Where To Pair Chinese Food with Movie Theaters On Christmas

Pacificana: Dim-sum brunch would be a fitting way to start the day off on Christmas, but if the basement lounges of Flushing aren't your thing,Pacificanain Sunset Park offers the food in a bit more posh atmosphere. Everything is on the menu, from the simplest vegetable dumplings to fried duck tongue, jelly fish, goose web with sea cucumber and snails in black bean sauce. We say go with the traditional whole Peking Duck for $28.95, and make sure they cut the head off at the table, a la Christmas Story.

813 55th Street, Brooklyn; (718) 871-2880

Nearby movie theater:Bay Ridge Alpine Cinemas

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Those of you who aren't spending Christmas at church or opening presents under a tree are probably aware of a little New York tradition. On December 25th, when the streets are barren, the city's, umm,non-celebratorsfeast at the some of the only restaurants still open in the city: the Chinese food places. After that there's usually a movie (another business open on Christmas). So we polled a few New Yorkers about their favorite places to chow down on Christmas day, and included where to find the closest movie theater. A few said the best bet is to just wander through Chinatown for the place with the shortest line, but click through for some suggestions and leave your own favorite Chinese restaurants in the comments. Because if we weren't spending Christmas in Jersey with the in-laws, we'd totally be getting in on this.

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72,000 Pounds Of Food Didn't Go To Waste

Need to warm up? This story should give you the warm fuzzies (sorry). City Harvest reports (viatheir Facebook) that"FreshDirect donated approximately 72,000 pounds of food this week after Monday’s snowstorm brought business to a halt on the East Coast."The food would have gone undelivered and to waste otherwise. This is a photo from this morning's 1,000 pound drop off at the Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen in Chelsea.

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Map: How New York Eats

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A"social comparison engine for financial decisions"called Bundle just launched aRestaurant Recommenderthat allows you to see where people spend their money the most when dining out in New York City. Along with the launch, they've createda mapof New York City—as well as a map of each of the five boroughs—which breaks down eating habits in different neighborhoods (click through for the numbers and visuals). Here's the data they're working with:

Our sample of dining experiences in New York City includes more than 10 million distinct visits to over 10,000 restaurants by more than 700,000 distinct diners between January and September of 2010.

In our time period, more than $300 million dollars was spent on dining out in New York City total. About $200 million of those dollars were spent by residents of of the five boroughs of New York City: A very healthy local market.

Some quick conclusions they came to: residents of DUMBO, Brooklyn Heights, and Park Slope spend the most (up to $1,200 a month!) dining out, as opposed to Staten Islanders, who at the most spend $459 a month—though they point out the borough isn't particularly known for its fine dining (burn).

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NYC 2010 Year in Food, The Best and Worst

Eddie Huang and the beverage thatfelled Xiou Ye

Despite (or because of) America's terrifying economic freefall, 2010 was another year of indulgence in NYC. A year when we said yes to caffeine, alcohol and sugar, sometimes all at once.Four Lokotook the country's teenagers (andone restaurant) by storm, serving up three cups of coffee's worth of caffeine and two beer's worth of alcohol in a concoction that tasted like Robitussin and Fun Dip and came in a can that looked like it was designed by Willy Wonka. What wasn't to love? Oh right,the blackouts,the injuries, the deaths. The governmentmoved quickly, first withstates banningthe concoction one by one and then theFDA neutering italtogether, and deli ownerswere thankfulthat they were no longer forced to sell the drinks to teenagers on their way to schools.NYU mourned, as did anyone who believed it was the inalienable right of anyone over the age of 21 to buy, chug and quickly vomit up the beverage if they so chose. Thankfully, for anyone legal who missed it, the drink can live on in the living rooms ofanyone who feels like mixingmalt liquor and an energy drink with Jolly Ranchers and a caffeine pill. And there'salways Craigslist! Orwhipahol.On top of all this, we were also introduced to theDouble Down, andcat shit coffee.(Jaya Saxena)

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What the hell happened this year, besides Neapolitan pizza EVERYWHERE and locally-sourced EVERYTHING? Honestly, it's all a blur. Some bars and restaurants opened, other closed; a few of themdeserved to go, others maybeshouldn't have opened in the first place. The Man scolded you aboutsalt,drinking,sugar, and cracked down on sanitary conditions—requiring restaurantsto post letter gradesfrom the Health Department. Williamsburg's Southside boomed with excellent new bars and eateries, while the East Village and the Lower East Side mourned the loss of some beloved institutions. We've tried to make some sense of it all here; click through for a look back at (deep breath!) thecraziest trends in oral consumption, thebest new bars, theworst new bars, ourfavorite new restaurants, themost disappointing new restaurants, thebiggest abominations, thesaddest closings, thestupidest manufactured trends, thebest actual trends, thebest trend-bucking, thegreatest gag, mostcontroversial change in dining, and thecoolest-looking coffee shop.

