BarFry’s Naughty Valentine’s Day Does Not Include Oil; Irving MillAstoria: Named for the spongy Latin cheese bread, Pao de Queijo has opened at 31-90 30th Street, between Broadway and 31st Avenue, and is serving a Brazilian mix of snacks and batidos. [Time Out]
Flatiron: Irving Mill might be Gramercy Tavern lite, but the owners are ready to expand with an Italian wine bar. Who will be the next nearby inspiration? Bar Stuzzichini? [Eater]
Tribeca: Brandy Library is hosting a New York whiskey tasting on Friday from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Upper West Side: Magnolia Bakery North officially opens on Monday, but eager cupcake fiends might want to try stopping by Saturday to see if there’s a soft opening. [Cupcakes Take the Cake]
West Village: Josh DeChellis will make you a “naughty doggie-bag” of after-dinner treats from BarFry for Valentine’s Day, but, don’t worry, no fried hot dogs, just good old-fashioned strawberries and squirt-bottle chocolate. [Eat for Victory/VV]
Mediavore
Gordo Blog Better Than the Real Thing; Water Trend More RidiculousA true innovator has started a mock Gordon Ramsay blog with such posts as “What? Emeril’s boobs aren’t nice enough?” But when will someone step in to fill in the gaps at Chodoblog? [News Groper via Serious Eats]
Related: Food Network, Emeril No Longer Feeling the Love
No holiday parties at Chumley’s this year; according to the owner Steve Shlopak, the space has no ceiling and no floor. [NYO]
Even after a top-chef shuffle and “showdown between Fiamma, L’Impero and Alto … all three places have come through recent turmoil, and the good news is that they’re better than they were before,” says Steve Cuozzo. [NYP]
Neighborhood Watch
Women Chefs Congregate in Chelsea; Sam Mason Has Fans on the LESChelsea: 25 women chefs including Anita Lo and Del Posto pastry chef Nicole Kaplan will cook at a cancer benefit at Pier 60 on Monday. [Restaurant Girl]
Related: Women Chefs Come Out in Force For Benefit
Flatiron: Hill Country hosts 4-Foodies on September 18 for the online group’s second tasting event. [4-Foodies]
Harlem: Mexican street vendors will prepare the fare at Restaurante La Hacienda on September 19 for a Tamale and Tequila Tasting organized by the non-profit group Esperanza del Barrio. [Uptown Flavor]
Lower East Side: Tailor gets high marks from opening-night diners who may not have understood the menu, but appreciated the results. [Eat for Victory/VV]
Midtown West: A food cart on 46th Street at Sixth Avenue is serving up special Ramadan “break-the-fast” boxes. [Midtown Lunch]
Tribeca: Cognac week at Brandy Library means free tastings every night from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. through Saturday.
Neighborhood Watch
Rizzo’s Square Pizza Rules in Astoria; Picholine Alum Takes on the West VillageAstoria: There was a bit of volatile reaction from our readers to the quality of Rose & Joe’s Sicilian pies: “Any self-respecting pizza eater in Astoria will know that going anywhere but Rizzo’s for a square pie/slice is absolutely maniacal.” [Grub Street]
East Harlem: If you have trouble finding “cuchifritos (a.k.a. Puerto Rican soul food), Mexican, French, Caribbean, and pizza” in the nabe, you can join NoshWalks for a food tour this Saturday. [Uptown Flavor]
Flatiron: Gramercy Tavern jumps on the beer-for-dessert train by pairing stout with chocolate bread pudding. [NYDN]
Park Slope: Another cupcake shop mobilizes to join the bakery front on Flatbush Avenue. [Eater]
Upper West Side: Two food writers found a special of gnocchi with short-rib ragù and ricotta cheese at Ouest to be a perfect plate of food, and want it to make the fall menu. [Ed Levine Eats/Serious Eats]
West Village: Picholine alum Craig Hopson moves into the kitchen of One if by Land, Two if by Sea, now that Gary Volkov is opening his own spot. [Restaurant Girl] Da Silvano may not have been taken out of the rat feature on Inside Edition, but his lawyer was given uncommonly ample on-air time to respond. [Gawker]
Neighborhood Watch
Soho’s Jerry’s May Be Reincarnated in a New SpaceAstoria: The owners of Sai Organics health-food store have opened an organic restaurant in the old Keystone Diner spot on 30th Avenue near 31st Street. [Joey in Astoria]
East Village: The prices of Gemma’s rustic fare are shocking “and not in a Kobe/Gilt kind of way.” [Gastro Chic]
Meatpacking District: PM may lose its liquor license soon if complaining neighbors sway the community board. [Down by the Hipster]
Midtown East: Menchanko-Tei has been closed by the Department of Health. [Midtown Lunch]
Soho: Jerry’s diner has closed, but the owner may be looking for a new space. [Eater]
Tribeca: Peat Week at Brandy Library starts August 20 bringing a series of public “peated” Scotch tastings and special menu offerings. [Brandy Library] Pomodoro’s II on West Broadway at Murray Street will soon share its space with a Cheesesteak Factory Express. [Grub Street]
West Village: Reservations by phone are required if you want to eat the last of the Chianina steak at Maremma only on offer through next Friday. [Grub Street]
Neighborhood Watch
Free Tequila in Tribeca TonightAstoria: The Greek Orthodox feast of St. Irene Chrysovalantou began on Thursday but will continue through the weekend with celebrations and copious amounts of street food. [Joey in Astoria]
