinct, while denying a conspiracy, certainly should give bar owners pause. more ›

Now that Four Loko is so 2010, malt liquor purveyors Colt 45 want to be next in line to tempt teenagers and anger politicians. So they've jumped on the alcopop bandwagon! Their new beverage, Blast, is a 12 percent ABV malt beverage with "natural fruit flavors" like Strawberry Lemonade or Blueberry Pomegranate. Snoop Dogg is on board: more ›

The Royal Wedding is, like, so close mates. And we don't know about you but we've already got the Gothamist headquarters decked out in wedding regalia, ready for Kate and Will's big day on April 29 (only eleven days people!). But we've realized that while we've got the iPad app and we've watched the spoof videos, we didn't have enough royal food products in our lives. Thank god for the Internets. Here are our five must-haves for the hungry Royal-obsessive. (And for everyone else, take solace in the fact that American's just don't seem that interested in the wedding this go-round). more ›

Move over Cadbury Eggs Benedict, we spent yesterday in the kitchen coming up with our own ways to put a spin on everyone's favorite Easter treats. The results are below, so if you aren't scared of mutilating a cute Peeps with a hand blender (or any of these ingredients), dig in... more ›

[UPDATE BELOW] In December, Community Board 3 voted to approve a plan to demolish buildings along Second Avenue, including famous East Village dive Mars Bar, and replace them with affordable and market-rate housing. And it appears the end is coming soon. Reader Michelle Kaminer took this photo yesterday afternoon of the latest message to get painted outside of the bar: "Thanks For The Memories." Then again, if you were actually sober enough to have any memories of Mars Bar you didn't do it right. more ›

Happy almost-Passover! Over the past few years many Jews have been trying to spice up the typical kugel-and-matzoh seders, and one ingredient that's grown in popularity is quinoa, a South American grain that's high in protein. But even though some boxes of the stuff are labeled "kosher for Passover" the jewry (sorry) is out on whether or not that's possible. And according to the Times, "A definitive answer is not likely to be reached until a rabbi can be dispatched to a remote mountain region of Bolivia to inspect certain quinoa operations." more ›

In this city, restaurants come and go faster than you can say "sustainable locavore burger." And even though there are great new additions to the culinary landscape popping up every week, you've gotta give kudos to anyone who can stick it out for over a year. With that in mind, we bring you Still Got It, our tribute to establishments that continue to serve mouthwatering meals and drinks long after the buzz has faded—or if the lingering hype is still justified. more ›

We always listen to Canadian electrofunk outfits for culinary advice, so we were heartbroken to find that Montreal group Chromeo has some hometown allegiance when it comes to noshing. "Montreal bagels are full of finesse and sophistication," singer Dave 1 told Rolling Stone while at Coachella. Dammit, now we have to make the switch! more ›

Earlier this week, Brooklyn Brewery noticed that Dallas' Eno's Pizza Tavern seemed to have taken some artistic liberties when designing their logo. Namely, that they copied the iconic Brooklyn Brewery logo, designed by Milton Glaser. The folks at Eno's told us they hadn't yet heard of any problems with the design, but according to the Dallas Observer the restaurant was soon in talks with Brooklyn Brewery regarding the infringement allegations. And would you look at that, now Eno's has a different logo on their website! more ›

When Four Loko was pushed to remove caffeine from their formula, we wondered: is it even worth drinking anymore? Apparently the answer is no. Senator Klein and Commissioner Farley can stop worrying about removing the drinks from bodega shelves, because everyone realized that without the caffeine high they were just drinking jolly ranchers dissolved in malt liquor, and that's disgusting. more ›

Since a chimney collapse caused the legendary speakeasy Chumley's to close in 2007 we've been anxiously awaiting its return to the West Village. After all, it had been active since 1831 and everyone from Faulkner to Steinbeck had done their time there. Plus, it is where the term 86'd comes from. But now it might finally be coming back and we (and apparently some neighbors) are worried. Is a Chumley's-as-sports bar still Chumley's? That might fly in Pennsylvania, but Pennsylvania is a far cry from New York. more ›

When it comes to food trends, New York isn't always on the forefront. While we've had food carts forever, the food truck phenomenon didn't really get raging here until after it had conquered the West Coast (see: the Kogi Truck). And the latest trend out there seems to be "Underground Farmer's Markets," which the Times has chosen to call craves (like a culinary rave—get it?). After taking off in San Francisco, similar events have apparently spread out to DC and Atlanta—can we be that far behind? more ›

Looking for a reason to start subscribing to a vegan magazine? How about the fact that nearly half of the retail meat sampled by researchers for a new study contains Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus, the most common cause of staph infections) and about half of those samples strains of S. aureus were resistant to at least three antibiotics, such as penicillin and tetracycline. That do the trick? more ›

Now that ramps are starting to show up in markets (soon to be replaced by less weedy crops like asparagus)—so what to do with them? While Dirt Candy's Amanda Cohen wasn't interested in sharing any recipes with us Mario Batali and Elena Balletta (of Counter) were. So if you've been itching to try your hand a ramp pasta, or even better, ramp cornbread, read on! more ›

If you're not sure what to do for lunch today, it seems like a perfect day to patronize a food truck; some of them will be donating a portion of their proceeds to help Frites 'n' Meats get back on the road after Monday's terrifying propane tank explosion. David Weber at the NYC Food Truck Association tells us, "Members of the association will set their own individual level of participation with many members planning to offer up to 10% of the day's sales to Frites 'n' Meats. The money will be used to cover health care costs for the two food truckers hurt in the accident and to repair the truck and get it back on the road. Donations will also be made to NYC Fire Dept and NYPD Precinct... in thanks for their quick and effective response to the emergency." And Frites 'n' Meats tells us their employee who was badly injured in the fire is still in the hospital. more ›

