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According to a reliable source (her own Twitter feed), Ruth Reichl headed to Palena after her Smithsonian appearance last Monday, and ate roast chicken. Based on my own observation, she probably went there with Joe Yonan and Joan Nathan, who were hanging around the book signing table, waiting for her to finish.

Zora, you're right: click (towards the bottom)

Is there any confirmation of the opening? The phone number listed on Urban Daddy is the old Yaku number which is disconnected. There's no mention of the restaurant on Sushi Rock's Ohio website, and the DC website is essentially non-functional. It also seems like there are several Sushi Rocks around the country (San Francisco, Miami, etc.) that are unrelated to the ones in Ohio, and I wonder if that isn't the case here.

I remember reading about this place on Young and Hungry - it's not related to the OH restaurant.

So you don't mind if I tell you that your conversations are stupid if I were to overhear it? That if one overhears a conversation, one ought to interject their own personal opinion?

If I was talking very loudly and you said that to me, I'd probably have to admit to myself that I was in the wrong, but yea i'd probably also think you were an ass. As to your second sentence, that's not at all what was going on in this situation.

P.S. not offended at all, don't take the "ass" comment to heart either.

So it's okay to tell someone you think their topic of conversation is revolting? What if I think someone's topic of conversation is stupid? Also, the poster never explained why the other person is loud, perhaps because the restaurant is loud and one must be loud to be heard?

Sure, if the loud diner is allowed to talk about whatever they want, why wouldn't the pissed off diner be allowed to tell them they think their conversation is revolting? As hungryprof pointed out, the person said I don't care what you talk about just don't do it so loudly..

Way to go OP, you sent a email to Open Table and they restored your points after you didn't use their service for over a year. That's about 270 day more than most places do. I think you owe them a huge THANK YOU for being so nice...

Honestly, what's it to you? Seriously you seem to have a huge chip on your shoulder about this whole issue, so why don't you just tell us all what this is really about? and how dare you tell me what I owe them or anyone, you have no clue what I've already communicated to them.

Seems to me that emailing them before saying anything here would have been the logical thing to do. Amazing how much can be accomplished with a bit of communication. Glad you got your points back.

What's wrong with my having posted about it here?

I just got an e-mail from US Air saying my miles are about to expire. I suppose Open Table could do the same and send out an e-mail reminder.

Follow up - I emailed Open Table and expressed my dismay at having my points exipre w/o any notice. They wrote back in a timely matter and reinstated my points which I greatly appreciate. I'll have to make sure to use the service more, if only to make sure it doesn't happen again!

This article is in no way the piece that I was asked to give an interview for.

This article in no way reflects the interview I gave.

I'd be interested to know what type of a piece you were approached and interviewed for.

I logged onto the website today after not having been on for awhile, to find that ALL my points expired on 12/20/09. I'm sure I never received an email about any upcoming expiration or some such. According to their FAQs, points "may" expire after 12 months of inactivity.. Ok, yea so, my last reservation through OpenTable was around 12/2008, but no notice I think is ridiculous! They'll be getting an email or call from me for sure.

Incidentially, I found myself using them less and less... I didn't find that the service was all that helpful/convenient, especially since the last few times I tried to use it, the times I wanted (and really chunks of time anywhere near it) were listed as unavailable, but when I called the restaurants there were reservations available w/in those time periods. I think its something to do with the restaurant being able to block out reservations from OpenTable, but either way - how is it a helpful service if I have to end up calling the restaurant anyway?

We were gluttons tonight at Palena.. but we hadn't been in over 3 months though so I think it was warranted. We had the kombucha squash and shitake mushroom soup (with diver scallop and prosciutto), totally amazing - if its on the menu, get it. So complex and just delicious. Then we split the yellowtail seviche (with blood orange, toasted coconut, and some greens and other things I've forgotten) - also great. Then we split (you do realize they do this, don't you? Yep, no problem at all, they split it and you'd never even guess it was a half portion) the cafe salad - long been a favorite of ours, the combo of hazelnuts and different varieties of beets is perfect. THEN we split the burger (medium) and the fry plate, mainstays for us. Oh yes, and then we had the hazelnut chocolate cake - I'm a sucker for a hazelnut-choco combination - AND the (aforementioned gluttons) cookie and caramel plate......... A wonderful evening. Thanks Jeff!

I noticed that too. Given the lapses in editing/copy editing in recent months, though, I can't say I was surprised. It made me wonder how accurate the rest of that little feature was.

There's also this.

BTW this fell through.

So, can you talk about it now?