Harlem: House of Seafood may be the next victim of “adverse possession,” by which small business are being pushed out by property managers to make way for gentrification. [Amsterdam News via Uptown Flavor]
Meatpacking District: 4foodies, an online community site, is launching with a dinner Tuesday at 5 Ninth that includes a meet-and-greet with the chef. [4Foodies]
Midtown East: The new Pret a Manger on Madison between 48th and 49th Streets is giving away a limited supply of free prepackaged lunches today to promote Monday’s official opening. [Grub Street] Sherry-Lehmann wine store is orchestrating a move from its longtime home at 679 Madison Avenue to Park and 59th; the plywood covering the construction is a fabulous shade of plum. [Lost City]
Prospect Heights: Vanderbilt Avenue now boasts an old-fashioned ice-cream shop, the Old Brooklyn Parlor, that offers contemporary flavors like ginger crème brûlée. [Eat for Victory/ VV]
Tribeca: Tonight at Brandy Library from 6 to 8 p.m., David Suro hosts a free tasting of Tequilas Siembra Azul. [Brandy Library]
Upper East Side: Multiple local bars are registered for BuyYourFriendADrink.com, a service that allows you to purchase drinks and bar tabs in advance online. [Upper East Side Informer]
Williamsburg: A new Pinkberry clone joins the fro-yo fray on Driggs Avenue near North 9th Street with a mango lassi flavor standing in for green tea. [Eater]
Neighborhood Watch
One Little Piggy Market Coming to Fort GreeneCentral Park: Dumping various pies into a bucket and eating the result is the next trend in picnicking. [Above the Doorframe]
East Village: Rickshaw Dumpling Bar’s second location will open on East 8th Street. [Eat for Victory/VV]
Fort Greene: From the owners of the Smoke Joint comes Little Piggy (Market), which will offer a mix of southern specialties like grits, biscuits, and hams when it opens August 1. [TONY]
Lower East Side: Robin Romm of literary magazine One Story (that’s right, they only publish one story per issue) has chosen the Manhattan as the cocktail to be served for $3 during tonight’s reading at Pianos. [The L Magazine]
Tribeca: Daiquiris will be the “endangered cocktail” being supported (read heavily consumed) this Saturday at the Brandy Library bash to celebrate the birthday of one Ernest Hemingway. [Grub Street]
West Village: The relatively tame B.E.T with ground brisket, fried egg, and Tabasco won last night’s Between the Buns burger cook-off at Rare Bar & Grill. [ A Hamburger Today]
Neighborhood Watch
Brooklyn Heights Resident Could Be ‘The Next Food Network Star’Brooklyn Heights: Resident Michael “Wild” Salmon, former host of a food radio show on Air America, could be named The Next Food Network Star. [Brooklyn Heights Blog]
Flatiron: Newly-opened Southern Italian joint Bar Stuzzichini is looking for a baker to join its team. [Eat For Victory/VV]
Murray Hill: A tipster has spotted signage imploring visitors to savor their last drinks at Third and Long; the bar has lost its lease. [Grub Street]
Tribeca: Brandy Library is hosting a single-malt scotch tasting tonight from 6 to 8 p.m. [Brandy Library]
West Village: Chumley’s doesn’t look like it will be reopening any time soon; meanwhile, tourists are still struggling to find its entrance, not realizing that the former speakeasy is truly closed. [NewYorkology]
Neighborhood Watch
Former Clinton Hill Porn Store to Become Euro EateryClinton Hill: A former porn shop on Myrtle Avenue will become a European-style cafe, a term open to interpretation. The only notable physical change to the space is an exterior paint job. [Clinton Hill Blog]
East Village: Ramen Setagaya at 141 First Avenue will be ready to open when Con Edison turns the gas on. [VV] Former captain at Gramercy Tavern and Picholine Rob Ziser has opened his own restaurant out of a subleased kitchen at Company bar. [The Strong Buzz]
Gramercy: Delayed high-end Asian restaurant Wakiya in the Gramercy Park Hotel is coming and hiring. [Eater]
Harlem: A Coldstone Creamery on 125th Street could give Mister Softee an ice-cream headache. [Uptown Flavor]
Park Slope: Michael Hearst recorded Songs for Ice Cream Trucks in his converted one-bedroom, but it looks like his jingles won’t make it to the big time. [Brooklyn Record]
Tribeca: Brandy Library is hosting a free cognac tasting tonight from 6 to 8 p.m. And afterward begin the piano stylings of Joel Forrester. [Brandy Library]
Neighborhood Watch
Saint Patrick’s Day Not the Only Excuse to Drink This WeekendClinton Hill: Olivino Wines will host a free tasting tonight. [Clinton Hill Blog]
Dumbo: BoConcept’s opening bash tonight offers free vodka to benefit children. [Brooklyn Record]
Greenpoint: A vegetarian restaurant named William Howard Taft will open soon on Calyer Street. There’s a story behind the odd name, but don’t ask us to explain it. [Gowanus Lounge]
Harlem: The sleek waterfront Hudson River Cafe is about to have its grand opening. [Uptown Flavor] But the DEN will give you a free cocktail or appetizer just for checking out Vanessa Williams’s new modest-budget film. [Uptown Flavor]
Prospect Heights: New fair-trade coffee at Prospect Perk tastes like ox, hippie, and doped-up poet. Which is, apparently, good. [dailyheights.com]
Tribeca: There’s a “forgotten-cask” Cognac tasting tonight at Brandy Library; freebies mean Single-Malt Saturday is canceled. Farther downtown, plans for a two-story restaurant may overshadow Pier 26 boathouse. [downtown express]
Union Square: Zen Palate to open vegetarian burger chain. [VV]