Earlier this week, the city health commissioner jumped at the chance to further alienate lovers of beloved alco-caffeinated-sugar goop Four Loko, by backing State Senator Jeff Klein's legislation to ban all alcopop drinks from being sold in groceries and bodegas. But the politicians' attempts to marginalize the liver-burning sewer swill has only inspired and motivated its most ardent devotees, who are now coming to its defense...in the name of Democracy: "Taking away Four Loko is an attack on our freedom and way of life," said Brooklyn DJ Anton Glamb. more ›

So, you run a vegan magazine on a limited budget and you need to find a picture to illustrate your story. Is it okay to use a stock photo featuring meat and then Photoshop it out? That's the question slicing through the vegan community today after the blogger Quarrygirl revealed that 11-year-old vegan magazine VegNews was doing just that on a regular basis. Those appetizing vegan spare ribs? They just 'shopped out the bones! more ›

Taco Bell may be thinking outside the bun, but they are thinking inside the minds of stoned college kids nationwide! The chain is currently testing out Doritos flavored taco shells, which... how has this not already happened? According to Slashfood, the Doritos Locos Tacos are only being served up in select test markets, including one town in Ohio (warning: link contains incredibly bright neon orange colors, you may want to put on your sunglasses). more ›

When we were little our favorite part of Easter was the egg hunt (which we did elaborately with pun-filled clues and everything) but that all changed five years ago when the the Washington Post started its awesome annual Peeps diorama contest, Peeps Show. Today they put up the best 35 submissions for 2011 and they generally do not disappoint. more ›

When we first heard about New York Street Food's walking tour we didn't realize it was not the first of its kind. But some of our commenters did, and so did the folks at Urban Oyster, which has been offering Food Cart tours in Midtown since last June (and just launched a cart tour downtown). more ›

Click through on the photos for the scoop on the latest bar and restaurant openings, which include Boise Tea Parlor in the West Village, Asia Dog on Kenmare Street, the return of the open-air Campbell Terrace at Grand Central, and the long-awaited opening of Albert Trummer's Theater Bar in TriBeCa. And don't miss our photo features on David Bouley's Brushstroke and Barcade's new Jersey City location. more ›

Having solved all the problems crippling New York and restoring our state to a veritable utopia of prosperity and abundance, you might think our heroic lawmakers in Albany would be tempted to indulge in more frivolous pursuits. But no sir, you won't find anyone resting on their laurels in Albany, where legislators barely came up for air before tackling one the biggest crises facing New York since bicycles without license plates: The naming of the official state vegetable. more ›

If you think that Mayor Bloomberg's anti-sugar and high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) campaign has been more than a little gross, just wait until Hizzoner picks up the Times Magazine this weekend. In it writer Gary Taubes offers up more than 6,000 words on the how-can-you-not-click-it topic of "Is Sugar Toxic?" And he makes a convincing argument that we would like to forget now. more ›

From Manhattan, you can get to Barcade's new Jersey City location in the same amount of time it takes to get to their longstanding Williamsburg location. And unlike the Brooklyn original, this new iteration, tentatively set to open next Friday, serves food, will have outdoor seating, and—are you sitting down?—boasts a rare cockpit version Star Wars. So don't let New Jersey scare you; step inside and burn some quarters. more ›

Ever since we discovered the USA Today "Your Life" section, we find ourselves caring intensely about Dwight Howard's diabetes, and really wanting to get to the bottom of this mystery of the girl who hit puberty at age six. But it's the studies which they collect, like amateur belly button lint enthusiasts, that most titillate us. And a new study they feature this week has finally uncovered a reason to go through with all that weight loss stuff: because it makes you more attractive, aids your self-confidence and ensures a healthier, longer life it improves your memory! more ›

Chef Carl Redding, who made a name for himself in Harlem with his soul food restaurant Amy Ruth’s, is so disgusted that the International House of Pancakes is serving Chicken and Waffles that he's planning a protest outside an IHOP in New Jersey. One unforeseen side-effect of Redding's activism? Free publicity! Today the Daily News profiles Redding and his IHOPposition—he calls the chain's Chicken and Waffles dish "soul food without the soul. It's nothing like the way we know it in our community. If you're going to appropriate a dish we treasure, at least get it right." Daaamn, the International House of PAIN is in effect! more ›

Who doesn't love a food truck? Certainly not most New Yorkers and definitely not advertising agencies. But how is a hungry tourist, who keeps hearing about the trucks in the news and seeing them on the cooking shows, supposed to know where to go? A food truck tour, naturally. more ›

We're under no illusion that Shake Shack serves diet food, and so we've never exactly gone out of our way to try and find out how many calories and fat are in those delicious Double ShackBurgers. And because Shake Shack didn't have 15 locations nationwide, the city Health Department did not require it to display its calorie info like other chains. But today Fork in the Road noticed that Shake Shack's nutritional information has been made public. (SPOILER ALERT: We posted it below in all its gut-growing glory.) The takeaway: The vegetarian 'Shroom Burger, clocking in at 570 calories and 36 grams of fat, actually has more calories than the Shake Shack Cheeseburger. more ›

Let's not let the news that Brooklyn's Community Board 1 voted (symbolically?) against the concerts at the Williamsburg Waterfront overshadow the other distressing development that emerged from last night's meeting: the locals are poised to go through with this moratorium on new liquor licenses in north Brooklyn. And unlike the State Parks Department, the SLA has a history of doing the community boards' bidding. more ›

When Gothamist was wee our favorite holiday, after Thanksgiving, was easily Passover. Not only is it a good excuse to sit around and tell a great story (whether you are Jewish or not), but it also involves some spectacularly delicious food. We could happily dine on matzoh ball soup and matzoh ball soup alone (and we actually like the taste of salty parsley...). But, like Thanksgiving, actually cooking a Passover seder can be more hassle than it is worth. So, this being New York, of late we've turned to restaurants to do the cooking for us. There is just one problem: So do a whole lot of other lazy New Yorkers. But it isn't too late! Though most first night restaurant seders are all booked up (Savoy's is already ten deep into its waiting list) there are spaces left here and there. Here are five different takes on the Passover seder, including one that just ditches the seder aspect entirely. more ›

