chipotle's chicken burrito is nasty.

1,179 calories
7 g fat
125 g carbs
2,656 mg sodium

Chipotle’s Chicken Burrito. The worst “Mexican Entree” on Men’s Health’s worst foods list. I knew I didn’t like Chipotle for a reason. Their #1 worst food—Outback Steakhouse’s Aussie Cheese Fries who have 2,900 calories per order.

the Eater deathwatch debate.

For those of you who live in New York, if you haven’t already checked out Eater and you love New York’s dining scene, you should.

They have a regular feature there where they “Deathwatch” restaurants for a variety of reasons (losing a chef, bad NYT review, horrible concept from day #1, etc).

Last week they deathwatched Suba, one of my favorite NYC tapas joints bc of bad location (Rivington) for that type of dining (aka expensive).

What is interesting is the debate in the ‘comments’ of this Deathwatching that has ensued since it occured. The commenters raise a question (which I am sure has been raised 100 kajillion times) which is—what is the power of industry-focused blogs like this? And what is their responsibility to those establishments/people that they write about?

If you are stating an opinion that could potentially impact an individual or entity, what is your ethical liability?

Is there an answer to this already that I am missing?

Some comment highlights:

“This is a case where Eater is trying to make news not reflect on it. I frankly think it is irresponsible to deathwatch restaurants unless they are truly teetering on the edge. People put a lot of time and money into places and for some blog to create rumors of a potential closing can kill a business. Oh well. Guess that’s why they work at a blog instead of running a restaurant.”

“I guess it would be cool if Eater was powerful enough to close a restaurant. But I doubt that is true. so get over it. “

“As for the Deathwatch itself, yes it’s fucked up and parasitic for Eater to try to boost their readership by dancing on the grave of other people’s ambitions. It’s one thing to have an editorial viewpoint about whether a place is good or bad (which Eater doesn’t even try to do and in this case actually seems to think Suba is good), but this is just dumping on other people’s jobs and livelihood. What’s the point? Time to kill Deathwatch, and maybe even inject some positive news in here. The business is hard enough without parasites shitting on restaurants, particularly good ones.”

Serge Becker + his drama

The guys over at NY Mag have the full scoop on all of these shenanegans going on with Serge Becker and his weed man. To think that he does not have a weed man and there are not shitloads of cocaine going through The Box and La Esquina, especially the former, is just craziness.

OF COURSE IT IS THERE. Have you been to The Box? Anytime there are midgets and showgirls--cocaine is not too far around.

To follow this story as it unfolds is very hard so bare with me.

Basically, Cordell Lochin got arrested for moving a shitload of weed.

Serge Becker, part-owner of The Box and La Esquina, responded by telling NY Mag that Cordell Lochin, was merely an “indispensable advisor” not a partner like he claims.

However, a December 15 memo from a government attorney calls that "statement" from Becker into question, pointing at an undated letter from Becker that describes Lochin as “more than just a business partner.” That letter pleads for leniency because his company is “in the design stage of our second location of ‘La Esquina’ in Miami Beach at ‘the Gale’ hotel.”

The attorney’s letter, which you can view here on NY Mag's site, points to conflicting documentation (shocker!): “These issues create a question whether any ownership or operation agreement relating to La Esquina was changed as a result of defendant’s arrest on the pending charges to create an appearance that defendant had no ownership in the establishment.”

Then there’s the matter of Lochin’s ownership in The Box. According to the federal prosecutor, a September 2006 Investor Prospectus indicates Becker and Lochin were then in the process of negotiating a $500,000 investment in The Box in return for a 25 percent share of its parent company, Variety Entertainment Group. An e-mail from Becker to the defense counsel indicates Lochin had a 40 percent stake in that Box investment.

