Pies-N-Thighs Will Survive in Williamsburg; Pastrami Queen Extends Reign toAstoria: Last-minute Valentine’s Day options from Joey. [Joey in Astoria] The Foodista’s include JJ’s Asian Fusion and Sushi Bar, which isn’t trying to do anything special for the holiday. [Foodista]
Brooklyn Heights: The bartender at Jack the Horse Tavern, Maxwell Britten, created a timely cocktail called Love Lane, which combines Prosecco, harvest syrup, house-made brandy, poached cherries, and rose water. Ladies on the town tomorrow take note: It’s a sexy drink, and he’s pretty cute. [Vittles Vamp via Brooklyn Heights Blog]
Chelsea: The owners of Pastrami Queen have opened a delicatessen in Chelsea Market called Friedman’s. [NYT]
Clinton Hill: June reopens tonight after dealing with multiple break-ins. [Clinton Hill Blog]
Little Italy: Gimme! Coffee has opened its first Manhattan outlet at 228 Mott Street between Prince and Spring streets. [NYS]
Upper West Side: Ruby Foo’s new lunch plan includes free wi-fi. [Zagat]
Williamsburg: Pies-N-Thighs seems to have already found a new home at 166 South 4th Street. [Eater]
Mediavore
Activists to Have It Their Way at Burger King; Classic Kitchen PranksBurger King swears off cage eggs and inhumanely treated pork — although it will be a while before its suppliers can catch up with the new policy. [NYT]
New York molecular gastronomy alert: Spanish neurologist-scientist-chef Dr. Miguel Sanchez Romera is scoping out NYC locations — must have greenhouse. [NYP]
Cafe Fonduta’s ordeal with the Department of Health highlights the overall klutziness of the system. [NYO]
Back of the House
Two Starrs, Another Frederick’s, and More Tables at BabboThe latest comings and goings: Restaurants spawn offshoots, Stephen Starr throws a couple more chips down, and Babbo opens its basement.
Regina Schrambling explains the insanity of our big-box restaurants to Los Angelenos: “Everything about the trend should feel wrong, but somehow it connects in this changing city.” [LAT]
Starr “looking to do two more concepts” downtown: tapas and (hold your breath) another Asian. [NYP]
The Flo chart: Dennis Foy, the man behind Mondrian and EQ, comes home to roost at Lo Scalco; Sushi of Gari, Frederick’s, Pastrami Queen, and Persepolis relocate or branch out; and more. [NYT]
A profile of Compass’s John Fraser, just named a “chef to watch” by Esquire. [NYDN]
Da Bronx snubbed by Zagat? [NYDN]
Babbo now lets you dine in the wine cellar. [Eater]