Karaoke is most definitely a spectator sport, but for most New Yorkers looking for a night of booze and tone-deafness, options veer toward spending a fortune so you can sing in the comfort of a private room with your closest, most understanding friends. Which completely defeats the point of karaoke—manning up and singing in front of a crowd of judgmental strangers. So here's our roundup of five great places to down a few tequila shots and belt "Sweet Caroline" in front of an actual crowd. (Sorry, we can't guarantee Bill Murray will show up.) Where are your favorite places to get your karaoke on? more ›

Do you enjoy the idea of the dining deals from sites like GroupOn but never get them since you don't have anyone to eat with? Are you sick and tired of eating dinner alone in front of your computer while your cat gives you concerned looks from his perch on your over-stuffed bookshelf? There's a website for that. more ›

Applebee's restaurants around the country have been forced to retrain their staff and enforce new beverage policies after a 15-month-old child was mistakenly served a margarita instead of apple juice. And now it looks like Olive Garden will have to do the same. A Florida mom (video below) says that her two-year-old son was mistakenly served "Tropical sangria," a mixture of juices and white wine, instead of orange juice while the two were dining at the restaurant in March. Now we just need TGI Friday's to pull the same stunt and we'll have a trend! Oh screw it, let's call it a trend anyway. more ›

Books for walls? Now we've seen everything! And so will you if you step inside David Bouley's long-delayed Japanese restaurant Brushstroke, which puts 12,000 boring old (recycled) paperbacks to good use as the walls in the bar/lounge. Who will be the first sake-bombed customer to idly pull out one of the books and bring the entire restaurant crashing down? Well, first it has to open; after years of anticipation, the restaurant (menu below) is finally expected to officially debut on April 20th (thought it's in "soft-open" mode now). more ›

The leaning tower of pizza—a.k.a. the home of the original Motorino—will be fixed, meaning a hipster building collapse will likely be averted. After letting the problem fester for a decade, last year the Department of Buildings started getting seriously concerned about the fact that the four-story building was slowly starting to lean onto Devoe Street. Now the buildings owner is getting around to propping the building up. more ›

Last month state Senator Jeff Klein introduced legislation to "shift the point of sale for high alcohol flavored malt beverages from grocery and convenience stores to liquor stores" in an effort to keep drinks like Four Loko out of the hands of underage drinkers. It was a smart idea, and now city Health Commissioner Thomas Farley is on board. In fact, he wants to take the ban one step further, moving the sale of even low-alcohol alcopops to liquor stores. Thank God icing is over, otherwise this could be a real problem! more ›

This week the Times's food man Sam Sifton treks down to SoHo to try the sushi at Niko and finds a restaurant worthy of a one-star review. The food is fine (the sushi, from former Sushi Yasuda man Hiro Sawatari is "estimable," the starters are "particularly good," and some of the hot dishes are "great") and the room "feels like homage to the SoHo that once was." But the important thing here is "the scene" and Cobi Levy, who is in charge of it, seems to have moved past the "exclusive to the point of silliness" problem that plagued his last restaurant, Charles. more ›

Urban farming is so hot right now, and with Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe breaking ground on the new Battery Park Farm, it's definitely become more than just a hobby for people with big enough fire escapes. Petrina TV recently produced this short film, New York Farm City, of the urban farming movement in New York, featuring the likes of Brooklyn Grange and People's Garden NYC. As one woman in the introduction exclaims, "It's exciting to see the process. You plant it, it grows and you eat it!" And of course it's partially shot in tilt-shift, which makes it look that much artsier. more ›

Click through on the photos for the scoop on All-You-Can-Eat Falling-Off-The-Bone ribs at RUB BBQ, a New York State beer pairing dinner at Manchester Pub, and the upcoming Taste of the Upper West Side. more ›

Last month the Park Slope set got all in a tizzy over a new venue, Prime 6, which was hoping to play hip-hop music. Petitions were written (and questioned) and lots of people made a scene at a community board meeting. But now that is all over—Prime 6 and its angry neighbors have come to a compromise. more ›

In case you haven't heard by now, national restaurant chain Applebee's is in some hot water after serving a margarita to 15-month-old Dominick Dill-Reese instead of apple juice, leaving him with a BAC of .10. And apparently, this isn't the first time it's happened; the Daily News reports that toddlers were served alcohol instead of juice in 2006 in New York and in 2007 in California. Someone must've just mislabeled the margarita and apple juice vats at every single Applebee's location, so Applebee's will now be "emphasizing that non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages must be stored in completely separate and identified containers." more ›

Have a coworker who is always bringing candy and cookies to work? What a bitch! Because according to the Wall Street Journal, that kind gesture could actually make you physically incapable of not eating candy, and thus making you fat. Brian Wansink of Cornell University explains, "The proximity and visibility of a food can consistently increase an adult's consumption. Even for a person with the greatest resolve, every time they look at a candy dish they say, 'Do I want that Hershey's Kiss, or don't I?' At the 24th time, maybe I'm kind of hungry, and I just got this terrible email, and my boss is complaining—and gradually my resolve is worn down." more ›

Welcome to the Lunch Quadrant, where we offer you four lunch options (two standing, two sitting) by a given subway stop. After going exploring around Canal Street last week we're heading out to Queens. Specifically we're looking at the area around Court Square—which means technically we're talking about the three tightly grouped train stations instead of the usual one. There are definitely other options in the area though—don't be shy about adding your favorites into the comments! more ›

For years, the Bloomberg administration has tried to increase access to fresh produce in low-income neighborhoods across NYC. In 2007, the city promised 1,500 new permits to vendors who commit to selling fresh fruits and vegetables from carts in low-income neighborhoods, but results were somewhat disappointing. To make matters worse, community farmers markets—not to be confused with larger operations like the Union Square Market, which are run by the non-profit Greenmarket—face a tangle of red tape that has kept fresh produce out of under-served neighborhoods. With supermarkets steadily disappearing in low-income areas, Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer wants the city to make it easier for farmers markets to thrive. more ›