Just saw this posting:

http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/watch_with_kristin/b157305_tom_colicchio_serves_up_top_chef_finale.html

Which contains this morsel:

"According to Tom, the next season won't begin shooting until one month after host Padma Lakshmi has her baby, and despite reports, a city has yet to be determined. San Francisco, Hawaii, Texas and Washington, D.C., are among those in the running."

No new episode tonight? True?

Not true, tonight is the finale.

You not imaging things, WWZ. He left in August for The Dining Room. I'll add an edit when I can find an article about this.

ETA: Maybe September? Here is Tim Carman's Young & Hungry post about Josh Whigham taking over Michael Voltaggio's place at Bazaar.

Ah ha! Thanks so much goodeats, I really was being to think I'd hallucinated..!

The Voltaggio brothers will be doing a live chat on WashingtonPost.com at 1:00 pm this afternoon

Can someone settle something for me? I swear at the beginning of the season under Michael's name it said he worked at Bazaar in LA. But then partway through it changed to saying what it says on the Post chat, that he's chef de cusine at The Dining Room at The Langham, Huntington Hotel & Spa. did I imagine the Bazaar part?? I mean it made sense because I definitely recognized more than a few of his dishes as Jose Andres dishes.

This might be a long shot, but we have overseas friends who will be in NYC over New Year's and so we're contemplating making the trip up there to see them. Any recommendations for a place for dinner on New Year's Eve? Ideally, we're looking for somewhere that isn't charging an exorbitant fee for a set menu and is likely to still have bookings available. Somewhere chill and under the radar is fine with us - we're not trying to fight crowds (I know, good luck, right?) or go somewhere that is charging $300. Anyone had good experiences?

Top Chef spinoff to come - Just Desserts: http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118010386.html?categoryid=14&cs=1

This was essentially a "Best Of" issue, dealing directly with an area that I not only consider myself an expert in, but also hold near-and-dear to my heart. When I saw this picture, the first thing that popped into my mind was Frank Ruta.

At the risk of stating the obvious, being an Editor or Art Director does not imply having dining expertise. I don't think any high crime has been committed here, but I would have done things differently.

Cheers,

Rocks.

Oh, I gotcha - makes total sense. Having not seen the magazine in its print version I didn't get that effect - but you're right. Really poor choice.

On Sunday, I picked up what appeared to be a very nice-looking copy of the Washington Post Magazine, sat back with a cup of coffee, and was prepared to spend a peaceful half-hour enjoying the issue.

I have nothing against Spike Mendelsohn in much the same way I have nothing against Warren Brown. I'm essentially apathetic toward both of them - not pro, not con, but apathetic. From my limited perspective (I don't watch television) they seem to be no different than any of thousands of people, in a wide variety of professions, who have somehow achieved notoriety without any obvious substance. (Again, I might have the wrong impression of them, but that is nevertheless my impression.) Whenever I hear their names, I just shrug my shoulders, and think to myself, 'more power to 'em.'

But when I opened the magazine, and the very first thing I saw was a full-page spread of this gentleman? I closed it, put it down, and began reading something else (I had already skimmed the issue online, so I didn't feel like I was missing anything). This was a very, very poor choice by The Washington Post.

Cheers,

Rocks.

There were more than a few things that he said in this piece that irritated me, but I'm curious Don, if you were at best apathetic twds this dude before picking up the magazine, what was it that made you put it down when you saw the feature?

More fodder ... click.

When I walked past the Van Ness location tonight, it was dark with a sign in the window that said "Dehli Dhaba will close Sept 30th"

Does anyone know what privileges hotel guests get at the rooftop bar/POV? I assume at the least no waiting in line in the lobby. We have friends staying at the W next month and I know they want to check out the bar with us, so I'm curious.

I like the food at Zatinya. However, I don't thinkMike I has had an impressive showing on the show so far at all. The thing that bothers me the most other than the fact that his food on the show just seems medicore at best is that he's not showing range at all.. if you've noticed it does seem like all he's prepared are Greek or Greek inspired dishes. I haven't paid enough attention to the restaurants that other contestants are from to see if its a common pitfall.

Odd.

Reston, Va.: Tom, in Frank Bruni's new book he tells a neat story of eating at French Laundry in Napa and at the end of his meal all the servers came by and stared at him (presumably dictated by management) so they would recognize his face upon his next visit. Have you ever experienced the same treatment?

Tom Sietsema: I nodded in recognition when I came upon that passage.

The best thing a restaurant can do is NOT tell its staff a critic is in the house. That information only tends to make everyone (critic included!) a whole lot less comfortable.

I was at a major restaurant earlier this month, and I swear, half the male staff made it a point to visit the restroom when I did, for whatever reason (checking hand towel supplies, etc.) It was comical.