NoMad’s library.

In this week’s New York, Adam Platt visits NoMad, the “posh, coolly impersonal new restaurant” from Eleven Madison Park’s Daniel Humm and Will Guidara. The sprawling restaurant hosts “a hodgepodge of styles under one roof” including the Library, the Atrium, and the plush Parlour. Skip the snacks and move straight to fare like “a flawlessly executed egg appetizer (poached over a bed of quinoa and Parmesan)”; or the chicken for two: “pre-carved, with deposits of foie gras-rich brioche inserted under the crackly skin.” However, “there’s a vague assembly-line feel to the proceedings that is compounded by the prices.” These are high enough to dock the place a star; NoMad receives a two-spot.

Meanwhile, Benjamin Wallace delves into the biggest wine hoax in history, which took place right under the noses of a number of seasoned collectors. Rob Patronite and Robin Raisfeld get wind that Terroir is hitting the High Line. And Katie O’Donnell of Frankies 570 Spuntino shares her recipe for non-fishy bluefish crostini.

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Filed Under: in the magazine, frankies 570 spuntino, from the magazine, katie o’donnell, nomad, terroir, wine fraud

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7-Eleven’s usual tactics for upping frozen treat sales include free Slurpee days and putting mom-and-pops out of business. But now USA Today writes that the Slurpee will soon be available in a Splenda version that has a mere twenty calories in an eight-ounce cup, versus 66 normally (though who actually only buys the eight-ounce size?). Low-cal flavors mango, strawberry banana, and cherry limeade will roll out by free Slurpee day on May 23 — mark your calendars. [USAT]

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Filed Under: sweet news, 7-eleven, desserts, low-calorie, slurpee

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Danish omelette.

New Nordic hot spot Acme has rolled out brunch, happening every Saturday and Sunday beginning at 11 a.m. The bleary and beautiful can feast on Mads Refslund’s Euro spins on classic weekend-morning dishes, including a Danish omelette with bacon and tomatoes served in a skillet, a grilled romaine salad, or various sweet options including his beer-and-bread porridge and Danish doughnuts. See the lineup below and have a drool over the photos in our slideshow.

Menu [PDF]

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Filed Under: slideshow, acme, brunch, mads refslund, menu changes, menus, noho, nordic

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No Amy Sacco in my backyard, said CB4.

Dreams of a Bungalow 8 return have hit a huge snag. The Post has it that Community Board 4 has prevented LDV Hospitality (upon threat of liquor-license difficulties) from involving Sacco or using the “Bungalow” name in their redo of the former XL space at 357 West 16th, next to the Dream Downtown. So now LDV, best known for Scarpetta, needs a new concept for that space, probably not one involving cosmos. Bungalow nostalgists needn’t despair completely, however: Since LDV bought the concept and name from Sacco, they may well resurrect it somewhere else — if any neighborhood in the city will let them. [Page Six/NYP]

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Filed Under: non grata, amy sacco, ldv hospitality, xl

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Uh-oh.

Lidia Bastianich is no stranger to a court summons, following the very weird allegations that surfaced last summer from a former employee. Now wage-violation-crusading attorney Maimon Kirschenbaum sends over a complaint filed by some former Felidia servers, who allege that Bastianich and the restaurant illegally distributed tips and failed to meet minimum-wage requirements; there are also questions of overtime compensation and spread-of-hours pay. Wonder what Joe Bastianich, Kirshenbaum’s most vocal detractor, will have to say about this?

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Filed Under: lawsuits, felidia, lidia bastianich, maimon kirschenbaum

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And how about revamping the dated packaging?

Australia is having something of a culinary identity crisis as younger eaters increasingly fail to embrace Vegemite, writes The Wall Street Journal. The yeasty spread (a by-product of beer-making, we just learned) is notorious for its pungent smell and salty flavor, not qualities generally beloved by children. And a growing Asian population in places like Sydney means many youngsters have no familial obligation to ingest the stuff, since their parents never did.