[UPDATE BELOW] Sometimes a font is just a font. And sometimes it's copyright infringement. On their blog, Brooklyn Brewery is accusing Dallas pizza joint Eno's Pizza Tavern of ripping off their logo. They write, "It appears that Eno’s Pizza Tavern in Dallas, TX exhausted a great amount of energy and resources to develop an original logo for their business. Or perhaps they were drinking a bottle of Brooklyn beer and noticed that reflected in a mirror, a backwards B resembles an E? Either way, those smoke and mirrors don’t fool us!" And after flipping the Eno's logo around, we see their point! more ›

Yesterday we learned that disgraced former State Senator Hiram Monserrate had moved from slashing faces to slicing pizzas. But what was missing from the story was a review of the pies at Papaya Pizza. But no longer! Competitive eater Jason "Crazy Legs" Conti—who, having eaten 21 slices in 10 minutes at last year's Upper Crust Pizza Eating World Championship, knows a thing or two about pizza—stopped by for a try yesterday and did not come out a fan. more ›

It's that special time of year again, where you can wait in absurdly long lines in an effort to save a few bucks. Ben & Jerry's will be hosting another Free Cone Day tomorrow, and you can get your free frozen treat from noon to 8 p.m. We called the Rockefeller Center shop today and they told us the cone you'd be getting is normally "$3.25 plus tax," but other locations "may be cheaper." If you hit up several shops throughout the day, you can double... triple... quadruple these savings! more ›

Since launching in 2008, Groupon, the online discount coupon site, has become a major force in the retail world, spawning numerous imitators and infuriating some small restaurant owners who feel squeezed by Groupon's hefty 50% commission. One cafe owner in Oregon had to dip into her personal savings to make payroll during the month she agreed to a Groupon partnership that left her hemorrhaging money. But today NPR finds a Brooklyn restaurateur who was NOT burned by the cheapskate magnet. more ›

Two people have been sent to the hospital with burns after a propane tank exploded in the Frites 'n' Meats food truck, which today was parked on the West Side Highway. The truck reportedly hit another vehicle, and the explosion caused two to be hospitalized with non-life threatening burns. The truck is run by brothers Hiassam, Mohamed and Ali Beydoun, and one behind the Twitter account recently wrote, "If anyone has any info on my brothers location or status please call me." more ›

We know that pre-pubescent foodies exist. Heck, some of them even write reviews for magazines and some restaurants flat-out cater to them, still every time we read a story about precocious kids who prefer the "$25 black cod with miso from Nobu" we die a litte on the inside. Shouldn't those kids be off eating Happy Meals or downing margaritas at Applebees or something? more ›

In approximately two weeks, this big and beautiful new bar will open in Greenpoint on Nassau Avenue near Guernsey (the street with the romantic tree canopy block). Called Spritzenhaus, it's the work of Spitzer's Corner owner Robert Shamlian. It's looking pretty good—we're told the project "was a collaborative effort between Asfour Guzy Architects, Aleks Kravchuk, John McKormick, Enis Sefarsah (Five Leaves) and Shamlian." But let's get down to brass tacks: how much beer will there be on tap? more ›

Babies: so annoying. Aside from blocking bike lanes, killing your buzz and totally getting away with eating on the subway, the latest study from the Obvious Institute says that mothers of young children don't eat well. You're also five times more likely to be outraged when restaurants don't offer kids menus. more ›

Between the idling tour buses, next to the hot dog carts, and under the watchful eye of a Starbucks, something is growing in Battery Park. Earlier this morning, students from three schools in lower Manhattan joined New York City Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe and the folks at the Battery Conservancy in breaking ground on a one-acre farm shaped like park resident Zelda the wild turkey, on the tip of Lower Manhattan. more ›

A new study from Cornell University graduate student Jenny Wan-chen Lee [pdf] either shows that the label "organic" creates some sort of placebo effect in which people are convinced they're eating healthier, or that people can be really stupid. Maybe it's a little of both? In her study, 144 volunteers were asked to compare "organic" and "regular" samples of yogurt, cookies and potato chips, rating them on taste, estimated fat content and estimated calorie content. However, all of the samples were in fact organic. Take a wild guess what happened. more ›

Hiram Monserrate the disgraced former State Senator and abusive boyfriend has gone from slashing faces to cutting slices. Turns out that Monserrate is now working the counters at the pizza place that took over his campaign offices. "I am grateful to have been given the opportunity to serve again. I am currently consulting and assisting in the management of Papaya Pizza," Monserrate told the Post in a statement that concludes "For dessert I recommend the coconut flan." more ›

Forget wine bars and cocktail lounges, beer halls are so hot right now. Though the Bohemian Hall & Beer Garden in Astoria has been packing them in for a century, the recession has bred a new generation of halls and gardens in the last few years. Not only is business booming, new additions are coming fast. The beer hall and garden, a long lost New York staple, has returned. more ›

In this city, restaurants come and go faster than you can say "sustainable locavore burger." And even though there are great new additions to the culinary landscape popping up every week, you've gotta give kudos to anyone who can stick it out for over a year. With that in mind, we bring you Still Got It, our tribute to establishments that continue to serve mouthwatering meals and drinks long after the buzz has faded—or if the lingering hype is still justified. more ›

Both the Japanese and Japanese food fans around the world have been devastated by the culinary impacts of the deadly earthquake and subsequent Daiichi nuclear plant fallout, with Japan's water, spinach, milk and fish all possibly contaminated with radioactive materials. And now, we can add rice to that list: the Japanese government has banned rice cultivation in contaminated soil. Agriculture Minister Michihiko Kano said, "We had to come up with a policy quickly because we are in planting season." more ›

Yesterday, it was reported that LES hotspots Mason Dixon and Los Feliz, both owned by Rob Shamlian, had been shut down by the police for underage drinking and serving alcohol "after hours." A Mason Dixon spokesman told us that neither establishment had ever served minors, and now one bartender tells us that the Seventh Precinct is just picking on honest small business owners in the area. He writes: more ›

