Jay-Z Watched the Super Bowl at 40/40; Giants Enjoy Trophy Cake at Abe & Arthur’s

Wants to get the word out about 40/40.Photo: Ben Hider/Getty Images

As you know, the New York Giants won the Super Bowl (go sports!) so anything that happened this week had an appropriate feeling of celebration. Moreover, it allowed the Giants players to do pretty much whatever they wanted, wherever they wanted, whether that was Eli Manning stuffing his face with a trophy-shaped cake or Osi Umenyiora convincing a chef to whip up some chicken, despite the kitchen being closed. All this and more celebrity sightings, straight ahead.

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Prime Meats Offers Leap-Year Meal; Five Leaves Expands Menu

Carroll Gardens: On February 29, Prime Meats is celebrating Leap Year with a six-course meal paired with wines and followed by dessert, with music throughout the evening. The cost is $95 plus a 20 percent gratuity. RSVP by February 26 at RSVP@frankspm.com. [Grubstreet]
Greenpoint: Heath Ledger's Five Leaves has expanded their cocktail list for the winter, adding the Bijou (Plymouth gin, Green Chartreuse, and sweet vermouth) and the Old Cuban (Banks rum, fresh-squeezed lime juice, mint, bitters, and sparkling wine) to the drink list. They also adjusted the menu to the winter months by adding, among other dishes, hand-cut steak tartare with soft egg gribiche and sumac-fried fingerlings, and treviso and delicata squash with pickled red onion, olive, and pumpkin seed.

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First Look at Numero 28, Bringing Pizza to the UES Tonight

Numero 28 Pizzeria Napoletana e Ristorante is popping off — tonight it opens its fourth location on the calorie-starved Upper East Side. Chef Ramon Duran is a 40-year veteran of Gino of Capri on Lexington, which closed last year; he'll resurrect some of that eatery's classics, including gnocchi with “secret sauce.” Pizza-wise, you'll find them round and square, white and red, and fired in a brick oven. A gluten-free menu will launch in a few weeks. Scope the menu below and check out the place in our slideshow straight ahead.

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Eataly’s Financial Plan, As Robust As Their Barolo

Flying off the shelf, one fusilli at a time.

Bloomberg investigates what makes Eataly — which feeds close to 5,000 people a day, employees 700 workers, and is opening locations in Chicago and more — so impermeable, given the unsavory economy and the statistics working against the restaurant industry. In addition to being able to shop like a "civilized" human being (in other words, "with wine"), Lidia Bastianich and her partner say that what makes Eataly successful is ... its harmony. And the $80 million that the company has made this year. [Bloomberg]

Watch the Bloomberg clip here! »

There Will Soon Be a Bon Rappetite Cookbook, Yo

Roastface Killah pairs really well with Wu Tang Clams.

Those kooky kids behind fake hip-hop-themed restaurant Bon Rappetite (serving Lil Kimchi and all that) have gone and landed themselves a cookbook deal. Co-founder Everett Steele tells us he and co-writer Chris Hassiotis teamed up with Atlanta chef James Hammerl to put the thing together, and that they've incorporated reader suggestions as well (we notice Queen LaPizza is a new dish on the site). There are only 500 copies of the $24.95 book; pre-order yours here.

Tables Available Within the Hour at Felidia; Red Rooster, Daniel Fully Booked

It's 4 p.m., and that means it's time to play Two for Eight. We just asked ten restaurants the best time they can squeeze in a couple for dinner; you need only make your chosen reservation. (As always, we make the calls but don't guarantee the results.)
Today: TV Chefs.

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While the Peasants Eat Pretzels in Coach, First Class Gets Even Classier

Want this en route to Dubai?

