• A handful of top NYC chefs recount their favorite meals of 2008. [Metromix]
• Chinatown's HSF dim sum house is no more. [Zagat]
• The Standard is supposedly opening for friends and family on Sunday. [Eater]
• Only a holiday miracle will keep Via Delle Zoccolette in business. [Eater]
• Free sliders at Morton's tomorrow from 5-6, if you're interested. [GS]
• Boqueria is now serving lunch; breakfast at the Oak Room begins 1/1. [GS]
• A few food trends you can look forward to in 2009. [Gourmet]

♦ Tonight is the night for Thomas Keller and Grant Achatz's 20-course, $1,500 dinner at Per Se, and despite the bad economy, it's completely sold out. [NYT, NYT]
♦ A Q&A with chef Seamus Mullen, whose long-awaited Boqueria Soho finally opened last night. [Metromix, Eater]
♦ Christopher Lee will depart Gilt at the end of the year to take over as Auerole's executive chef. [NYT]

♦ Frank Bruni of the Times visits Bobo this week, and awards one star to new chef Patrick Connolly for his "ambition" and "good intentions," although he also points out that the restaurant "hasn't wholly surrendered its attitude and put service before sheen." [NYT]
♦ The NYPD shut down Serge Becker's "guerilla" election night party at La Esquina last night. [NYO]
♦ Boqueria's Soho location has been granted a liquor license and should be open by next week. [GS]