Fondue Contest Makes February BearableIf you miss the heart-attack snacks that come with football season, here’s another event for your calendar: the second annual Fondue Takedown at 5 p.m. on February 24 at the Slipper Room. Matt Timms (the man responsible for the Chili Takedown) provides Bunsen burners, serving trays, bread, and wooden skewers while you bring the cheese and whatever else might be part of your “recipe.” Last year, Timms’s roommate mixed three types of “dairy-style cheese product” and Pabst Blue Ribbon. “Fucking horrible,” Timms recalled. Another contestant experimented with mozzarella, Kalamata olives, and sun-dried tomatoes, but found it wouldn’t melt properly. Last year’s winner was a culinary student who triumphed with a simple Roquefort fondue. The audience votes: $10 buys you a ballot and unlimited tasting. The 2008 victor will leave with $50 and a plastic trophy commissioned especially for the event. So bring your recipe or your critical mouth. —Alex Van Buren
Neighborhood Watch
Free Dewar’s (and Debate) on the LES Tonight; Bar Boulud Answers Bruni’s CallsAstoria: Angelo & Son’s Bakery gets a modern renovation: green and red backlighting for their sign. [Joey in Astoria]
Brooklyn Heights: The co-founder of La Bouillabaisse on Atlantic Avenue in the nineties has opened a wine bar on the corner of Henry and Cranberry streets. Food like oysters and mini Kobe burgers will also be on the menu. [Brooklyn Eagle via Brooklyn Heights Blog]
Lower East Side: Rayuela serves an interesting cocktail called Rye which combines “guava, lemon, agave nectar, mint leaves, Michter’s Straight Rye, Becherovka,” and it’s not even one of Junior Merino’s signature cocktails. [Down by the Hipster] Tonight at the Slipper Room, there’s a free yuppie-versus-hippie debate featuring Max Silvestri and Lang Fisher, and it’s sponsored by Dewar’s. [Brooklyn Vegan]
Prospect-Lefferts-Gardens: Brooklyn & Slim bar has transformed into Step Too Cafe, but it doesn’t look like much has changed. [Across the Park]
Union Square Park: Luna Park has been demolished in preparation for the area’s overhaul. [Eater]
Upper East Side: Bruni calls Bar Boulud and reaches a human! It sounds like DB put some backup personnel on the lines. [Diner’s Journal/NYT]