We'd say this is surprising, but we wouldn't want to lie. LES bars Los Feliz and Mason Dixon, the latter known for its mechanical bull, were shut down by a court order last night, which accused the establishments of serving alcohol to minors. Mason Dixon is also accused of serving alcohol "after hours." One LES partier wrote on Twitter last night, "Mason Dixon on Essex street is being raided by the cops. I feel like I'm in college." more ›

Yes, New York doesn't have an In-N-Out, but you know what? We don't need one anyway. That's because we already have Five Guys burgers, which is expanding out west. And according to some Californians, it's better than In-N-Out. One die hard In-N-Out fan recently made the switch, telling the LA Times, "We chose [Five Guys] over In-N-Out. It's the fourth time we've been here since they opened." more ›

An annoying habit: We find it impossible to utter the name of Vine Wine, a popular Long Island City wine shop, without a Transylvanian Dracula voice. But don't let that vrighten you avay—the place just relocated to Williamsburg, and they're having their first wine tasting tonight. Located in the former Brooklyn Kitchen space, Vine Wine will expand its retail operation "to create a diverse Vine Wine education program offering monthly classes, technical tastings and a visiting winemaker series." The classes will offer wine pairings with items such as house-cured sausages and other small-plates from The Meat Hook, which is also located there. more ›

Last week, we dove head first into the USA Today "Your Life" section, and went on a fantastical journey of unsurprising discoveries! We learned some tough lessons about ostracized overweight children, had a few laughs about irritating "beautiful" people, and realized that "Your Life" really meant "Our Lives." And this week, they bring even better news: our coffee addiction isn't our fault! It's all because of our damn genes! more ›

"Finally, Greenpoint has a real fucking ROCK BAR!" declare the owners of Saint Vitus, the new 2,500 square foot bar, eatery and venue opening in Greenpoint next week. Owned by a group of guys who've been behind the bar at places like Bar Matchless, Lil Frankies and No. 7, Saint Vitus (named for a Black Sabbath song that is itself named for the nervous system disorder) was a social club, then a plumbing school in a past life. Now, as you can see from these photos, designer Matthew Maddy (Weather-Up, Anella, The Box) has transformed it into a seductive party destination. more ›

We're still dealing with the fallout from learning that Chocoholism is an actual disease, but this new report really hits us where it hurts. Is there any worse headline to stumble upon than, "Alcohol causes cancer - even if you drink just over a pint of beer a day... and giving up won't help"? Whatever happened to heavy drinkers will outlive nondrinkers, huh Science? more ›

Bar and restaurant owners in Manhattan neighborhoods like the East Village have grown accustomed to encountering stiff opposition from the local community boards (in some cases, they even blame anti-nightlife community board sentiment for driving them out of business). Brooklyn, however, has pretty much been a cakewalk for new bar proprietors—even when they bring the threat of hip hop or gun violence, the community boards have seemed reluctant to take action. But is it closing time for new bars in north Brooklyn? Brooklyn 11211 reports that Community Board 1 is considering a moratorium on new liquor licenses! more ›

Besides pretty flowers peeking out from the ground and slightly warmer weather, there is another way you can tell that spring is starting to spring: Ramps on restaurant menus. Though we still haven't gotten to the markets early enough to see the wild leeks for ourselves (not surprising since it is still a little too early for local ramps to be showing up) they are starting to sprout up on restaurant menus across town. more ›

Way back in 2009 McDonald's started unveiling an upscale, metrosexual look for its fast food spots featuring new uniforms, subdued lighting, free wifi, and bright colors. So naturally (well, as natural as fast food gets) that prompted arch rival Burger King to announce that it too would be overhauling its 12,000 locations with a "20/20" design featuring "industrial-inspired corrugated metal and brick walls." But apparently somebody finally looked at the financial sheets and noticed that the company doesn't really have the $500,000-per-store in cash needed for the remodel. Burger Business is reporting that the 20/20 design has been deep-sixed. So no red-flame chandeliers for New York, we guess. more ›

Yesterday, we were very sad to report on a cat-astrophe at McSorley's Old Ale House: Minnie the Second, the latest in a long line of cats who have lived at the East Village institution since 1854, has been banned from the bar during drinking hours. We talked to Minnie, and she clarified a few things about the ban and her place at the bar: "I would hate for the DOH to think I'm still up in the bar during business hours. I did not mean to imply that I am in any way violating the rules of mouse or men, no matter how silly and unjust." more ›

People rave about the Lower East Side Meatball Shop, which, as the same suggests, specializes in meatballs. We know from Wikipedia that meatballs can be made with all sorts of ingredients; Italian meatballs usually contain beef and or pork and sometimes turkey, while Ivan Reitman's 1979 Meatballs contained Bill Murray, ha cha cha. At The Meatball Shop, varieties include "Classic Beef," "Spicy Pork," and "Chicken." However, one devoted customer was recently shocked to learn that all the balls have one ingredient in common. Here's her indignant email: more ›

It's not enough that Goldman Sachs emerged from Wall Street's financial catastrophuck the big smug wealthy winners. No, these guys have to remind all of us of the delicious spoils that come to those who royally screw over others just to make a buck. Today Business Insider takes a food porn tour of the 11th floor of Goldman's 200 West headquarters in Manhattan, where employees can indulge in "Bubble Tea" and a variety of Goldman snacks from Momofuku's wickedly tasty Milk Bar. This is a far cry from the sad break room vending machine where we cry in our Skittles. But hey, at least we can take comfort in the knowledge that, day by day, Goldman Sachs employees are growing obese and irrevocably diabetic. more ›

