COCHON 555
When: Sunday, March 21, 2010
Time: 5pm-8pm; VIP 3:30pm-8pm
Where: Chelsea Piers
Pier 60, West 23rd Street & Hudson River
New York, NY 10011
Cost: $125; VIP $175
(404) 849-3569
www.cochon555.com

Sunday, March 21, Chelsea Piers will host the mother of all pork competitions-COCHON 555. Five chefs, five pigs, and five wineries will meet and compete at Pier 60. A compilation of worthy judges will decide who is the "Prince or Princess of Porc."

Mark Ladner of Del Posto, Corwin Kave of Fatty "Cue, Marco Canora of Hearth, Adam Kay of Blue Hill at Stone Barns, and Gavin Kaysen of Café Boulud will prepare a whole heritage-breed pig, from head-to-toe, and the winner will be declared the "Prince or Princess of Porc." An as attendee, 750 pounds of heritage pork will be available for your dining pleasure. Wash down your swine with wine from five wineries-Gamble Family Vineyards, Buty Winery, Elk Cove Vineyards, Wind Gap Wine, and K Vintners.

VIP Butcher Tom Mylan, The Meat Hook, and Resident Butcher Ryan Farr, 4505 Meats, will demonstrate the breakdown of a whole pig. A "Swine & Spirits" mixologists showcase is also part of the entertainment lined up for the porky event.

If you can afford to shell out the extra $50 for VIP, a "Meat & Greet" will take place in the VIP lounge. Artisan cheeses, oysters and reserve wine from Domaine Serene and Shinn Estate Vineyard for tasting are all part of the VIP experience.

Pig out!

It used to be that Restaurant Week was one week of dinners or lunches for a great deal (usually the year in dollars and cents 2009 = $20.09.).  Now Restaurant week extends for at least another week, and for some restaurants the entire month, and has a much broader depth including shows, and hotel packages.  

This year Arts Boston has everything from Stephen Petronio Company at the Institute for Contemporary Arts at half off to Bobby McFerrin at Symphony Hall.  There is the American Repertory Theatre's much loved Donkey Show and José Matteo's Ballet Theatre's new show, Out of the Dark.  

I can't highlight the entire list of more than 200 restaurants (for that you can peruse the Restaurant Week website by neighborhood or alphabetically to select a few restaurants you always wanted to try but weren't quite sure you could afford or justify). What I can do is round up a few restaurants around town to get you going. To get the most out of restaurant week check out the restaurant's regular menu and their restaurant week menu to see whether you prefer one over the other and if you're really getting the best deal.  In general the high end restaurants are worth a visit during restaurant week.  

The North End

Taranta
210 Hanover Street
(617) 720-0052

Taranta is offering dinner every night of the week. You can start your meal off with pan roasted mussels or an arugula salad with roasted pears and gorgonzola and then move on to a simple pasta with tomato sauce and fresh mozzarella or something a bit more special like the cassava root gnocchi with slow braised lamb ragu or Taranta's brined double thick pork chop.  Finally, of course there is dessert.  Can you handle a cannoli with guava ricotta filling?

Mamma Maria
3 North Sq
(617) 523-0077

Mamma Maria is way more exquisite than the name implies. The atmosphere is elegant and at the same time cozy like staying at a friend's "chateau".  On a regular night, this is a pricey spot for special occasions, but during restaurant week the playing field is leveled with three course dinners for $33.10.  Mamma Maria is offering dinner Monday through Friday and Sunday night for restaurant week.

Back Bay

Asana
776 Boylston Street
(617) 535-8888

Hotel dining can go either way. It is either institutional and a bit too much like an upscale canteen or it can be the most delicious, unique, waited on hand and foot experience because of the focus on service and nature of a high end hotel.  In this particular case I can almost promise your experience will be the latter.

Asana in the Mandarin Oriental is offering the light lunch, which is $15.10 for a two course lunch, as well as the regular three course lunch for $20.10 and dinner for $33.10.  Their dinner mains (not including those that tack on additional $$), potato gnocchi with baby turnips and winter truffle, scallops and smoked Berkshire pork belly and duck breast with Grand Marnier brioche pudding, are reason enough for a reservation.

Sel de La Terre
255 State Street
(617) 720-1300

Sel de La Terre Back Bay is offering both lunch and dinner. There is the option of an additional cheese course for $12 at lunch making it still a great deal for a fabulous meal out. Sometimes a nice big European style lunch is so much better than a heavy multi-course dinner.  From the olive oil poached bass tartine to lamb sausage each dish is carefully thought-out and beyond ordinary.  

Be sure to check out the many venues featuring light lunch options in the Back Bay including:  Atlantic Fish, Brasserie JO, Café at the Taj Boston, Courtyard Restaurant at Boston Public Library, Daily Grill, Forty Dalton, Laurel Grill & Bar, Legal Sea Foods Copley, the Oak Room, Osushi, Samurai Boston, Stanhope Grille, Vlora Restaurant, and Vox Populi.

Beacon Hill

Beacon Hill Hotel
25 Charles Street
(617) 723-7575

Beacon Hill Hotel isn't your average hotel.  It is a well thought out, elegant boutique hotel in a fabulous location. The Bistro is offering some great local fare from Hannah Bells Farmstead cheese of Westport, MA to local fleet skate wing brought in from Scituate the day it is caught.  How's that for local and fresh?

Toscano
41 Charles Street
(617) 723-4090

Toscano is offering the light lunch, lunch, and dinner every day of the week and their menus for both lunch and dinner have so many dishes to choose from.  In addition there are $25 bottles of their featured Italian wine to pair with your meal.  

Downtown

Bistro du Midi
272 Boylston Street
(617) 426-7878

Bistro du Midi is serving the light lunch, lunch, and dinner Monday through Friday.  On Sunday you can enjoy the restaurant week menu for dinner only.  New to the scene Bistro du Midi already has many fans.  Even on a regular day (as in non-restaurant week) the prices seem fair and the food doesn't disappoint.

Marliave
10 Bosworth Street
(617) 422-0004

They sure are not stingy on their menu as there are so many dishes to choose from with treats like Vermont bacon, escargots, Maine's Wolfe Neck Farms flat iron steak with frites, and (a personal favorite) butterscotch pudding.  The lunch and dinner menus are the same so whether you're an early bird or a night owl you can enjoy the same fine fare.  

The Waterfront

Meritage
70 Rowes Wharf
(617) 439-3995

Meritage is offering dinner during the week Monday through Friday.  Their menu has a variety of mouthwatering dishes to choose from beginning with the maple smoked salmon, avocado and creme fraiche tower with cava laced frisee or the cucumber wrapped baby greens tossed in an ice wine dressing.  Second courses include a gorgeous spring vegetable dish of asparagus and parmesan cheese risotto with roasted baby peppers and leeks, diver sea scallops with cider butter, Scottish salmon with sweet pea pudding, and grilled filet mignon with a horseradish onion cream.  

Sensing
3 Battery Wharf
(617) 994-9001

Sensing is offering the light lunch, lunch, and dinner with two different menus for lunch and dinner.  Also fairly new the Boston restaurant scene  this upscale spot is most criticized for it's difficulty to be found.  Make your reservation and then carefully read the directions. ( http://www.sensingrestaurant.com/index.aspx?l=0,37,44,54 )

The Theatre District

If you are going to take advantage of a show you're either headed to the Theatre District or perhaps over to the ART in Cambridge.  

Via Matta
79 Park Plaza
(617) 422-0008

Via Matta is offering both lunch and dinner for restaurant week.  The same menu is offered at lunch and dinner.  I was able to sample their succulent house-brined pork chop with roasted escarole, white beans, soppressata and orange zest.  Just that is worth a restaurant week reservation.  The pork chops are from local butcher Savenor's just blocks away on Charles Street.  Also on the menu is their fresh pasta alla puttanesca and a grilled polenta with vegetables and parmesan.  

