While a large chunk of New Yorkers spent last week on a post-Grammy vacation in sunny, warm L.A., some out-of-towners like U2 and Sarah Silverman took advantage of our celebrity vacuum and filled it with self-promotion. After celebrating artist Damien Hirst’s new exhibition at the Gagosian Gallery over the weekend, U2 band members dispersed across the city, dining with various attractive women: Bono at Da Silvano with a group of leggy blondes, the Edge at Morandi with a former Victoria’s Secret Angel. Sarah Silverman, in town to promote the premiere of her show’s third season, picked at some health food. Below, the week in boldfaced dining.

Butter: Governor Paterson’s endorsement of Kirsten Gillibrand didn’t stop him from sitting down with Harold Ford Jr.; Ford allegedly footed the bill. [NYP]

Da Silvano: Bono and artist Damien Hirst dined with some ladies. [NYP]

Dylan’s Candy Bar: Alec Baldwin, who says he needs to lose a couple, buys fudge, Swedish fish, and chocolate. [NYP]

Emporio: On Wednesday, Thomas Keller of Laundry and Per Se paid his respects. On Thursday, Matt Dillon stopped by. [Grub Street]

Grill Room: Martha Stewart and former ImClone CEO Sam Waksal, both convicted felons, dined separately at opposite ends of The Four Seasons restaurant, possibly in the presence of other inside traders. [NYP]

Josie’s Restaurant: Sarah Silverman stayed wholesome with two friends. [Gawker]

La Esquina: John Mayer ate some tacos and maybe texted girls. [NYP]

Morandi: U2’s the Edge stopped in with model Helena Christensen. [NYP]

Nougatine: Sting popped in to talk to his manager, who was dining at the bar. [NYP]

Pure Food and Wine: Janet Jackson and rapper ex Jermaine Dupri both ordered “Master Cleanse Tinis.” [NYP]

Rose Bar: Mick Jagger spent some quality time with Mickey Rourke’s girlfriend, Elena Kuletskaya. [NYP]

Swifty’s: Barry Humphries — better known as Dame Edna — dined with his wife. [NYDN]

The Waverly Inn: Channing Tatum dined with Dear John co-star Amanda Seyfried. [People]

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Filed Under: celebrity settings, butter, da silvano, dylan’s candy bar, grill room, josie’s restaurant, la esquina, morandi, nougatine, pure food and wine, rose bar, swifty’s, the waverly inn

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Astoria: Gleason’s and its honey-mustard wings top a list of the neighborhood’s best bar food. [Joey in Astoria]
Clinton Hill: Today marks the debut of FAB Friday, when local businesses offer specials like wine tastings and free dessert with dinner. [Clinton Hill Blog]
Midtown East: Burger spot Black Shack now serves beer. [Midtown Lunch]

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Filed Under: neighborhood watch, astoria, black shack, midtown east, the mark, upper east side

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Jean-Georges Vongerichten still doesn’t have an opening date for his project at the Mark Hotel, but on his blog today he offers a glimpse inside the space and promises “comforting, everyday food” that will “reinvent and perfect the rustic, classic dishes from my childhood in France.” Case in point, his “Croque M.”

It’s a cross between a croque monsieur and croque madame. The secret to my decadent version? I make a Mornay sauce with gruyere and comte, then spread it on slices of fresh pain de mie. I do a triple-decker version with Flying Pig Farm ham, comte, and gruyere, then broil it with a quail egg on top. Delicious. I’ve made a buckwheat fettuccine (as tasty as Matsugen’s soba, but completely different in this treatment), and top it with clams, mussels, sweet shrimp, crab, and uni. With a little chile, the nuttiness of the buckwheat really comes out.

The Mark Restaurant: Coming Soon [Jean-Georges]

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Filed Under: openings, jean-georges vongerichten, mark hotel

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Earlier today, Diner’s Journal sat in on a public hearing at Lincoln Center in which restaurant owners spoke out against the Health Department’s plan to substitute their current numerical demerit system with scary letter grades. Landmarc’s Marc Murphy, whom you’ll recall spoke against required sick days, sounded alarm bells here, too, saying the move “could turn back the clock on New York as the food capital of the world.”

Restaurateurs Beg City to Drop Report Card Plan [Diner’s Journal/NYT]

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Filed Under: health concerns, department of health, health inspections, landmarc, marc murphy

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It’s 4 p.m., and that means it’s time to play Two for Eight. We just asked ten restaurants the best time they could squeeze in a couple for dinner; you need only make your chosen reservation. (As always, we make the calls but don’t guarantee the results.) Today: Gourmet French.

Adour Alain Ducasse (Menu)
212-710-2277
Two for eight? No
Best available: 8:30 p.m.

Allegretti (Menu)
212-206-0555
Two for eight? Fully booked

Balthazar (Menu)
212-965-1414
Two for eight? Fully booked

Bar Boulud (Menu)
212-595-0303
Two for eight? No
Best available: 9:15 p.m.

Benoit (Menu)
646-943-7373
Two for eight? Yes

Daniel (Menu)
212-288-0033
Two for eight? No
Best available: 10:30 p.m.

L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon (Menu)
212-350-6658
Two for eight? No
Best available: 9:45 p.m.