Click on the photos for the scoop on the latest restaurant and bars around town, which includes customizable sushi at My Maki in midtown, all-female DJs at the newly revamped Paramount Bar, a bitters tasting destination at Amor y Amargo, and a belated observation that a party lounge named Lair is serving oysters with scallops right around the corner from La Esquina. And be sure to check out our photo feature on Coppelia, the charming new 24-hour Cuban-influenced luncheonette in Chelsea. more ›

Tim and Nina Zagat, who should know a few things about the business after publishing their guides for 30 years, would like you to be aware that opening up a restaurant from scratch is, generally speaking, a terrible idea. It isn't that they don't think you are a good cook, or have a good concept, its just that, well, the restaurant business will eat you alive. So today they turned to the Journal to try and disuade potential restaurateurs. And they have some reasonable points: more ›

A few years ago we dipped into the mystery of the New York City-specific expiration date on milk cartons, but what about our bread? Assuming you buy loaves at the market and not the bakery, you know the bags usually contain a sell-by date. But there's also a way of telling how long they've been sitting on the shelf. Wisebread has a breakdown of "the bread code," which is really quite simple! You know the hard plastic things that hold the bags together? The color will tell you which day of the week the loaf was baked on (and twist ties generally follow the same color code)—really, Snopes confirms! Here's what you need to remember: more ›

[UPDATE BELOW] On Monday, the very same day that Fatty 'Cue won the Best New Brooklyn Restaurant award from readers of Time Out NY, the Williamsburg hotspot was shut down by the NYC Department of Health over a whopping 115 violation points. The restaurant, which smokes basically everything, has yet to reopen, but owner Zak Pelaccio and his Fatty crew say there's a simple explanation for all this: "We just couldn't think of a better way to celebrate winning Best New Brooklyn Restaurant." Below, the top ten list of Fatty violations: more ›

Health Department inspections at three of Fordham University's dining facilities last month revealed a (dirty) laundry list of violations, including "evidence of mice or live mice present in facility's food and/or non-food areas, 'filth flies,' and not storing hot food items above 140 degrees Fahrenheit and cold food items below 41 degrees Fahrenheit." Two things to note here: The cafeterias are operated by Sodexo, a French multinational corporation that has previously been fined by the NY State Attorney General and that is now contracted to run concessions at the soulless new Coney Island. Second: Fordham students are as outraged as they are unsurprised, and they say they've found all sorts of weird stuff in their food. more ›

Nobody seems to like City Councilman's Leroy Comrie's proposed Happy Meal regulations. On Tuesday when Comrie announced the proposed law—which aims to set "nutrition standards for distributing incentive items aimed at children,"—he acknowledged that, weighing in at 335 pounds himself, he was hardly a model of healthy eating (in fact that was part of his point). So no surprise that both the Post (Councilman, Heal Thyself) and the News (City Councilman Leroy Comrie's bill to ban toys in Happy Meals with over 500 calories is fat-headed) today ran editorials decrying the plan as a dud from a self-hating, publicity-hungry tub of lard. And not happy to stop there, the Post went to the next level and got Comrie's weight-watching, yoga-doing wife Marcia on the record to complain about her rotund husband's eating habits. more ›

With a heavy heart, we regret to inform you of some very sad news: Minnie the Second, the latest in a long line of cats that have lived at McSorley's Old Ale House going back to 1854, has been banned from the East Village institution! The DOH has been coming down hard on McSorley's, making them clean up the bar's famous wishbones, as well as barring the adorable Minnie. EV Grieve spoke with the cat via her Facebook account, and she delicately explained the situation: "I explained that [owner] Mr. Maher has said I'm not allowed into the bar during drinking hours...officially. Since the only heat I want coming down is from the stove, that's the fact as it must be reported and as we must maintain." more ›

We've seen some pretty fattening food combos in our time, but Burger King's new Meat Monster Whopper—a basic Whopper with two cheese slices, three strips of bacon, a second beef patty and a Tendergrill Chicken Patty—might beat them all. And it just launched in Japan. While it's slightly confusing why the fast-food chain would unveil such a product in a country that's having a tough time finding uncontaminated water, would you really want to deny a country in such turmoil their right to three meats on one sandwich? more ›

Ok, America, how hard is it to keep track of what you eat? Because between calorie menus and Apple Dippers this obesity problem should really be going away. Unfortunately it's not, but for those who can afford iPhones and would like to watch what they eat, there's Meal Snap: an app that will calculate your meal's calories based on a photograph. "Auto-magically!" (Ugh.) more ›

For years, the US Department of Agriculture has been testing meat and poultry, but their policy allowed meat to hit the market before test results taking a maximum of 48 hours came back. Which was usually just enough time to have plenty of people buy and eat contaminated meat before a recall was issued. Realizing this is probably not the best regulatory policy, the USDA announced yesterday that they're proposing a new requirement that would prohibit meat and poultry producers from sending their products to grocery stores until contamination test results came back clear. So, what took them so long? more ›

As you get older it seems to happen more and more often: Your friends start popping out babies and suddenly you never get to see them—let alone go out and eat with them. And really,for the first few years there isn't much you can do about it. But once the rugrats are in their late threes there is a compromise that doesn't include babysitters: Early dinners out...with children. Also known as one of the reasons that god invented pizza. Kids love it, grown-ups love it, and thanks to high-profile pizza joints popping up all over the past few years, foodies even love it. But where to go? Well, over the last year we've systematically visited nearly every pizza joint in the East Village with a four-year-old in tow and have found that when it comes to kids, not all pizza places are created equal. Still, here are five that shouldn't let you down. more ›

Since the tragedy in Japan left the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant teetering on the edge of a meltdown, alarms have been raised about radioactive materials spilling in the water. And some NYers are particularly worried about their favorite delicacy: sushi. It's a serious enough concern to Chef Eric Ripert of Le Bernardin that he has bought a radiation detector: “I just want to make sure whatever we use is safe...Nobody knows how the currents will carry the contaminated water," he told the Times. more ›

Well this we weren't expecting. The Greenwich Village Gray's Papaya is now serving... pizza? Apparently the notorious hot dog emporium added the one dollar plain slices to their repertoire "a couple of weeks ago." more ›

