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Celebrity Spotting: Bateman and Arnett; Kelly Bensimon Cooks with Scott Conant; Katie Couric and Matt Lauer Lunch; Where “The Bachelor” Wed His Bride, and More

Caroline Potter — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 23:13:19 +0000

A round-up of where some of your most (and least) favorite stars have been dining recently…

* A pregnant Amy Adams (Julie & Julia) dined at Napa Valley Grille. [EaterLA]

* Celebrity chef Mario Batali (and his Crocs) greeted fellow diner Morgan Freeman (The Dark Knight) at Comme Ca. [EaterLA]

* “Arrested Development” costars Jason Bateman and Will Arnett took a meeting with Hollywood execs at Lure Fishbar. [US Magazine]

* Kelly Bensimon of “Real Housewives of New York” got a lesson in making pasta from New York chef Scott Conant of Faustina and Scarpetta fame. Doesn’t Sam Talbot (”Top Chef”) know how to make pasta? [US Magazine]

* Actor/director Edward Burns (The Brothers McMullen) and supermodel wife Christy Turlington hit up Napa’s Bottega. [Tablehopper]

* Someone gave singer Tracy Chapman one reason to dine at DOSA on Valencia. No word on whether or not that someone had a fast car. [Tablehopper]

* Anchor Katie Couric broke bread midday with former colleague “Today” Matt Lauer at Le Caprice in Manhattan. [NY Post]

* Megastar Tom Cruise dined with CBS/Viacom boss Sumner Redstone at Il Piccolino in Beverly Hills. [NY Post]

* Gitane hosted Green Day’s Mike Dirnt. [Tablehopper]

* “Sex and the City” director/producer/writer Michael Patrick King ate with friends at Chaya. [EaterLA]

* “Parenthood” costars Peter Krause and Lauren Graham made an appearance at Quince in San Francisco. [Tablehopper]

* Super skater Michelle Kwan tucked into a meal at Legal Sea Foods. [Grub Street Boston]

* ABC’s “The Bachelor” lovebirds Jason Mesnick and Molly Malaney got hitched at Terranea Resort in Palos Verdes. [South Bay Foodies via Eater]

* Oscar winner Mo’Nique attended a luncheon at Philippe. [US Magazine]

* Johnnie’s on the Side hosted the musicans of Muse. [Grub Street Boston]

* Audrina Patridge (”The Hills) and Julie Benz (”Dexter”) supped at Katsuya in Hollywood. [US Magazine]

* Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi was spotted at Scampo. [Grub Street Boston]

* On-again couple Pink and husband Carey Hart stopped in for a bite at Geoffrey’s in Malibu. [People]

* Former American Pie ingenue Tara Reid’s beau popped the question at The Little Door in Los Angeles. [People]

* Actor Mark Ruffalo (Shutter Island) lunched at Manhattan’s Brasserie 44. [New York Daily News]

* Precious costars Gabourey Sidibe and Lenny Kravitz attended a luncheon at Asia de Cuba in West Hollywood’s Mondrian Hotel. [US Magazine]

* Anything-but-square designer Christian Siriano (”Project Runway”) was spotted at Upstairs on the Square. [Grub Street Boston]

* Michelle Trachtenberg of “Gossip Girl” sampled the guac at Dos Caminos. [Grub Street New York]

* Kanye West and muse Amber Rose were seen at Lure Fishbar. [Grub Street New York]

* Everyone’s favorite “Golden Girl” (sorry, Rue) and future “Saturday Night Live” host Betty White was spotted at Scala’s Bistro in San Francisco. [Tablehopper]

* Actor-cum-mobile spokesperson Luke Wilson was recognized dining at the Bay Area’s Slanted Door. [Tablehopper]

Trendspotting: Foraging for Food; Mixology with Meals; Pigs; Pop Rocks; Pop-Up Restaurants; Sharks; Sustainable Restaurants, and More

Caroline Potter — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 19:16:20 +0000

In food-related news from the blogosphere and your favorite food sections…

* Forget singing for your supper; it’s all about searching for it these days, thanks to a renewed interest in foraged ingredients. I don’t mind the practice, but this word is beginning to crop up on menus everywhere and it’s driving me a bit batty. [Nation's Restaurant News] [Seattle Post-Intelligencer]

