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- – Where have all the acorns gone this year? No, seriously, where? [Washington Post]
- – Food advertising in Chicago is literally hot air these days. [NYT]
- – Copia, the food, wine and art museum in Napa, has filed for Chapter 11. [Diner's Journal]
- – Ikea is getting some heat for serving reindeer. [Independent]
- – The embattled Cipriani family wants to have the Rainbow Room made into a landmark. [NYO]
- – Burger King is returning to the world of sliders. [AHT]
- – Meanwhile, McDonald's is testing a new, laid-back, building design. [S J-R]
- – Restarting the Oak Room and Palm Court in New York's Plaza was a tricky affair. [Vanity Fair]
- – Is there a new female Iron Chef on the horizon? [Broadcasting & Cable]
- – What do you do if a restaurant loses your credit card? Cancel it to start. [Between Meals]
- – The world's largest sugar castle is coming to the Bay Area on Friday. [NBC]
- – Or maybe you prefer your castles made of cans? [Serious Eats]
- – As good a pitch to eat ceviche as we've seen in awhile. [Eater]
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Sometimes the simplest concepts are the ones that catch on, as evidenced by the expansion of the steak-only restaurant Le Relais de Venise l'Entrecôte. The Paris-based meatery, which offers a salad and steak frites combo for £19 per person, opened its first London location in Marlyebone in 2005, and the second outpost will debut in the former Stock Exchange in January. Locations are also in the works for next year in New York and Bahrain (125 Old Broad St., EC2).
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- – Sweet! A new, shrub-derived sweetener is approaching the market. [Chicago Tribune]
- – You aren't really a better person for eating organically. [GQ]
- – A "cook" is not the same as a "chef" according to the lovely Marcella Hazan. [NYT]
- – Which is fine, since there is a glut of "celebrity chefs" out there right now. [NRN Food Writer]
- – And in other language news, the word "restaurant" seems to be hiding in the tough economy. [FT]
- – A clever new Chicago ad campaign wants to make sure you know that food should not be a luxury. [Ad Rants]
- – One New York cafe is charging for electricity. [NYP]
- – Papa John's has been doing solid business with its mobile web ordering site. [NRN]
- – More and more cranberries are being sold overseas. [NYT]
- – Advertising can be grown into apples now. [Gizmodo]
- – Indiana Jones would love this cake. [Accidental Hedonist]
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Goodman
photo: Cindy Chen
Named after American jazz legend Benny, the masculine, wood-panelled Goodman chophouse in Mayfair – the first London outpost of a Moscow-based chain – is clad with chocolate-brown leather banquettes and evocative black-and-white photos of historical London life; the well-sourced menu has each steak priced at £25, encouraging diners to select their cut of meat by preference rather than price.
26 Maddox St., W1; 020-7499 3776
Goodman
photo: Cindy Chen
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- – Food stamp usage in the U.S. is nearing an all-time high. [Washington Post]
- – How do farmers get so many turkeys ready to go for Thanksgiving? [Slate]
- – On Monday, the double cheeseburger will leave McDonald's dollar menu. [WSJ]
- – After being unable to find a buyer in New York, the 2.15 white truffle has found a happy home in Chicago. [Gothamist]
- – Chatting with Laurent Gras, whose L20 in Chicago is doing A-OK. [Hungry]
- – The job of White House cook is not suited to celebrity chefs. [NYDN]
- – The incredible, edible grain of salt. [Portfolio]
- – Not doing anything for the holiday? Proxy it with the movies. [Bay Area Bites]
- – Oh! Thanksgiving dinner on a cupcake! [Serious Eats]
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Princi London
photo: Cindy Chen
Developed in conjunction with über-restaurateur Alan Yau, Princi London is a Soho offshoot of a stylish chain from Italy that boasts a distinctive look with flamed porphyry and water features; its midpriced, all-day offerings include banks of freshly baked, beautifully displayed breads and pastries, as well as savoury Italian snacks like sandwiches and pizzas for taking out or eating at chic communal tables.
