After poking fun at the silly bloggers who were obsessed with the place’s opening (wait, he’s talking about us, isn’t he?), Alan Richman reveals that it isn’t as hard to get into Charles as the e-mail-only reservation policy implies. (Actually, it was this blog that revealed that — via a commenter who said she had no problem scoring a table.) Then again, Richman was going for a not-exactly-coveted 6 p.m. table — he admits that by the second seating the crowd was “all media, all celebrity, all gorgeous.” Well, damn it, man, if you saw celebrities, be a good blogger and name-check them! Richman does get owner Cobi Levy to tell him why opening chef John McAllister is gone: “Eight customers would complain that the grilled octopus appetizer was too salty and the chef would keep making it the same way.” The food is still so uneven that Richman is downright bloggy when it comes to details about the new kitchen: “I’m not certain I know the name of the new head chef. Worse, I don’t think Levy does, either.”

Graydon (Almost) Ate Here [GQ]