Le Bernardin (Menu)
212-554-1515
Two for eight? Yes

Le Cirque (Menu)
212-644-0202
Two for eight? Fully booked

Filed Under: two for eight, adour alain ducasse, allegretti, balthazar, bar boulud, benoit, daniel, l’atelier de joel robuchon, le bernardin, le cirque

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A couple of months ago, Fairway’s vice-president of real estate told us he was looking for a location to house a third Manhattan store, and now real-estate sources tell Crain’s that the grocer is in negotiations for a lease at 240 East 86th Street, between Second and Third Avenues. [Crain's]

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Filed Under: empire building, fairway, upper east side

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from Grub Street Chicago

El Bulli’s galletas de arroz y parmesano: just a fad?

Living, as we do, in the oh-em-gee game-changing moment in which Ferran Adria is temporarily shuttering El Bulli means that it’s the perfect time to pause and reflect on whether molecular gastronomy is here to stay. Which is exactly what the Wall Street Journal does, checking in with chefs across the world for their take on the scientifically manipulative style of cooking. Fergus Henderson doesn’t really get the appeal; British chef Hélène Darroze finds it creative and meritorious; outspoken Adria critic Santi Santamaría thinks it’s “a byproduct of a sick society.” We’re assuming Tom Colicchio’s staying far away from this one, having said plenty in that infamous Diet Coke ad.

The State of Molecular Cuisine [WSJ]

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Filed Under: trends, el bulli, fergus henderson, ferran adria, helene darroze, molecular gastronomy, santi santamari, tom colicchio

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Here’s the first line of a Staten Island Advance item about a drug bust at cop-hangout Ruddy and Dean: “Authorities say a popular bar and steak house located in the shadow of the borough’s legal system had something else on the menu— cocaine, served up to an undercover detective by the restaurant’s chef.” Ha! Something else on the menu! And now for your late-Friday amusement, some other inspired openers about six local food establishments whose employees were busted for selling cocaine.

• “A Brooklyn butcher shop worker called his specialty ‘hot kielbasa’ — for snorting, not eating.” —Brooklyn Eagle

• “Three people bought peppers at a Queens store last night and found them even hotter than they expected — all of them had bags of cocaine inside, police sources said.” —New York Post

• “Give me a cheeseburger, some jalapeno poppers and a bag of cocaine, please.” —New York Post

• “A Mister Softee vendor was scooped up for making deliveries of cocaine while blaring the trademark jingle up and down his Long Island route, cops said yesterday.” —New York Post, once more

• “‘I’ll have a large pie, half-pepperoni, half-cocaine.’ A Bronx pizza parlor that delivered drugs as well as calzones was busted … ” —New York Daily News

• “Police say a Jersey City restaurant was used as the base of operations for three suspected drug kingpins accused of serving up cocaine with their frijoles to the tune of $35,000 a week.” —ABC News

Chef sold cocaine out of popular Ruddy and Dean steak house, cops allege [SI Live via Gothamist]

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Filed Under: user’s guide, cocaine, crime scenes, drug busts, eatiquette

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On the one hand, on our first full day in the city, Marseille’s light, bright vibe & breezy bistro menu matched our…

Marseille

630 9th Ave, New York

(212) 333-2323

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What a difference a day made—24 hours since our meal at Marseille, we ventured in to this much-ballyhooed upscale…

Five Napkin Burger

626 9th Ave, New York

(212) 757-2277

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We’d been circling & circling the East Village for an hour or 2 in search of That Place—the one whose lights twinkled…

Via Della Pace

48 E 7th St, New York

(212) 253-5803

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Yesterday, Ephemeral New York took a wistful look at iconic diner signs. While the Cavalier Restaurant in Jackson Heights is more of a supper club than a diner (think red tablecloths and candles), its fifties sign is certainly iconic — in fact, it’s one of our favorites in the city. Sadly, the Times reports that owner Alfonso Londoño, a Dominican who bought the restaurant from its Italian owners in the early seventies, will close it on Sunday because he can’t afford a doubling of the rent. From the Jackson Heights Life message board (where unsubstantiated rumors of a Barnes & Noble are flying), here’s the owner’s heartrending farewell letter.

To the loyal patrons of the Cavalier Restaurant:
It is with sincere regret that we must announce the end of an era. Due to the greed and insensitivity of developers, realtors and landlords, the Cavalier will be forced to close its doors after 60 years. This family operated institution has been an icon of the Jackson Heights community since 1950. For thousands it has been the place where families gathered for support and comfort after the loss of a friend or family member; gathered to celebrate the birth of a child, the wedding of two loved ones or to recognize the rights of passage of a child into young adulthood. It has been a gathering spot for families during holidays, a friendly and affordable stop for our seniors and a social spot where members of the Jackson Heights community came to relax and spend countless enjoyable hours talking, listening to live music and enjoying the diversity of our wonderful neighborhood. We would like to extend a final invitation to all of our loyal customers to pay their final respects, and offer a final opportunity to reminisce about what this neighborhood institution has meant to them. Similarly it will give its owners a final chance to express their heartfelt gratitude for the many years of loyalty and support shown to us by our beloved patrons. Please join us for our final farewell week before our doors close on Sunday February 7, 2010 which is Super Bowl Sunday. On Super Bowl we will have a free buffet at half time and a Coors Light Promotion from 6 to 8 pm for those who would like to watch the game with us on our final day! We hope to see all of you for one final opportunity to let you know how much you have meant to our family and to raise one final toast to the end of a Jackson Heights cultural institution.
Sincerely, The Cavalier

Queens Is Losing Hangout It Has Loved Since 1950 [NYT]
Jackson Heights Life

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Filed Under: closings, alfonso londono, cavalier restaurant, jackson heights, landmarks

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