Pigalle
75 Charles Street South
(617) 423-4944

Pigalle is offering a great dinner every night of both restaurant weeks.  Their menu is worth a look.  It is also one of the few restaurants offering their restaurant week menu for dinner on the weekend.

Cambridge

The Blue Room
1 Kendall Square
(617) 494-9034

The Blue Room is also offering their restaurant week menu every night for dinner.  They will have classic starters like New England clam chowder, their signature Caesar salad and pulled pork sliders with pickles and coleslaw.   Continue your meal with a taste of spring from some roasted mushrooms, haddock, pinenuts and tomato sauce; a nod to the Irish saint perhaps with beef brisket, braised cabbage and horseradish and potato puree, or a pure taste of the season with asparagus and pea risotto, mascarpone, and basil oil.  Who knows where your meal will take you after that!

Chez Henri
1 Shepard Street
(617) 354-8980

Chez Henri is one of my favorite restaurants and is a great choice for Restaurant Week.  They will be offering their restaurant week menu for dinner every night of the week as well.  To have the full Chez Henri experience, show up a little early and enjoy one of their signature drinks at the bar before settling in to your table.  

T.W. Food
377 Walden Street
(617) 864-4745

T.W. Food is another neighborhood favorite and is an exceptional experience from the airy yet cosy dining room to the careful attention to detail for every dish.  They will be offering dinner seven days a week as well.  It may sound mundane in comparison to a roasted root vegetable salad with lemon parfait and local cranberry preserves or a parsnip and potato soup with smoked paprika, but Chef Weichmann's creamy scrambled farm eggs are out of this world.  This is another menu worth perusing to tempt your palate.  

With a taste of spring beginning to inspire chefs and blossom on your plates, it's a great time to head out somewhere new, go for a special lunch, or plan an extra date night out.  Take Restaurant Week as an opportunity to explore some of Boston's best restaurants.  If you can't make it out during restaurant week, plan a lunch date instead of dinner and you'll still get a great deal.

Photo courtesy of T.W. Foods

So you did it. You made it through the weekend festivities and are now staring down the barrel of the work week ahead. Your head and heart are both pounding and your stomach feels like it just survived the spin cycle. What you need is a cure for that St. Paddy's Day hangover. You need comfort food and cheap pub grub. Relax - your hangover cure- is just around the corner.

Highland Kitchen, Green Street, and Trina's Starlite Lounge are a formidable and friendly trio of bar-restaurants that know their patrons and neighborhoods: a mix of foodie/drinkie types, older working class neighbors, and hipster students on a budget who appreciate dinner and drink for under $30.

If what you need is to sweat it out then head over to Highland Kitchen for a bowl of their Spicy Texas chili and a tall Narragansett for around $11.50 (that includes a healthy slice of skillet cornbread and chili fixins). Get your greens in by throwing on an order of tangy, crunchy Buffalo fried brussel sprouts with a silky, homemade Great Hill blue cheese dressing ($5.95.) Highland, with Chef Mark Romano at the helm and a killer, roots-Americana jukebox, serves up affordable, Southern-inspired soul food which just seems to be getting better and better. Their Fried Chicken and Tiki Mondays have been popular; The Boston Globe recently proclaimed this was their "all-around favorite fried chicken."

Nearby newcomer Trina's Starlite Lounge offers a kitsch, shabby chic retro vibe and a playful menu of cheap eats designed to make you smile. A touch of Southern mixed with mid-century American blue collar  "cuisine" and a healthy splash of diner nostalgia has inspired their $3-$8 hot dogs and burgers menu, including gooey gravy fries ($5), Mac and cheese with Ritz crackers ($9), and daily blue plate specials guaranteed to soak up the last of that green beer and car-bomb cocktail sitting in your stomach. And if you're feeling adventurous (or Southern) you can indulge in their fried chicken and waffles with hot pepper jelly. This fare is not indigestion-proof, but they do offer salads and an entrée or two that won't stop your heart.

Lastly is Taco Night at Green Street, a neighborhood gastro-pub in Central Square. Agreat place to keep in mind this week because on Wednesdays they offer a changing array of $4 tacos, like braised duck, smokey carnitas with pineapple salsa, and grilled Mahi-Mahi with a firey sauce. Recommended is a side of savory fried yuca with spicy aioli and their dangerously smooth version of a Zombie cocktail to round out your three-taco picnic - and all this for 25 bones.

photo courtesy of funnydb.com

Neptune Oyster
63 Salem Street
Boston, MA 02113-2273
(617) 742-3474
www.neptuneoyster.com

Walking through the door of Neptune Oyster is a noticeable and welcome departure from its marinara-laden neighborhood. The space is sleek and small with only 18 bar seats, and a banquette of tables which seat a total of 26. Sitting at the bar, you are faced with an almost library-like display of wines, and overhead is a large mirror boasting the daily raw bar offerings. A small blackboard advertises the daily special, and on the day I happened to be there, an expertly drawn fish courtesy of owner Jeff Nace's daughter.  Pearly white tiles cover the walls, and above the banquette tables hang three more mirrors displaying the daily selections of wines, bellini, and crudo. 

We snatched the two remaining bar seats, as the restaurant was surprisingly full for a snowy Wednesday afternoon, and were promptly greeted and given our menus. To make our raw bar selections, we were given a small paper card with a list of the oysters, their place of origin, and a description of each one's size, salt, and taste. The list offered a variety of raw treats ranging from the expected big briny Wellfleets to the less common Maine sea urchin. Alongside the list of bivalves and their cohorts is a space for you to pencil in how many you would like of each, and at the bottom you may select an accompaniment of cocktail sauce, mignonette, or both. 

While pouring over both the raw and kitchen menu, we enjoyed a crisp and perfectly chilled glass of Mulderbosch Chenin Blanc. This nearly green South African had a light, almost tropical nose with a clean and slightly spiced finish. While I had ordered it in anticipation of how well it would pair with the oysters, it was also perfectly delicious on its own. 

Our oysters arrived quickly, which was truly impressive, as there appeared to be only one person shucking and preparing raw bar dishes. They were arranged over ice around the house made cocktail sauce and mignonette in the same order as they were listed on our oyster card, so we always knew which one we were trying. 

We began with the tiny and delicious Kumamotos from Willapa Bay, WA. Perfectly shucked, and pretty darn cute, these sweet plump little guys were a great way to start our oyster tour. Slightly creamy, with low salt these were equally delicious with cocktail sauce or mignonette. 

The sea urchin was next. Bright orange flesh served in its own spiny exoskeleton, this dish is truly striking to look at, and it has a taste and texture to match. Our urchin was perfectly fresh, and can only be described as melty ocean butter. If you are an urchin-curious novice, this is the perfect place to try it for the first time. 

Next we tried Riptides from Westport, MA. These are the kind of oysters that can make you feel like its summertime (despite the nasty wintry mix that was actually going on outside) with their salty juicy first bite and their seaweed-like finish. 

Third, we tried Fanny Bays from Vancouver. These had the perfect balance of salt and sweet melon, and really complemented our crisp wine. Island Creeks were our last oyster. They were plump and extremely flavorful, and with their high salt and clean citrus finish, they could have been enjoyed alone.  

The Oysters were a truly tough act to follow, however the tuna ribbons salad completely rose to the occasion. This refined take on a niçoise salad began with four perfectly pink ribbons of raw tuna atop rich smooth potato aioli. The tuna was topped with lightly dressed greens, and then sprinkled with olives, and capers. The textures of this dish complemented each other beautifully, and the tuna could not have been more fresh. All of the flavors were perfectly balanced, the blissfully salty capers, and the slightly sharp celery greens made this dish made totally memorable. 