What doesn’t seem to be in dispute is that Lochin was drawing a $50,000 salary from La Esquina, plus a $6,250 monthly share of La Esquina’s profits, plus a $1,000 monthly check from The Box (documents indicate Becker and Lochin were reinvesting their profits from the latter), adding up to an annual income of $177,000. WHAT?! Yes, I'd say he has a share.

The Deathwatch of BarFry.

This makes me sad.

Eater does this 'deathwatch' thing where they predict the demise of New York eateries based on a variety of factors.

This is the first time they've 'deathwatched' one of my friend's joints and I really hope they are wrong.

Maybe all that BarFry needs is a new name? Their raw stuff is simply fantastic, perhaps this is just a case of misbranding?

Christmas Day Chinatown Eats.

I wish I could be here and enjoy some of the soup dumplings off of this list. Yumm. I think I'll do this on New Year's day this year....

Balducci's Chanukah Ham.

Ohhhh the irony.

gilt dishes up gossip girl style.

Via Zagat:

Hey there, Upper Eastsiders. Zagat Buzz here. Remember way back when, in the pilot for the CW's super-trashy/guilty-pleasure Gossip Girl, greasy hotel heir Chuck Bass (Ed Westwick) had his father's restaurant's chef at the Palace serve Serena van der Woodsen (Blake Lively) an over-the-top grilled fontina cheese sandwich with truffle oil? Have you been itching to try it ever since?

Well, stop scratching. Gilt, the real restaurant in the real Palace Hotel, has permanently added a version of the dish to its bar menu so that you too can embrace your inner Serena. Right now the white truffle grilled cheese sandwich will set you back a mere $50 (when the season's over, a $25 black truffle sandwich will replace it). And by the by, yes that was Gilt chef Christopher Lee serving the sandwich to Serena in the pilot.

Oh, and if that isn't decadent enough for you, Gilt now boasts ownership of the largest white truffle to hit the city this year – a 1.51 pound doozy of a specimen that cost the lofty New American a cool $8,000.

Spotted Pig is the shit.

In case you already didn't know [and have been in some dungeon somewhere] Spotted Pig is like totally the coolest restaurant/gastropub/place to pick up men like, ever.

Here is a chart to their infamous and celebutante friendly A-list of investors. Cute, huh? Thanks Observer, who deemed the investors cool enough to write a whole article about them.

On this place is cool enough to have Bono, Jay Z and Bill Clinton dine together at one table [yep, it happened].

Go Hova!

Danyelle Freeman is an idiot and possibly a tranny.

From her review[if you can even call it that] of Allen & Delancey:

"At Allen & Delancey, a well-heeled woman spooned bone marrow into her mouth. It was a nonchalant bar gesture, followed by a leisurely sip of a cocktail.

This is a culinary sign of the times.

Henry David Thoreau once wrote, "Live deep and suck out all the marrow of life." Dining on bone marrow was likely not what the philosopher had in mind, but fitting, as this is not an uncommon sight at New York City restaurants in the 21st century."

What? Is she serious? This has to be the most stupidest thing I ever did read.

This girl needs to cut the crap.

Thanksgiving Texan Style in NYC.

I'm not eating here but when I got this in my inbox I just had to share. It sounds so damn yummy.

Leave it to the Texans to be stuck in Chelsea hell and still manage to churn out a yummy turkey extravaganza!

Hill Country Thanksgiving Feast:Their feast serves 5-8 for $175, or 9-12 for $255, and includes a whole pit smoked turkey, with cornbread, honey butter and four sides (from choices like sweet potato bourbon mash, Longhorn cheddar mac’ and cheese, green bean casserole), and your choice of pies—Bourbon pecan, Grandma Betty’s Apple, Ginger snap pumpkin [umm YUMMY!]—or German chocolate cake.

Serendipity :: 100 + live cockroaches!

I was going to take my little sister to Serendipity 3 next week for their legendary hot chocolate, but now...apparently not.

The Department of Health has confirmed that following an inspection on 11/14, Serendipity 3 was shut down for myriad violations.

