Johnny the Tofu-Maker’s Wobbly Treat Blows Into the East Village; ChinantlaBedford-Stuyvesant: Grungy bodega Chinantla, known for its Eat for Victory–approved $2 tacos, has just undergone a massive clean-deli renovation. The tasty tacos haven’t just survived the transition; they’re better. [Brooklyn Based]
Chelsea: Trestle on Tenth highlights the wines and cheeses of the Jura region (which extends through France and Switzerland) in special pairings on offer March 4 to 9. [Grub Street]
East Village: You can find high-quality prepackaged tofu by Kyoto’s “Johnny the Tofu-Maker, Blowin’ in the Wind” at Sunrise Mart, and the jiggly treat is so creamy you might want to forgo a sprinkling of soy sauce for a drizzle of honey. [Gothamist]
Hell’s Kitchen: Zanzibar has a new bar menu that’s served Monday through Saturday until 2 a.m. and includes Mediterranean meze and Asian appetizer platters. [Grub Street]
Meatpacking District: 4-Foodies hits up Sue Torres’s communal Mexican spot Los Dados for its next tasting event on Monday, March 10. [4foodiesusa.com]
Midtown West: Trying to decide between a Five Guys burger and one from Burger Joint? This handy midtown-hamburger slideshow should help. [Zagat]
Tribeca: David Bouley pulled back his application for a liquor license for Brushstrokes in response to community opposition, postponing, not bowing out of, the fight. [Eater]
Neighborhood Watch
Improve Your Looks with Pork in the West Village; Five Guys Wreaking Havoc inClinton Hill: Chinantla deli on Myrtle Avenue is dingy as all hell but makes tacos “that may bridge the gap between ‘real’ and … American-style.” [Eat for Victory/VV]
Dumbo: Two ICE graduates just launched a neighborhood dinner-delivery service called Nylon Cooks. [Dumbo NYC]
Lower East Side: Owners of ápizz and the Orchard John LaFemina and Xeras are “on the prowl for [their] next project.” [Eater]
Midtown West: Newly inaugurated Five Guys Burgers and Fries on West 55th Street has lunch crowds waiting up to an hour and a half for their orders. [Eater]
Tribeca: Marc Murphy supplied this very straightforward carbonara recipe, which he considers a signature dish at Landmarc. [Restaurant Girl]
West Village: The Japanese restaurant that promises better skin and hair through its pork dishes, Hakata Tonton has opened at 61 Grove Street. [Gothamist]
Neighborhood Watch
Shake Shack Opens Year-round; Five Guys On in MidtownFlatiron: Shake Shack is hammering out a year-round plan that may kick off after the New Year and will include heat lamps. (It better!) [Eat for Victory/VV]
Long Island City: Art-O-Mat sells nice neighborhood souvenirs like LIChocolate bars. [LIC-NYC]
Lower East Side: New bar and restaurant Cafe Katja has earned some positive buzz for its touches like house-made pickles and sauerkraut and well-priced Austrian and German wine and beer. [Blog Chelsea]
Midtown West: Five Guys Burger’s and Fries at 43 West 55th Street started serving today, a day ahead of schedule. [Midtown Lunch]
Nolita: Katie Lee Joel’s favorite New York restaurant is Ballato’s on East Houston near Mulberry Street. [Restaurant Girl]
Times Square: Top-notch steakhouse Del Frisco’s still has steak tips and mashed potatoes on its lunch menu for under $10, though the burger’s over $13. [Midtown Lunch]
Upper East Side: Sassy’s Sliders at 1530 Third Avenue near 86th Street is the front-runner in this roundup of the city’s best mini-sandwiches, which also includes Burke’s burgers at Bloomingdale’s and the Little Owl’s meatball version. [Gridskipper]
West Village: The new bar replacing Luke & Leroy on Seventh Avenue South is having a soft opening tonight. [Imbible/Citysearch] Voyage has finally given up the ghost, and its prime Perry Street restaurant real estate with it. [Eater]
The Other Critics
Kudos to Park Avenue Autumn; Jeers to the Five GuysPark Avenue Autumn’s gimmicky concept might have turned Frank Bruni catty but for the fact that Craig Konketsu’s cooking is so flawlessly brilliant. The place got two stars, and the review reads like three. [NYT]
Paul Adams must be a happy man today just for the headline he came up with for his positive review of the cheese-centric newcomer Casellula: “The Cheese Stands Alone.” It sounds like it does, too, with what might be the best macaroni and cheese going. [NYS]
Peter Meehan puts the Five Guys, and their deliberately dried-out, overrated burger, in their place; Julia Moskin gives Market Table its first praise, a measured and thoughtful mini-review. [NYT]
Neighborhood Watch
