• Amy Sacco's Bungalow 8 closed a couple of months ago, but now she says "the grand reopening of the new Bungalow 8" is planned for February. [NYM]
• More on the rumored return of Beatrice Inn, if you're interested. [Gawker]
• Le Pain Quotidien is expanding to Rockefeller Center and Central Park. [NYO]
• Govind…
Eating & Drinking: Tuesday Edition
• Is Drew Nieporent thinking about taking over Café des Artistes? "It's a great space and I'm always interested in great spaces," he says cryptically. [BN]
• A guide to some of your food options at the US Open. [Gothamist]
• Yesterday, the city unveiled its new anti-obesity campaign against sugary soft drinks and the…
Eating & Drinking: Thursday Edition
• The Grill at the Standard hotel is in friends-and-family mode at the moment. (It should be open to the public sometime next week.) In the meantime, though, you'll be pleased to hear (and see—left) that some serious bartender training is currently underway. [HotelChatter, Flickr]
• New York's very first spot for…
Happy Birthday
Real estate mogul/Daily News owner Mort Zuckerman turns 72 today. Restaurateur Drew Nieporent is turning 54. Angelina Jolie is 34. Supermodel Bar Refaeli is turning 24. Comedians Horatio Sanz and Rob Huebel are both turning 40. Russell Brand is turning 34. Noah Wyle is 38. Actor Scott Wolf is turning 41. Singer Nikka…
Eating & Drinking: Friday Edition
• State tax agents shut down H&H on the UWS for three hours today over an outstanding tax bill, but it's now back in business. [NYT]
• Zoë in Soho has filed for bankruptcy protection. [Crain's]
• Sad: A roundup of recent closings around town. [Eater]
• Happy: A roundup of places opening in the Hamptons this weekend.…
The Wednesday Party Report
Michelle Obama was the main attraction at Time magazine's sixth annual 100 "most influential" ceremony at Lincoln Center last night. She was joined by a predictably massive group of A-listers, including Oprah, Harvey Weinstein, Mort Zuckerman, Steve Schwarzman, Jeff Bewkes, Diane Sawyer, Barbara Walters, Whoopi…
Accolades and Annoyances at the James Beard Awards
The James Beard Awards were held at Avery Fisher Hall last night, gifting Jean-Georges Vongerichten's eponymous flagship the title of "Outstanding Restaurant." Other notable winners included David Chang's Momofuko Ko (Best New Restaurant) and opulent dinosaur Daniel (Best Service), with Drew Nieporent (left)…
The Monday Party Report
Celebrity stylist Harry Josh and nightlife kingpin Nur Khan hosted "Spring Fling" at the Gramercy Park Hotel on Saturday night. A bevy of celebs and social scenesters turned up for the fête, including Marc Jacobs and Lorenzo Martone, Naomi Campbell, Gisele Bundchen and Tom Brady, Kate Hudson and mom Goldie Hawn, Ed…
Eating & Drinking: Monday Edition
• The James Beard Foundation announced the final nominees for its 2009 awards today. The names in the mix for New York's "best chef": Michael Anthony, Terrance Brennan, Wylie Dufresne, Gabrielle Hamilton, and Gabriel Kreuther. The two New Yorkers competing for the "outstanding restaurateur" award: Keith McNally and …
The Wednesday Party Report
The snowstorm didn't stop art and society scenesters from stopping off at the New York Academy of Art on Monday night. Guests at the Tribeca Ball included Liev Schreiber, Justin Timberlake, and event co-chair Eileen Guggenheim (left), along with Bill Clinton, Andre Balazs, Andy and Kate Spade, Adam Weinberg, Jason…
Eating & Drinking: Wednesday Edition
• Payard Patsserie was shut down by the Dept. of Health today. [Eater, NYT]
• Susur Lee's Shang only earns one star from Bruni in today's Times: "The magic that Mr. Lee reputedly made in Toronto hasn't followed him here." [NYT]
• Is chef Damon Wise saying goodbye to Tom Colicchio's Craft empire? [NYO]
• More mixed…
Eating & Drinking: Monday Edition
• What's that 20% surcharge on your bill? It seems a bunch of restaurants are now secretly adding gratuities to diners' checks even though it's illegal. [NYP]
• Tom Colicchio's latest gimmick: He's calling Craftsteak's front dining room "Halfsteak" and serving half-sized portions for $15 or less. [Eater]
• Drew…
Eating & Drinking: Wednesday Edition
• Steve Hanson shocker! The restaurateur is closing down SoHo's Fiamma as well as Ruby Foo's on 77th Street, and the Blue Water Grill in Chicago. [Eater]
• Drew Nieporent, Danny Meyer, Alan Stillman, and Jennifer Oz LeRoy are all contenders to take over the Rainbow Room if the Ciprianis are evicted. [NYO]
• How to pay…
Bruni's Best
Frank Bruni's list of the 10 Best New Restaurants of 2008 is online. Here they are: 1. David Chang's Momofuku Ko, 2. Drew Nieporent and chef Paul Liebrandt's Corton; 3. (tie) Scott Conant's Scarpetta; 3. (tie) L'Impero; 5. Dovetail; 6. Jean-Georges Vongerichten's Matsugen; 7. Adour Alain Ducasse; 8. Daniel Boulud's…
Eating & Drinking: Wednesday Edition
• Time Out's annual "Top 100" list is now online. [TONY]
• Frank Bruni hands out three stars today to Drew Nieporent's Corton thanks to Paul Liebrandt's ability to find "the sweet spot between disciplined cooking and intricate, imaginative leaps." [NYT]
• The good news/bad news for John Dory. [Eater]
• Alice Waters, …
Six Stars for Corton, Ducasse's Tough Talk
♦ Jay Cheshes gives Drew Nieporent's Corton six out of six stars in this week's issue of Time Out: "The best new restaurant I've visited this year." [TONY]
♦ Sweetiepie, the "bizarre restaurant, dessert bar and absinthe den wrapped into one," opens tonight. [GoaG, UrbanDaddy]
♦ A peek at Buttermilk Channel, which…
Four Stars for Corton, Momofuku Bakery Debuts
♦ New York's Adam Platt hands out four stars to Drew Nieporent's Corton this week, praising chef Paul Liebrandt's cuisine as "technically complex without being exhibitionist." [NYM]
♦ David Chang's Momofuku Bakery & Milk Bar opened on Saturday. Grub Street has rounded up the public reception. [GS]
♦ A handful of…
Mortgage Exec Wins, Drew Nieporent Loses
A mortgage exec (and hardcore Jets fan) named David Findel was the one who paid $400,000 for the rights to the two best seats at the team's new Meadowlands stadium. (The bad news: The team only sold off 620 of the 2,000 licenses in the exclusive "Coaches Section" of the stadium.) The losers: Gary Vaynerchuk, the owner…
A Look at Corton, A New Restaurant for Nino
♦ A behind-the-scenes tour of Corton, courtesy of Drew Nieporent and Paul Liebrandt (left). [The Feedbag]
♦ Danny Meyer, Donald Trump, and Drew Nieporent are just some of the people possibly vying to take over Tavern on the Green when Jennifer LeRoy's lease expires at the end of the year. [P6 Mag via NYO]
♦ Snow…
Corton's Debut, Mason's New Bar
♦ Frank Bruni has a few words of advice on what to do if a waiter serves you the wrong dish. [NYT]
♦ Sam Mason has a new bar planned for a space adjacent to Tailor. [GS]
♦ A look inside Aspen Social Club, the Steve Lewis-designed restaurant/bar at the newly-opened Stay hotel. [GofaG]
♦ Anthony Martignetti is…
