frank-bruni

Eating & Drinking: Wednesday Edition

cityfile · 02/04/09 03:56PM

Eric Ripert has signed on to host his own PBS show called Avec Eric. [THR]
Frank Bruni gives the Plaza's Oak Room a single star in today's Times, describing it as more of a "looker" than a "performer." [NYT]
• UES staple Swifty's is opening a Palm Beach outpost. [PBDN]
JGV is bringing back Vong's original menu from 1992. [JGV]
• Forge will officially change its name to Marc Forgione this week. [P6]
• More details about what's happening at Ago in the Greenwich Hotel. [NYT]
• The Flatiron's Fleur de Sel is closing on February 21st. [Eater]
• It's a tough time to be in the restaurant biz, in case you hadn't heard. [NYT]
• Possibly related: Starbucks is thinking of offering "value meals." [AP]

Eating & Drinking: Wednesday Edition

cityfile · 12/17/08 02:23PM

• There isn't much that impresses Frank Bruni at David Bouley's new Secession. Described as "the menu of an unfocused, distracted mind," the Tribeca spot comes up star-less in today's Times. [NYT]
Bobby Flay is opening two restaurants next year in the Mohegan Sun. [Eater]
Top Chef contestant Sam Talbot will oversee the seafood restaurant planned for the Mondrian Hotel, opening on Lafayette Street in 2009. [NYT]
• Steve Cuozzo and Jay Cheshes offer up thoughts on Oak Room. [NYP, TONY]
• The NYT publishes a profile of Rocco DiSpirito; his critics react accordingly.
• Looking for a 23,000-square-foot club in Chelsea? You're in luck! [GS]

Eating & Drinking: Monday Edition

cityfile · 12/15/08 02:34PM

Frank Bruni assesses the toll the recession's having on NYC restaurants. The silver lining: It's never been easier to snag a last-minute reservation. [NYT]
• A look inside Ortine, which opens on Wednesday. [GS]
• Expect further delays for Table 8 inside the Cooper Square Hotel. [Eater]
• Christophe Bellanca has landed at Laurent Tourondel's BLT Group. [TFB]
• Caracas Arepa Bar's Brooklyn outpost opens today. [BP]
• That can of Coke is going to cost you more pretty soon. Gov. David Paterson has proposed a 15% "obesity tax" on nondiet drinks. [NYDN]

Eating & Drinking: Wednesday Edition

cityfile · 12/10/08 03:02PM

Time Out's annual "Top 100" list is now online. [TONY]
• Frank Bruni hands out three stars today to Drew Nieporent's Corton thanks to Paul Liebrandt's ability to find "the sweet spot between disciplined cooking and intricate, imaginative leaps." [NYT]
• The good news/bad news for John Dory. [Eater]
• Alice Waters, Ruth Reichl, and Danny Meyer have volunteered to join Barack Obama's unofficial "kitchen cabinet." [Feedbag]
• La Cave des Fondus (where wine is served in baby bottles) is open. [NYM]
• As predicted, Upstairs is closing at the end of the year. [DBTH]
• One bonus to the recession: lobsters are cheaper than ever. [NYT]

No Justice, No Noodles

cityfile · 11/20/08 03:20PM

Frank Bruni delivered a crushing review of the new East Village restaurant Kurve yesterday. Today, the owner of the Karim Rashid-designed spot, Andy Yang, is doing damage control: What Bruni calls "unremarkable," Yang says, is actually "purposefully simple." [GS]
♦ Celsius, the pop-up restaurant in Bryant Park, is now open. [Eater]
Michael Dorf's City Winery isn't opening on schedule and the space is still raw, but he hosted a musical preview last night anyway. [GS, Eater]
♦ The space that formerly occupied by Seymour Burton is coming back to life as a surf-and-turf spot called Butcher Bay. [Feedbag]
♦ A preview of At Vermilion, the Midtown offshoot of Rohini Dey's Indian-Latin Chicago restaurant, Vermilion. [GS]
♦ A group of deliverymen protested outside Jonathan Morr's Republic yesterday with "No Justice, No Noodles" signs. [NYP]

