Bourdain considers “Hung’s well deserved victory … a nice, stiff middle finger to all those boneheads who’ve been predicting that ‘The producers are setting it up so Casey will win,’ as well as the poor, deluded souls who feel they can somehow taste food through the television screen.” Are you listening, Adam Platt? [Bourdain’s Blog/Bravo]
Michelin Guide director Jean-Luc Naret wants chefs on their toes: “One thing you have to understand is that stars are not engraved in marble, but crystal, and that they can break easily.” [Metromix NY]
Will Goldfarb is officially shacking up with Michel Cluizel at ABC on a dessert café, and Patricia Yeo has abandoned Monkey Bar after leaving Sapa to work on the project in March. [NYT]
Related: Cluizel, Goldfarb to Join Forces in Dessert Pact
Patricia Yeo Leaving Sapa, Opening Rib House; Something About a Monkey
Tim and Nina Zagat say that even though prices at New York’s luxury restaurants have skyrocketed, dining across the city is still quite a bargain: “The average cost of a meal has risen only three cents since last year’s survey … New York might be the most expensive city in America for dining out, but for average meal cost it’s far behind Paris ($71.51), Tokyo ($73.11) and London ($78.57).” [WSJ]
Related: Zagat 2008 Smiles on Daniel, Gordon Ramsay, Others
Clo, a wine retail area with tastings of 100 bottles available, will open in the Time Warner Center next month. And Biscuit’s Josh Cohen is opening a diner in Williamsburg. [NYT]
Ciprianis have had time to stealthily open a restaurant on Wall Street, and “the neighborhood’s steakhouse monopoly finally has competition … there are suddenly lush risotto and baked taglioni, an intricately woven swirl of noodles, ham and Bechemel that takes ‘comfort’ to a new level.” [NYP]
Related: Ciprianis Learn That Rich People Have to Pay Taxes, Too, Even in the Bush Era [Daily Intel]
Colicchio has something to smile about today: His L.A. branch of Craft is being well received. [LAT]
Guess what? Fancified popcorn is a new trend in gourmet bar food. [NYS]
Related: Trendlet: A Micro Wave [NYM]
A woman who looks and dresses like a man is suing Caliente Cab for tossing her out of the ladies’ room. [NYP]
Underground supper clubs are getting so popular that they run the risk of being overground. [NYP]