Some restaurant owners want to bring in garbage disposals as a weapon in the war on rats, but the city won’t allow it, claiming that the sewer system would be overwhelmed. [Nation’s Restaurant News]
Fatty Crab gets a liquor license and some original cocktails to go with it; meanwhile, McDonald’s will be giving away free coffee all day tomorrow. [NYS]
Ernest Gallo, co-founder with his brother Julio of the much-maligned but enormously successful California winery, dies at 97. [NYT]
Trans-fat rules are so strict that they are, paradoxically, forcing bakers to use margarine instead of butter, which has small amounts of natural trans fats in it. [NYT]
New York wine lists are overpriced, obscure, and confusing, and Steve Cuozzo isn’t going to take it anymore. [NYP]
The term “molecular gastronomy” is inaccurate and ugly, says one of its major exponents, and needs to be retired as the movement gets mainstreamed. [Ruhlman]
It wasn’t the rats that caused the problem; it was video of the rats: You can’t get away with anything in the infotainment age. [NYDN]
Can reviewers be sued by restaurants for the damage they do? Not in America, but overseas it’s another story. [NYT]
A major Japanese food symposium was held the other night; here’s a peek at the proceedings. [Diner’s Journal/NYT]
A customer got little bits of metal from a broken spoon in his oatmeal — at a health-food restaurant, no less. [NYP]
In honor of Japanese Restaurant Week, or at least in honor of chef Josh DeChellis, a chronicling of every course from the tasting menu at Sumile Sushi. [NYP]