Times's Healy Moves From Campaign to Broadway

Alex Carnevale · 11/13/08 01:57PM

The New York Times fraternity of gay political reporters is losing a member, Patrick Healy, to (where else?) the Broadway beat, Portfolio reports. Healy becomes the latest campaign reporter to get as far away from politics as possible following an election. And we now have to wonder now if he was the source of this quote in Out's unveiling of the gays covering the campaign:"'I think that the theater of politics is of real interest to political reporters,' says one of them. 'And a lot of gay reporters are theater junkies as well.'"With his November 4th campaign wrap-up, including his feud with the Hillary Clinton campaign over access, behind him, Healy follows in the footsteps of cantankerous Times reporter Frank Bruni, who went from covering the 2000 election to wild run as the paper's food critic. Healy recently reviewed the off-Broadway political play Farragut North, and he recently filed a textured, measure report about the rape scene in the Soho Rep production of Blasted. Our favorite moment from the Broadway-bound journalist was when he was recently asked, "Do you miss covering the Clinton presidential campaign?" He responded, "LOL." Jump From Political Beat [Portfolio]

Bruni on Market Table, NYC's First 'Green' Club

cityfile · 11/12/08 03:02PM

Frank Bruni had the economy in mind when he visited Market Table on Carmine Street: The restaurant earns two stars for its reasonably priced menu and comforting atmosphere that's like a "wool blanket, emphasizing good sense over high style." [NYT]
David Bouley's Bouley will be closed tonight in preparation for its re-opening tomorrow at 163 Duane St. [Zagat]
♦ We though the lousy economy was killing off ridiculously silly ideas. Apparently not. The dude responsible for Guest House and Home is opening Greenhouse, New York's "first environmentally-friendly club," tonight. [NYP]

David Chang's Expansion and the Best Cuban in NYC

cityfile · 11/06/08 02:39PM

♦ Momofuku's David Chang is opening a "bakery and milk bar" in the next few weeks. It'll offer up a selection of flavored milks, soft-serve ice cream, and desserts. [Eater]
♦ The West Village restaurant Charles, which opened less than a month ago, has already lost its chef, John McAllister. [Feedbag]
♦ Former Tia Pol chef Alex Raij plans to open a tapas bar on Ninth Avenue this fall. [The Feed]
Frank Bruni weighs in on Irving Mill and says he feels "blessed" by new chef Ryan Skeen's beef cheek and fatback hamburger, although he's pretty unimpressed with everything else. [NYT/Diner's Journal]
♦ A guide to the best Cuban food in New York. [NYT]

Bruni on Bobo, Crackdown at La Esquina

cityfile · 11/05/08 03:02PM

Frank Bruni of the Times visits Bobo this week, and awards one star to new chef Patrick Connolly for his "ambition" and "good intentions," although he also points out that the restaurant "hasn't wholly surrendered its attitude and put service before sheen." [NYT]
♦ The NYPD shut down Serge Becker's "guerilla" election night party at La Esquina last night. [NYO]
♦ Boqueria's Soho location has been granted a liquor license and should be open by next week. [GS]