I have lived in New England all my life, so for me to say that I was served the best lobster roll I've ever had is no laughing matter. I chose to have mine cold (they are also available served hot with butter), it was a beautiful heap of unadulterated lobster chunks with just the slightest amount of mayonnaise, nestled in a toasted, buttery hotdog bun.  This dish is so beautifully un-messed with, that the lobster is allowed to really shine, and the crispy brown French fries didn't hurt either. 

We finished our meal with a round of white peach bellini. I admittedly am a sucker for any mixture of bubbles and fruit, but what a difference it makes when they are made with decent prosecco. Fruity and fresh, these were the perfect dessert, and without the hangovery finish of cheap suds, you can feel free to have two. 

I am slightly embarrassed to admit that after my glorious lunch I still felt like I had unfinished business with Neptune and used this article as an excuse to grab my boyfriend and go back again on the following Friday night. Our dinner was beautiful, but two dishes really stole the show. 

The first was a seared scallop atop mixture of avocado and duck confit with a spicy aioli and crushed cashews. This original and delicious dish really achieved the perfect sear that a scallop this fresh deserves. The top had a buttery crispy crust, while the center was still at a smooth almost translucent medium rare. The combination of the avocado and the duck was sinfully rich and the cashew provided a welcome crunch and sweetness. 

The most memorable dish by far was the Neptunes on Piggyback. Crispy fried oysters nestled on Berkshire pork belly with golden raisin confiture, mache, and pistachio. This brilliant combination is arranged on a thin toast that absorbs the delicious juices of the pig, making a knife and fork a necessity. The sweet warm taste of the golden raisin brings all the flavors of this dish together, and the mache and pistachio helps balance the fattiness of the pork. Anyone who has ever experienced food drunkenness will appreciate that upon taking the first bite of this dish, you can expect to have a little ecstatic chuckle. 

Next time you're in the North End, you should really forego the Tuscan murals and the chicken marsala (not that there's anything wrong with that), for a seat at Neptune. Consider yourself warned however: after you go once you may not be able to stop going back.

Trina's Starlite Lounge
3 Beacon Street
Somerville, MA 02143
(617) 576-0006
trinastarlitelounge.com

Newest addition to Somerville's restaurant arsenal, Trina's Starlite Lounge, isn't your run-of-the-mill gastropub. Nothing about the restaurant is average. Conversely, you may drive by it without even noticing. But that's okay, because once you step inside, you will be taken in a time machine to the '50s.

The restaurant itself appears as many barrooms do with small, high set windows and a large metal door that leads into a dark lit bar. Beer memorabilia, from companies like Ballantine's and Miller, are scattered about in the black walled dining room. A large, very ancient refrigerator stands at the end of the bar with little letter magnets on it which our waitress says usually spells out the pie of the day, but it seems someone has mushed them around to make some nonsense. There is no pretention here.

The cocktail list is well balanced with some fruit based cocktails as well as more traditional spirit concoctions. Owners Trina and Beau Sturm and Josh Childs are all bartenders, which leads to names like "Bonita Applebum" (a song by A Tribe Called Quest), "The Gentleman" and "The Drunken Monkey." The "Brenda," a mix of vanilla chai-infused cachaca, canton, lemon and orange juice, was strong but delicious.

The menu itself is a pretty basic one pager with several appetizers, paninis and burgers. The best part of the menu: just about everything involves cheese or a frialator.

For appetizers, we ordered both the potato leek soup and the chili. The chili was excellent, with a dollop of sour cream on top and some shredded cheddar. The potato leek soup was okay, but needed some salt. Both were served in eclectic coffee mugs, giving them a sort of diner appeal. The spinach and arugula salad was tossed in a balsamic with a touch of goat cheese and toasted pepitas and had a nice element of crunch. The warm cornbread was an amazingly moist square, topped with melted butter.

Our server let us know that the dog of the day was called the French Fry Dog, and consisted of two griddled dogs on rolls topped with melted cheese, French fries and a malt vinegar aioli. Seriously, it was heaven on a plate. We then washed it all down with a healthy order of cheese fries. The pie of the day was a chocolate and peanut butter ganache pie, served cold. It was smooth and velvety and finished off the meal perfectly.

The service at Trina's was great. When we entered, there were no hostesses, but the bartender immediately came over to take us to a table, even though he was busy himself. Our server came over immediately and was friendly and helpful, making good suggestions without being overbearing. We were never without water or condiments and she promptly delivered the bill without being asked or rushing us.

All in all, Trina's is pretty much a huge delight in a little, hard to find, package. Nestled among some heavy hitters in the Somerville restaurant scene, Trina's totally holds its own and is worth a visit. Any place that has fried chicken and waffles and a Miller High Life sign deserves a chance, right?

From Ming Tsai, (the East meets West fusion cuisine genius) and Todd English (the celebrity chef that people love and love to hate), to the "locally grown" culinary powerhouses such as Chef Lydia Shire and Chef Barbara Lynch, Boston has a great number of star chefs that shine well beyond New England. Taking their influence to the silver screen, these chefs have certainly been mixing the pot. Here is a look into what Boston's favorite cuisine characters have been up to. 

For a taste that might possess some of the fire of Fox's Hell's Kitchen, check out Chef Andy Husbands' restaurants Tremont 647 and Sister Sorel.  Chef Husbands held his own in a quiet, yet terrified way through the show's 10th elimination round.  Making it clear that Gordon Ramsey's "douche-nozzle" style of running a kitchen isn't all it takes, Chef Husbands returned home to his kitchen with plenty of great food to send out to local and visiting fans alike.  

Join the folks at Tremont 647 for their happy-go-lucky Pajama Brunch where flannel robes and slippers are encouraged to enjoy a homemade Pop Tart topped, of course, with rainbow sprinkles. For a savory breakfast selection check out Andy's Huevos Rancheros with two fried eggs, beans and rice, three salsas, and (if you are really hungry) a flat iron steak. On the sweeter side, the Bananas Foster Nutella Pancakes with fresh strawberries and candied hazelnuts are a must. If you're more of a night owl than an early bird, save some cash and check out the famous Taco Tuesdays every Tuesday from 5:30 to 10:00 tacos are $2 each and there are tacos for everyone from the meat eater to the pescetarian and vegetarian.

Heading on over to the Food Network, Chef vs. City may not be the most popular show the network ever came up with, but when Aarón Sánchez and Chris Cosentino hit the streets of Boston they shone some light on these two heavenly spots: The Chocolate Bar at the Langham hotel and Formaggio Kitchen's Cambridge store.  

In the world of indulgences cheese and chocolate rate pretty high for most people, and to that Formaggio Kitchen in Cambridge is a cheese lover's fantasy. The staff are incredibly knowledgeable and will guide expert and amateur cheese lovers through their fabulous cheese wall. If you just want to taste, choose, and buy a few cheeses you can do so, but should you want to really know a cheese or farmer there's a good chance someone on staff has been to the farm (regardless of how remote) and can tell you stories about the cheese itself and the cows, sheep, goats, and artisans who made the cheese. Stop by for daily samples and special events almost every weekend day.

Visiting The Langham Hotel's chocolate, pastry, and confection masterpiece, from pastry chef Jed Hackney and his team, is akin to a pilgrimage to sugar Mecca. The Chocolate Bar is open from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm and is $38 a person...Worth every penny! Don't wait until summer for a tour of Boston's chocolate trail because come June, Chef Hackney's chocolate bar will be on hiatus while he and his team dream up the next season's chocolate experience. 

For more on Boston's celebrity chefs tune into Top Chef Masters and keep an eye out on Cultivated for interviews with James Beard Award winning chefs Ana Sortun of Oleana and Jody Adams of Rialto who both compete with some of the best chefs in the country and beyond for the title of Top Chef Master and a charity of their choice.