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NJ Lady's Christmas Meal: 2 Turkeys, 2 Hams, Lots More

Remember Donna Simpson, whowants to be 1,000 poundsandlikes being overweight? This is whatshe had for Christmas dinner:"The single mother-of-two, from New Jersey in the US, tucked into two 11kg (25lb) turkeys, two maple-glazed hams, 6.8kg (15lbs) of potatoes - 4.5kg (10lbs) roast, 2.3kg (5lbs) mashed, five loaves of bread, 2.3kg of herb stuffing, three litres of gravy, three litres of cranberry dressing and an astonishing 9kg (20lbs) of vegetables. After polishing off her enormous main course, she still had room for dessert and ate a"salad"made of marshmallow, cream cheese, whipped cream and cookies."{ViaDaily Intel}

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Vendors: New Yorkers Have Lost Their Love for Chestnuts

Flickr usermissapril1956

By this time of year, most people have switched their street corner snack from a Mister Softee cone or those mango flowers that lady is always carving to something warmer. Afluffydense and flavorless pretzel perhaps, or a bag of honey roasted (andnot dirty) peanuts. But if you're looking for some roasted chestnuts, you'll most likely have to brave the holiday crowds at the city's tourist traps. One Herald Square vendortold the Daily News,"Every year, they become less and less popular. Some New Yorkers buy them but it's mostly tourists. They've become part of Christmas in New York."

Chestnut season is shrinking; Many vendors used to sell them as early as October, but now they go for $3-$4 a bag just around Christmas. And the only fans the Daily News seemed to round up were the tourists, including one Rhode Islander who said,"It's part of being in New York during the Christmas season."Maybe for them, but New Yorkers seem to have lost a taste for the treat."It's nostalgic street food,"said Sean Basinski of the Urban Justice Center."I think it smells better than it tastes."Did somebody say"nostalgia?"Get a food truck on the artisanal chestnut beat somewhere in Bushwick and the snack will besavedvendrified!

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Photos: Ai Fiori, Michael White's French Rivera-Inspired Italian

ChefMichael White, who's been on a roll with his Italian restaurants Convivio andMarea, has launched two new ventures in the space of a month. The first was Soho'sOsteria Morini, which specializes in the"soulful cuisine and convivial spirit"of theEmilia-Romagnaregion of Italy. Number two is Ai Fiori, which opened its doors last week on the second floor of the luxurious Setai Fifth Avenue hotel, at 37th Street. Executive Chef Chris Jaeckle (Morimoto and Eleven Madison Park) will have command of the 2,200 square foot kitchen and several top-of-class sous chefs, including acclaimed pastry chefRobert Truitt(Corton). Here's a look inside the posh new restaurant.

Ai Fiori is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, with a menu featuring the food of the Italian Mediterranean coast"with French Riviera influences and innovative antipasti, White’s signature pastas and entrees typical of the Riviera region."Entrees range from $29 to $43, and include options like Butter Poached Nova Scotia Lobster, Vegetable Julienne, Sauce Americane ($39) and Squid Ink Pasta Quills, Pigato Wine, Cream, and Sturgeon Caviar ($19). (Peruse the full menu, which is subject to change.) The liquor license was obtained at the end of last week, so you can also stop in for a drink at the bar, which serves a cocktail menu from Eben Freeman (Tailor), whoknows how to shake it.

Ai Fiori // 400 Fifth Avenue at 36th Street // (212) 613-8660

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Yoko Ono Was Making Pickles Before All Y'All

... or at least she knew people who were. Ono recently talked toEdible Manhattanabout her eating habits, then and now. Certainly doesn't sound like she was everbaking bread with her husband, but she does want to remind all of you local young things that while you're making your pickles, and your fine mustards and whatnot, you weren't the first to do it! She declares:"Women of the’60s made pickles, too, you know. Health food started then. We were feminists but we weren’t dumb."So show some respect you artisanalistas.

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Happy Four Lokonukkah!

viaNYU Local

We are now only 11 days away from the permanent neutering of college students' favorite alco-caffeinated beverage, Four Loko. Forget 2012: these are the dark days now. Shepherd of the Loko flock Eddie Huang has beenshut down, despondent teens arecrashing their carsall over, and even dear, sweet Bobbi Kristina, daughter of Bobby Brown and Whitney Houston,was caught in picturesin a tornado of Four Loko-fueled lesbian experimentation. Some unscrupulous individuals have even taken to selling the heart-achingly sugary drinkon Craigslist; thankfully, as you can tell from the picture above, a fewNYU studentsstill remember the historical and spiritual significance of the eight nights of Four Loko.