* New York Assemblyman Felix Ortiz wants to ban the use of salt in food prep at restaurants in New York State. In other words, he wants to ruin all the restaurant food in New York State. [Nation's Restaurant News]

* Are Pop Rocks the new truffles? Probably not, but some restaurants in New York (Klee, Kefi, and Fishtail by David Burke) are embracing this clamorous candy and other 7-11 delights as ingredients in high-end dishes. [New York Post]

* I did not know that: Eggs aren’t dairy. Whew! I recently did a cleanse that excluded dairy, but I adore eggs so it was sheer (and, in hindsight, unnecessary) torture. Thanks to Carolina Santos-Neve and Epicurious for clearing this up. [The Epi-Log]

* It’s not easy to not eat meat, but Chow’s Roxanne Webber has some insights as to how vegetarian and vegan chefs make their meat-free dishes so delicious. [Chow]

* First craft beers, now cocktails are being paired with food at fine restaurants. Can wine get a break? [The Atlantic] [Washington Post]

* Pop-up restaurants are, well, popping up all over New York, much to diners’ great joy. [Los Angeles Times]

* Restaurateurs are embracing sustainability in ways big and small, from building materials to menu items. [Los Angeles Times]

* Shark is not sustainable, in case you were wondering. [The Atlantic]

* In news sure to shake Miss Piggy to her stilettos, whole-pig restaurants are all the rage in Southern California. [Los Angeles Times]

* Despite their appetite for whole pigs, diners want to get healthier. [Nation's Restaurant News]

* Diners also want to eat outdoors, especially in New York. [The New York Times]

* Food is my religion, and restaurants are my houses of worship. Thankfully, I am not alone. [The Grist]

Chef Watch: Michael Voltaggio Cooks and Tells; New York Post Has a Beef with Alain Ducasse; Norman Van Aken Opens His Recipe Book; The World’s Most Influential Chef; Charlie Trotter’s New Hire, and More

Caroline Potter — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 00:07:55 +0000

Chefs making food and headlines…

• Michael Voltaggaio, winner of season 6 of “Top Chef” shows football fans how to have a very molecular gastronomic Super Bowl party. Does that mean deconstructed nachos? [Los Angeles Times]

• Speaking of Chef Voltaggio, who is chef de cuisine at The Dining Room at The Langham, he answers questions about his post-TC life. [Orange County Register]

• Jose Garces, whose Philadelphia restaurant empire includes Amada, Chifa, Distrito, and Tinto, reveals what’s inspiring him lately. [The Daily Beast]

• Charlie Trotter hires visually impaired chef Laura Martinez to join his kitchen at Charlie Trotter’s. [Grub Street Chicago]

• If Chicago’s Graham Elliot Bowles’s food at Graham Elliot were an album, it would be Feed the Animals by Girl Talk. At least this week, anyway. [Time Out Chicago]

• Meet the U.K’s own Fergus Henderson of St. John restaurant in London. He’s also the world’s most influential chef. No, really. [Men's Health]

• Chef Norman Van Aken shares some of his signature recipes from Norman’s at the Ritz-Carlton in Orlando, but it’s probably just easier to go ahead and let him make them for us at his eponymous restaurant. [The Daily Beast]

• Thomas Keller (Ad Hoc, Bouchon, Bouchon – Beverly Hills, The French Laundry, Per Se) loses his right-hand man. As long as it’s not his right hand. [San Francisco Chronicle]

• Restaurant critic Steve Cuozzo of the New York Post has a bone to pick with Alain Ducasse (Adour Alain Ducasse at The St. Regis New York, Benoit New York) over his recent comments about the New York restaurant scene. Call me a coward, but it’s probably not all that wise to start a beef with anyone who wields knives for a living. [New York Post]

Well-Reviewed: Bouchon Earns a Rave; Danny Meyer’s Maialino Can’t Miss; and More.

