Seattle Restaurant Gossip, a New Approach to Cookbook Reviewing, and Other Food News

Warning: Having not posted while on vacation (the Internet connection at the Sun God Lodge in Taos was spotty), this edition of "Food Section" is a little long:

First, other Seattle food pubs report several openings and closings: startender Jamie Boudreau leaves Vessel (P-I). El Greco Becomes Table 219 (Seattle mag). And chef-owner Kerry Sear announces he's selling Cascadia and moving to the new Four Seasons (Times).

For Love of Taco Trucking by Jean-Paul Renaud (LA Times) and Keep on Taco Trucking by Jonathan Gold (LA Weekly): This is a two-week old story, but it touches my heart: Los Angeles forces taco trucks to move on after only an hour in one location. Thank you, Seattle/King County, for making it easier for taco trucks to set up in semi-permanent spots compared to Los Angeles or San Francisco (where, when I last checked a few years ago, the city was charging aspiring street-food vendors a scandalous one-time fee of $10K, which is why all the taco trucks are in Oakland).

Court Orders Tyson to Suspend Ads for Antibiotic-Free Chicken by Annys Shin (Washington Post): This story creeps me the frack out. Injecting antibiotics into eggs so you can claim the bird is "raised" free of antibiotics?

Save the World -- Eat Less by Vikram Vij (Toronto Globe & Mail): I'm ashamed to admit that I've lived in the Northwest two years and still haven't been to Vij's in Vancouver, though a friend who loves Vij's cookbook has wowed me with a few of its specialties. My admiration for the man blossomed when I read this article. To hear a restaurateur in these struggling times advise customers to order less? That's just un-American! Oh, wait . . .

Finally, this week, I want to honor two reviewers for innovative takes on the art of criticism:

First, Take Your Frozen Mash... by Jon Henley (UK Guardian): Venerable cookbook author Delia Smith has shocked Britain by coming out with a cookbook centered around canned and frozen foods. An equivalent scandal in America would be Julia Child (RIP) releasing a collection of souffle recipes to be made with Egg Beaters and soy milk. The Guardian has responded to the controversy by having a couple of professional cooks make a few of Delia's recipes and serve them to a panel of food experts. Brutal.

The Momofuku Superlative Matrix (Savory Tidbits, via Chow): New York chef David Chang's new restaurant, Momofuku Ko, has gotten so much hype (including a New Yorker profile and an instant rave from Ruth Reichl) that Savory Tidbits has created a spreadsheet listing each menu item along with all the words that New York critics have slobbered all over it.