Woodward
At The Ames Hotel
1 Court Street
Boston, MA 02018
617.979.8200
www.woodwardatames.com

Dining and drinking well in the very heart of historic Boston is what you'll do at Woodward at the Ames Hotel, a self-proclaimed modern-day tavern, circa November 2009. If you're looking for boutique, luxury lodging to call home base while you're at it, you're in luck.

Woodward, named for a tavern once housed in an old family home (the Ameses, as it were), serves New England-Mediterranean fare emphasizing fresh and local ingredients, from breakfast to late-night. Executive Chef Mark Goldberg (formerly of Mistral) created a solid menu "designed for sharing", which meshes with the dining vibe - a tad more loungy and relaxed, an elegant extension of the two bars. The full menu can be enjoyed at the trendy downstairs bar and leather-clad dining room, or cozier upstairs bar in front of the fireplace overlooking a tangle of bustling streets and twinkling lights. A private dining room can accommodate 16, as well.

The local slant is a good bet at lunch: lobster salad sandwiches with shaved fennel and citrus ($23) and plump Island Creek oysters ($18) accompanied by a cold glass of slightly hoppy Woodward Ale ($6), specially drafted by New Hampshire's Smuttynose Brewing Co. (also offered in a growler, for sharing with your fellow taverneers.) The rich and tangy duck confit flatbread with goat cheese and dried cranberries ($16), a free-form pizza sufficient for two, is a satisfying starter or main course unto itself. For entrées, try the Cod with preserved lemon, fennel and olive oil ($21) or grilled hangar steak with french fries and whole grain mustard butter ($23), and choose from a decent, albeit pricey, selection of wines offered by the glass, half carafe, carafe, or bottle.

The bar program boasts "world class" cocktails with staff trained by world-renowned bartenders and cocktail consultants, some from from NYC's celebrated B.A.R. program. The varied list ($11-$14) is comprised of both classics and house specialties laid out in detailed and brand-focused descriptions. Specialties include the Ames Addiction (Ron Zacapa 23 year old rum and Domaine de Canton Ginger with sweet vermouth and bitters) and the easy-drinking Boston Mule (Absolut Boston with Fentimans ginger beer and spearmint.) Do they deliver on the world class, trained-by-the-masters ethos? The jury's still out. Their classic Sazerac (rye with Peychaud's bitters, sugar, and a little Absinthe) was lovely, though less than chilled, while a basic gin Martini was stirred with not enough ice to ever make it cold.

Food and drink aside, Woodward has plenty of pretty people to watch, and walls lined with industrial-decorative objets d'art to converse over (old ice tools, a weathervane, and cast-iron contraptions cleverly arranged.) And for sightseers, it doesn't get much better: you're a stone's throw from the Freedom Trail, Faneuil Hall, Boston Common, and all subway lines.

In theory, Valentine's Day is a day to spoil the one you love with flowers and chocolates, and perhaps even a sexy night on the town.  Sadly, experience has taught us that said sexy date usually means begging an exasperated maitre d' for a 5:30 dinner reservation just to be handed a decidedly disappointing prix fixe menu, followed by an exorbitant bill for a lackluster evening. 

If your Valentine's Day left you feeling less than thrilled fear not: the romance of the season can easily be recaptured in your own home. Why not prepare a romantic dinner for two? Try these top 5 shops to put out a spread that is as good (or better) than any night out.

Morse Fish Co.
Neighborhood: South End
1401 Washington Street
(between Monsignor Reynolds Way & Pelham St)
Roxbury, MA 02118
(617) 262-9375
www.morsefish.com

If you and your date are seafood lovers, Morse Fish Co. is the place to find anything and everything you might need.  Located in the historic South End, their fresh seafood offerings vary daily, but include lobsters (live and pre-cooked), wild salmon, swordfish, cod, mussels, clams, octopus, crab, squid, whole trout, and oysters*.  While everything in their display case is fresh and beautiful, the star of the show is always the glowing ruby colored tuna (mkt price). Fresh enough to be served slightly seared or completely raw, adding this to your at-home menu will not only be delicious, but will let your date know that you weren't just too lazy to make a reservation.

*A note about oysters, if this is going to be your first shucking experience, be VERY careful! A Valentine's themed trip to the emergency room could really kill the mood that you worked so hard to create.

Don Otto's Natural and Organic Market
Neighborhood: South End
577 Tremont Street
Boston, MA,
(617) 778-0361
www.donottos.com

Don Otto's Natural and Organic Market (formerly Lionette's) offers naturally raised meats from local farms, local produce, an exceptional selection of cheeses, and other staples to complete your Valentine's feast.  Try the River Rock Farm five week dry-aged rib-eye ($23/lb), with the Old Chatham Ewe's Blue cheese ($27/lb) for a ready-to-die meal that will not only impress your significant other, but will also stimulate the local economy. Also available are a wide variety of prepared foods, side dishes, and delicious European style baguettes ($2.50).

Best Cellars
Neighborhood: Back Bay
745 Boylston Street
Boston, MA 02116-2611
(617) 266-2900
bestcellars.com

No romantic dinner is complete without wine, and Best Cellars makes it easy for complete novices and seasoned oenophiles alike to make pairings like a pro. The entire store is color-coded and organized into easily understandable sections such as fizzy, fresh, soft, luscious, juicy, big, and sweet. In addition to its well organized and user-friendly arrangement, each wine is accompanied by a detailed and comprehensible description of its taste, as well as foods which it pairs well with.  In case all of this wasn't enough, nearly all of their wine offerings are under $20, and they offer free wine tastings daily.

Chinatown Cafe
Neighborhood: Chinatown
262 Harrison Ave
(between Curve St & Marginal Rd)
Boston, MA 02111 
(617) 695-9888

Not so sure of your skills as a chef? Pressed for time? Worry not. If you like the idea of staying home, but the idea of whipping everything up from scratch makes you nervous, Chinatown Cafe has a solution (and no it's not just ordering take-out). Surprise your date with a delicious whole roast duck (mkt price), and you will not be disappointed. Beautifully glazed, with hints of star anise and garlic, this dish is so memorable, no one will care that you didn't make it yourself. Serve with some rice and veggies, pair it with a juicy red, and prepare to be lavished with praise.

Sweet Tooth Boston
Neighborhood: Southie
371 W Broadway
(between Wrights Ct & E St)
Boston, MA 02127
(617) 268-2555
www.sweettoothboston.com

Sweets are a major highlight of Valentine's day, and what a shame it would be to end your Valentine's meal with a dessert that was anything less than amazing. Luckily, you can put your complete trust in the dexterous hands of Sweet Tooth Boston. Sweet Tooth offers a wide variety of cookies, cakes, pies, and pastry that would be sure to delight your significant other, but the best by far is their famous red velvet cupcake with cream cheese frosting ($3.99). Not only is it festively colored, this cupcake is so glorious that it is known city-wide. If red velvet isn't your favorite, they still have you covered, with boston cream, carrot cake, and chocolate truffle cupcakes ($5.99). Whatever your flavor is, Sweet Tooth is totally worth the trip to Southie.

If you've ever dreamt of graduating from cooking for friends and family to tutelage under the, ahem, "watchful" eye of chef Gordon Ramsay, then today is your lucky day. Ramsay is looking for a select number of talented amateur chefs for the opportunity to become a MasterChef!

Ramsay will challenge and coach contestants to new culinary heights, but isn't afraid to speak his mind. If you've got a thick skin and special talents, this may be your chance to shine.

For those in the New York area, simply fill out the application at Fox.com/casting and make your way to Sur La Table in Manhasset this Sunday, January 10th, where they'll be holding auditions between noon and 5 pm. Don't forget to bring your best - judges will be expecting one prepared dish to be served at room temperature. You'll be given the opportunity to plate your dish there, but you are responsible for any utensils or other materials that you may need.

If you've got any questions, you can send them over to MasterChefNewYork@gmail.com. Good luck everyone!

