Food Pages

Critic’s Notebook: Pete Wells writes that David Chang is impressive for his skill as a restauranteur in his encouragement of his chefs to innovate. Wells highlights David Chang’s newest restaurant, Momofuku Kojin in Toronto, where chef Paula Navarrete shines, and Majordomo in Los Angeles, where Chef Jude Parra-Sickels, is often overshadowed by Chang in reviews.

The Restaurant Preview:

• Florence Fabricant spotlights several fall’s openings, which offer fresh choices in busy neighborhoods and in cuisines that need a bigger spotlight.
• Florence Fabricant highlights new restaurant projects in Williamsburg, Brooklyn and Columbus Circle that are bringing British flavors to New York.
• Priya Krishna writes that the new restaurant openings in Greenpoint are embracing the area’s “small town charm.”
• Florence Fabricant argues that the new openings on the Upper West Side are helping shake the neighborhood’s reputation as a dining dead zone.
• Tejal Rao previews Teranga in Harlem, where Chef Pierre Thiam will be serving the foods and drinks of Senegal.
• Florence Fabricant notes that Chef Missy Robbins will embrace simplicity at Misi, her second Italian restaurant in Williamsburg.
• Florence Fabricant spotlights Hotelier Ian Schrager, who has a knack for bringing in top chef talent to his hotel restaurants, highlighting the forthcoming Times Square Edition with Chef John Fraser.
• Priya Krishna writes that Antoni Porowski, the food expert on the hit TV series, “Queer Eye,” is planning his first restaurant, the fast-casual Village Den.
• Billy Durney, the founder of Hometown Bar-B-Q, will be opening a sandwich shop and a tavern specializing in fried chicken, writes Julia Moskin.
• Ligaya Mishan spotlights Chef Joseph Johnson, who will be opening a fast-casual restaurant in Harlem that will be built around five pedigreed strains of rice.
• Joshua M. Bernstein rounds up the newest additions to New York City’s beer scene, from Beer Street to Evil Twin Brewing.
• Eric Asimov previews Devon, a casual restaurant and cocktail bar from Oliver Zabar, son of famed restauranteur Eli Zabar.
• Priya Krishna highlights the forthcoming restaurants that specialize in Chinese noodle soups.
• Robert Simonson previews Recreation, a new hotel bar from the team behind Happiest Hour and Slowly Shirley.

Front Burner with Florence Fabricant: The pending relocation of the Essex Street Market; Hill Country Food Park in Downtown Brooklyn;Morgenstern’s Finest Ice Cream flagship on LaGuardia Place; Pilar Cuban Bakery; bakery and café from Copenhagen, Ole & Steen; Mekelburg’snewest location in Williamsburg, Brooklyn;

A Good Appetit: Melissa Clark shares a recipe for Ratatouille Pie.

City Kitchen: David Tanis recommends using dried shrimp to deepen to flavor of his recipe for Spicy Minced Shrimp with Rice Noodles.

The Herald Staff shares sips, syrups and fruit spreads as ingredients for creative Labor Day cocktails.

Roger Berkowitz provides a recipe for Fish in Foil to let summer veggies shine.

Amy Scattergood (via the LA Times) announces Snoop Dogg’s soon-to-be released cookbook, “From Crook to Cook.”

Justin Phillips notes that San Francisco’s historic Payne Mansion is becoming a hotel called the Mansion on Sutter Hotel, and within it will be a new restaurant called 1881, all set to debut this fall.

Sarah Fritsche writes that Next Level Burger, a 4-year-old organic vegan burger chain from Bend, Oregon, is opening its first San Francisco location at the Potrero Hill Whole Foods.

Justin Phillips highlights ALX Gastropub, an upscale pub and spinoff of Alexander’s Steakhouse, which opened in SoMa and is being led by chef Jessie Lugo, a veteran of the Alexander’s Steakhouse restaurant family.

Justin Phillips shares that Chefs Reign Free and David Lawrence are reopening Bear’s Lair in Berkeley, a campus hangout for UC Berkeley students from 1962 to 2012, as Bear’s Lair Tavern.

Justin Phillips spotlights San Francisco restaurateur Michael Mina, who has plans for a Hawaiian restaurant called Trailblazer Tavern, along with chefs Michelle Karr-Ueoka and Wade Ueoka of Honolulu’s MW Restaurant. The opening date is tentatively set for November.

Jonathan Kauffman rounds up where to find the best Chinese noodles in the Bay Area.

Michael Bauer reviews several dishes from Heena Patel’s new restaurant, Besharam.

Esther Mobley shares what she believes to be California’s strangest vineyard, Renaissance, created by a California cult in 1976.

Justin Phillips writes that after a 10-year run, Balboa Cafe will close its Mill Valley outpost at the end of the month due to a dispute with the landlord.

Gillian Ferguson highlights Fruitstitute, a four-month-old start-up planning to solve a common L.A. problem: how to care for your backyard fruit trees.

Heather Platt makes Pavlova with Sprinkles Cupcakes founder Candace Nelson while discussing her childhood, love for dessert-making and current success.

John Verive shares how to get the most out of your next beer flight.