A Gun Buyback, Sponsored by Junior’s“For us in Brooklyn, it’s been our first really public-private partnership this way,” says Eric Gonzalez, the borough’s district attorney.
DOH Now Against Cats, Too; Poor Man’s Guide to New Year’s EveBodegas are keeping themselves free of vermin thanks to their trusty cats. But naturally the Health Department has to give them a hard time about it, even though they admit that the cats are doing a good job. [NYT]
Running Tavern on the Green is something like running an ocean liner – an ocean liner that feeds 700,000 people a year, has a staff of over 500, and makes more than $38 million annually. [AMNY]
Gordon Ramsay wants lights for his backyard soccer field for Christmas. [The Glasgow Herald]
Back of the House
Ov-er-ra-ted! (Clap-Clap-ClapClapClap)
The Post returned to an evergreen feature idea today, every editor’s best friend: the “overrated” list. Since our philosophy has always been to slavishly ape the Post in every way short of peppering our posts with the phrase “tot-slay suspect,” we thought we might add a few of our own. Since the Post didn’t limit itself to specific dishes at specific restaurants, we won’t either. Here are a few things that we find ourselves less than overawed with these days.
Mediavore
Liebrandt’s Secretive, Non-Chinese Project; Former Cheftestant Victim of BiasPaul Liebrandt is still being cryptic about his new project saying little more than it won’t be Chinese. [TONY]
Connecticut’s Foxwoods casino will soon serve New York’s favorite cheesecake: Junior’s will open its first outlet outside of the city in the resort’s new MGM Grand. [NYS]
Former Top Chef contestant Josie Smith-Malave was one of the victims of an anti-gay attack outside of a Sea Cliff bar during Labor Day weekend. [NYP]
Neighborhood Watch
Midwood Facing a Second DiFara Crisis As Health Department RevisitsEast Village: Plans for the Bowery Hotel’s subterranean Japanese restaurant get scrapped for a spa. [Down by the Hipster] Drown your sorrows (or pickup takeout sushi) and head to Astor Wines for over 50 varieties of shochu, the Japanese alcohol that “goes down easy.” [Gridskipper]
Fort Greene: The first South African restaurant in the United States, Madiba, has just been closed by the Department of Health. [VV]
Long Island City: Junior’s Cheesecake and Harry’s Water Taxi Beach are among the participants in tomorrow night’s Taste of LIC to support the Chocolate Factory’s arts programs. [The Chocolate Factory]
Midtown West: Starwood’s new (opening in 2010) green hotel overlooking Bryant Park will feature restaurants by Stephen Hanson. [Gothamist]
Midwood: DiFara closed by the Department of Health for the second time since March. Dom, please just wear the hat. [Eater]
Neighborhood Watch
Religious Scandal Hits Downtown Brooklyn When Junior’s Breaks the PassoverBrooklyn Heights: The new coffee shop on the corner of Cranberry and Henry has comedy and jazz nights, but you’re probably not invited. [Brooklyn Heights Blog]
Chelsea: Bottlerocket wines hosts environmental activists Sunday afternoon for Earth Day tips and sips from biodynamic and organic vineyards. [Bottlerocket]
Chinatown: What to eat at Saturday’s Taste of Chinatown. [Chinatown NYC] Hop Kee, though damaged after being plowed into by an errant car, is open again. [Grub Street]
Downtown Brooklyn: Junior’s kosher certification revoked; a Jew baked during Passover. [The Brooklyn Paper]
East Hampton: Prime 103 boasts a chef with Jean Georges cred, steak, sushi and weekend dining until 4 a.m. It will open by Memorial Day. [Eater]
Harlem: You might get a free CD if you reserve a spot at the Harlem Tea Room for tonight’s jazz performance; three are available. [Uptown Flavor]
Hunts Point: The Next Food Network Star winner Guy Fieri features the Bronx’s own Mo Gridder’s BBQ in his new show about dive eats. [NYDN]
Midtown East: Patroon’s rooftop bar is open for the nice weather. [Grub Street]
Mediavore
Health Department Inspector Caught Sleeping on the Job; Kanye West, Foxy BrownA Health Department inspector is caught on video snoozing at a bar when he was supposed to be tracking down rats. [NYP]
Keith McNally and other meatpacking-district residents are trying to work things out with the Hotel Gansevoort and its monstrous sign. [NYP]
Kanye West has curry delivered — from England. His tab? Almost $4,000, without tip. [The Independent]
NewsFeed
Patsy Grimaldi’s Fall From Grace
Such is our reverence for Patsy Grimaldi, the pizza patriarch behind Grimaldi’s, that when we heard word, via Slice, that he had come out of retirement to cook slices at the Aviator Sports Complex at Floyd Bennett Field in Brooklyn, we immediately began saving gas money to make the trip. The place is so remote — all the way down Flatbush Avenue, just before the Marine Parkway Bridge — that you practically need to be Hernando de Soto to find it. It’s a kid’s paradise, with two NHL-size ice rinks, indoor soccer, basketball courts, and the rest. But for the unathletic children, of course, the real draw is the food court, where you can find Schnäck burgers, cheesecake from Junior’s, Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory desserts, and, yes, Patsy’s pizza. Are those slices worth the epic journey?