Unless you're abstaining from alcohol completely this New Years Eve, it pays to drink smart. An oxymoron, I know. One can always try. Here are a few ideas.

Tip #1 - Pace Thyself

The most obvious and the most often ignored rule of any prolonged New York New Year's Eve Party, proper pacing is essential to ensure that when midnight comes around you’re kissing your date/stranger of choice/whoever, not hugging a toilet in New York City.

Tip #2 - The Bottle Is For the Whole Table

Bottle service: always a good idea. Doing shot after shot after shot while your friends are out on the dance floor living it up: don’t. Not only is it a bit rude, it’s also a guaranteed way to have people start saying, “Wow, what happened to that guy?”

Tip #3 - Water

Superstitions about drinking water on NYE being bad luck abound, but a glass or two of plain ol’ H2O here and there can help you make sure you aren’t the first to go home.

Tip #4 - Eat Sensibly Before You Start Drinking

Indulge in a fatty piece of pizza, small steak, or al pastor taco before you head out. The fat will help your body cope with all the booze to come. Carbs will help keep your blood sugar high for hours to come. Yes, it’s a holiday. No, it’s not Thanksgiving, so keep portions sensible. If you’re going to a formal dinner, constantly refilling wine glasses and cocktails can make it difficult to tell how much you’re actually drinking, so try to keep track.

Tip #5 - Quality Over Quantity

It’s a celebration, so celebrate New Years Eve! Take the chance to be classy. After all, you probably didn’t get all dressed up just to drink the same thing you were drinking back in college.

Looking for the best NYE Parties? Check out 6-Hour Open Bar Amnesia New Years Party.

Have fun, stay safe, and have a happy hangover!

Consider yourself warned: bubble guts and long lavatory visits will be the consequence of negligent champagne and wine selections. Don't be a victim. Instead, on New Year's Day 2010 you should be feasting on black-eyed peas, watching football and maybe even sifting through some bills. The toast on New Year's Eve, which officially brings in the New Year, traditionally marks the unmitigated totality and culmination of the year as well as the climax of the evening. Therefore, mustn't we honor this occasion appropriately? For just this one night, abandon the Andre and ditch the Sutter Home, because tonight, your taste is held to a higher standard. Here are a couple new world suggestions to help guide you.

New Year's Eve Wines

Although all of the Scholium Project wine varieties are new, hip and upcoming among this community and will be sure to satiate your palate, we've chosen the Babylon Tenbrick Project Petite Sirah from the Suisun Valley Vineyard in California as this year's landmark selection. Pour this fierce 2004 vintage throughout the night and an air of class and fun will ventilate your atmosphere.

A luxuriously crafted and classic choice for New Year's celebrations is always suitable. That's why we're suggesting the Long Shadows Winery Sequel 2006: a polished and precisely textured Syrah with pure class and contemporary innovations. Based out of Washington, this winery from the Columbia Valley competes with even the most acclaimed winemakers, the definitive preference for traditional celebrations.

Quintessa Red Wine 2001, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, is a signature variety with beauty and flair. Instead of intensifying your New Year's Eve experience to the extreme, relax, enjoy, and sip on this refined choice. What better way to rejoice than with this sophisticated and mature blend?

New Year's Eve Champagnes

When making that ever so anticipated toast, make sure your glass is not too full and without a doubt, sparkling! Bringing in the 2010 New Year denotes the end of one  decade and the beginning of another. Before a midnight kiss, a toast to this epoch is customary. Fill your flutes with Perrier Jouet Fleur de Champagne Rosé 2002, grab a handful of confetti, and live in the moment!

Sip the lesser known, yet equally elegant Domaine Ruinart Brut Rosé to begin 2010 with élan and style. We suggest casual sipping of this powerful and persistent selection, paired with creamy and decadent flavors.  Cheers!

A flagship of new age champagnes, Krug Grande Cuvée Brut, is another of our recommended flute fillers. Highly rated with sweet style and complex, refined depth, this gem alone is toast-worthy by itself. Feel an exclusive confidence in your celebration drink and raise your glass high!

Tonight, we’re planning to experiment with something new, kiddies. Its name is Spike Your Juice. Actually, scratch that…we’ve nicknamed it the Jesus Juice Experiment. Think of it as juice that starts off sweet and turns into a tangy, refreshing alcoholic drink. A popular European favorite that has made it all the way to the NoHo Lofts for an inquisitive group of amateur mixologists to taste test. Natural fermentation in an easy-to-use packet! Bacchus must be smiling. What more can we ask for to start an adventurous night?

A great conversation piece: what the heck is in that packet that was only available during harvest time until now? We learn that yeast, organic evaporated cane juice and emulsifier make up this magical powder. We read the simple-looking directions. It’s a three step process. Starts with a basic 64 oz bottle of your favorite juice and presto! Champagne-like alcohol.

The first step is to grab a 64 oz bottle of your favorite minimum sugar juice, although best results mandate you use grape, cranberry or pomegranate. The juice should be unfiltered, not artificially sweetened and not refrigerated. The second step is to Spike Your Juice with the packet provided. Half way done gang, and here’s a fun fact: Federal law permits making 100 gallons of beer or wine per year for personal use and not for resale.

Next fill the provided Airlock bottle with water and seal with a Rubber Stopper. One last step and we’re almost there. Final step… wait 48 hours. Wait? What? Bacchus stops smiling. You want a stronger and dryer taste? Wait longer. Apparently fermentation doesn’t rush for anyone. A regular work in progress that one.

The motto is “Make it the way YOU like it.” We tend to like our booze fast. After staring at the concoction for 45 minutes, we wanted our instant alcohol. Our hostess suggested we get a chemist on speed dial. Stat!

A trip to the market and three bottles of red wine later, we were still transfixed by how we could speed up the process. We stared at the bottle intently. Who knew natural fermentation was so interesting? Was that a bubble in the air locked water? Something is happening.

Questions led to more questions. Are you supposed to leave it out? Or put it in a fridge? What if we just do it now? What if we just…add alcohol?

The hostess couldn’t locate a chemist and decided to go commando. She poured all 6 packets in the juice. Encouraged by any form of speedy progress, I assisted her. The others dismissed our rash impulses. There was nothing more left to do but wait.

FORWARD: Two Days Later…
Some members of the original group were present. Others had things to do or were done with the magic of fermentation. Our concoction had been juggled around so much that it was sticky due to getting dropped, thus, the Airlock got a bit of oxygen. However, we were down to taste, and taste we would.

The end result was quite delicious and refreshing, albeit the fizziness, bubbles, and a good buzz. Was our inept mismanagement of the specific directions the culprit? Final consensus, the experiment was a fun night for all involved. If the Europeans have the patience to figure it out, then we can make Bacchus smile again in Noho.

Suggested time for use of product: long weekends or a very long date.

I am an Englishman. I am an Englishman who likes his food. Therefore I am in a perfect position to discuss something very important to me: The English Breakfast.

The English Breakfast is the cornerstone of British society. Wars have been fought as a result of it. General Bernard Montgomery requested a full English every day he was planning the Normandy invasions during World War II. It’s said that Oliver Cromwell became very specific about how his black pudding was to be cooked while he was spear-heading the English Civil War. When Mary Shelley, John Polidori and Lord Byron retired to their country manor for a weekend of ghost stories (resulting in The Vampyre and Frankenstein), they had culinary chefs prepare a smorgasbord of full English Breakfast trimmings.

With such a rich history, the Full English Breakfast is an art form unto itself. Many restaurants, hotels, bars and pubs across this fine city have purported to do a real full English, but none as far as I can tell have succeeded in getting it completely right. So let me educate one and all as to what defines a real Full English Breakfast.

You will need the following. Please note, all ingredients are minimums, and can be extended if so desired, but nothing can be omitted:

2 sausages – pork is always best in this case.

