● Pies-n-Thighs (Williamsburg) - Long-awaited return of comfort food legend.
● Andaz Wall Street (Lower Manhattan) - Hyatt gets haute on the Financial District.
● Andaz Fifth Avenue (Midtown East) - New-school Hyatt brings both style and substance to the heart of midtown.

● The Yard (Santa Monica) - Beachside gastropub opens with a new lease on life.
● The Collection (Malibu) - Simple food, glorious view at the Malibu Country Inn.
● Bricks & Scones (Mid-City West) - Fresh-made pastries, Intelligentsia coffee, simple breakfasts and lunches.

Decisions about what to air during sweeps season say a lot about what the media thinks of the state of our nation. So when Good Morning America asked viewers to nominate their favorite street vendors as part of its national “Best Food Cart Challenge,” just in time for November sweeps, it was clear that, at least in the eyes of the media, America is food cart crazy.

What are the thin people really eating? The British Journal of Nutrition just published a study this month saying that the trimmest people, those who weighed the lightest, flaunted the slimmest waists, and were proud owners of the smallest hip circumference, had the highest levels of omega 3 fatty acids in their blood. After investigating the commonality, I found that these people were in fact not freebasing flaxseed oil. They were, however, loading up on foods that were rich in omega 3s -- grass-fed beef, flaxseed, soy, salmon, etc. No one knows for sure what omega 3s do for the diet exactly ... they may stimulate hormones that make you feel full, and they have been shown to improve circulation, which can also aid in weight loss and reducing inflammation. Whatever the case, you can get slim while you dine in New York this weekend; head to a few of these "healthy" joints to load up on the good stuff.

Behold, awesomeness: New York's culinary Dread Pirate Ship Momofuku and its enfant terrible captain, the notorious David Chang, is hitting the road. Chang's blogging a book tour with his cookbook co-author (and my pick for the New York Times food critic position, eventually filled by Sam Sifton), one Mr. Peter Meehan. It reads somewhere between Hunter S. Thompson, Anthony Bourdain, and the first 20 pages of Bret Easton Ellis' Lunar Park, in which Ellis (the character) ends up being dragged out of one book tour appearance, screaming "THE JEW BOY'S COMING WITH ME!" I have high hopes for this kind of writing, and their first entry does not disappoint. It's as ridiculous, debaucherous, and mouthwatering as you'd expect it to be. Key parts:

● Village Bistro East (East Village) - Name says it all. Bistro fare between A and B at surprisingly reasonable prices.
● Manhattan Inn (Greenpoint) - Name doesn't reflect borough confusion, that's the Greenpoint avenue it's on.

Look. I know Mo'Nique and I didn't see eye-to-eye in the past, but that doesn't mean I think less of her as an actress. In fact, I'm still pulling for her to pick up an Oscar win, possibly as a tasteful eff you to less-deserving victors of yore. Also as a bird-flip to the Academy who probably assume that with her unique body of work, she'd never get within spitting distance to even a Best Supporting Actress nomination. In fact, she and I celebrate our birthdays within a day of each other, so I could think of no one more fitting to uncork a bottle of champagne with. Another reason to pop the champy? Today, Precious opens everywhere (well, New York and Los Angeles anyway). Many of you are probably coordinating your happy hours accordingly. But somewhere in your post-movie regiment this evening, you may need to work in a restaurant conducive to eating your emotions, as the film is set to leave salt deposits on your face. Five suggestions after the jump.

● Stout (Hollywood) - Burgers and beer done with elegance. And it'll stay open late.
● Bouchon (Beverly Hills) - Angelenos have been waiting patiently for a Keller outpost to call their own.
● Bar Bouchon (Beverly Hills) - Small, upscale bar where most people will probably be whispering. If you don't want to splash out on a full meal at Bouchon upstairs.

Kevin Long stretches his expertise over state lines on a daily basis. He serves as executive chef at both SHRINE Asian Kitchen, Lounge and Nightclub at MGM Grand at Foxwoods Resort Casino and Scorpion Bar, located in Foxwoods Casino. Long also heads the kitchen at Tosca and Caffe Tosca in Hingham, Massachusetts. Humbly starting his career at family restaurants on Boston’s South Shore, Long rose to work alongside one of his idols, Thomas Keller, at The James Beard House and the Park Avenue Cafe.

● The Jefferson Hotel (Dupont Circle) - Just enough pomp and circumstance to keep Thomas Jefferson happy. New comforts gone old school.
● Kellari Taverna (Downtown) - Mt. Olympus comes to America's Mt. Olympus. Greek cuisine, done up for DC, without being dumbed down.
● Plume (Dupont Circle) - "What's this fork for?" whispered with a Maltese accent. Dupont's hot new haute French.