February 2012
1 post
On the matter of Il Buco Alimentari and Its Three...
Have spent an unexpectedly substantial amount of time in the last twenty-four hours reflecting on whether or not Il Buco Alimentari is a three star restaurant. Pete Wells thinks it is and his verdict initially had me calling for the nuclear launch codes. (Sorry about that, Pete.) I am a fan of his and I go to this new Il Buco over and over again. It is very, very good. But, here’s the...
December 2011
2 posts
1 tag
In Which the Gentleman Calls, Post-Coitally
Chapter VII, Sub. 6 The Next Day
It so happens that from time to time — or perhaps of a frequency higher than that — the gentleman finds on his todo list the task of reassuring a new lady of his exceptional pedigree and genuine intentions, by way of making contact with her the day after he showed her a most enjoyable evening. Here, then, is a ranking of the many forms of communication...
October 2011
16 posts
RESY
romera — 212 929 5800 — 1 ring, i believe we have a 9p if i’m not mistaken cafe boulud — 212 772 2600 — 5 rings, early around 6 then not again until 10 colicciho and sons — 212 400 6699 — 0 rings, main room 10:30, 6 or 10:30 in tap room morimoto — 212 989 8883 — 5 rings, “brief” 4-min hold,...
Josh Friedland + Adam Robb = Ruth Bourdain?
Perhaps the best kept secret in all of food is the identity of Ruth Bourdain, the Twitter-based Reichl-Bourdain mashup that’s won a Beard Award for journalism and has 47,337 followers at press time (Twitter bio: “Comfort me with offal. Mashing up the tweets of Ruth Reichl with the mind of Anthony Bourdain. This is a parody.”) His-her identity has of late and from day-one been...
Rolex Milsub, $100K OBO →
Kludt has it from multiple sources that Brett Anderson, the excellent Nola-based food writer, is replacing Sam Sifton on Restaurants beat at the NYT. More evidence: He hasn’t posted from the ground for the Times-Picayune since 10/7. And posting volume down there fell off precipitously right around 9/20. Exhibit A.
1 tag
Been thinking a lot about the idea of day-parting the NBC City Sites (nbcnewyork.com, for example; not that it’d be within my power to do such a thing). During the 5 PM broadcast, for example, the homepage might be a large video player above the fold with links to support the stories that are being presented on-air. On the weekend, it might be a design that favors fewer, meatier stories....
1 tag
New Flatiron Lounge Births 'American Grille'...
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
THE BRANDIT GROUP INTRODUCES NEW UPSCALE SPORTING LOUNGE, BOUNCE SPORTING CLUB, TO NEW YORK CITY’S FLATIRON DISTRICT
Sean Olnowich of The House and Vero, has been named the venue’s Executive Chef offering guests gourmet American Grille cuisine until midnight, such as the Sloppy Duck Sliders, Truffle Mac and Cheese, Grilled Skirt Steak Tacos, Charred Spicy Shishito Peppers,...
Here's What's Wrong With New York's $245 Romera...
pricehike:
Dear Miguel Sanchez Romera:
I’m writing to let you know what’s wrong with Romera, your debut New York restaurant in Manhattan’s Dream Downtown hotel. No, I haven’t dined at Romera. And yes, your so-called neurogastronomical creations look delicious.
I’ll give Romera a proper review later this autumn in my Bloomberg column. But right now, I feel compelled to stage a little...
"A Critic Selects a Last Meal" →
The Sam Sifton reign of terror ends with this complete, utter, and characteristic nonsense:
Not that it is the opinion of others that seems to matter most to the restaurant’s staff. As Michael Minnillo wrote in a charming essay in Finesse, a magazine that Mr. Keller publishes and distributes at the French Laundry and Per Se, the point of their enterprise is that the staff’s standards for...
1 tag
the pretentious* little one pager
What was was, was was. But I’m thinking about how to use this thing, and, well, maybe.
s l n y august 21, 2003
the pretentious* little one pager courtesy of shelovesny.com THE NEW BLACK schiller’s liquor bar — wear your “keith, my boyfriend is out of town” t grotta azzurra — back from hiatus, family change, & new chef, since 1905 THE NEW BLACKOUT (the...
1 tag
Resy
crown — 646 559 4880 — dial 1, 1 ring, 2:15 musical hold, ext 013 is unavail craft — 212 780 0880 — 1 ring, we have availability at 7 or 10 catch — 212 392 5978 — 7 rings, that mailbox is full corton — 212 219 2777 — 3 rings, what time were you looking for?, 7:15 or 9:30
http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/analytics.brand?brand=Y... →
<p>The analytics area of Polyvore, which they’ve quietly had live for many months now, is fascinating. Sample set is pretty specific, but very zeitgeisty. Think the shop blogs should be doing more with it.</p>
1 tag
January 2011
1 post
About BL
Ben Leventhal is the Co-Founder and former Editor-in-Chief of Eater.com, the largest independent restaurant news site on the web. He is also the Creator and former Editor of TheFeast.com, which he built while the Executive Editor of Lifestyle Content for NBC Universal. He’s been a consultant for myriad media companies, such as InterActive Corp and New York Magazine. Recipient of a Food &...