3 slices of fatty bacon – not too crispy

2 eggs – normally fried sunny side up, but scrambled is an acceptable substitution

Handful of button mushrooms

1 can of baked beans (Heinz is always a winner here)

1 tomato – sliced in half and fried

3 hash browns

2 pieces of buttered toast

1 thick slice of black pudding – this is fried pigs blood wrapped in intestines, and is an essential element.

So there you have it. When I find a restaurant that serves all of that, I will spread the news far and wide. Until then, it is my humble opinion that you cannot advertise a full English breakfast if you don’t have the ingredients.

Just a little rant from a hungry Englishman. Excuse me, I'm off for lunch.

Remember, remember the fifth of November
Gunpowder, treason and plot
I see no reason, why gunpowder treason
Should ever be forgot

Every year, all across England on November 5^th, fireworks light up the night sky, and giant effigies of Guy Fawkes are burned in celebration of the discovery of the gunpowder plot attempt. It is a family-and-friends orientated event, which holds many fond memories for me from my earliest childhood. Mulled wine is drunk, and all across the major cities, stalls set up for the night, selling winter-warming pies and ales.

The story itself is an exciting one, filled with deceit, treason, murder and gruesome torture. It was popularized by the Hollywood movie V for Vendetta in slightly dramatized form.

The Gunpowder Plot of 1605 was an attempted assassination of King James I and the British Parliament. The plan, set in motion by a group of Catholic rebels, was to overthrow the then Protestant Government, and have it replaced by a more tolerant, pro-Catholic one. The most famous conspirators were Thomas Wintour, Robert Winter, John Wright, Christopher Wright, Robert Keyes, Thomas Percye, and Thomas Bates.

In the early 17^th Century, the Palace of Westminster embodied a cluster of buildings, situated around both the Houses of Parliament and the Royal Courts of Justice. In 1604, Thomas Percye, who had recently been appointed to be a member of the King’s Bodyguard, was able to lease a space next to the famous House of Lords. The plan was to tunnel from the adjacent building under Parliament, and lay the explosives there. However, later the same year, a coal-storage bunker directly beneath the House of Lords became available. From then on, Guy Fawkes assisted the plotters by providing barrels of gunpowder which were carefully hidden beneath the building. As a result of the Black Plague, which struck England in 1604, the opening of Parliament was continuously delayed, until a date for late November was set. By this point, the traitors had managed to fill the basement with thirty-six barrels of gunpowder, which, had they all been ignited, would have created an explosion large enough to destroy all the surrounding buildings with the Westminster Palace, and cause severe structural damage to buildings up to a kilometer away.

The downfall of the plot began when some of the conspirators worried about fellow Catholics who may be in attendance at the opening of Parliament. The downfall of the plot was most likely a result of a letter sent by Sir Francis Tresham to his brother-in-law, Catholic MP Lord Monteagle. The letter read (in typically flouncy old Englishe) - I advise you to devise some excuse not to attend this parliament, for they shall receive a terrible blow, and yet shall not see who hurts them.

This letter was promptly handed over to the King, who ordered a search of all the buildings within the Palace grounds. The plot was at first abandoned, until Guy Fawkes checked the coal cellar and saw nothing had been discovered. The plan went ahead until the night of November 5^th, when Guy Fawkes was apprehended leaving the cellar, and the gunpowder was discovered.

Upon questioning, Fawkes was direct and honest about his intention to blow up Parliament, but refused to name any other plotters. However, following severe torture, and evidence linked from the letters sent to other prominent Catholics, the following conspirators were arrested shortly afterwards, while trying to incite a revolt in the Midlands.

All the traitors were sentenced to death via a process known as ‘hung, drawn, and quartered’. The convicted person would be hung until weakened, before being cut down. Then, in full public view, the felon’s guts would be disemboweled in front of them, done by a skilled surgeon who managed to keep them alive, just long enough for them to be quartered – have their limbs dismembered before beheading finalized the punishment. It was considered the most brutal of all penalties, reserved for the worst criminals of the time.

Whoever says the British are too formal?

So today I heard some great news. Gordon Ramsay is continuing his tirade of volatile abuse in the US with a remake of British classic cooking show; Masterchef. Ramsay originally became a television sensation when Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares aired in the UK back in 2005. Since then, his amazing personality and penchant for saying f**k regularly (in January of this year Ramsay caused an outrage whenhe  swore 243 times, 187 of them ‘fuck’, in a show lasting just 103 minutes) has made him an international house-hold name.

As an Englishman, half of the appeal is watching a big Scottish lad swear profusely at terrified chefs who have no clue what they’re doing. It’s abusive, and it’s Schadenfreude like never before. F***ing genius. Ramsay’s Hell’s Kitchen and Kitchen Nightmares was picked up by the Fox Network in the past, and their success has prompted the network to import Masterchef. I haven’t had the pleasure of seeing the US adaptations, but I know one thing for sure – it’s not going to have the same F'g charisma if censorship laws mean every f***ing swear word has to be f***ing bleeped out. How can you have the F Word without any f***ing swearing? That’s just f***ing stupid. The idea behind the show is taking a handful of amateur chefs, putting them through rigorous challenges (perhaps the most rigorous will be withstanding Gordon Ramsay’s temper), and seeing who has the potential to be a professional. It's not quite Tom Colicchio's quick wit or intense stares. it's a bit more brutal than that, and I can't wait.

Furthermore, Gordon has promised (after his January outburst) not to swear on the US show, for fear it might offend audiences.

Bullshit.

An online study by market researching firm Mindset Media found some interesting correlations between the beer you choose to drink and the personality traits that go along with it.

Mindset described their psychographic findings to Adage.com, and the results fit within many of the established advertising methods these beer companies use, but some were less clear.

A prime example of how beer can be marketed to very susceptible parts of the human psyche, i.e. the ego, is seen clearly in how Michelob Ultra drinkers see themselves. According to the survey, Michelob Ultra drinkers:

“Think highly of themselves and can be a little bit conceited. They care what other people think about them and want to appear perfect. They also tend to be take-charge types with strong opinions, and can even be confrontational. Michelob Ultra drinkers are 43% more likely than the average person to consider sustainability a priority, and 34% more likely to buy life insurance.”

Interestingly enough, that is spot on with their current TV ad. In the video, two young, sexy, corporate exec-types are working hard, then are quickly out running excitedly through the city, and moments later sipping Michelob Ultras at a chic Manhattan rooftop bar surrounded by other beautiful people sipping their energy drink, oh I mean beer. (You can see the ad here)

Mindset Media questioned about 2,500 people through online surveys on their favorite beer and many personality-describing questions relating to how to market to these individuals.

The director behind the survey, John Durant, said that, “he doesn’t just like beer, [he] loves it.” Personally, he drinks Stella Artois, and that means, “I’m a little bit immodest,” he said, “but it also means I’m very open minded, and like to experience new things.”

Craft beer drinkers were found to be social liberals. They separated craft beer from Blue Moon drinkers even though many don’t realize the orange flavored sorority favorite is part of the Coors Brewing Co. but instead that it is an independent brew. Regardless, patrons of both had relatively similar standpoints on most issues. Those that enjoy Blue Moon, and craft beers in general, lean socially liberal and according to the survey if you drink Blue Moon you are “105% more likely to drive hybrid cars, 77% more likely to own Mac laptops, 65% more likely to purchase five pairs or more of sneakers every year, and 32% more likely to not be registered voters.”

Values of beer drinkers and their choice of drink is a tricky business, there is certainly some stigma associated with drinking certain brands of beer, same as there would be for different brands of clothing. Some interesting correlations made in the study included the data that Budweiser is the choice for the practical, sensible, minded. Bud drinkers “are 42% more likely to drive a truck, [and] 68% more likely to choose a credit card with flexible payments.” Coors Light is a tried and true choice, and a drinker is probably more likely to get in a bar fight, and be less creative.

