NOLA junkies will love this: As of March 2012, Criollo Restaurant and Lounge will make its debut on the New Orleans restaurant scene as part of the Hotel Monteleone.   Criollo, the Spanish form of “Creole,” will serve up a menu of contemporary Louisiana cuisine, alongside an expansive list of wines. We hear the menu [...]

It is a sad day for foodies in Chicago. We hear from USA Today that Charlie Trotter’s, one of the Windy City’s most notable restaurants, will be closing up shop after 25 years in business.   The restaurant will close in August. Trotter told the Chicago Sun-Times that he plans to travel and go back [...]

Bologna is known as “La Grassa” (the Fat One), and this friendly city can stake a strong claim to being at the heart of Italian cuisine. This is the home of fresh pasta, the famous mortadella sausage, and nearby there are the finest producers of Parma ham, Parmigiano cheese, balsamic vinegar. There is no better [...]

  A bowl of shark fin soup being served at a Chinese restaurant in San Francisco’s Chinatown after Calif. Gov. Jerry Brown announced that he signed a bill banning the sale, trade and possession of shark fins.   The ultra-luxury Peninsula hotel chain on Jan. 1, 2012 will ban shark fin soup in all of its [...]

The latest version of the dining guide Eating Las Vegas: The 50 Essential Restaurants (Huntington Press, $10.36 on Amazon.com in paperback; $7.77 there as an e-book) was unveiled Monday night.   French chef Joel Robuchon and his restaurant of the same name at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. It’s in the top 10 of [...]

  Jose Andres, winner of the James Beard Foundation’s chef of the year award, shows off some of his innovative small plates at his minibar in Washington, D.C.   It’s Danny Meyer’s Eleven Madison Park in New York, according to the prestigious James Beard Foundation, which dished out its awards Monday.   The innovative restaurant [...]

  Counter dining is chic at L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon in the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. It made the top 10 in the ‘Eating Las Vegas’ guide.   The recently published Eating Las Vegas: The 50 Essential Restaurants, an opinionated guide to Sin City eateries, has a great premise. Bring together three of the [...]

  New York’s celebrated Le Bernardin restaurant has revamped its bar area for less formal, less expensive dining.   Just picked up a book called Opinionated About U.S. Restaurants 2011. It lists eateries worthy of a trip.   The results, based on an online survey, are not surprising for those who love fine dining — [...]

According to many media reports, including one on MercuryNews.com, some San Francisco servers are supporting a mandatory raise — as in tips of 25%.   Waitstaff generally are paid low wages and depend on tips to make a living.   However, according to surveys in recent years many USA diners already think the current tip [...]

Like pretty much every city at this point, DC has its own roster of homegrown chefs who’ve competed on Top Chef. In honor of our first-ever Food TV Survey, we’ve put together a list of restaurants where you can taste their culinary prowess.   Mike Isabella: Top Chef All-Stars Finalist, Top Chef Season Six The [...]