Dining 2008: The year in blogs

FEBRUARY

What's the opposite of a media whore? Ken Friedman moans to Frank Bruni on Diner's Journal about Eater's incessant reporting on soon-to-open restaurants. He then clams right up about Rusty Knot, making it no less of a target for pre-opening news (while also making it impossible now for food writers on assignment to do their jobs). 

Pelaccio and Richter—it's the pits: Grub Street reports that uber-busy restaurateur Zak Pelaccio will team up with former Hill Country pitmaster Robbie Richter to bring Asian-barbecue fusion to Williamsburg. News later emerges that it'll be called Fatty ‘Cue. Richter gushes at the thought of being unchained from classic barbecue's strictly salt-and-pepper scheme and released into the colorful world of Asian spices. 

Hooray for Murray Hill: News of Jason Denton's newest venture, Bar Milano, is revealed by Grub Street. The restaurateur explains that it'll be "in the vein of 'inoteca and Lupa, but with elevated service and price point." It was supposed to breathe some sophistication into Murray Hill. It was almost working too, until an NYU behemoth of dorms installed itself right across the street. Classy.

Aix gets the ax: Perplexed and saddened, The Strong Buzz's Andrea Strong laments the closing of one of her favorite UWS spots ("If it were closer to my neighborhood, I'd be there once a week," she writes). By September, Aix had been replaced by Bloomingdale Road, which was quickly panned by New York Mag as "a cockeyed jumble of formerly fashionable dining conceits." Ouch. 

10 Downing set to open next month: A tipster tells Eater—based on a note slipped under said tipster's door—that grossly delayed West Village spot 10 Downing is set to open in March, with a menu by Jason Neroni and Katy Sparks. Later in the month, Eater learns it's now likely to open in April.