There’s more to the Pearl Oyster Bar suit than the poaching of lobster-roll recipes or wainscoting; Rebecca Charles accuses Ed McFarland of what amounts to corporate espionage. [Diner’s Journal/NYT]
Related: Ed’s Lobster Bar to Pearl Oyster Bar: Step Off!

It’s finally official: Salman Rushdie and Padma Lakshmi are bust-o. A source close to both suggests two of the possible reasons: Rushdie is “totally self-centered,” and Lakshmi “incredibly dull.” [Daily India]

PDT’s combination of conspicuous secrecy and promotional exertion is basically ridiculous. “It kind of gives you the idea that you're the only one who knows about a place. But once you look around and are like, ‘What are all these people from New Jersey doing here?’ — obviously, you're not.” [NYP]

The former No. 2 man at Cipriani is headed to the can for eighteen months for attempted insurance fraud. [NYP]

Grub Street’s own Daniel Maurer sells his first book, a collection of manly neologisms. But will his masterpiece, “douchetination” (a destination for douches), make it in? [Gawker]

Elastic Waist, a new Condé Nast–owned Website, is experiencing some early blowback from blue language – and from its game of “kill, fuck, or marry” featuring Mario Batali, Bobby Flay, and Alton Brown. [Chow]

Inspired by the movie, many diners are looking to try ratatouille. [NYDN]
Related: How Much Thomas Keller Is Really in ‘Ratatouille’’s Remy?

The origins of hot dogs aren’t nearly as horrific as you may have been led to believe. [NYDN]