If you thought going to a hospital for an exquisite meal sounded strange, how about getting one on an airplane? In a story about the most flamboyant first-class options, the Times points out a few airlines that have beefed up their first-class food services with insane offerings (at even more insane prices) that include things like a seven-course meal served on Royal Doulton China, onboard chefs preparing dishes made to order, and meals by Yves Mattagne, a two-star Michelin chef, Alfred Portale from Gotham Bar & Grill, and Suzanne Goin from Lucques in Los Angeles. In another lifetime, we'll tell you how it tastes. [NYT]

Red Lobster Creeps Over to the Apollo Theater

Red Lobster is muscling though tough times, with plans to open next to the Apollo Theater in Harlem. Reports say the chain will open in a massive, bi-level space at W. 125th Street by the end of the year. So now you can see Paul McCartney and have some suicidal thoughts popcorn shrimp right after. [DNA Info]

Hey Noma No-Shows, Here Are Some Chefs Who Hate You

No mercy from Noma.

Unless those people are dead in a ditch somewhere, this is kinda funny. Rene Redzepi just tweeted, "And now a message from the Noma staff: to the people of two different no show tables last night ... " Middle fingers are always a lovely excuse to laugh out loud, especially on a Friday when the biggest news of the day is that Stephen Starr is bringing his BSD to the West Village. But we can't help but wonder: Are two empty tables that big of a deal, Rene? Really? [Rene Redzepi/Twitter]

First Look at Empellón Cocina, Now Firing Tacoless Mexican in the East Village

This week, Alex Stupak opened the second location of his suddenly expanding Empellón empire. But Empellón Cocina on First Avenue isn't just a rehash of Empellón Taqueria in the West Village. The new spot focuses not on tacos, but on ambitious dishes such as hamachi with walnut purée, poblano chili and apples; tiny bay scallops with huitlacoche and brown-butter móle; crispy masa with shrimp and uni; and mezcal-cured ocean trout. Speaking of mezcal, the staff says Cocina also has the city's biggest selection of tequila and mezcal. We can't verify that, but one look at the bar does prove they have a lot of agave spirits on hand. Take a look at the full menu below, and check out the space in our slideshow.

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Don’t Go to Little Branch for Your ‘Closer’ Drinks Tonight

A sobering start to the weekend.

Ten bucks, it'll be back open by the end of the day, but as of now, Sasha Petraske’s subterranean hot spot, Little Branch, has been shut down by the Department of Health. The reason? Well, it's not having that one extra Queens Park Swizzle and doing things you'll regret later. No, just a boring "operating without a permit." Eater notes Little Branch "received an A during a recent visit by the Health Inspector and the liquor license is up to date," so the permit thing is a bit peculiar. [Eater]

Stephen Starr to Open Restaurant in Paris Commune Space

He's feeling comfy and cozy.

For a hot second, there was a rumor that Scott Conant was taking over the West Village corner location of the shuttered Paris Commune, but now Grub Street confirms that Stephen Starr, Philly and New York's big-shot restaurateur, appeared for a second time at the SLA committee meeting last night, seeking to sell liquor at the casual, unnamed eatery (something he's hinted about before). Apparently, Starr wants to expand into the residential co-op that houses the restaurant, but co-op shareholders and neighbors are worried about noise, congestion, and closing hours. The committee asked to him come back next month for another hearing, and suggested he iron things out with his new neighbors in the interim. Starr told Grub Street that he was "confident" all concerns could be worked out.

Another ‘Go F-ck Yourself’ From Owner of Michael’s, This Time Not to Frank Bruni

"However, my one and only regret is not having been able to realize my dream to open a fabulous hotel on the beach in Santa Monica back in 1989. Tom Hayden, go fuck yourself, buddy." — Michael McCarty, owner of Michael's in NYC and L.A., and who famously told Frank Bruni to go fuck himself after a bad review. [Restaurant Girl]

Take Your Honey Baby to Waffle House

For all Valentine's Day cheapskates and nonconformists, Waffle House is offering a "tablecloth/candlelight" dinner on February 14. Alternatively, you could eat some chocolate-covered cockroaches. [Deal News]

Zi Pep’s Gonna Be in a Coen Brothers Picture

Sadly, only Zi Pep's exterior will be made over.

