• Rumor has it the end may be near for Marcus Samuelsson's Aquavit. [TFB]
• Café Noir, on the other hand, will live on. Following reports the Soho spot would be forced to close its doors this summer comes word that the owners have convinced their landlord to renew their lease for another year. [Eater]
• Danyelle Freeman of the NYDN gives four out of five stars to Andrew Carmellini's "thoughtful and imaginative" cooking at Locanda Verde. [NYDN]
• Philippe Bertineau, the executive chef at the now-shuttered Payard, speaks out about the UES pâtisserie/bistro's untimely demise. [TONY]
• Butcher Bay, the seafood spot in the East Village, has filed suit against Community Board 3 over its decision to deny it a liquor license. [Eater]

• An interview with Aldea chef (and pizza addict) George Mendes. [W]
• Kyle Bailey is the latest chef to leave Allen & Delancey. [GS]
• Have you made your Bastille Day plans yet? Go right ahead. [Zagat]
• Expect the price of salmon to go up. Thanks a lot, Chile. [WSJ]
• Meet the hipster-y girls from Greenpoint who dispense ice cream from the Queen Frostine ice cream truck—and occasionally wear bikinis doing it. [GoaG]