http://www.gayot.com/blog Restaurants, Hotels, Wine Sat, 20 Mar 2010 01:34:26 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en [caption id="attachment_7607" align="alignleft" width="225" caption="EPIC hotel in Miami, Florida"][/caption] By Becky Sauer   The much-anticipated opening of ZUMA Miami in the EPIC hotel has been scheduled for May. This modern Japanese sake and tapas bar from chef Rainer Becker has proved to be a big success overseas—reservations at the original Zuma in London ... http://www.gayot.com/blog/zuma-restaurant-rainer-becker-epic-hotel-miami-south-florida/ [caption id="attachment_7331" align="alignleft" width="203" caption="The Publican is among more than two-dozen participating restaurants. (Photo courtesy of Bob Briskey Photography) "][/caption] by Jennifer Olvera   The second annual Chicago Chef Week is on the horizon—make note to clear your schedule for March 22-28—bringing with it an endless array of affordable prix fixe menus at ... http://www.gayot.com/blog/chicago-chef-week-culinary-event-dining-restaurants/ [caption id="attachment_6993" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Marea restaurant in New York"][/caption] by Meryl Pearlstein     I loved my meal at Marea, Chef Michael White's stellar vision of Italian seafood on Central Park South in the old San Domenico space now sleekly done with clubby touches and a crudo bar. No misses here -- from the ... http://www.gayot.com/blog/marea-restaurant-michael-white-new-york/ Goose Island Clybourn will kick off spring with maple-bacon-infused beer.by Jennifer Olvera   The highly anticipated Craft Brewers Conference & BrewExpo America—geared toward brewpubs and breweries—will take place at the Sheraton Hotel & Towers in Chicago April 7-10. While the festivities are trade-oriented, there is a way for day beer lovers to ... http://www.gayot.com/blog/chicago-culinary-wine-events-craft-brewers-conference-and-brewexpo-america-avec-restaurant-goose-island-brewery/ The contestants and the judges from Raising the Bar #2 (from left to right): Judge Nicholas Liberato/Comme Ca, Shana Street/Church & State, Victoria Recano, Sophie Gayot, Tim Loden/Comme Ca, Judge Yassmin Sarmadi/Church & State, Hector Bury/Joe’s, Judge Joe Miller/Joe’sby Sophie Gayot     Join me at BOA Steakhouse in Santa Monica on Sunday, ... http://www.gayot.com/blog/raising-the-bar-third-edition-boa-steakhouse-joe-miller/ [caption id="attachment_7409" align="alignleft" width="256" caption="Chef Susan Spicer of Bayona in New Orleans"][/caption] by Becky Sauer   Chef Susan Spicer, known for her French Quarter restaurant, Bayona, is from Lakeview, a suburb of New Orleans devastated by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. As the area continues to rebound from the calamity, Spicer is set to ... http://www.gayot.com/blog/new-orleans-restaurants-bayona-mondo-chef-susan-spicer/ [caption id="attachment_7367" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Poire Belle-Hélène: poached pear, pistachio, ginger & chocolate sauce."][/caption] By Andre Gayot   Hey Laurent, isn’t there a better way to let us know that this is a fish-oriented restaurant — and an excellent one for that matter — than this esoteric acronym of L20? L is for Laurent, ... http://www.gayot.com/blog/chicago-restaurants-l20-laurent-gras/ Entrance to the 52nd Annual Governor's Ball by Alexandra Rowinski     24 hours before all of the designer-clad and diamond-studded celebrities posed for flashing cameras on the red carpet, I threw on an old cocktail dress, pinned back my hair and happily danced my way up the steps of the Kodak theatre to attend ... http://www.gayot.com/blog/academy-awards-oscars-governors-ball-preview-2010-hollywood-california/ [caption id="attachment_7625" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="The winners of the 2010 Almost Famous Chef Competition"][/caption] by Sophie Gayot   After four hours of tasting yesterday for The Mystery Basket, two hours today for The Signature Dish, and one hour of voting and deliberation, the results are in for the 2010 S.Pellegrino® Almost Famous Chef® Competition.   Many ... http://www.gayot.com/blog/2010-almost-famous-chef-winners-san-pellegrino/ The first part of the competition is over; hats up!By Sophie Gayot     Part one of the S.Pellegrino® Almost Famous Chef® Competition, held for the eighth time this year, is The Mystery Basket competition. The rules are very strict (there is a full page of them), but the basics are that the ... http://www.gayot.com/blog/spellegrino-almost-famous-chef-competition-mystery-basket/