De Niro’s Tribeca Grill is the latest restaurant to be sued by ex-waiter complaining that managers skim tips. [NYP]

Kiwis consider the real key to Gordo’s New York success to be “Waikato farmboy” chef de cuisine Josh Emett. [New Zealand Herald]

Now that trans-fats fines are in effect 96 percent of restaurants hit in the city’s first pass of inspections were in compliance with the ban. [City Room/NYT]

It’s good to know that public broadcasting isn’t behind the times; NPR aired a segment called “Are You Being Gouged?” which revealed “that Garden of Eden is crazy expensive, Fairway is the greatest place ever, and convenience stores are not where you get bargains.” [Eat for Victory/VV]

Jean-Georges Vongerichten has just released a cookbook called Asian Flavors of Jean-Georges that includes recipes from Vong, Spice Market, and the now-shuttered 66. [Mouthing Off/Food & Wine]
Related: Vongerichten’s Soba Plans May Be in the Soup

Fresh local grape juice is showing up on menus all over town including in gazpacho at Provence and in a cocktail with white rum, syrup, seltzer, and lime juice that will be served at Back Forty. [NYDN]

What a potluck! New York isn’t just a Japan Town, it’s a bakery town too. [Ed Levine Eats/Serious Eats]

Harlem’s Amy Ruth’s is coming to the Fulton Mall in Brooklyn. [Brooklyn Eagle]