A Broken Media Looks Back At The Campaign

Hamilton Nolan · 11/03/08 02:06PM

Now is the time when campaign reporters file their last, wistful dispatches of this hellbound two-year horse race. There is an absolute mess of these things! They all serve to fill space on the final, news-free days of the campaign, and also to remind readers of the invaluable role that the true heroes—political reporters—play in our democracy. We've slogged through the morass of remembrances today in order to answer the meta-question that really matters: what did this campaign mean to the media? You have to remember that for a lot of reporters, today is the last gasp of glory. By the end of this week the campaign will be over, and there will be far fewer opportunities to go on TV and be "experts." There may also be far fewer opportunities to be, you know, reporters; some percentage of these people are bound to be laid off in the coming year. We already know that the LA Times will be laying off the bulk of its Washington bureau. And most ofl those plucky young embedded reporters from TV networks are preparing to be fired when this thing wraps up. Everybody wants to make sure that you know that they were on the inside. Just because you, the consumer, didn't get all the colorful anecdotes in your morning paper doesn't mean that they didn't happen. Reporters have all types of fun memories from the campaign that they would like to share with you now that the campaign is over! Most of these fall into two categories: the "God these candidates are more morally bankrupt than I could ever say outright in the pages of my tepid publication," and the (more popular) "I made friends with important people!" Some key examples of each: God these candidates are more morally bankrupt than I could ever say outright in the pages of my tepid publication Michael Scherer from Time went to some Republican retreat in Michigan where politicians "came there to speak to state party activists, serving up stump pomp while waiters in white-tie tuxedos served drunk diners with pecan-coated ice cream balls." Then he finds a regular lady who says everyone in town is not like that. He rejoices. HuffPo's Sam Stein was set upon by a gang of disgruntled Hillary supporters in a Washington bar. "And soon the denizens were letting me have a piece of their mind. 'HuffPost sucks! HuffPost sucks!' they chanted, as I bit into my now-arrived Reuben. 'Fox News, fair and balanced! Fox News, fair and balanced!'" Although he does not say so, he hates them. Marc Ambinder from the Atlantic recalls watching Obama's little daughter Sasha talking to her daddy on stage at the Democratic convention; it "was very cute, but it also revealed how staged even Obama’s campaign had become." The thought of a little girl talking to her dad now makes him want to absolutely vomit. Politics has ruined him. I made friends with important people! Wacky old Dana Milbank from the Washington Post remembers Mike Huckabee "taking reporters hunting, taking them jogging, taking them to the barber for a face massage and shave." Dana Milbank would not object to being asked to appear on Mike Huckabee's teevee show, if Mike Huckabee so chose. Ana Marie Cox from Time had fun singing karaoke with McCain campaign hacks Mark Salter and Steve Schmidt. Salter even sung Dylan tunes! Later they went back to figuring out how to oppress black people. Adam Nagourney from the Times liked nothing better than sharing his Christmas dinner with failed Hillary flack Howard Wolfson: "We were quick to discover that there aren't a lot of restaurants open in Des Moines on Christmas night (or bars, but that's another story). But what was open was sure to warm the heart of two displaced Jews from New York: A Chinese restaurant." Aw! Then they made passionate love. You see, just about everyone on the campaign trail goes a little crazy. It's classic Stockholm syndrome; trapped on buses and planes for months on end, reporters come to regard their captors as friends. Just to get a fact-free look back at the election season to fill a hole in its Week in Review section yesterday, the NYT had to turn to Frank Bruni, who's spent the entire campaign eating brains at Manhattan's finest restaurant. But they needed an outsider who could say about this godforsaken campaign, presumably with a straight face, "that we have, if anything, undervalued and even lost sight of its significance at times." Had they put Adam Nagourney on that story, the editors would have had to spend hours rewriting his knowing asides about Howard Wolfson's bewitching cologne. For the media, the campaign means life. It means purpose, and employment, and attention, and a sense of self-importance. It's an unparalleled opportunity to cast oneself as an expert with no qualifications whatsoever, and to profess to speak for millions of "real Americans" without any factual basis. In reality, campaign reporters have a far less objective view of the Presidential race than a fat, laid-off auto worker sitting on his ass playing XBox in the ugly part of Toledo. It takes a rare breed to remain sane during the ordeal. And we should salute those who do. So Joshua Green of the Atlantic, we salute you; you alone have found a moment that appropriately embodies American democracy:

Happy Birthday

cityfile · 10/31/08 06:29AM

Nightlife impresario Scott Sartiano turns 34 today. Times restaurant critic Frank Bruni turns 44. Dan Rather is 71. Esquire editor-in-chief David Granger is turning 52. Architect Zaha Hadid is 58. Novelist Kinky Friedman is 64. Jane Pauley is turning 58. Mega hotel developer Ira Drukier turns 63. Actor Dermot Mulroney is 45. Director Peter Jackson turns 47. Rob Schneider is 45. And Robert Van Winkle, better known as Vanilla Ice, is 41.

Discount Sushi for Bruni, A New Spot for Todd English?

cityfile · 10/29/08 02:38PM

♦ Frank Bruni rather appropriately surveys two "affordable" sushi spots in the Times today. Both Sushi Azabu and Kanoyama get one star apiece, but it's the latter that ultimately wins out: "The breadth of this restaurant's fish selection is thrilling." [NYT]
♦ Stephane Dorian's long-awaited 10 Downing is finally opening tonight for friends and family. It'll open up for everyone else in the next two weeks. [Insatiable Critic via GS]
♦ Is Todd English planning to open a restaurant at 325 Bowery? [Zagat]

Bruni on Allegretti, Richman on Corton

cityfile · 10/22/08 12:49PM

Frank Bruni reviews Allegretti this week and gives it two stars: "Although some dishes are overwrought, with an ingredient or two too many, and a few utterly miss their mark, more are executed with finesse and with a wicked sense of indulgence." [NYT]
♦ Alan Richman is pleased with Paul Liebrandt's Corton, reserving special praise for its sous vide chicken. [GQ]
♦ A report on how restaurants across the country are coping with the downturn. [NYT]