135 Wardour St., W1; 020-7478 8880
Princi London
photo: Cindy Chen
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Thursday in the States is that annual family-friendly feast, Thanksgiving. But just because we're across the pond doesn't mean that thanks can't be given in the U.K. too. So if you are looking to gobble down on a turkey, but didn't like the options we presented previously, might we suggest trying the dinner at the Bayswater brasserie Le Café Anglais where chef Rowley Leigh has just created a four-course holiday menu (November 27, noon–11PM; £39.50 per person; 020-7221 1415).
Want to see more? The menu is after the jump.
Bibb Lettuce Salad with Shrimps, Radishes and Celery
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Rock and Native Oysters on the Half Shell
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Shrimp Bisque with Cornbread
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Consomme Celestine
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Sea Bass with Clams and Butter Beans
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Roast Turkey, Sweet Potatoes, Creamed Potatoes,
Chestnuts and Sprouts, Cranberry Sauce
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Pumpkin Pie
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Pecan Pie
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Chocolate Soufflé, Pistachio Ice Cream
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The results of our 2008 Airline Survey are in, and while there were a few positive developments, the industry as a whole is hardly flying high in the public’s eyes.
First, the good news: average overall ratings – factoring in Comfort, Service and Food scores – rose slightly for premium and economy class performance in both the domestic and international ranks. Not surprisingly, premium class showed the most improvement.
And a number of carriers – including Continental, JetBlue, Midwest and Virgin America domestically and Air New Zealand, Cathay Pacific, Emirates, Singapore and Virgin Atlantic internationally – turned in solid performances despite the tough conditions facing the industry.
Still, in the domestic economy ranks, several airlines again scored better for their websites than for their in-air performance. And the 9,950 surveyors who participated continued to express a high degree of airborne discontent (read some of their comments here).
Other survey highlights:
- – Among large domestic airlines, Continental was voted No. 1 in premium class while JetBlue took top honors for economy. Looking at just the U.S. “Big Six” – American, Continental, Delta, Northwest, United, US Airways (soon to be “Big Five” with the merger of Delta and Northwest) – Continental led in all categories, as it did in ’07. It was also deemed the best value among all airlines for international flights.
- – Among midsized domestics, Virgin America, the low-cost, high-style newcomer launched by Richard Branson in 2007, continued to impress, ranking No. 1 in premium and No. 2 – after winner Midwest – in economy.
- – Singapore Airlines keeps gaining altitude: it topped the international ranks in both premium and economy classes for the ninth Survey in a row.
- – Delay-weary fliers cited Southwest as having the best on-time performance among domestics. Southwest was also saluted for offering the best value domestically as well as the best website, frequent-flier program and luggage policy.
- – Top in-flight entertainment honors went to JetBlue domestically, Virgin Atlantic internationally.
- – When booking, 60% of surveyors use airline websites, while only 4% call the airline. Sites such as Expedia, Travelocity and the like are used by 18%, while 9% book through work and 8% use a travel agent.
- – 65% of surveyors use their frequent-flier miles for free flights; 25% use them for upgrades; and 10% don't use them.
This year’s Survey included 17 domestic airlines and 68 airlines that fly internationally. Each surveyor took an average of 16.3 flights per year, for a total of 162,000 annual trips; 38% were for leisure, 62% for business.
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The 9,950 surveyors who participated in Zagat's 2008 Airline Survey had plenty of gripes about air travel. Below are some of our favorite comments. (To see the results of the survey, click here.)
The Rhett Butler of airlines: they just don't give a damn.
Used to be great, now just grating...
A Greyhound bus with wings.
You get what you pay for – in other words, you don't get it if you don't pay extra for it!
Eggs in a carton have more room.
The only thing older than the planes are the flight attendants.
Next they'll charge for using the air vents, seat belts and bathroom.
Did I get fatter or did their seats get smaller?
Too bad passengers can't chip in for a flight attendant friendliness upgrade.
Just another cattle car, but the cows usually get more respect.
Please bring change for your potato chips.
These are tough times and your ass pays the price.
The woman behind the counter told me to blame the Bush Administration.
