Crisis in Foodyville! Freeman's, the hipper-than-thou haven for diners who like their comfort food served with a side of taxidermy, may have some competition in its perfectly-hidden alley. Simon Hammerstein (yes, that Hammerstein) is in the process of opening a dinner theater-nightclub in Freeman's Alley; tentatively named The Box, Hammerstein's theater will host plays and burlesque. Josh Lucas, Rachel Weisz, and Jude Law sit on its board and, if everything goes according to plan, The Box will bring a lot of "limo-riders" to the alley—much to the chagrin of Freeman's owner Taavo Somer, who knows that the forthcoming glitz will ruin his restaurant's studied esotericism.

The real issue: has Somer taken a look around his establishment lately? The crowd isn't exactly destitute or drab. And gosh, there's always a lot of towncars outside... But we're sure they're just for the crowd at neighboring Loreley biergerten, right?
Not In My Back Alley [NYM]