1) Gotham Magazine asks a slew of celebs about their favorite places to dine in NYC. Says Simon Doonan, "Quite groovy but not too groovy, Il Cantinori is perfection. It's also unbelievably quick. Jonathan [Adler], my boyfriend, and I always get out of there in time to watch America?s Next Top Model. The chairs are bloody uncomfortable, though. I'm going to have to start bringing a cushion."
2) At Gastropoda, Regina Schrambling notes, "In an unprecedented moment of humility, Bobby Flay has admitted he doesn't know enough about Latino food to carry out the concept he announced for the old JUdson Grill. Instead he's going down that well-traveled Larry Forgione road, with American regional cribbed from his TV scripts. Funny, since nothing stopped him from faking Spanish."
3) A Curbed reader emails, "Did you run an item on the Karim Rashid-designed noodle shop Nooch [143 Eighth Ave @ 17th] a while ago? Everyone from New York magazine to the New York Times reported that it opened but I tried going there a few days ago and the glass was all covered with newspaper on the inside. When I called, someone answered and said something like 'We just want to make sure everything is perfect before we open.' And when I asked when, they said, 'Maybe this weekend.' Maybe?? I know Rome wasn't built in a day, but what's the deal? Over-zealous marketing people trying to hype an over-hyped designer? Was everyone just jumping the gun about this Rashid guy? I want my noodles, dammit!"