This Week's Top Restaurant and Food News 1 comments

Cheers to the weekend! 

By James Mulcahy

It was relaunch week here at the Zagat Blog - did you notice our fancy new look? We sure hope so! With the rollout came a lot of exciting content, including a sequel to our most popular post from last year, The Most Annoying Restaurant Trends. This version sparked a similar amount of controversy, and easily took the top slot for the week. Following close behind was a post promoting our Best Meal Ever contest - if you didn't get a chance to enter that one, you have until Saturday night. Rounding out the list were some scandalous historical facts about NYC restaurants and a some info from our first ever Valentine's Day Survey. To the list!

The 10 Most Annoying Restaurant Trends
Tell Us Your Best Meal Ever for the Chance to Win $250
9 Secrets of New York Bars and Restaurants 
Is NYC Still the Best City for Chinese Food?
Valentine's Day Survey Results are Live!
15 Valentine's Reservations to Make Right Now [NYC]
10 Restaurants and Bars Where You Can Meet "Your Type"
Valentine's Day Dining Horror Stories
Quote of the Day: Paula Deen's Publicist Calls it Quits 
Are Special Valentine's Day Menus a Rip-Off?

Outtake of the Week 0 comments

"I've never felt more ripped off than after this place - and I've woken up in São Paulo missing a kidney and a wallet!"

The Best Thing We Ate This Week: Damon Wise's Pork Taco 1 comments

By James Mulcahy

Marc Forgione may have won the heritage pig cook off Cochon 555 when all five of his dishes were judged together, but another chef there had what we thought was not only the best dish at the festival, but the best thing we ate all week. We still haven't had a chance to swing by Monkey Bar to check out former Craft chef Damon Wise's new menu, but we made a reservation soon after trying the dishes that he cooked up with his little piggy. While his blood sausage was one of the better ones in the room (numerous chefs made a version of this dish), it was his pork taco that had us drooling all week. Topped with a spicy bit of salsa verde, some tasty red cabbage and a cream made with the Aleppo pepper, it was everything a taco should be - a little spicy, a little moist, and packed with a wallop of flavor. It was the only dish that at the event that had us scarfing a second helping, which is a feat seeing that we were in a pork coma by the time we rolled out of there.

Sadly, we doubt this Mexican-inspired dish will make its way to the Monkey Bar menu, but if Wise decides to open his own haute taco shack a la Empellon, Alex Stupak better watch his back.

Photo: Gabi Porter 

Yefsi Estiatorio Showcases the Greek Isles on the UES 0 comments

By James Mulcahy

JBird isn't the only new opening to spice up the Upper East Side's dining scene. We just got word about recently opened Greek joint Yefsi Estiatorio, an eatery all the way over on York Avenue that's billing itself as a "contemporary Greek taverna." The neighborhood-centric restaurant is from Christos Christou, a native of Cyprus who worked in the kitchen of Manhattan's Molyvos back in the day.

Here, he puts the focus on mezedes, or traditional small plates that are meant to be shared. The rustic cuisine includes options like house-made country sausage with pork, coriander, orange zest and red wine or a ground beef Mousaka with eggplant and béchamel. The space, which opened around two weeks ago, runs with the rustic vibe - there are big wood beams supporting the ceiling and bottles of Greek wine lining the walls (vino from the mother country plays a large part on the restaurant's wine list).

Sweetwater Music Hall Reopens in Mill Valley 0 comments

By Meesha Halm

Sweetwater Music Hall, the landmark music venue in Mill Valley, reopened with a bang on Tuesday night. Rockers Sammy Hagar and Bob Weir were in the house for a private opening night soiree in the venue’s new location, just a few blocks away from the original locale. Rolling Stone covered the opening and even Mill Valley transplant Tyler Florence had something to say, updating live video and tweeting, “Bob Weir at #SweetWater in #MillValley. I smell weed.” Check back next week for a complete look at the new locally sourced, organic cafe fare, overseen by chef Gordon Drysdale, which opens officially to the public today, January 27 (19 Corte Madera Ave., Mill Valley).