Corona, expectedly, attracts extroverts and people going out to bars a lot. Dos Equis was an interesting case. The Dos Equis ads featuring “The Most Interesting Man In the World” haven’t been around too long, and his catch phrase, “I don’t always drink beer, but when I do, I prefer Dos Equis,” matched up perfectly with those who most often drink the double ex.

Of course, an analysis like this does tend toward a chicken vs. egg argument. Has Dos Equis always been the beer of choice for connoisseurs of life, or was that image solely created by Dos Equis? The same of course could be said for Michelob Ultra, and to lesser degrees all beer, although none limit themselves in a market slice as these two.

The full study data will be released shortly on Mindset media’s website.

Frank
Cusine: Italian
Price Range: $30 to $100 per head

East Village
88 Second Avenue
(between 5th and 6th Streets)
New York, NY 10003
(212) 420-0202

Since my recent move to New York, I have become obsessed with Top Chef. We have cooking shows at home, some classics include ‘Can’t Cook, Won’t Cook’, 'Ready, Steady, Cook!' and the briefly famous (before one died) ‘Two Fat Ladies Ride Again’. Somehow they don’t quite live up to Tom Colicchio, dressed in Italian finest regalia, giving a verbal beat-down to some poor, quivering, sweating mess who tries to argue that their vegetables were blanched properly. I feel that, given the time and proper training, Colicchio could become the most powerful Jedi of all time. Imagine what the elimination process would be like then…!?

That is a digression from my point. Since my fascination with this show, I have become even more of an asinine and pedantic food critic than before. This has resulted in two things happening. I have alienated my original group of friends who used to dine with me, and have found a new group who find my puerile behavior amusing. I am pretty sure my new ‘friends’ are not good for me, but beggars can’t be choosers.

I have also developed a certain mental problem, which is that when it comes to meal time, I completely forget the name or location of any restaurants that I have been meaning to try. Therefore I meander the streets aimlessly, pissing off whoever I’m with, until their impatience drags me into the nearest restaurant. Fortunately, this time round, my dining ‘date’ was my good friend MK, who it should be noted, has not only the patience of a saint, but a vast restaurant database.

This is how we ended up sitting at the bar of Frank on the corner of 5^th and 2^nd Avenue, staring in lust and awe (both of us) at Michael; our red-checked plaid shirt wearing resident bartender/waiter. I think it was the subtle Italian lilt with which he said the word ‘gnocchi’, while simultaneously giving both myself and my dinner guest an intensely smoldering stare is what caused the salivation to start. Frank is the first in a group of three restaurants (Supper, and Lil' Frankie’s) who appeared following the phenomenal popular eatery.

It will be impossible to describe the sensation of the restaurant without describing the physics-defying way in which tables are crammed into this restaurant. While you may never be more than a foot from any other patron, and more often than not, you’ll be less than that, the dimly lit interior and bric-a-brac smothered surfaces are impressive rather than oppressive. From the moment we sat down, it felt as though we were in the middle of a big Italian family dinner, holding our own conversation at the end of the table. Very warm, very comfortable, and very informal.

As is want for any Italian restaurant, the obligatory thick crusted, rustic bread and olive oil comes as a complimentary bite. I don’t know how one eats the olives that are served in the dish of oil, or whether they’re just a superfluous garnish, but the Ciabatta was slightly, and noticeably, burned.

Returning (as I will frequently) to our Michael. Frank is a family run restaurant, and it is clear that you have to be family (or as-good-as, claims Michael) to find the dedication to reel off the dozen or so specials that, quite frankly, create a second menu unto themselves. This means that if you are one of those people used to looking and not really listening to specials, you are likely to miss out on a large portion of what Frank has to offer.

While many at dinner will ask ‘wine?’, both MK and I are much more of the ‘wine not?’ persuasion. It is at this juncture that I must discuss the concept of ‘wines by consumption’. The menu itself cites that Frank (to the best of their knowledge) is the only restaurant to have such a policy, which involves being able to drink as much, or as little as one wants of a bottle of wine, and pay only for what you drink. It is left at your discretion, and measured in ¼ bottle increments. I’m always cynical of such gimmicks, because they are never quite as beneficial to the customer as you first may think. Newton’s fourth law states that if an open bottle of wine sits in front of you, said bottle of wine will quickly be void of its liquid via a process commonly known as imbibing. At first MK and I believed that this policy applied to all the wines on what was an uncommonly extensive list, but it unfortunately only applies to 4 (2 red, and 2 white) rather comfortably priced choices. In an inspired touch, the wines by consumption are rotated frequently to pair well with the seasons and the specials. At Michael’s recommendation, MK and I settled into a bottle of the 2003 Barbara D’asti, which, as most mid-range Italian wines are, was light-bodied, with sweet, earthy notes.

MK and I tucked into a shared bowl of mussels, served in a thick, hearty tomato broth with a touch of fennel tarragon and onions. A regular problem with ordering mussels is that you regularly have to toss a few unopened ones. This wasn’t the case here, which is fortunate, for, despite the large size of the crustaceans, their numbers were limited. A dish that worked better when sopped up with bread than perhaps as a seafood appetizer.

It’s clear that Frank’s reputation precedes itself, and the place defines the very essence of ‘neighborhood family restaurant’ – Michael, with a skill that I find truly enviable, had an anecdote for just about every customer to walk into the bar behind us.

I guess it’s fitting with the Italian dinner table attitude pervading the place that all our dishes came out in a seemingly uncoordinated order. MK’s beet salad came only moments before my halibut, which arrived a good five minutes ahead of the pasta al limone we ordered. The beet salad was over-bearing. Large, thick chunks of beetroot sat unceremoniously atop a plate of greens, and garnished with more lumps of mozzarella, which was decidedly fresh, but altogether too heavy for a side salad or appetizer. Ordering off the menu is a pet hate of mine, but one that I keep to myself for the most part, so when MK ordered a pasta al limone, a very accommodating Michael promised her he would create something for her (cue further blushing). Presentation is clearly not a high priority at Frank, with ingredients placed haphazardly on the plate, but that’s fine. I grew up with a mother who was proud of her ability to cook delicious meals, but admitted that presentation wasn’t her forte. This didn’t matter when the food tasted as good as it did. The ingredients at Frank are all clearly fresh, and the portions are not small, but nothing blew me away. My halibut was refreshing and light, with a perfectly crispy skin. The porcini mushrooms held such a wonderfully delicious flavor, retaining a perfect amount of turgidity, which made up for the fact that the runner beans were too saturated with oil and butter to be a positive compliment to an otherwise light and healthy dish. Also, it is worth noting that at $24 for the dish, the special outprices any of the entrees on the standard menu by a good margin.

My justification in forcing people to be critics is that in today’s fast-paced society, we so often eat for mere sustenance. We have forgotten what it means to taste and enjoy food. However, the inevitable downside is that one becomes too judgmental as a result, finding faults and flaws where they wouldn’t normally. So I will give my opinion on the pasta al limone as so – it was exactly what MK ordered – a plate of spaghetti, with oil and lemon. To me, it is an unimaginably boring, filling dish, without so much as a garnish or any particular flavoring or seasoning. However, as a simple pasta dish, it was quite well cooked. Perhaps a touch on the raw side, but then, is that just me being overly-sensitive?

Michael had no end of time for us and our anarchic musings. His attention was for the most part flawless, and his knowledge of post-meal grappa digestivos was refreshing, albeit perhaps expected from an Italian trattoria. What little space on the walls isn’t taken up with sepia-toned photographs, tarnished smoky mirrors, or a plethora of red wines is reserved for the offer-of-the-day board, which, I was told by one regular patron, is part of the secret allure of the restaurant. The spaghetti meatballs is a warp straight back to the old-country, and should never be passed up.