Bruni Needs Braaiiiinnnnnnssss

Hamilton Nolan · 10/20/08 02:20PM

Cosmopolitan Times restaurant critic Frank Bruni: "Taste is personal. For instance, I love the texture and consistency of lamb hearts, and for some reason the idea that they’re hearts doesn't bother me emotionally or intellectually — doesn't give me any pause. I love the custard-like richness of brain, though I admit that for some reason I have to make a bit of an effort to edit out my consciousness (and I’m not making a cute joke here) that it’s brain I’m eating." Fine, just put down the knife and we'll bring you whatever you want. [NYT]

Robert De Niro, Neglectful Hotelier

cityfile · 10/17/08 12:01PM

Yes, Bobby, we're talking to you. When are you going to get things straightened out at the Greenwich Hotel already? Fine, it's a new place and it takes some time to work out the kinks. But it's been more than six months since you opened, and it's been four months since Frank Bruni ripped Ago to shreds. Plenty of time to figure out how get the food to the table on time, especially when you're asking people to pay $57 for a breakfast of juice, coffee, cereal and fruit. Oh, also: When a reporter from a major newspaper shows up to look around, we'd recommend that your general manager not scold her for taking a photo of the lobby with her digital camera. Especially when he explains that the hotel doesn't permit photography on the premises and there happens to be a photo shoot taking place on the other end of said lobby. [WSJ]

Drinking (and Eating) Your Way Through the Debate

cityfile · 10/15/08 01:34PM

New York has a roundup of bars and restaurants where you can catch the debate tonight. [Daily Intel]
♦ How are restaurateurs coping with the recession? They're opening for breakfast and staying open later. [NYT]
Frank Bruni checks out the UES vegan restaurant Candle 79 this week and gives it one star for its "top-notch produce." [NYT]
♦ Chef Charlie Palmer opened Aureole during the stock market crash of 1987, so it only makes sense that he's in the process of moving the eatery to a bigger venue right now. [NYO]

Undercover Ops at Marquee, One Star For Socarrat

cityfile · 10/08/08 12:33PM

♦ It seems the closure of Jason Strauss and Noah Tepperberg's Marquee this summer had more to do with a drug-related sting operation than a water main break. [NYO]
Frank Bruni gives one star to Socarrat Paella Bar in today's Times: Although Socarrat's signature dish isn't perfect, it's "better than the paellas at many other Spanish restaurants in New York." [NYT]
♦ The fro-yo wars are heating up: Both Pinkberry and Red Mango have hired branding firms to help define their places in the fro-yo market. [AdAge]
♦ The East Village nightclub Mr. Black has been shut down after failing to pay taxes. [VV via Gawker]

Corton's Debut, Mason's New Bar

cityfile · 10/02/08 03:03PM

Frank Bruni has a few words of advice on what to do if a waiter serves you the wrong dish. [NYT]
Sam Mason has a new bar planned for a space adjacent to Tailor. [GS]
♦ A look inside Aspen Social Club, the Steve Lewis-designed restaurant/bar at the newly-opened Stay hotel. [GofaG]
♦ Anthony Martignetti is opening a "private club without the membership policy" called Southside. [GS]
Drew Nieporent's Corton opened last night in the space that was formerly occupied by Montrachet. [Eater]

Convivio Nabs Three Stars, Changes at Bungalow

cityfile · 10/01/08 01:35PM

♦ Convivio earned a three-star review in the Times today; chef Michael White, says Frank Bruni, "can do it all." [NYT]
Armin Amiri's plans for Cafe Socialista? He says he's turning it into an "exclusive" 24-hour diner. [NYO]
Jean-Georges Vongerichten's next project is a restaurant in the Mark Hotel. [Page 6]
Amy Sacco just renovated Bungalow 8, but whether that's enough to bring back her A-list clientele is still up for debate. [NYO, GofaG]
♦ Chef Paul Liebrandt chats about his new restaurant, Corton, which he's opening with Drew Nieporent. [Metromix]
♦ Le Parker Meridian is opening a new bar called Knave. [NYT]
♦ JE Englebert, the publicity-seeking owner Prime and Suzie Wong, says he's starting a group called New Yorkers Against Bottle Service. [GS]