Check it

I can’t let this go unnoticed. Evidently epicurious is trying to step up it’s image, and has started a new news page.

There’s some really, really interesting stuff on it, like this:

Ahead of The Times
When you sit down at either of Thomas Keller’s celebrated eateries, Per Se in NYC or the French Laundry in Napa, your waiter will typically present three menu choices: a five-course prix fixe, a nine-course vegetarian menu, or the nine-course chef dégustation. That is, unless you happen to be New York Times restaurant critic Frank Bruni. On a putatively anonymous summer visit to the French Laundry as part of the research for his Per Se write-up, Bruni was quickly spotted by the restaurant’s GM (and longtime Keller girlfriend) Laura Cunningham. As luck would have it, Keller was in the kitchen that evening and, after a brief confab with his staff, he decided to offer the critic something special—an extravagant fourth option.

A source tells me that Bruni and his two companions were then treated to a total of—get this—25 to 30 courses, each paired with a different wine. All told, I hear they sampled more than 83 wines from 10 countries, as well as various sakes and beers. Did the effort pay off? Well, it clearly didn’t hurt. On September 8, Bruni awarded Keller’s new home in the Time Warner Center a rare four stars. Per Se, Time Warner Center, Columbus Circle, NYC, 212.823.9335; French Laundry, 6640 Washington St., Yountville, Calif., 707.944.2380

Another thing that I thought was great was the Sushi Spreadsheet. Blurb on it found here.

I’m still working my way through the archives. Neat stuff.

Don't be shellfish...