• Prior to sound-proofing Comme Ca, chef David Myers had friends “who didn’t want to come back it was so loud.” [Wall Street Journal Online]
• The past year saw one in ten people in Los Angeles County going to food banks for help. [L.A. Times]
• Using computerized devices, California plans to be the first state to monitor methane emissions from cows. [KNX1070]
• California Pizza Kitchen will introduce new “Small Cravings” and “Wine Cravings” menus tomorrow with small plates of dishes like sweet corn tamale ravioli, along with half glasses of wine. [CPK]
• High-end pork rinds are popping up on restaurant menus nationwide. [NYT]
• IHOP is offering celebrity wake-up calls with Steve Young, Miss America, or Marie Osmond “calling” guests’ homes to remind them of Pancake Day on February 23rd. [IHOP]
• Sichuan buttons, super spicy flower buds, are the hot new seasoning in restaurant dishes across the country. [Salon]
• Vancouver-based cafe chain Artigiano has plans to expand to Los Angeles, as well as other U.S. cities. [The Globe and Mail]
• Domino’s emerged victorious from an independent national taste test pitting its pizza against Pizza Hut and Papa John’s. [NRN]
• Vegetables are the number one food consumed in homes during the Super Bowl. [NYDN]
• Even “pre-washed” salads are full of bacteria, finds a new study. [Consumer Reports]
• Kosher and halal meats are likely not cleaner, healthier, or better for the environment than their secular brethren. [Slate]
• Japanese whiskey distillers are looking to beef up their presence internationally. [WSJ]
• Anheuser-Busch’s new Select 55 is, with 55 calories, the lightest of all light beers. [Chicago Sun-Times]
• Food, Inc. is an Oscar nominee for Best Documentary Feature. [Vulture]
• 5.7 million Americans now get weekly food assistance from soup kitchens, food pantries, and shelters, an increase of 27 percent over the past four years. [NYT]
• Two Tennessee men were arrested after stealing $300 worth of snack cakes. [NYP]