Trying hard to encourage us to drive.
Like spending four hours in third class on the Titanic.
Gets you where you're going ... sometimes
Bathrooms smell like the lion house at the zoo on a hot day.
Domestic economy is a mobile prison only it lacks the food and the exercise yard.
The boarding agents must have learned public relations from Genghis Khan.
Flight attendants are creative in finding places to hide during the flight.
Oh, for the good old days when we had food to complain about.
Like the Flintstones, their planes are a page right out of history, and their service is bedrock.
Would rather flap my arms than book this airline.
They don't allow guns in the airport because passengers would shoot the desk clerks and be acquitted.
A cross-country flight is as comfortable as a colonoscopy.
Suffers from delusions of adequacy.
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- – Campbell soup is so over MSG. [Chicago Tribune]
- – Starbucks lost a laptop with 97,000 employees' names, addresses and social security numbers. [Starbucks Gossip]
- – Was the head of New York's State Liquor Authority pressured into letting the Ciprianis keep their licenses? [NYP]
- – Chefs need to stop whining and go back to cooking. [NYP]
- – A new study argues that fast-food TV ads are directly related to childhood obesity. [LAT]
- – Meanwhile, nutritional information may be coming to fast-food chains in the U.K. [Independent]
- – Bacon-wrapped iPhone, anyone? [Bacon Today]
- – Mysterious meat is showing up in a Massachusetts park. [Serious Eats]
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Had I known the lobster cost $300, I would have brought it home and kept it as a pet.
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When Morton's, an American steakhouse much beloved by the Movers and Shakers of Hollywood, closed last year, it was announced that the Los Angeles branch of Nick Jones' members-only Soho House would open in its place. Instead, it appears as if Soho House will go into a still-under-construction site on the Sunset Strip, while the corner of Melrose and Robertson is scheduled to turn into a branch of Jones' upscale London Italian Cecconi's. Mondays at Morton's is a hard act to follow for anyone – even Jones. Expect an opening in the spring of 2009 (8764 Melrose Ave., West Hollywood).
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- – A 2.15-pound truffle is having a terrible time selling in New York. [Gothamist]
- – Beaujolais' big days are behind it. [WSJ]
- – Massachusetts' wine shipping laws have been thrown out. [Bostonist]
- – The feud between Taco Bell and 50 Cent is getting intense. [NYDN]
- – In a new advertising campaign, Burger King is leaving wallets around the country. [AHT]
- – Genes may play a role in shaping our dietary choices. [Independent]
- – Robert De Niro's Ago outpost in New York may be on the way out as early as next week. [Strong Buzz]
- – The insatiable Gael Greene is out at New York. [Feedbag]
- – Wait, really? Disgraced Dinner Impossible "chef" Robert Irvine is coming back to the Food Network for more? [AP]
- – Still looking to wow 'em on turkey day? Whip up a turbaconducken. [Bacon Today]
- – "Semen is inexpensive to produce and is commonly available in many, if not most, homes and restaurants." [Food Chain]
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Corrigan's
photo: Cindy Chen
Corrigan's
photo: Cindy Chen
Gutsy game, wild fish and rustic British-Irish dishes are the culinary foundations of Corrigan's, an expensive Mayfair venture from TV-celeb chef Richard Corrigan; the old Nico Ladenis space inside the Grosvenor House now boasts a comfy-country interior with a subtle hunting theme played out in wall-mounted antlers surrounding the chef’s table.
28 Upper Grosvenor St., W1; 020-7499 9943
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Zagat's new iPhone application
Starting today, iPhone and iPod Touch owners will have one more reason to obsess over their favourite gadgets. Available now in the iTunes App Store for the bargain price of £5.99, ZAGAT TO GO '09 gives you access to over 40,000 restaurant, nightlife, hotel and shopping listings in over 100 cities around the world. Users can browse ratings, photos and maps, as well as the indispensable Top Lists. Its location awareness enables you to search spots nearby – you can even make reservations through OpenTable. Zagat content has never been more convenient – or more affordable.
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