Jody Williams’s Wine Bar Serving in the West VillageGreenwich Village: Send off truffle fever with a wine-sodden bang at Babbo’s December 3 Vintage series, which includes a white-truffle tasting menu with wine pairings discussed by Peter Jamros. [Grub Street]
Hell’s Kitchen: Kyotofu is hosting a seven-course dinner-and-dessert sake pairing tonight at 7 p.m. [Grub Street]
Midtown West: The Frederick’s space on West 58th Street will be transformed into Jour et Nuit, a French-American bistro offering, you guessed it, brasserie classics like croque monsieurs and moules frites. [Restaurant Girl]
Soho: Fiamma is a little too liberal with its “Napkins of Shame,” which according to Bruni are a “bit of patchwork that makes the table look clean again” to the embarrassment of the messy diner. The critic was subjected to one himself while on a date. [Diner’s Journal/NYT] The Vosges bacon-chocolate bar is accused of not reaching its potential and tasting “more like the barnyard than the pig and more like the rubber tree than the cocoa pod.” [Chop Talk/Epicurious]
West Village: Jody Williams is previewing her new enoteca and salumeria Gottino at Greenwich Avenue near Perry Street. [Eater] The chef’s main stage, Morandi, is also serving a Thanksgiving dinner of rosemary roasted turkey with fennel and bruschetta stuffing. Those looking for turkey alternatives can arrive early for regular breakfast. [Grub Street]
Back of the House
Two Starrs, Another Frederick’s, and More Tables at BabboThe latest comings and goings: Restaurants spawn offshoots, Stephen Starr throws a couple more chips down, and Babbo opens its basement.
Regina Schrambling explains the insanity of our big-box restaurants to Los Angelenos: “Everything about the trend should feel wrong, but somehow it connects in this changing city.” [LAT]
Starr “looking to do two more concepts” downtown: tapas and (hold your breath) another Asian. [NYP]
The Flo chart: Dennis Foy, the man behind Mondrian and EQ, comes home to roost at Lo Scalco; Sushi of Gari, Frederick’s, Pastrami Queen, and Persepolis relocate or branch out; and more. [NYT]
A profile of Compass’s John Fraser, just named a “chef to watch” by Esquire. [NYDN]
Da Bronx snubbed by Zagat? [NYDN]
Babbo now lets you dine in the wine cellar. [Eater]