You can get a lot of press with a study title like, "Candy consumption was not associated with body weight measures, risk factors for cardiovascular disease, or metabolic syndrome in US adults," but sorry, this doesn't mean that your crippling chocoholism will make you healthy. The study asked about 15,000 adults to recall what they had eaten in the past 24 hours, and 20 percent said that included some form of candy. However, the average BMI and weight circumference were lower in those who said they consumed candy than in those who didn't. Before you buy out the M&M; store in Times Square, there are some caveats. (Mmmm, Caveats.) more ›

So last week we got wind of BaconAir and our minds were blown. Unfortunately that product appears to have been an early April Fools (though it is still up on J&D's web store—WTF?) but that's all behind us now. Racked, you see, has tipped us off to the next best thing. Bacōn (pronounced bay-cone), a cologne "designed for men and women" from a Chicago-based outfit called Fargginay "blending 11 popular pure essential oils with the essence of...bacon." more ›

The Quebeco-American diner M. Wells is the subject of Sam Sifton's Times review today and the Hugue Dufour and Sarah Obraitis LIC spot walks away with a rave of a two-star review. The gist is that this is the kind of restaurant that—like Starbucks, apparently—you don't leave just because of a little heavy smoke pouring out of the kitchen. "It would be terrible to miss eating the food there for anything less than a catastrophe." Though the service is still working out its kinks "Those who recall the thrill of eating at the Momofuku restaurants for the first time would do well to book passage on the No. 7 train, bound for Hunters Point." more ›

Click on the photos for the scoop on this Sunday's Hell’s Kitchen Flea Market Gourmet Food Truck Bazaar, Time Out New York's Food & Drink awards, and this Thursday's budget-friendly EAT event at the World Financial Center.
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[UPDATE BELOW] It's hard out there for a Happy Meal. Two state officials today spoke about separate plans to regulate New Yorkers' caloric intakes. The first initiative comes from City Councilman Leroy Comrie Jr., who wants to follow San Francisco and ban toys from fast-food meals unless the meals meet certain n utritional standards, including that they have fewer than 500 calories. Comrie said in a statement, "By ensuring that toys are only given away with meals which meet the nutritional guidelines set out in this bill, children will be more likely to pick the healthier meals when they do visit fast food restaurants. Children, lured in with toy giveaways at an early age, are more likely to develop a habit of eating unhealthily." more ›

It's happened to the best of us: you find yourself just south of Washington Square Park on a Friday night, desperate for a place to get a drink, but the only options seem to be beer pong at Off The Wagon or the myriad other establishments with the exact same shtick. But believe it or not, there are some good options if you're looking for refuge from the freshman-dorm-karaoke-night experience. Here's our guide to the best bars around Bleecker/MacDougal, for nights ranging from a relaxed beer tasting to checking out a new comedy act. Disclaimer: We can't actually prevent rowdy frat boys from infiltrating any of these establishments, but from our experience these are the best places to avoid (or just ignore) them. Where are your favorite bars in the area? more ›

Welcome to the Lunch Quadrant, where we offer you four lunch options (two standing, two sitting) by a given subway stop. After going to Park Avenue South last week we're heading further downtown on the Lex this time around to Canal Street. Though we're leaning more on the Broadway and Canal side of the station for these options, with Chinatown just around the corner there is a whole lot of good eats in the area. Don't be shy about adding your favorites into the comments! more ›

If over the last few years you've been frustrated when trying to find information on the FDA's website about whatever is being recalled this week we've got good news. Because of the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act signed by President Obama in January, the agency has been compelled to create a new, searchable, tabular website to track all of the recalls under its purview. Which means if you want to obsess about what foods, drugs, and medical devices you don't want to be using, this site is for you. more ›

Named after a popular Havana ice cream shop, Coppelia is a 24-hour, NY-style luncheonette featuring a Cuban-inspired menu from Julian Medina, the chef/owner of Toloache, Yerba Buena, and Toloache Taqueria. As you can see, it's a cheery little spot that seats about 70. There is a large marble bar with spinning stools for counter-service seating, or you can get fresh in one of the booths meant to evoke the backseat of a 1950s Chevy. Weather permitting, an additional 25 diners can be accommodated in the garden. more ›

As was rumored last week, after six years of fun in the sun, city construction has killed the Long Island City Water Taxi Beach. The villain who slayed the beach? The need to build combined storm water sewer outfalls for the new Hunters Point South development. more ›

One Brooklyn man proved the food addiction skeptics wrong when he demonstrated that the disease can produce the kind of violence and crime associated with drug and alcohol addictions. David Murray, 23, arrived at Crown Fried Chicken on Tompkins Avenue around 2:30 a.m. on Sunday, needing his fried chicken breast fix. But when an employee told him they were out, he freaked out and attacked. more ›

You might think you're being funny when you order dessert and tell your friends you're just "addicted" to chocolate cake, but you have a problem and you need an intervention. According to a new study from Yale, food addiction is an actual disease akin to alcoholism, and distinguishable from people who are just overeaters. And they figured this out by seeing how women react to pictures of milkshakes. more ›

With Passover just around the corner we were waiting for some clever entrepreneur to find a new kosher barrier to crack. Until it was revealed to be an early April Fool's we figured that BaconAir took the title—after all the rest of J&D;'s real "bacon" products are kosher. With that hope washed away, you can imagine how happy we were to learn that Rabbi Adam Mintz of Congregation Rayim Ahuvim has teamed together with adman Richard Kirshenbaum and entrepreneur David Mitchell to create, wait for it, Rabbi Mints. more ›

