Soda Ban Approved; Lloyd Christmas Saw It Coming

Who knew Jim Carey's character in Dumb and Dumber was so prophetic?  The New York City Board of Health approved the soda ban today just shortly after 11am.  The board voted unanimously, eight to zero, with one absentee.  According to a Times article released today about the ban, "The measure, unless blocked by a judge, will take effect in six months."  The measure will make the sale of sugary beverages in any format larger than 16oz illegal, "The restrictions would not affect fruit juices, dairy-based drinks like milkshakes, or alcoholic beverages; no-calorie diet sodas would not be affected, but establishments with self-service drink fountains, like many fast-food restaurants, would not be allowed to stock cups larger than 16 ounces."

Furthermore, "Only establishments that receive inspection grades from the health department would have to obey the rules."  Some restaurants will avoid the letter grade and the soda ban altogether.  The reason is, as Glenn Collins pointed out in a Diner's Journal column, if a food service establishment "earns 51 percent of its revenues from grocery sales, it is under the jurisdiction of the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets," not the New York Department of Health.  For this reason, places like 7-Eleven will dodge the soda ban bullet, but the Bloomberg administration's approved public health policy hopes to curb the rising rates of obesity and diabetes.

The 9/11 Tribute at McSorley's

Twin beams of light are cast from the World Trade Center every year in the week surrounding 9/11.  The solemn luminescence may be the greatest tribute to 9/11, but dozens of others take place throughout the city.  This picture was taken around 3:20pm, as firefighters and members of the Emerald Society Pipes and Drums shared the sidewalk outside McSorley's Ale House.  A toast is made at McSorley's every year at 3:43 in honor of the 343 firefighters that perished that fateful Tuesday morning eleven years ago.

Pete Wells Hangs with the Governor

Remember that scene in Scent of a Woman when Al Pacino's (blind) character Colonel Slade tears it up behind the wheel of a red Ferrari?  That was all shot in DUMBO in '92.  Twenty years later, chef Brad McDonald and the trio behind Colonie and Gran Electrica opened Governor in the same Brooklyn neighborhood.  Today, Pete Wells gives their efforts two stars.

Tamer Hamawi, Elise Rosenberg, and Emelie Kihlstrom have opened three restaurants since February 2011, when they introduced their vision to the world via Colonie on Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn.  The restaurant received a star from Sam Sifton three months after it opened.  In March this year, the trio got their hands messy with masa and opened Gran Electrica on Front Street in DUMBO, serving their take on the cuisine of Mexico.  Governor opened in July four months later and two blocks east.

Wells finds the DUMBO neighborhood similar to Tribeca, "With its axle-shattering cobblestones leading to a river, its expensive lofts, its S.U.V.’s and au pairs and its acronym."  There was a heavy on the food this go round, as will likely be the case when you're talking about a chef who has Noma and Per Se on their resume, a fact McDonald is guilty of.  The celery root "pasta" was "cool, smart and unexpectedly seductive."  The flavors in McDonald's version of beef tartare "hit you right where they should," and McDonald's desserts are equally appealing, "A disc of chocolate ganache, outfitted with bits of cocoa Rice Krispies Treats, was dark and intensely brooding, and a flat macaron topped with cajeta was an ideal partner for macerated strawberries.

Restaurants in Brooklyn like Saul and Franny's are key players in the Brooklyn dining scene.  Newcomers like Governor, Battersby, and Gwynnett St share an ambition to elevate the borough's cuisine.  A growing presence of like-minded restaurants reflects a shift in the borough's dining trends.  While Governor may not be a fine dining restaurant, the fare is fine and the room is elegant.  These things come at a price and add to the fact that a meal in Brooklyn is becoming more likely to reflect the price of dinner across the river in Manhattan.  In his review of Gwynnett Street today, Ryan Sutton explains "Brooklyn fine-dining has become as expensive as Manhattan dining."  He encourages New Yorkers to, "Get used to it."

For more on Governor, check out our First Bite.

The New Dinner Format at Eleven Madison Park Includes Beer from Ithaca Beer Company

“Flower Power”, “Cascazilla”, and “Partly Sunny” are some of the playful names of beer being made in Upstate New York.  They are all being brewed at Ithaca Beer Company.  Dan Mitchell founded the brewery in 1998 and has been committed to making quality craft beer ever since.  Last Friday, September 7^th, the public was given its first chance to taste “Picnic Basket,” the newest addition to Ithaca’s roster.  The difference between “Picnic Basket” and the other beer being made 30 miles south of Syracuse is Picnic Basket Pale Wheat Ale is only available at Eleven Madison Park.

Intrigued by the collaboration between one of the world's greatest restaurants and the small, Upstate brewery that is Ithaca Beer, Digest NY reached out to Eleven Madison Park to learn more.

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Terroir Park Slope Is Oh So Close

Signage is up at 284 5th Ave in Park Slope, home to the fifth outpost of Terroir, chef Marco Canora and sommelier Paul Grieco's wine bar.  The space is ready for business, but still waiting on its liquor license.  It should come early next week and then the (Rhein) coast is clear. 

Hours of operation and menus are taped to the front window.  The menu has a little something for everyone in the form of "Little Bar Snacks," "Fried Stuff," "The Best Panini In All Of Brooklyn," Charcuterie, Cheese, "The Sweet of Sweets," Bruschetta, Salads, and "Cool Stuff That You Must Eat."  Click ahead for a look around the slick interior.

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Ruth Bourdain Might Be Friends with Thomas Pynchon

from new york magazine via eaterRuth Bourdain is a Twitter sensation, the amalgam of Ruth Reichl and Anthony Bourdain. Comfort Me With Offal was published last week to Ruth Bourdain's name and now a caption in New York magazine hints that Ruth Bourdain is Village Voice restaurant critic Robert Sietsema.  It's an accusation Sietsema outright denies.  Diner's Journal got in touch with Sietsema to settle the score: “This has been going on for a year now, and the more I deny it, the more people don’t believe me. I would use reverse psychology and say that yes, I am – but the only problem is that I’m not.”

The accusations started in October of last year at a gathering of food journalists in South Carolina.  While Sietsema denies being Ruth Bourdain, a post on Village Voice's blog Fork in the Road from October of last year suggests he knows who Ruth Bourdain is.  He wrote, "I know I'm not Ruth Bourdain because I'm looking at him right now."

First Bite: Dassara

Welcome to First Bite, in which Digest NY brings you a look at some of the city's newest restaurants shortly after they open.  We'll go, eat some food, take some pictures, and report back to you.  This go round it's Dassara, the three week old ramen spot on Smith Street in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn.

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Donde Dinner? - 552 Vanderbilt Ave

Donde Dinner? wants to make your next dining experience an adventure.  So, we'll pick a restaurant and post its address for you every Friday.  The catch is, that's all the information you get.  No name, no type of cuisine, and no Googling!  Before we get to this week's DD (hint: it's in Brooklyn!), let us reveal last week's restaurant.

Last week's address:

264 Bleecker Street = Murray's Cheese Bar

This weeks spot follows typical Donde Dinner? fashion.  Price, quality, and accessibility have all been taken into account.  You won't be waiting at the bar for two hours with $15 cocktails, and you don't have to worry about a dress code.  Just hop on the train, or your feet, or your bike, and head to:

552 Vanderbilt Ave (btwn Dean and Bergen)