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Rachael Ray defended her empire in a Nightline profile last night that’s now online. As the subject of endless flack for un-cheflike kitchen shortcuts and grating food pet names like “sammies” and “e.v.o.o.,” Ray’s certainly had the last laugh. Her company’s thriving not just in spite of the recession, but maybe thanks to a growing market for money-saving meal tips. The business model fills Ray's pockets (on a pair of T.J. Maxx pants) with an estimated $18 million a year. Ray made a good case for why her methods fit the current economic climate, Epi-Log opines today. Grub Street readers may be more open to her now, too; her New York Diet last week racked up a slew of warm comments from readers. She even got a recent shout-out in "Page Six" for being a cute “indie-rock groupie.” So you tell us: Is it finally okay to like Rachael Ray?

Rachael Ray: 'I Don't Regret a Thing' [ABC News via Epi-Log/Epicurious]
Related: Rachael Ray Has Been in a ‘Meaty Mood’ Since SoBe

After opening as a Bar Veloce, then becoming Bar Tonno (where Scott Conant was chef), then renting itself out to Will Goldfarb’s Room4Dessert, then reopening as Bar Veloce, the bar at 17 Cleveland Place has now transformed itself into Veloce Club. No, it hasn’t gone members-only — the new name refers to the club-style leather U booths, Persian rugs, and mini-lamps that now give the narrow space a gentlemanly vibe, almost like a tony airport lounge (after all, the Veloce concept was originally intended for airports). Movies are projected onto the wall while jazz plays, and classic cocktails are now front and center in a handsomely bound menu (panini and wine, of course, are still offered). Elsewhere in the Veloce world, the chain just opened its first location outside of New York (in Vegas, naturally), and its East Village sister bar, Solex (which recently started serving pizzettes), will likely further Italianize itself (and who knows, maybe even become another Veloce) in the near future.

Ever since Lola closed a month ago after an epic fight with the community about its right to serve liquor and host live music (racially motivated, the owners told the Observer), the restaurant has kept its outside lights on as if in vigil, and now it has posted a one-page missive on its front windows. We’ll spare you the full letter, but it claims that when the soul-food spot finally gained the right to live music, profits rose, but by then “it was too little, too late. We fell behind on rent and had to file Chapter 11 bankruptcy to stay in business.” The letter continues: “We now intend to focus on moving forward which may include re-opening the restaurant in a different location in the city we love.” (The restaurant has already closed twice, the first time in Chelsea in 2004.) And: “To raise the capital that will allow us to start anew will take great effort but we are up for the challenge.” Send an e-mail to lolaissoul@gmail.com if you’d like to be an investor!

The biker café isn’t the only newcomer to Sixth Avenue near Downing Street. On March 9, the block will welcome Scuderia, the new trattoria from Silvano Marchetto (of Da Silvano, across the street), his daughter Leyla, his longtime GM Alessandro Bandini (who’ll be GM here, too, as well as a partner), and jazz guitarist turned entrepreneur Fabrizio Sotti. The elder Marchetto designed the menu along with chef Claudio Cristofoli (formerly head toque at Cipriani Downtown), and he contributed family photos and some of his Italian and American rock records as decorations (his artist wife Marisa also spray-painted the restroom signage). But instead of being the dominant presence here, Silvano will rely on his “scuderia,” or team, of thirtysomethings to steer the casual concept.