BlackBook

It all started with the chocolate & bacon rice pudding at Pig and Khao: a multi-layered Filipino treat of sticky rice, coconut milk, whole milk, and chocolate, topped with bacon bits. One rice and pork-filled scoop, and I vowed to never let a silly thing like “healthfulness” or “but I’m going out later”  be a concern on the weekends. Why? Because the Thai and Filipino spot Pig and Khao has just launched their weekend brunch, and with a name that translates to “mountains of rice and pig” in Thai, there’s just no time for any thought besides "bring on the bacon."

Fat. It's kind of a bad word these days. You really shouldn't call somebody fat, regardless of their heft. Yet, like so many offensive terms, there are those who have co-opted it, and use it as a signifier. Not surprisingly, New York bars and restaurants are on the forefront of the trend, so in honor of Fat Tuesday, instead of listing places to pig out, we're directing you to New York's best bars and restaurants with the word "fat" in the name. Just for the hell of it. So click on over to our latest Top List, New York Bars and Restaurants with Fat In the Name. Yes, obviously we're feeling silly on this snowy Friday afternoon. 

It’s almost time for Meatopia, the annual New York festival dedicated to all things meat. I attended last year with my Nebraska-bred brother-in-law and loved every minute of it. We stopped by dozens of stands manned by meat-masters from across the country and around the world who were roasting everything from pork to lamb to an entire steer. We stuffed our faces with the finest cuts and washed it down with cold Amstel Light from the numerous beer tents. The sun was shining and we were living the good life. This year’s Meatopia is going to be held Saturday, September 8, 2012, on Randall’s Island, which isn’t quite as convenient for me as last year’s venue, Brooklyn Bridge Park, but dammit I’m going anyway, because the whole affair is so much fun. Let me school you on what you can expect. 

Eleven chefs have answered the call this year for the sixth annual SUPERBURGER (aka Hamptons Burger Bloodbath) competition at the Montauk Yacht Club this Saturday, and all are in it to win it. For the first time, this formerly invite-only event is selling tickets, giving your average Joe Lunchpail a chance to rub greasy elbows with the cognoscentis of ground chuck and watch as dreams are fulfilled, hopes are dashed, and burgers are eaten.

Zak Pelaccio and his Fatty Crab empire definitely have pushed the boom of Malaysian food in the city. Or rather, Pelaccio has made Malaysian cuisine more popular to the masses that had never heard of Malay fish fry, chicken claypot, or the spicy curry dish java mee. Today the city kicks off the second annual Malaysian Restaurant Week, an event that runs until June 24 and includes not only New York, but New Jersey and Connecticut as well.

An electric blend of hitmakers, thespians, web-savvy scribes, visionary curators, fashion savants, video artists, and even a Greek god ...

What: Chili Crab with crab, chili sauce, and white toast Where: Fatty Crab, Zak Pelaccio's tiny, sometimes loud, and overtly hip West Village/Meatpacking Malayasian cuisinery. Ideal meal: When you're craving some spice in your life and a strong cocktail to wash it down. Low lighting makes for an intimate vibe, but not a perfect date spot if you're looking to get in some good convo. Because: It's a hands-on meal—crab cracking necessary, but the payoff is outstanding. You'll feel like you deserve it. Tastes like: The combination of sweet and spicy in the chili is sent straight from sauce heaven. And the crab, well, crab is always good once you get down to it. Bottom line: Market Price, and right now that means $50. Worth it if you can split with your dining companions. It is family style, after all.

A while back, New York magazine profiled the Greenpoint Coffee House with the backhanded compliment that it "remains the best place to get a decent cup of coffee in Greenpoint, but it falls short of being a dining destination." We're here to tell you that's no longer accurate. With a renewed commitment to quality eats, the GPCH has elevated itself to destination dining status, its rebirth the work of one man. Earlier this summer, we profiled local chef Jonathan Meyer (he lives across the street) whose experimentation behind the grill turned t.b.d.'s beer garden into the perfect getaway on a balmy Brooklyn night. It turns out Meyer is a man of all seasons, transforming GPCH into a cozy hub for winter comfort food to go along with its steaming pots of coffee.

Alan Linn created a home for the art world by hand picking every piece inside Norwood, his West Village private members-only club. An artist himself, Linn got his B.A. and M.A. at Royal College of Art in London and started his career working at local bars, but fell in love with New York. Lucky for him, a group of New Yorkers have since fallen in love with Norwood. Once a month, Linn selects random members to sit for dinner and hopes that Norwood's legacy will be the projects that are inspired there. Everything from movie screenings to band performances occur under Norwood's roof and spontaneous jam sessions take place regularly. (You might also be surprised to see which rock star comes in to play the piano every now and then). A chat with Linn after the jump.

In the summer of 2008, Joe Dobias and Jill Schulster opened JoeDoe, the 27-seat restaurant Joe dreamed of starting since he graduated from Cornell University's Hotel School in '01. Joe, who helped open New York restaurants like VietCafe, Sullivan Diner and SavorNY is known for his creative and challenging approach to food. Almost every night you can see him in the kitchen, cooking and plating dishes from his "Aggressive American" menu. Earlier this week, he spoke with us about the challenges of owning a small restaurant when everyone with a Twitter account and a camera is a critic.