The Counter's Super Bowl Wager 0 comments

By Merrill Shindler

The Counter burger chain has introduced a Burger Bar at its El Segundo location, where they'll deliver burgers to your home with all the fixin's, for $9.95 per person with a minimum of eight. But that's not even the best part. Order from the Burger Bar for your home (or office) on Sunday, February 5 - and if the second half kickoff is returned for a touchdown - all Burger Bar orders for that day are on the house...free...gratis...no charge. The chances are, of course, around none. But still... (find out more info here).

2941 Reopening With Fresh Look, Menu 0 comments

By Olga Boikess

When Falls Church New American 2941 reopens next Monday after a brief hiatus for refurbishing, diners will find the beautiful, airy space as stylishly elegant as ever, with floor-to-ceiling windows offering lush views of waterfalls and a koi pond. There's an oval bar that's now the centerpiece of a bar/ lounge area, where you'll also find high-tops, a flat-screen, curated cocktails and a casual menu (noshes, burgers and charcuterie). Also keep an eye out for colorful new art on the walls, flattering lighting from starburst chandeliers and an inviting banquette in front of the glassed-in fireplace.

Chef Bertrand Chemel’s new, more moderately priced menus mix French technique, locally sourced products and Mediterranean accents. Look for the likes of dorade with za’atar; chicken with morcilla-chorizo sauce; and roast duck a la orange with bacon and Swiss chard, plus pastas and three burger options at lunch. Bonus: guests from January 30-February 9 will get 12% off their food bill (703-270-1500).

Quote of the Day: Anderson Cooper is a "Brave" Eater 0 comments

That is the face of  a brave, brave man

"I got to try some headcheese that I'd arranged to let Anderson Cooper taste. He was very brave. He's notoriously one of the pickiest eaters on the planet. I think he enjoyed talking with me; I don't think he enjoyed eating with me."

-TV host / adventurous eater Andrew Zimmern talking about a visit to Anderson Cooper's talk show where he made the TV host try headcheese. If you don't remember how picky the silver fox is, the above still is from an episode of his show, in which the TV host tried spinach for the first time. Way to expand those boundaries, Anderson! [Grub Street]

The Week in Food TV: Snoops Soul Rolls and Top Chef Meatballs 0 comments

Ludo was all over Food TV this week 

By James Mulcahy

This week in Food TV saw the return of Charlize Theron, a snarky comment about a meatball, and a spat with Paula Deen and her publicist over her recent diabetes announcement. Take a look at our coverage below, and stay tuned for more fun from the world of Food TV next week (including the finale of Rachael vs. Guy - go Snoop!).

Top Chef Episode 12: Like a Meatball
Quote of the Day: Paula Deen's Publicist Calls it Quits 
Anthony Bourdain Visits In-N-Out Animal and The Ludo Truck on The Layover
Ludo Lefebvre Thinks New York's Dining Scene is Too Fou Fou
Rachael Vs. Guy Episode 4: "Soul Rolls" and Street Carts

Tiki Mondays at Lani Kai, Alison 18 Opens Next Week 0 comments

Lani Kai

By James Mulcahy

Julie Reiner's tropical-themed Lani Kai has some exciting things lined up on Monday evenings through the Spring. The bar has dubbed the first day of the week "Tiki Mondays" and will bring in notable guest bartenders each week to showcase their takes on classic tiki drinks (not to mention the exciting new concoctions that they will surely have in tow). Next week, famous mixologist Dale DeGroff will be behind the bar with Reiner, but we're really excited about the epic lineup the lounge has planned for February 13. Dubbed all-star night, the evening will pit teams of two against each other to see who can make the best tiki concoction, expect notables like Brian Miller and Phil Ward to be in the house while the event goes down from 6 PM to midnight (646-596-8778).

If tiki isn't your style, check out a New York classic that's returning with a reboot after a decade off. Alison Price Becker ran TriBeCa's Alison on Dominick from 1989 to 2002, and now she is gearing up to launch a new version of the eatery dubbed Alison 18 in the Flatiron District. The restaurant, which opens on Tuesday, will feature a menu of French-influenced American fare that's prepared by chef Robert Gurvich. The space is divided up into a few sections, and will feature eggplant-hued chairs, dark-bronze sconces and wallpaper with a whimsical toile print that details scenes from the Big Apple. Alison 18 will be open for breakfast, lunch and dinner (15 West 18th St.; 212-366-1818).