If you love oysters (who doesn't?) and have fifty bucks at your disposal, your Saturday night plans are all settled. Come on down to the South Street Seaport, where the popular New Amsterdam Market is setting up what will hopefully be the first of many Oyster Saloons at the open-air (but covered) location. The fundraiser supports the seasonal market, which brings butchers, grocers, mongers, farmers and bakers together from across the tri-state region. For Saturday night's Saloon, they've recruited April Bloomfield of The John Dory Oyster Bar, Patrick Connolly of bobo restaurant, King Phojanakong of Kuma Inn, Luke’s Lobster, cask beers sourced by Beer Table, coffee & cake from Blue Bottle Coffee, music from the Silvester Manor Trio, and a whole lot more. Organizer Robert Lavalva gives us the scoop: more ›

When the Times Square Alliance announced plans to bring food and beverage concessions to the slightly controversial pedestrian plaza, the world held its breath. What ever would NY Post columnist Steve "He Who Yells At Cloud" Cuozzo think? Cuozzo loves nothing more than going on a cantankerous rant about the pedestrian plazas, which he originally derided as "block after block of prison-yard asphalt devoid of meaningful landscaping, furniture or other amenities, crowded mainly with Big Mac-chomping tourists." But now that there's furniture and plans for amenities and landscaping, would Cuozzo change his tune? Ha: more ›

Don't worry, New York, maple syrup is nothing to be afraid of. In fact, it prevents cancer...or we just tell ourselves that to justify eating it by the spoonful. (Everyone does that, right?) According to Senator Chuck Schumer, New York state has more sugar maples than Quebec, and he is renewing his efforts to make the state "global leaders in the maple industry." more ›

And the death of the New York deli continues. After some disappointing rye bread experiences in New York delis, the folks at Saveur went on a mission to find authentic, flavorful rye bread, wherever it may be. And though Orwasher's Bakery and Zabar's get nods for having the real thing in NYC, America's best rye bread can be found in...Michigan? more ›

You want a McJob with those fries? McDonald's, which has 241 locations in our fair city, has announced that it is going to increase its workforce by a whopping eight percent the day after Tax Day. On April 19 the chain is aiming to hire 50,000 new people. Guess the company really expects those new commercials to bring the kids in. more ›

Today the NYC Health Department is relocating to new offices in Long Island City, and officials are doing their best to start things off on the right foot with new "Guidelines for Life in the Cubicle Village." As you can see from the rules below, village life here is a Utopian paradise where conscientious villagers refrain from "shouting" from hut to hut, or eating food outside of designated areas, or displaying potentially offensive "non-work related items" such as photos of loved ones. In addition, the department has updated its guidelines for food and beverages served at agency meetings and events. This means our tax dollars will no longer go toward deep fried Oreos—or fried anything, for that matter. Here are the ten important rules for proper village etiquette: more ›

Back in December, we reported that the East Village vegetarian restaurant Counter would be closing at some point in February. But now we are into April and, if you've walked by the First Avenue restaurant you'll know, Counter is not closed yet. So what's going on? They're just "tweaking the final arrangements" of the closing, according to a sign that an EVG reader noted. And what does that mean? It means you've got a few more months to fill up on your veggies in the East Village. more ›

First people were incensed when Chef Daniel Angerer crafted a cheese out of breast milk; then they were grossed out when a restaurant in London started selling breast milk ice cream. It seemed like there was no hope for breast milk enthusiasts to get their favorite product introduced into their normal diets...until now. more ›

In this city, restaurants and bars come and go faster than you can say "sustainable locavore burger." And even though there are great new additions to the culinary landscape popping up every week, you've gotta give kudos to anyone who can stick it out for over a year. With that in mind, we bring you Still Got It, our tribute to establishments that continue to serve mouthwatering meals and drinks long after the buzz has faded—or if the lingering hype is still justified. more ›

The Post didn't really need to count the number of liquor licenses for us to know that neighborhoods like the East Village, Hell's Kitchen and Greenwich Village have a lot of bars, but now we know just how many there are. The 10003 zip code, which makes up a good chunk of the East Village, wins for most liquored up neighborhood, with 474 liquor licenses within its boundaries. And apparently, it's a nightmare. One resident said, "It's like a red-light district. It's honking cabs all night. It's like a bad, disturbing dream." Well, hopefully all those drunks will get themselves into the neighborhood's 27 AA groups! more ›

Yesterday, the FDA announced two proposed regulations that would require chain restaurants around the country to post calorie counts on their menus—like New York has been doing for years. But don't worry, there are still a few safe places where no one will know how fat you are. The FDA writes, "Movie theaters, airplanes, bowling alleys, and other establishments whose primary purpose is not to sell food would not be subject to this proposed regulation." more ›

Snow or no, one way to tell that warmer weather is on the way is the slow rollout of our city's park concessions. To that end the chef Marc Murphy's Ditch Plains Drop-in is set top open again for business tomorrow in Brooklyn Bridge Park! For the month of April it will only be open weekends from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., but starting in May it'll be open every day. Meanwhile, the park itself is still struggling to figure out how it will pay for itself. more ›

April Fools jokes aren't just about fake Playmobil sets and Jar-Jar-related violence, there are loads of food pranks today too! Though none quite matches last year's brilliant In-N-Out hoax some certainly don't suck. Desperate Chefs Wives and Starbucks on scooters, anyone? more ›

One year ago today we wrote about protesters calling for the retirement of McDonald's mascot Ronald McDonald. And, for a while, he did seem to be less omnipresent. But that was then. The hamburger-pushing clown is back in a new set of McDonald's ads starting to air next week and now he wants to make some home movies for your kids. Naturally, some parents groups that were already concerned about obese American children are not amused. more ›

New Yorkers will do anything for their morning cup o' coffee including, apparently, risking their lives. When we first got a tip about some uncaffeinated New Yorkers begging Starbucks baristas for their morning fix, as smoke billowed through the store we initially thought it was an April Fools joke. But a call to the store confirmed that this actually happened. We'll let our tipster tell the tale: more ›

Sbarro, arguably the king of mall food court pizza (and Michael Scott's favorite pizza), is getting ready to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection as soon as Monday, the Journal reports. The chain, which originally started in Brooklyn (really!), has been struggling amidst the down economy with roughly $365 million in debt. more ›