My biggest concern came two hours after sitting down, when the bill arrived. For two entrees, two appetizers, and a bottle of wine, none of which were spectacular, but all of which were tasty and satisfying, $180 including tip seemed a phenomenal price to pay. For the same price, we could have eaten at just about any restaurant in the city and had a more palate-stimulating meal. It is difficult to decide how I feel about the whole event. If you order cleverly and conservatively, it’s a great place to stop in for a bite to eat, and you can leave feeling good about having eaten a light meal in the winter months. Is Frank a very warm, cosy, intimate atmosphere, perhaps perfect for a date? Yes. Is it worth the price? Perhaps not, especially as I will spend the evening in fear, worrying that when it’s time to leave, I’m walking out alone while my date stays to talk food with Michael.

Natalie Portman has been making headlines recently over her new vegan lifestyle. The cause of her switch from vegetarian to vegan? A new book written by Jonathan Safran Foer titled Eating Animals.

Portman states, “This book reminded me that some things are just wrong. Perhaps others disagree with me that animals have personalities, but the highly documented torture of animals is unacceptable, and the human cost Foer describes in his book, of which I was previously unaware, is universally compelling.”

Foer is a critically acclaimed novelist best known for fiction, but his new book is far from fantasy. Eating Animals delves into the grotesque manner in which animals are raised for food, and the consequences it has on our health and global environment.

In a recent article Foer highlights the incredible volume in which antibiotics are distributed to healthy animals in the United States (17.8 million pounds, compared to the 3 million pounds that are given to humans). Foer explains, “For every dose of antibiotics taken by a sick human, eight doses are given to a ‘healthy’ animal.” The magnitude of antibiotics ironically has deadly results. It allows new strains of bacteria to build resistance and pathogens to mutate- enter swine flu.

Foer notes that in addition to the H1N1 pandemic, the United Nations reported that greenhouse gas emissions as a result of the livestock business is higher than the emissions caused by all forms of transportation combined. And greenhouse gases equal global warming.

The torture of animals is another factor touched on in the book, as Foer equates the production of meat to a horror film. Most interesting is the fact that this comes as a shock to no one. It is general knowledge that the majority of conditions that exist on factory farms are inhumane and sickening. It’s hard connecting those conditions to the clean plastic packaged chicken lining bright supermarket aisles, but it’s a connection that needs to be made. Foer concludes, “When we eat factory-farmed meat, we live on tortured flesh. Increasingly, those sick animals are making us sick.”

I’d recommend the book for anyone interested in the subject, or anyone just curious to see if Eating Animals can convert you too.

Dirt and Candy are two words that generally shouldn’t be placed next to each other, you know, like unidentifiable and remains, or free and champagne… Actually, scratch that last one.

However, in this case, Dirt Candy are two words that fit together very well indeed. Step up Amanda Cohen, chef extraordinaire and owner of this East Village vegetarian hotspot, who quite candidly states that she doesn’t care about your health, and she doesn’t care about your politics.

Fair enough, there’s a lot to be said for honesty.

What she does care about, is vegetables, or as she more ‘tactfully’ puts it; Dirt Candy. Her Portobello mousse with fennel pear compote, and the Golden Beet Papardelle with yogurt, pistachios and honey are not done to satisfy your anti-meat fanatical ravings. They are done to celebrate the diversity and complexity of vegetables done right. ‘When you eat a vegetable you’re eating little more than dirt that’s been transformed by plenty of sunshine and rain into something that’s full of flavor’ she writes.

 Perhaps not the best marketing ploy in the world, but it certainly caught our attention back when she opened up shop.

 And now we are bringing Dirt Candy to your attention too, as the restaurant celebrates its one year anniversary with three days of festivities. Considering past complimentary write-ups in the New York Times, New York Magazine and Food & Wine, it’s no surprise that reservations for the actual anniversary sold out the moment they hit the floor. However, we at Joonbug have used our web of intricate underground sources to bring you some good news. If you turn up to 430 E 9^th street (and Ave A), on the 27^th, 28^th, 30^th and 31^st of October, you will be able to claim a free slice of their newest dessert - Red Pepper Velvet Cake with white chocolate and peanut ice cream, and a free round of hush puppies (which, like everything else on the menu, can be made vegan upon request.) Bear in mind though, that this is one order per table.

My advice? Go stick your head in the dirt candy.

This past tuesday, eight hundred well-dressed men and women descended on the Metropolitan Pavilion for City Harvest’s annual fall charity event – Bid Against Hunger.

City Harvest started up 25 years ago as a non-profit volunteer program that delivers ready-made food to soup kitchens and shelters across New York City's five boroughs. The concept was the brainchild of a group of Manhattan locals who noticed that restaurants and delicatessens were throwing out perfectly good food at the end of each day. Since then, the organization has helped inspire similar projects across the globe.

As a newcomer to this fair city, I had previously never had the honor of attending one of City Harvest’s many annual charity events. From start to finish, last night was an experience I will not soon forget. 70 chefs from restaurants across the city laid out a smorgasbord of amuse bouche sized dishes for our consideration. I consider myself a foodie, although last night I was reduced to the mere level of a foodiot – my palate was awash with some of the most delicious sensations. The level of dedication that all of these great chefs have put into their work was clear from the sensory overload each morsel provided.

While most eyes were focused on the food, there was a smattering of nudged elbows and whispered ‘do you know who that is?!’ as celebrity chefs smiled for their guests and cooked up a storm. Even Le Bernadin executive chef and Food Network legend Eric Ripert found time to get behind the line, serving up a warm lobster potato salad and bacalao parfait with a smile and friendly word to all the admiring guests.

Now I’ve said it before; I have a great job. Yesterday my editor and I were invited to sample the new menu at Bill’s Bar & Burger. We both agreed, at the prompting of Scoop, our incredibly attentive server, that it would be rude not to ‘sample’ the menu. An hour later, both of us left feeling decidedly over-fed, and both in agreement to return as soon as possible.

So when I turned up at 6PM, only four hours after I had finished lunch, to spend the next few hours eating and drinking my way around a Valhalla-worthy banquet, I was decidedly apprehensive.

Bars were well situated throughout the venue, and Rye, the Brooklyn based restaurant and bar, were offering up a delicious gin and cucumber based cocktail. A perfect ‘palate-cleanser’ as I made my way around the venue.

There were too many dishes and restaurants to mention them all here, none of whom served a sub-par dish. The standard was exceptionally high, and the presentation of many was exquisite, despite being forced to prepare upwards of 1,000 dishes. However, there are few dishes which I feel must be mentioned. Craig Hopson, of Le Cirque, was offering up a thinly sliced Venison, served with a pistachio aioli and pomegranate seeds. One of my favorite dishes was one I had to be convinced to try. I was in far too hedonistic a state to realize that the affable and charming chef who convinced me to try his Orecchiette Alla Norcina was none other than Marc Murphy, whose Tribeca restaurant Landmarc has been an addiction of mine since my first venture to the city.

From oysters provided by Les Barnes of London Lennies (who was finally forced to ban me after my 5^th visit), to red velvet cupcakes from Billy’s, the event was perfectly catered, and appeared to run exceptionally smooth.

The success of such an event however, is measured not by journalists such as myself, whose criticism and praise will do nothing to help charity’s work, but by the private benefactors and philanthropists who donated and bid to raise the money needed. This years’ live auction alone raised over $200,000. The highest bid of the evening was for a wine tasting at Le Bernardin with its sommelier Aldo Sohm, followed by dinner for eight at Le Bernardin and a cooking class with Eric Ripert, which sold for $55,000.

Altogether, this years Bid Against Hunger raised $700,000, which will help organizers continue their work as they strive to feed 260,000 homeless New Yorkers every week. Indeed a very successful evening for a very worthy cause.