It’s not all bling and bukkake at Matsugen, Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s downtown shrine to noodles. Yesterday’s inaugural lunch, to be served daily from noon to 3pm, debuted some well-priced offerings that we can conceivably afford. We speak of the $32 bento box, which comes with four pieces of sushi, shrimp and vegetable tempura, and a choice of hot or cold soba. Considering that some dishes alone can fetch more than $150, we say thank you, Mr. Vongerichten, for giving humble folks like us a chance to dine here.—Zachary Feldman
 

It seems chatter surrounding Top Chef Ilan Hall’s next project—heading up nightlife impresario JE Englebert’s forthcoming Spanish eatery, ¡pasé! in the Meatpacking District—might have been a trifle premature. “I’m meeting with him on the 29th. I haven’t tasted his food yet,” says Englebert, who plans to break ground on the Stephan Dupoux–designed spot next month. “I’m also talking with [Daisy Cooks! host] Daisy Martinez…it’s going to be one or the other.” Read the rest of this entry »

Today’s New York Times features a hard-hitter from Marian Burros about chefs reclaiming soft serve. Momofuku, Kyotofu and Bonita all get the "Dining Out" treatment.

Interested in learning more? Check out our featured sidebar last week, highlighting the highfalutin fro-yo at Momofuku, Kyotofu and Bonita.

Next week in the Times: a page-turner about the tricks of the molecular trade.

Restaurant chains aren’t often of the health-conscious variety—burgers and fries tend to be the foods of choice…with some exceptions. Maoz Vegetarian, a much-lauded franchise from Amsterdam, is quietly establishing itself throughout the city. Having already staked out spots on Union Square and 8th Street, it plans to open its third location this September at 2047 Broadway between 70th and 71st Streets. According to PR rep Brook Frye, "We hope to open 10 or 11 stores within the next couple years; as many as the city can support." Well, it sure beats McDonald’s.

We swung by the flagship location of Garrett Popcorn last night to coerce Richard Blais—making a media appearance at the shop—into placing a surprise phone call to Top Chef correspondent Zach Feldman. Blais, tickled, indulged us, and a giggly Zach OMG’d his way through all three minutes of the conversation.
 
Apart from our stunt, the evening’s keystone gimmick was frozen "PopcornSicles." (NB to Garrett, we’d have taken a page from Pichet on this one…p*ornsicles). The balls were bound together using liquid nitrogen, which crept haunted house–like over the floor, and imparted a searing burn on our besandled toes.
 
The substance, it seems, is the coolant of choice for the would-be Top Chef. From using it to chill beers to mixing what he calls “molecular milk shakes, the sort that populate the beverage program at his newly opened Atlanta burger shop, Flip. Blais tells us the milk shakes—including a Krispy Kreme version—will also be available at the New York location he promises is in the works. “It’s the next market we’re looking to hit,” he said before scurrying off to his 9pm resy at bobo. So what do we think, readers? Who will turn a cover first—Ilan at ¡pasé!, or Richard at Flip?

TONY has learned that restaurateur and wine-bar impresario Luca Marcato (Luca, Cavatappo Wine Bar) is shaking up his Upper East Side holdings. He’s renovating his eponymous restaurant and reconfiguring its menu. It is slated to relaunch on August 5 as Cavatappo Grill.

He also plans to open a branch of Cavatappo Wine Bar in Gramercy Park on August 25. Expect pressed-tin ceilings, oak floors and cork-covered communal tables. Quaffs will include 70 selections hailing from old- and new-world wine-producing regions, along with some New York selections. A small-plates menu hits all of the expected enoteca marks—look out for pizzas, bruschette, cheese and cured-meat plates.—Michael Anstendig

As was reported earlier today, talented chef Gary Robins is out at West Village newcomer Sheridan Square. Replacing him: Franklin Becker—former Brasserie toque and keeper of this sleek-to-the-point-of-silliness personal website.

The eatery’s PR says that Becker will change the menu slowly and maintain signature items— simple enough, given that the restaurant hasn’t been open long enough to develop much in the way of a house identity.  Time will tell how this bodes for Becker’s other reported projects, among them, his alleged consulting gig for reality show The Chopping Block. Bedford Falls, the classic American eatery he was said to be working on earlier this year, may have already fallen through.

The toque is known as a proponent of diabetic-friendly foods, so we can only imagine some changes are in store. We hear cholesterol levels don’t take well to grilled meat—a focal point of Robins menu.

Following the surprising news that Bar Blanc executive chef César Ramirez had left the West Village restaurant, where he had recently earned an Eat Out Award (among other accolades), TONY checked in with the Bouley vet to get his side of the story. In his words:

"Sunday was my last night at Bar Blanc. If my heart is not in what I am doing, what’s the point? They want to take a different direction by scaling things down. I want to do high-end food. I was not fired. I have the utmost respect for them, and it was best that we left on good terms. They were very honorable, very generous.… I want to stay in the game. I am looking for something else. I cook to make the customer happy, and I want to give them more. I have very high standards for myself and everyone I work with."

While it may be too early to say what his next step will be, a kitchen would be wise to snatch up Ramirez, one New York’s most promising young chefs.

Though this week’s Cheap Eats issue showcased a few of the city’s best prix-fixe deals, and Restaurant Week is on the horizon (Day One is July 21), that didn’t stop my eyes from popping when I got notice of yet another too-good-to-be-true prix-fixe dinner. Red Hook’s Sixpoint Craft Ales is teaming with Clinton Hill’s Brown Betty Cafe to cook up a—beat this—$25 four-course meal with beer pairings and burlesque show on Thursday 17 at Prospect Heights’ pastie-twirling watering hole Barrette. Read the rest of this entry »

Team Eat Out asked TONY staffer and guest food journo Ashlea Halpern (of Lisa Fernandes-cooks-for-our- readers fame) what it was like to come face to face with a chef that’s so feared and loathed throughout the land. She, unlike most of you in the blogosphere, had some positive things to say about the Top Chef contestant…eventually. Take it away, Ashlea… Read the rest of this entry »