This week, Sam Sifton takes aim at the new iteration of Aureole, the once "creamy" townhouse restaurant serving audacious American food that this year reopened as a cafeteria hawking great burgers to midtown workers at Bank of America and Conde Nast. He gives it one star. After touching upon the trajectory of owner and original chef Charlie Palmer and the former impressiveness of the restaurant, Sifty sums up its current state thusly:

Times change. In 2007, Mr. Palmer announced plans to move the restaurant south, into bigger digs. The result is a Las Vegas event restaurant airlifted into Manhattan, a corporate cafeteria with a soundtrack of smooth jazz in the George Benson style. The food can be quite good. It can also be the opposite.

Aureole, as the New York expression goes, is meh.

Burger joints aren't the only openings that are generating a lot of buzz these days. Although it's only been open for a week and a half, Union Square taqueria Dos Toros has already gotten the full assessment from the burrito-crazed masses. If this amount of buzz seems a bit excessive for counter service taqueria, remember: New York is full of California ex-pats who hate, hate, the burrito situation in the city, and team Dos Toros modeled the menu and dining room after the cultishly adored Gordo Taqueria in Berkeley. It seems as though the potential for some next level SF-soul food is there -- so, how does the early word measure up?

The Good News: This yelper dropped in on opening day, and mostly loves everything, even if it doesn't bring the full west coast Mexican food expereience to NYC: "The food - as they have promised, it's the 'closest to authentic' SF Mission-style taqueria food you will find in NY. So far, the best option for us, Californians was Bonita in Williamsburg (Lord, their fish burrito was heaven in a tortilla), but the pollo version at Dos Toros is fairly close enough. The rice was more cous-cous like, which one of the owners said will look into, and the salsa could use some spice to it. Everything else has been excellent - the beans were well cooked, cheese, sour cream and most importantly - the final wrapping was professionally done." [Yelp]

UNION SQUARE— Remember how TGI Friday's was supposed to open in Union Square this month? A spot check reveals absolutely zero progress has been made. [EaterWire]

AIRPORTS EVERYWHERE— Morimoto is branching out and launching a chain of casual airport eateries: "The concept, to be called Skewers, will center around yakitori and will be Morimoto's interpretation of Japanese street food (no sushi at all). Prices will be well under $20 and as should be expected with an airport casual spot, the menu will have "broad appeal," meaning grilled and deep-fried meats and vegetables, all on the namesake skewers." [Eater National]

The Post reports that the city will start taking bids for the restaurant space in the refurbished pavillion on the northern end of Union Square in two months. Though neighborhood types protested the use of the space—as well as the co-chair of the development corporation Mr. Danny Meyer—arguing it should be a public space, not a business, judges eventually ruled that the seasonal cafe will go forward as planned. The winning restaurateur will get a 15 year lease to run the cafe for six months out of the year, with the option to operate a "a satellite cart or kiosk."

Union Square: Good news for all workers and residents in Union Square, Astor Place, and Eater HQ's very own Cooper Square: Cambodian sandwich shop Num Pang will start delivery next Monday. And look who decided to stop by for the glorious announcement.
· All Num Pang Coverage [~E~]

Today, the Post runs an excellent little ditty about the origin story of TGI Friday's, the nationwide chain that will invade Union Square this fall. Some major points:

A) As previously pointed out, TGI Friday's was born in New York, on the Upper East Side, in the Swingin' 60's.
B) Not only was it born in New York, it was also a hot spot for the youngins.
C) Not only was it a hotspot, it was the first establishment in what would become a nightlife center.
D) Also! It played a huge part in the Women's Lib movement, as it was the first bar where women went by themselves and got slutty, a precursor to oh so many future New York bars.

UPPER WEST SIDE— The Upper West Side location of sports bar Blondies has reopened after being seized by the tax man at the beginning of the month. Yankees fans rejoice. [EaterWire]

UNION SQUARE— Jason Hall, the executive chef at Michael Psilakis' Mia Dona has left the mothership to become chef de cuisine at Gotham Bar & Grill, a job vacated by Adam Longworth back in July. [TFB]

There are plenty of opportunities here for diners to complain about bad meals, egregious service, and other general unpleasantries in the restaurant industry. But what about when an operator wants to defend his or her honor? There's room for that too. We now hand the mic over to Jon Bloostein, founder of the chain of beer centric spots Heartland Brewery. He responds to this comment, regarding the TGI Friday's move to Union Square: "I bet Heartland Brewery will be psyched not to be the crappiest tourist-trap restaurant in Union Square anymore." Turns out he's not psyched. Take it away Jon:

I am the founder of Heartland Brewery. I was disappointed to read the disparaging remarks about my company by a reader in your article this morning on TGI Friday’s impending location in Union Square. I would appreciate if you would inform your readers that we have won three Great American Beer Festival (GABF) medals for our beer. (The GABF is the preeminent beer competition in the country.) Moreover, 85 percent of the people who dine at the Union Square Heartland are New Yorkers so it’s inaccurate to call it a “tourist trap.”

Unsurprisingly not everyone can see the benefits of TGI Friday's opening up across from the Greenmarket in Union Square. Commenters and bloggers have been voicing their concern since yesterday, but what's the one true way to enact change these days? Why, it's Twitter. Please welcome to the Twitter Soap Box @SaveUnionSqNYC, a new feed that hopes to "send a loud and clear message to The Riese Organization that we don't want his TGI Friday's in Union Sq." by amassing Twitter followers.
· @SaveUnionSquareNYC [Twitter]
· Apocalypse Fridays: Looking on the Bright Side [~E~]

Union Square: Following up on the TGI Friday's coming to Union Square news, Grub Street points out that the chain actually originated in New York back in 1965 before dominating suburbs everywhere with its alluring mediocrity. But does its origin story mean the folks in Union Square will be any less outraged when they see it going up so close to their precious Greenmarket? That's a no.

Yet, while many across the interwebs decry the decline and fall of Union Square, Eater commenters are here to encourage everyone to look on the bright side. First, making lemonade out of lemons:

I am going to run a $1 shuttle bus between TGI Friday's and Superdive starting at 8pm on Thursdays and Fridays. See all of you in a year when you're doing my gardening in the Hamptons, suckers!

Union Square: @newyorkology tweets: "E-mail press release says: "TGI Friday’s and Tim Hortons to Occupy 34 Union Square East." And by golly, Crain's has the full story (cached version for subscription wall), confirming that the fast-casual chain will join Best Buy and Nordstrom Rack in forming the new Union Square.

The Riese Organization just purchased 34 Union Square (between 15th and 16th), formerly home to Zen Palate and plans to install a Friday's and a bonus Tim Horton's in the space. Its been vacant in the two years since Zen Palate vacated due to "astronomical and non-negotiable increases" in their rent, a rent that has dropped 40% in the last six months. Choice quote: "...while many chefs in the district purchase food from the popular green market there, T.G.I. Friday's will not join them, says Mr. Riese. 'We are not that type of restaurant...'" Indeed.
· @Newyorkology [Twitter]
· Expanding the food chain at Union Square [Crain's]
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