Five Guys and ‘Lovely Ladies’ Now Serving Burgers in BrooklynBrooklyn Heights: Five Guys Famous Burgers and Fries is open, staffed with “lovely ladies” and other employees responsible for an especially pleasant experience. [Brooklyn Heights Blog]
Fort Greene: Coffee plus muffins from Choice are available at new café Bidonville on Willoughby near Adelphi. [Clinton Hill Blog]
East Village: The Bowery Hotel’s Italian restaurant Gemma opened Friday night and, though similar, is “800 times classier“ than Morandi inside. [Eater]
Soho: Moondance Diner has closed to make way for condos, but rather than be demolished, the building will travel to Pennsylvania and become an exhibit. [NY1]
Park Slope: Revered pizza haven franny’s has started serving pasta; recent specials have been dappled with house-made sausages and zucchini and herbs. [Eat for Victory/VV]
Tribeca: The Department of Health has tagged Gigino’s on Greenwich Street, though the Wagner Park location remains open. [Grub Street]
Neighborhood Watch
Dumbo to Land Williamsburg’s GalapagosAmagansett: Pacific East has amped up its cocktail menu with such specialty additions as the Havana Mojito, which combines rum, mint, and sugar. [Hamptons.com]
Brooklyn Heights: Five Guys burger shop still working on renovations of its Montague Street space. [Brooklyn Heights Blog]
Dumbo: Twelve-year-old art bar Galapagos will move from Williamsburg to a building over 100 years old at 16 Main Street. [Dumbo NYC]
East Village: “Frozen Yorgurt” coming soon to 34½ St. Marks near newly opened Good Dog. [Grub Street]
Murray Hill: The Kitano’s roof decks are now open for catered clambakes and cookouts. [NYT]
Park Slope: Fifth Avenue has a lineup of new restaurants, including A La Turka, whose Turkish sandwiches come on home-baked sesame-dappled bread. [NYS]
Mediavore
Hello, Five Guys Burgers; Bush Versus OverfishingThe Five Guys burger chain, which has fanatical adherents in Washington D.C., came to New York without anybody knowing it. And the burgers at its Queens location are outstanding. [Serious Eats]
All we have to do to replenish the ocean’s devastated fish populations is to leave them alone, which is well within the power of our unpopular president. [NYT]
Shock jocks JV and Elvis have, predictably, been fired for their idiotic Chinese-restaurant phone prank, in which they called up live to ask for “shrimp flied lice” and “some old dung.” [WNBC]
Neighborhood Watch
Green Nightclub Attempts to Save Chelsea From Being So OverBrooklyn Heights: Montague Street poised for burger wars as the chain Five Guys Famous enters the fray. [The Brooklyn Paper]
Central Park: The Boathouse is open. [Eater]
Chelsea: Jon B. will open the first green nightclub, trading the B crowds for the untapped alcoholic, occasional recycler market. [Down by the Hipster]
Dumbo: A snapshot of La Bagel Delight makes a statement for Franco-American diplomacy. [Dumbo NYC]
East Village: At Thai Me Up, a new revisionist báhn mì shop, sautéed vegetables and various sauces sub in for sriracha and the usual cold toppings. [The Strong Buzz]
Red Hook: Vendors discover the “soft opening” at the ball fields; next weekend the full array of pupusas and meat on sticks should be available. [Brooklyn Record]
Soho: Bon Anniversaire! Balthazar celebrates ten years of beautiful design and hot babes today and tonight with free Champagne. [House and Garden]
West Village: Red-velvet cupcakes from Harlem’s Make My Cake now commuting to the new Southern Gourmet Pantry at 529 Hudson. [Blog Chelsea] Department of Health shutters Fedora; a sign claims the restaurant’s fixing its sink. [Grub Street]
Neighborhood Watch
Jim Leff Maps Out Culinary Touchstones in Jackson HeightsBrooklyn Heights: National chain Five Guys Burgers and Fries in construction on Montague Street. [Brooklyn Heights Blog]
Fort Greene: Next Wednesday, Stonehome Wine Bar will host a four-course wine-tasting dinner as a toast to spring. [Brooklyn Record]
Hell’s Kitchen: Grand Sichuan is closed while the outlet tries to regain its lost lease; loyal diners missing the “We would be two—love birds flying wing to wing on high” dish are distraught. [Mouthing Off/Food & Wine]
Jackson Heights: Chowhound founder Jim Leff finally provides a map of the neighborhood’s culinary touchstones. [Chowhound via Gothamist]
Park Slope: An employee spills that D’Agostino will close at the end of April. [Only the Blog Knows Brooklyn] Whole Foods set to open summer 2008 not giving much relief to neighbors still fearing the property is toxic. [Gowanus Lounge]
Prospect-Lefferts-Gardens: New deli on Washington Avenue opens; wide selection of do-rags already turning heads. [across the park]