Caroline Potter — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 18:37:36 +0000

Recent reviews around the nation…

* Critic Tom Sietsema heads to the Hill for a meal at Bistro Cacao. [The Washington Post]

* S. Irene Virbila welcomes Thomas Keller’s Bouchon with open arms and three shiny stars. [Los Angeles Times]

* Minneapolis’s answer to Jean-Georges scores another hit with D’Amico Kitchen, according to Rick Nelson. [Star-Tribune]

* Virbila also likes LA’s neighborhoody House Café for a bite. [Los Angeles Times]

* Chris Colin finds the view’s the thing at Oakland’s The Lake Chalet Seafood Bar & Grill. [The New York Times]

* Danny Meyer’s Maialino is so nice, this week it’s been reviewed twice. [New York Post, The New York Times]

* Pelago wows the Windy City’s Phil Vettel. [Chicago Tribune]

* Michael Bauer remains loyal to old favorite Rivoli. [San Francisco Chronicle]

Four Seasons New Chef Moves On

Caroline Potter — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 17:33:02 +0000

Everything old is new again at The Four Seasons. Recently hired Fabio Trabocchi, formerly of now-shuttered Fiamma, has exited his position as executive chef at this Manhattan mainstay after, according to the New York Post, regulars couldn’t find the restaurant’s regular dishes on the menu. Both sides are mum about the reasons behind the split, but it’s no doubt that both the legendary restaurant and this Michelin-starred chef will continue to please diners, albeit separately.

Score a Great Table During the World Series

Caroline Potter — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 17:25:11 +0000

Even if you’re not a fan of baseball, you may still want to pay attention to what’s happening in New York and Philadelphia in the coming days. According to the New York Post, it’s easier to find open tables at some of the city’s hottest restaurants on game nights. Restaurants and bars with television sets aren’t seeing a slide in business, but at high-end restaurants that aren’t showing the game, such as David Burke Townhouse, prime-time tables that would typically be filled are yours for the taking. A similar phenomenon is probably taking place in Philadelphia.

If you’ve got a bigger appetite for world-class cuisine than the World Series (or you don’t mind setting your DVR), search for open tables at New York’s and Philadelphia’s finest restaurants. Remaining game dates are October 29, October 31, November 1, November 2, November 4, and November 5, and unlike the Yanks and the Phillies, you probably won’t strike out.

When Restaurants Take a Vacation

Caroline Potter — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 18:16:35 +0000

Everybody deserves a break once in a while — even restaurants (and all the hard-working folks who toil there!). I was poking around on OpenTable, pondering reservation choices for dinners over the next few weeks, and La Grenouille, a New York dining institution, didn’t show up for any of dates. I panicked for a few moments (Could they be — GASP! — closing?) until clicking over to their profile page and seeing a note, indicating they’re taking a brief break during the last days of high summer. A piece in the New York Post a few days later touched on this very topic, revealing that several of Manhattan’s most famous establishments go on hiatus for a few weeks around this time of year, including Cafe des Artistes, Adour Alain Ducasse at the St. Regis, Le Cirque, Cafe Boulud, and Chanterelle (the last two are also undergoing renovations).

If you don’t see availability for a particular restaurant, check the restaurant’s profile page for a note about a vacation or renovations before assuming the worst. And, try to find some new faves while your current ones are taking time away or, lucky them, all booked up!

The Upside to Dining out in a Down Economy

Caroline Potter — Thu, 14 May 2009 20:36:12 +0000

Is the recession keeping you out of restaurants? The New York Post details 10 ways a weakened economy is actually a boon to hungry diners, highlighting deals at Fishtail by David Burke, David Burke Townhouse, Chanterelle, Per Se, and more. Other trends include bar areas that are — wait for it! — for drinking rather than dining and burgers showing up on some very upscale menus (Sorry, no Per Se sliders!). Similarly, restaurants in your neighborhood that may have been out of your reach may be well within it. So, stop denying yourself and start dining out!

Is Bread Worth Your Hard-Earned Dough?

Caroline Potter — Tue, 05 May 2009 16:09:38 +0000

New York Times restaurant critic Frank Bruni took to the Diner’s Journal to defend restaurants that charge for bread. Earlier, the New York Post had taken issue with the practice, but Mr. Bruni sees nothing wrong with it, pointing out that even free bread really isn’t free as well as the fact that the restaurant in question lists bread and butter (and its pricing) on their menus.

I usually eschew bread when dining out, so I probably wouldn’t order it if I had to pay for it (unless I’d heard it was spectacular!) and I’m not sure I’d be disappointed if it weren’t provided. But, I’m just one diner. I asked some of our Facebook friends to weigh in on the topic, and almost everyone appreciated bread and butter (or the equivalent of it, depending on the cuisine).

What do you think about bread? Is it a must-have? Would you pay a bit extra for an outstanding baguette and butter? Chime in here or join the conversation on our Facebook page.