Their statement to the NY Post: "The Health Department closed Serendipity on 11/14/07 following its second consecutive failed inspection in a month. Both inspections revealed rodent and fly infestation and conditions conducive to pest infestation, including stagnant water in the basement. In last night's inspection, the inspector observed a live mouse, mouse droppings in multiple areas of the restaurant, fruit flies, house flies, and over 100 live cockroaches."

Disgusting!

Chodorow is crazy. His fat publicist is worse.

Chodorow sat down with the NYO....and his fat annoying publicist. [Her whole site is done poorly in horrible flash, so you'll have to click on the "About" section to see her ugly mug]

Sigh.

Here he goes again, let me share the highlights.

“I think Kobe Club may be my favorite restaurant in America,” said Ms. Bakhoum, who has represented Mr. Chodorow for several years. “It’s that decadently beautiful and delicious. The creamed corn with the truffles? I want to lay down and die.”

Hmmm...what?! She is so fat if she doesn't stop gobbling up the cream she likely WILL die.

“I’ve had thousands of people stop me—it’s unbelievable, the number of people—and say, ‘You know what, in the beginning they made you seem like an ogre, but after I watched the whole show and after I really saw what was going on, you were 100 percent right.’ I never had one person say to me, ‘You screwed over Rocco.’ That never happened,” Mr. Chodorow added.

I do L-O-V-E the shrek/ogre reference. I think the shoe does fit.

Generally, I wish this man would just stop but most importantly, I wish he'd fire his nasty pubicist. Would really want her greating you when you are trying to eat at one of his opening restaurant parties? No Ma'am.

Side note: Borough Food & Drink has been turned over to our friends Rick Camac + Company. They are re-concepting and will have a totally new space in there in Q1 of '08.

Evan Ford = Mason Dixon

This place was supposed to be called Evan Ford.

And I was excited about it.

Now it is open and they are calling it Mason Dixon

(yawn. not original at all).

Still excited about the mechanical bull, though...

Lydia Hearst: NYO Interview from Lure Fishbar

It never says it in the interview but I have it on good authority (because I was there) that this interview took place at Lure Fishbar. At the time I thought it was some kind of staged paparazzi event, how crazy to find out it was simply a New York Observer interview :)

You can read the entire interview here.

Side note: the Lure banquette looks lovely in this picture. The massive lighting paid off guys, you do it justice. [Lure is a very well designed subterranean space in Soho at Prince + Mercer]

The highlights:

• “I am definitely not a preppy New York girl,” she said. “The last thing you will ever see me wearing is a polo shirt—I’m not a pearl-necklace-wearing little sorority girl.”
• “I do believe that everyone deserves great love,” she said. “I just turned 23, I’m not necessarily planning the rest of my life at the moment. My idea about being in a relationship is like it’s a whole other form of creation.”
• “I tell her, ‘Listen, you’re a socialite, it’s a fair enough description, you come by it honestly,’” said her mom, Patricia Hearst-Shaw. “For ‘heiress’ we usually substitute ‘airhead’ around here. Just on general principle, lest anyone get too full of themselves.”

#1 highlight--that lovely shot of Lydia on the lovely Lure banquette

Ago's Cork Ceiling. Thanks Girlscouts?

Via Down By The Hipster [who has been SUPER wrong before] the new ceiling at Ago composed of cork is in place. This is clearly accurate.

Ago is the new restaurant of Robert DeNiro's in his new Tribeca Hotel, the Greenwich Hotel, that is a follow up to the existing LA outpost where DeNiro is an investor. It was a major shun to Drew Nieporent as he basically owns Tribeca food and is BFF with DeNiro, but that is an entirely other blog posting.

What I am not quite sure about is according to DBTH: "a Little Birdy has an update, telling us "there are only 100,000 corks and they were gotten from a branch of the Canadian girls scouts that collected and sold them for charity."