And though they may kill the brand Four Loko, though they may outlaw beverages which combine ridiculously high doses of alcohol and caffeine, they cannot break our spirits—and this we guarantee: for every Four Loko that may fall, a newalcohol infused whipped cream, or a 40-proof alcohol infusedchocolate milk concoction, will rise from its ashes, like a drunken phoenix on Mardi Gras.

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Is This the Posh New Future for the Union Square Pavilion?

(Courtesy BNOdesign)

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Bitter protests and along, drawn-out lawsuithave thus far failed to stop the city from turning the 81-year-old pavilion in Union Squareinto a privately-operated restaurant. Critics call this is a vulgar prostitution of a historically public space which ought to be fully devoted to some sort of community center, but we live under the Bloomberg administration, which believes commerce is the best way to benefit the community. And so todayCurbed noticeswhatmaybe renderings for the posh restaurant in store for the pavilion, and it's easy to imagine Mayor Bloomberg feeling right at home here on a Summer day, enjoying a Lime Rickey and relaxing in hisclassic pleated shorts-loafers ensemble.

It's unclear how official these renderings are, and the designer,BNO Design(a firm led by celebrity interior decorator Benjamin Noriega-Ortiz), has this disclaimer:"This project design is solely conceptual and is not in any way related to current decisions for the Union Square space."Details, shmetails! Pitchforks and torches at the north side of Union Square tonight at sundown! Oh damn, it's sundownalready?!Anyone else tired of living most of their lives in darkness these days? And it's only December 3rd, sigh.

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Fish Tag, Michael Psilakis's UWS"Seafood Parlor"(Menu)

(Katie Sokoler/Gothamist)

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The Upper West Side restaurant that chefMichael Psilakisonce called Onera, then Kefi, thenGus&Gabriel, has been completely reconfigured for his latest venture,Fish Tag. He tore down walls to open the space up, went with exposed brick and Australian Cyprus wood, and installed a granite-topped counter in the front room that accommodates 30 and serves the full menu, which is all about nachos. Kidding, it's seafood. Specifically, Fish Tag is a"seafood parlor,"emphasizing a"concise"menu of Mediterranean-inspired dishes complemented by a huge selection of wines, beers and spirits. (Ten beers on tap and fourteen by the bottle.)

Psilakis also brought in the wild card chefRyan Skeento create the fish-focused menu, in which meat plays a supporting role. The menu is grouped into a collection of dishes that progress from light&delicate to heavy&bold, with wine pairings suggested for each one. Options from the small plates section include Grilled Prawn, Whipped Feta and Spicy Yellow Chilies Bruschetta with cumin, cracked peppercorn and garlic; Bacala and Skordalia Brandade“Melt” with kefaloteri, smoked eggplant, and tomato confit. Larger dishes include Grilled Swordfish and Loukaniko with Middle Eastern-spiced cracked bulger salad and grilled Tuscan kale; and Grilled Branzino stuffed with Head Cheese with mushrooms confit.

Whatever you order, you can choose to depart from the chefs' preparation and simply have your fish grilled over an open flame and dressed with lemon and extra virgin olive oil, accompanied with a warm salad of braised bitter greens, olives, tomato and heirloom potato confit. There is also a house cheese and bread station, house-made charcuterie, and a sushi refrigerator that will substitute raw fish for classic Jewish style appetizing selections of cured, smoked and salted fish. Something tells us that Psilakis has really figured out his clientele on the Upper West Side.

Fish Tag // 222 West 79th Street // (212) 362-7470

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Hanukkah Starts Tonight

The world's largest menorah

Hanukkah, the chosen people's answer to Christmas, kicks off tonight at sundown. Which means its time to grab your gelt, keep your candles dry, try to remember how toplay with your dreideland, if you are lucky, eat a whole lot of fried food in the next eight days. Don't want to celebrate the holiday alone? You've got options. Many options.

To start, anyday for the next week you can skip past theRockefeller christmas treeand head up Fifth Avenue to 59th Street where theworld's largest menorahwill be lit nightly at 5:30 p.m. Go on Sunday night and there will also be live music and free potato latkes. That's just the tip of the events iceberg, you can find many more celebrations of all kindshere. And then there is alwaysMajor League Dreidel...

Just want those delicious, delicious fried potato pancakes? Many restaurants across the city are offering latkes on their menu for the holiday including Brooklyn'sMile End(three for $10), the Upper West Side's Telepan (with applesauce and sour cream for $10, with smoked salmon for $16) and Hell's Kitchen's Toloache (where they put a Mexican spin on them and include a zucchini latke in their trio, $13). Not to mention old-school options like Katz's ($9) or Sammy's Roumanian ($8.95).

At least once this week though we'll probably bemaking our own latkes—justnot broccoli latkes.

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