Philly Favorite Rita’s Water Ice Comes to Manhattan

Last year, Grub Street Philadelphia reported that 25-year-old Rita’s Water Ice was aiming to open 600 stores by the end of 2009, so it’s no surprise that according to QSR Web, the company will open three locations in Manhattan. The first will open February 14, when all visitors between the hours of 11 a.m. and 11 p.m. will get a free regular-size Italian ice (the first 100 customers will get a year’s supply). Rita’s traditionally does these giveaways on the first day of spring (according to Wikipedia, 1.2 million cups were distributed last year in a ten-hour period). In addition to Italian ices made on site, Rita’s serves frozen custard, “gelati” (actually a combination of ice and frozen custard), and blended custard-and-water-ice drinks. QSR Web doesn’t give an address for the first location, but a Rita’s Facebook page reveals it’s at 2486 Broadway near 92nd Street.

Rita's debuts chocolate chip ice at Manhattan location [QSR Web]
Rita’s Water Ice NYC [Facebook]

Is It a Tandy Kake or a Kandy Kake?

That's Tandy Kake to you, sir

We knew there was a reason we were following Tastykake's Twitter feed! Today they've revealed the answer to a mystery that's been nagging us for YEARS. Why did they change the name of our beloved chocolate-covered peanut butter mini-cakes from Tandy Kakes to Kandy Kakes? Honestly, we've had arguments with people about this very subject, people who refused to believe they were ever called Tandy Kakes. People who made us question the validity of our own childhood lunchbox memories! Today, Tasty Baking Company solved the mystery in 140 characters (or less).

Read more »

Where to Eat on Valentine's Day

Zoe Lukas's iconic LOVE cookies

Valentine's Day is coming up this Sunday. That is, it will be coming up if we live through Snowpocalypse 2.0: Even Snowpocalyptier! Because it falls on a Sunday this year, it opens up two options for dining - brunch and dinner - and many restaurants are taking advantage of the opportunity for mega-moneymaking to offer options for both. Some are even extending their Valentine's specials from Friday through Sunday to make it a whole Valentine's weekend. You can't knock the hustle! We've rounded up some of the offerings out there for you. Click through to find out who's having a Valentine's pajama brunch, where you can see live flamenco with your sweetheart and who's giving away free booze with your prix-fixe meal.

Read more »

Advertising
Appetizing Apps

Today in tech land, the Telegraph reports that Foursquare has signed a deal with Zagat that will allow you to pull up the little red book’s ratings, and Num Num Chronicles points out StreetEats, an app that lets you find out where your favorite food truck is parked.

Study Links Soda to Cancer; Candy Hearts Get a Makeover

• People who drink two or more sodas a day have an increased risk of pancreatic cancer, according to a new study from the University of Michigan. [NYP]

• Necco introduced a new formula for its conversation hearts this year, featuring more assertive flavors, but opinions on the change are mixed. [WBZ]

• The Situation from Jersey Shore will be at Buckhead Saloon this weekend and Snooki will be here for Mardi Gras. [Daily News] Earlier: MTV is desperately trying to rein in the Jersey Shore cast's club appearances, but with little luck. [NYP]

• All Starr restaurants stayed open during the weekend Snowpocalypse, but it wasn't a moneymaker. [Inquirer]

Read more »

02/08/10

Inside the Bocuse D’Or USA Finals

View Slideshow

The Bocuse D’Or USA finals yesterday in Hyde Park resembled Iron Chef. The twelve-chef tournament is a kitchen-versus-kitchen competition in front of a live audience, judged by culinary luminaries, with a limited set of central ingredients (salmon, lamb) and a stressfully restrictive time limit (3.5 hours). But the converted gymnasium at the Culinary Institute of America was no Kitchen Stadium: Instead of engaging with the audience and performing for the cameras, competitors worked in stoic isolation, separated from the audience and one another in Plexiglas kitchen cubicles, while in-house video crews caught every move for the large projection screens hanging overhead.

Read more »

Garces Trading Company Will Open February 16

Ahoy, Jose!

He originally hoped for February 2, but the opening of Jose Garces' new market, Garces Trading Company, is now slated for Tuesday, February 16. In addition to prepared foods, plats du jour, house-baked bread, charcuterie, an eat-in cafe, a flower shop and his own line of coffee, which we told you about earlier, it will also be the site of the first PLCB standalone wine "boutique." So you'll be able to buy wine and food in the same place, just like they do in most of modern America. Read on for details...


Read more »

Osteria's Jeff Michaud Will Take You With Him to Italy, For a Price

Do you have $4995.00 (excluding airfare) to spare? You could be one of the intimate group of 14 joining Osteria chef-owner Jeff Michaud and his wife Claudia on a seven day trip to Franciacorta in Northern Italy from April 18 through April 24. So what does a cool five grand get you?

Read more »

Alice Waters’s Lazy Sunday

"I sometimes come by the restaurant and talk to the cooks. I sometimes walk to a bookstore... Mostly I just stay home. It’s the one time I feel like I can exhale, and just get ready to begin again." — Slow-food evangelist and Chez Panisse proprietor Alice Waters in the Times' Sunday Routine column. [NYT]

Salumi Secrets of South Philly's Le Virtù

View Slideshow

East Passyunk Avenue restaurant Le Virtù, which serves the cuisine of the Abruzzo region of Italy, has started curing its own meats and sausages, thanks to the arrival of Massimo Conocchioli, a butcher from Abruzzo who is now working at the restaurant under the direction of chef Luciana Spurio. Owners Francis Cratil Cretarola and Catherine Lee have constructed a semi-secret "cantina" to house, cure and age pancetta (cured pork belly), guanciale (pork cheek) and several obscure Italian pork sausages and salamis - including one called "Swine Nutella" - plus duck prosciutto.

Read more »

Advertising
Advertising

Recent News

Recent reader reviews on MenuPages

  • Osteria Bel Sogno See the menu

    “we would go back”

    the atmosphere could be improved. The bread was homemade..not fabulous but nice, the pasta was cooked correctly and the you could hear yourself think and your partner talk..something important to me

  • Tria See the menu

    “Love it”

    Terrific small plates and salads. Interesting ingredients. Very fresh. Very hip.

  • Hykel's Subs See the menu

    “Great antidote for Main Line stuffiness”

    I've been to Hykel's several times, and it's a great laid back, unpretentious Main Line bar/restaurant. In the spring and summer, you can't beat the back deck for beers. And in the colder weather, you have your choice of the old school front bar or the back room, the latter being a good, quiet place to watch a game. Love the hoagies.

See More Reader Reviews from MenuPages

Masthead

Editor
Kirsten Henri
Advertising