Hmmm. Sounds fishy. I'm going to take a no on this factoid. But whatever, cool ceiling none the less. We will definitely snag a meal here.

olsen twins eat dumplings [EAT is operative word]

One of my friends was hitting up the NYU outpost [8th Street] of Rickshaw Dumpling Bar when she spotted Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen last night. Yawn. They are in town for Bob Saget's run in The Drowsy Chaperone and something about their clothing line The Row.

Oh yes, and also so A can mug down with Lance Armstrong.

We've seen them everywhere as unfortunately they live on our block in the West Village [Grove for all of you stalkers].

What is interesting about this Rickshaw sighting is that the girls were actually seen eating. Even when I saw them at Waverly Inn last week I can't say that I actually saw them consume food. The twins shared ONE order of Rickshaw's little veggie delights. Steamed of course.

Ps--MK + A --> Rickshaw is tasty but the veggie ones suck. Pork, Duck or Chicken all the way!

mario batali blogs on his journey with 'gp'

Mario Batali is just so cool. Not only is he the ruler of Iron Chef, the king of Food Network, and the owner of the best restaurant I've ever been to, Babbo. All this while wearing the most hideous shoes in the world--crocs.

But now, he is schlepping across Espana with none other than Gwyneth Paltrow [aka gp]. Check out his blog [kind of cryptic, think he might be on the Blackberry 8830 worldphone] but it is great to read about his journey and 'gp.'

Brilliant! Appropriate! Love it.

savethetoast.com :: Unilever is cheesy once again.

Unilever is known for their terribly kitschy marketing programs [the whole spraygirl thing--remember that? what is it with them and random 'viral' cartoon programs??] which is why I should not have been surprised when I received this email:

Hi Sarah,

I thought you might be interested in checking out www.savethetoast.com as it could provide some fun foodie fodder for your blog. It’s really lighthearted and I hope you find it to be as cute as I do. Please let me know what you think!

All the Best,
[PR person]

So I checked it out, of course....and now I am letting you know what I think: I like butter. I'd rather have anything real than anything synthetic and chock full of preservatives...but even if I was a potential or current Country Crock customer [the only thing country I really like is expensive cowboy boots and some music] I wouldn't be more compelled to buy it because of a 'toastamonial'

My questions to Unilever--Who is the target audience here? Are they in 3rd grade? Because if they aren't, this juvenile attempt at a brand interaction is just embarassing.

ps--this program isn't viral.

Gordon Ramsay will serve canapes at Frank Bruni's funeral

I really love Gordon Ramsay. He is rude, volatile, and totally inappropriate but he wears it well.

It is just damn sexy in my opinion. And I can't really seem to shake that.

He went ballistic about NYC food critics [aka Frank Bruni] who 'know less than he does' about food and offers to serve canapes at their funerals, free of charge.

What can I say, I love it!

Ramsay quote highlights from across The Pond:

Daily Star: "Secondly, who's laughing now? The quickest ever two Michelin star restaurant to open anywhere in the world and it is in New York. So food critics? Love 'em. I'll happily agree at my cost to do all the canapés at their funerals free of charge."

Telegraph: "I mean, what qualifications do you need to become a food critic?" he said in an interview on Classic FM that will be broadcast on Sunday. "Do you go and study an A-level in pomposity? Do you become that far tucked up in your own backside that you can't breathe and eat properly?"

tinsley mortimer has me mortified

...and she totally perpetuates every stereotype of people from the south and their eating habits to the millionth degree as she calls herself out on her culinary palate [if we can even call it that?]

You can read her food gabfest to NY Mag in its entirety here. Warning. It will make you not want to eat for like a year.

Domino's binges [2 pizzas in less than 24 hours plus an Oreo one, which has to be over 9k calories!], her Equal addiction, and let's not forget that a good, expensive steak should be drowned in sauce, right?

Tinsley, Tinsley. I'm Mortified.

No ma'am.