Bagel Sandwiches Are ‘Dumb,’ GQ Writer Says

Why one person thinks bagel sandwiches are ‘dumb’

One GQ writer thinks bagel sandwiches suck — the bread is too thick and the exterior too strong, so that when you bite into it, the bagel itself sinks with your teeth, making the sandwich filling squirt out in every direction, he writes. His favorite food is a bagel with cream cheese and lox, which he says is meant to be eaten as an open-faced sandwich, one half at a time. His story is causing a bit of a stir on Twitter — which was probably the point — with tons of people clapping back as well as agreeing.

Trader Joe’s is ending home delivery in Manhattan

Popular grocer Trader Joe’s is stepping out of the grocery delivery game in Manhattan, EV Grieve reports. Home delivery service was reportedly threatening the grocer’s cheap prices. “Instead of passing along unsustainable cost increases to our customers, removing delivery will allow us to continue offering outstanding values,” a spokesperson told the blog. Home delivery will end on March 1.

A look back at Diner, ‘one of the city’s most influential restaurants’

Andrew Tarlow’s formative American restaurant Diner is turning 20, and a profile of the restaurant in the Times chronicles how vital it was in turning Williamsburg into a dining destination. It specifically highlights Diner and opening chef Caroline Fidanza’s focus on sustainability and local ingredients, calling Fidanza a trailblazer in the movement. That, combined with Diner’s “casual-hip service and ad hoc vibe,” created a “new blueprint” for restaurants in NYC and around the world.

A cafe expansion and a coming attraction

Lower East Side Australian cafe Dudley’s is trying to expand into 261 Broome St., a gallery space behind the restaurant on the corner of Orchard and Broome streets. The additional space would create room for 32 more seats on the ground floor, plus a 14-seat table in the basement. Meanwhile, a new ramen shop named Camellia is opening in the East Village on Third Avenue, between East 15th and 16th streets. The sign advertises an intriguing combination of ramen and gelato.

Chef Dan Barber is customizing vegetables for chefs

Several top chefs — from Daniela Soto-Innes of Cosme to Jean-Georges Vongerichten of ABC Kitchen — came together for a pricey vegetable dinner this week to celebrate Dan Barber’s new seed company called Row 7. Barber has set out to “update” vegetables; his company is breeding new varieties that appeal specifically to chefs, such as mini, flavor-packed squashes and purple snow peas. He says he’s on a mission to convince farmers to grow these chef-driven concoctions.

A bunch of kids dined at Per Se last week

For his annual marketing stunt, Thomas Keller recently hosted a bunch of kids for dinner at Per Se, where they had the chance to sample the upscale American restaurant’s tasting menu, including fish and chips, a wedge salad with blue cheese dressing, and frozen mousse and doughnuts for dessert. But not everyone was a fan of the fancy food: One child stuck out his tongue and threw his napkin over his head when beef wrapped in cabbage was served. It was all part of Keller’s annual First Time Diners, in which the parents pay, but their kids eat for free.