Though it sounds like Vegemite could go the way of Oleo, oddly, New Zealanders have been clamoring for Marmite, a similar product, after the factory making it there was damaged by an earthquake. A jar of the stuff, dubbed “black gold,” went for $1,674 at a recent charity auction. Vegemite does contain umami, says the WSJ, so we suggest it play up that angle before it’s too late. Aussie Delicacy Vegemite Loses Some of Its Savory Appeal [WSJ]

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Filed Under: crises, australia, marmite, vegemite

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When these arrive, you’ll know it’s true.

It is according to the Daily News, anyway. There’s an artsy flower shop, an art gallery, and a Kosher food emporium that sells $20 bottles of truffle oil and other gourmet grub. There’s even the requisite mommies-with-strollers hang in the form of a Kosher pizzeria, Basil, whose owner is planning a second restaurant for the hood. Sarabeth’s and Magnolia Bakery, you listening? [NYDN]

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Filed Under: crown heights, kosher, neighborhood watch

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Hello, hot mom.

Donatella Arpaia takes to HuffPo to write about being “the 40-Year-Old Mom.” Each Mother’s Day, she says, “As much as I loved being the cool celebrity aunt, what I really wanted was the title we were celebrating that day.” She only felt ready for a family in the past few years, “having gone through the high highs and extreme lows of a career in a male-dominated industry.” She claims Mommy Donatella is a different person than the glamorous one known for nurturing a Prada habit: “while I still like to put on heels, I don’t panic if someone sees me without mascara.” You go, Donatella, and if you need somewhere to celebrate Mother’s Day … [HuffPo]

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Filed Under: bringing up baby, donatella arapaia, mother’s day

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Robots are concealed within.

Students at U.T. Austin can now buy coffee made by “robistas” (robot baristas), thanks to a kiosk installed recently on campus. Just think: No need to agonize over etiquette, no lines (since you can order online or on your phone), and it’s pretty cheap, too — $2.80 for a basic latte. Java-heads can indicate sweetener and milk preferences and a screen flashes your name when the drink’s ready, so you can still get a kick by claiming you were christened Myrtle, like we used to never did back in the day. [Singularity Hub]

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Filed Under: coffee buzz, coffee, cool, robots, the future

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Swirly!

That M.I.A. is so multifaceted. Paper mag has it that the musician (who’s also evidently a visual artist) was tapped by Beck’s to design a beer label. You can see the swirly specimen at right, which practically oozes peace, love, and harmony — totally how it feels to drink beer, man. [Paper via Spin]

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Filed Under: booze news, beck’s, m.i.a., nightlife, shilling

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Texas tacos.

It seems French spot Bar Henry has quietly morphed into something called ZirZamin, a “subterranean music parlour.” Interestingly, the new place has an Austin-themed menu — the brief lineup features that Lone Star city’s hits, including breakfast tacos, queso, brisket tacos, and a burger; cocktails focus on Tito’s (naturally) and tequila. According to ZirZamin’s Facebook page, it’s open from 5:30 p.m. to 3 a.m., so we guess the egg tacos are meant for a very early breakfast. Scope out the menu below, y’all.

Menu [PDF]

ZirZamin, 90 W. Houston St., nr. W. Broadway; 646-823-9617

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Filed Under: openings, bar henry, bars, breakfast tacos, closing, menus, nightlife, zirzamin

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He started all this.

We’ll bring you this week’s ratings from the critics shortly, but over at the Times, this month marks 50 years since Craig Claiborne’s regular restaurant reviews started appearing, as Pete Wells writes. It was then that “reading the critics, eating what they had recommended, and then bragging or complaining about it … bec[a]me a national pastime.” Much like the gastro-seekers of today, the ahead-of-his-time Claiborne could be found “prowling the streets in search of Filipino, Armenian, Lebanese, Mexican, Hungarian and Czech menus.” Aspiring food writers, go read about this guy. [NYT, Related]

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Filed Under: legends, craig claiborne

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