Exciting news from the reps at Zi Pep in the East Village, who tell Grub that next week the entire block of 9th Street between First Avenue and A will be transformed into the sixties Village for the Coen Brothers' upcoming film, Inside Llewyn Davis. The Southern Italian restaurant will be made over as a folk club, where the movie's stars, Justin Timberlake, John Goodman, Carey Mulligan, and Garrett Hedlund, presumably hang out, discover a young Bob Dylan, and smoke a bunch of pot. Okay, we made that up. Since this is all happening early next week — Valentine's time — here's a look at the $49 prix fixe the restaurant will serve on the big night. [Menu]

Totally Sweet: 101 of America’s Most Crazy-Awesome New Desserts

It's time to think seriously about sweets: When Valentine's Day is around the corner, and the doldrums of winter (even one this mild) have taken hold, there's something about dessert that speaks to everyone. And these days, more than ever, pastry is getting the due that it deserves: Food & Wine is launching a search for the country's best new pastry chef; Top Chef keeps churning out seasons of its pastry-only spinoff; Johnny Iuzzini and Michael Laiskonis were rightfully heralded as stars when they recently departed their respective restaurants; and every other show on TV is about cake wars. We won't call it a sugar renaissance, because dessert never went away, but pastry is undeniably playing a larger part in the culinary conversation than it ever has before.

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Michelle Obama Targets Obesity in Uniform; Native American Tribe Sues Beer Companies Over Alcoholism

• Michelle Obama is bringing her focus on nutrition to troops, since "obese Americans in the military are a national security hazard," as this article says. Ouch. [Reuters]

• The Oglala Sioux Tribe of South Dakota is suing major beer makers and even local beer stores for allegedly contributing to chronic alcoholism within the tribe. [AP via HuffPo]

• Beer-making in the Bronx is really starting to bubble up: The borough's third suds brand, City Island Beer Company, is set to hit taps soon. [NYDN]

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Gavin McInnes Goes Out Drinking With Ann Coulter, Makes Wolverine-Shaped Pancakes for His Kids

McInnes digs in at Mile End.Photo: Melissa Hom

It's Fashion Week, and even though you won't see Vice co-founder (and progenitor of its Dos & Don'ts column) at any of the shows, he still defends Fashion Week culture — to an extent: "I don't think people understand the runway looks," he says."They don't literally want you to put a box on your head. The point is to get inspired." These days, he's moved on from Vice, but still scribes a daily street-fashion critique. What little free time he has — between his day job at the Rooster New York ad agency (which he co-founded), promoting his new memoir How to Piss In Public, writing a column for the libertarian webzine Taki's Magazine and acting as a professional provocateur on the Fox News show Red Eye — is spent hanging with his wife and two "midget roommates" (a son and daughter, ages 3 and 5), who he says dictate his diet of "shit food 50 percent of the time." You can catch him tonight at UCB's"Funny Stories" but first, read about Wolverine-shaped pancakes and the joys of having a Scottish stomach in this week's New York Diet.

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02/09/12

Burger Bistro Expanding to Park Slope; Empanada Mama Spreads to LES

Everywhere: There's still time! See the 1,000+ restaurants that still have availability for Valentine's night. [OpenTable]
Greenpoint: Sea Bean Goods, Brooklyn's first micro-soupery, has launched a subscription service after realizing that their obsessed customer fan-base was requesting delivery week after week. [Grub Street]

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Colonie Chef Brad McDonald Now Opening Two Restaurants in Dumbo, Including Mexican

This, that, and the other.

A rep confirms to Grub Street that in addition to the seasonal American restaurant going in at One Main Street (next to One Girl Cookies, which just opened), Brad McDonald and the Colonie team have also taken over the space just down the street at Five Front Street. The Front Street location will be a Mexican restaurant. Further details on the concept are under tight wraps. Both venues will open later this spring, and before anyone freaks out, McDonald is definitely still at Colonie on Atlantic. So we're all good.

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