• Add Bobby Flay to the list of chefs being sued by their waiters. [GS]
• The death toll mounts: A list of restaurants that closed this week. [Eater]
• Oh, the lengths restaurants will go to catch a critic in their midst. [GS]
• Not surprisingly, JGV is a fan of Co., which he invested in recently. [JGV]
• Got $395 to burn? Aquavit has a five-course menu for you next week. [Zagat]
• One good thing about the recession: We thought we'd never have to read another article about eating gold ever again. And yet we were wrong. [WSJ]

• Union Prime and Onda both open today. [NYT]
• Terrance Brennan's Artisanal just added a grilled-cheese bar. Oy. [GS]
• Black Iron Burger Shop is the latest victim of the dining crime spree. [Eater]
• Bad news, coffee addicts: prices are expected to shoot up this year. [NYDN]
• Kelly Choi has signed on to host the new Top Chef spinoff. [TONY]
• A few suggestions on where to eat and drink on inauguration night. [RG]
• Were you lucky enough to earn an invite to the inaugural dinner? Enjoy the duck, pheasant, seafood stew, and apple-cinnamon sponge cake! [TFB]

• Steve Hanson shocker! The restaurateur is closing down SoHo's Fiamma as well as Ruby Foo's on 77th Street, and the Blue Water Grill in Chicago. [Eater]
• Drew Nieporent, Danny Meyer, Alan Stillman, and Jennifer Oz LeRoy are all contenders to take over the Rainbow Room if the Ciprianis are evicted. [NYO]
• How to pay the least and get the most out of Restaurant Week. [NYP]
• Frank Bruni hands out one star apiece to West Branch and BarBao. [NYT]
• Famed Mexican food cart Calexico is opening a restaurant. [NBC4]
• Restaurant recommendations from... personal trainers? [Zagat]

• The Cipriani saga continues: The family has filed suit against landlord Tishman Speyer for terminating its Rainbow Room lease and is asking for $1.8 million in damages. [NYP]
• Here's some good news (or perhaps some wishful thinking): A handful of America's priciest restaurants, including Masa and Per Se, say that business has not been hurt by the recession. [Bloomberg]
• Joe Bastianich is dropping the price of the tasting menus at Del Posto. [NYT]
• Klee Brasserie in Chelsea is now open for lunch. [GS]
• Scott Bryan is taking over for Neil Manacle as executive chef at Apiary. [NYT]
• What can you get to eat downtown for $1 or less? Quite a bit! [Metromix]
• Change is not on the way, at least as far as the White House kitchen is concerned. The Obamas are keeping current chef Cristeta Comerford. [WP]

• More trouble for the Ciprianis: The family's Rainbow Room lease has been terminated by Tishman Speyer for failing to pay millions in back rent. [NYT]
• The latest recessionary byproduct: restaurants are getting robbed. [Eater]
• Noah Tepperberg has won approval to open a new lounge in Chelsea. [NYP]
• Adam Platt gives John Dory two stars in this week's New York, subtracting points for a "slightly uneven" menu and "overamped" atmosphere. [NYM]
• Ron Perelman, Jon Bon Jovi and Larry Gagosian purchased the lease for the Blue Parrot in East Hampton and now plan to re-open it in May. [Page Six]
• Tom Colicchio and Craft executive chef Damon Wise are launching a new Friday night menu consisting of dishes and drinks under $10. [GS]
• Want to sample some deadly blowfish? You're in luck! [GS]

• Ago, the restaurant inside the Greenwich Hotel, will close at the end of the month when Jean-Georges Vongerichten takes over. He'll change the restaurant's name and chef, but says the menu will remain Italian. [TFB]
• Kefi is reopening tonight after it was shuttered by the Dep't of Health. [Eater]
• Buddha Bar has been forced to change its name after losing a lawsuit. [P6]
• Elad Properties says the closure of the Palm Court is only temporary. [NYT]
• Picholine says it plans to expand its "Menu d'Economie." [W&D]
• A rundown of this week's restaurant closures. [Eater]
• The Observer's top 10 picks for a romantic Valentine's Day dinner. [NYO]

Party priest and American hero Gregory Malia was defrocked for being too cool for church, but his partying don't stop yall! He's made his way to Palm Beach, where champagne supplies are in danger:

• The restaurant formerly known as Grayz reopens as Atria tonight. [NYT]
• Bobby Flay is launching a talk radio show on Sirius XM. [AP]
• The latest blow to Giuseppe Cipriani? He's having credit problems. [Eater]
• Here's a great deal: On Friday night, you can watch Babette's Feast and then eat Babette's feast. Just $6,000 a couple! [GS]
• If cash is tight, head over to SideBAR on Saturday night without any pants on and you'll get a free drink. The humiliation you'll experience is free, too. [NYB]
• Devin Tavern on Greenwich Street has officially closed. [Eater]
• For shame: Unless he gets his act together, George W. Bush will become the first U.S. President since FDR who has not dined at the '21' Club. [P6, HuffPo]

• One sign we're in a recession: The Times published an article today on the joys of eating squirrel. Guess we'll see you in Central Park later tonight! [NYT]
• Frank Bruni calls Rouge Tomate "impressive" and gives it one star in today's New York Times, although he also reports the food "lacks punch." [NYT]
• Kefi has been shut down by the Department of Health. [Eater]
• Forge owners Marc Forgione and Christopher Blumlo are changing the name of their eatery to avoid a lawsuit by a similarly-named spot in Miami. [NYO]
• Brooklyn's Patois isn't closing after all; it's moving across the street. [Zagat]
• JoeDoe in the East Village is offering a new three-course, $35 prix fixe called the "Madoff menu." But where are the pork sausages? [GS]

• Those "anniversary specials" at the Four Seasons and Daniel? They may actually just be recession discounts in disguise. [W&D via GS]
• The latest contender to take over Wakiya is Danny Meyer. [Eater]
• Patois, one of the first upscale spots to open on Smith Street in Carroll Gardens, will serve its final meal on Sunday. [NYT]
• Momofuko Ko is offering a $225 Super Bowl take-out special. [Eater]
• The UWS's Emerald Inn won't be shutting down after all. [NYT]
• A Q&A with food critic (and former New York employee) Gael Greene. [RG]

Hard-partying Episcopal Priest Gregory Malia was popular in New York nightclubs, what with his $17,000 tips and all. In Wilkes-Barre, Pa. — they have a nightclub! — he was just weird.

• The Cipriani family is planning to close the Rainbow Grill on January 12th, although the bar and banquet space will remain open. [AP]
• The troubled Palm Court inside the Plaza closed last week. [Eater]
• A pizza-making school is coming to Bleecker Street. [NYT]
• Upright Citizens Brigade is contemplating an East Village outpost. [GS]
• The success of Simon Hammerstein's The Box is leading more nightclubs to consider adding live entertainment. [NYP]
• Restaurant Week reservations are now being accepted. [NYCGo]

Just in case you haven't made plans for tonight and tomorrow, here are a bunch of places to eat, drink, party, and be merry. Or just stay at home, go to sleep early, and dream about a healthy and happy 2009.

• Jim Lahey's Co., backed by JGV and Phil Suarez, opens Friday. [Eater]
• City Winery is hosting (another) sneak preview from 6 to 12 tonight. [Eater]
• At Vermilion's going all out tomorrow night with a seven-course menu. [TFB]
• A guide to food shopping along 14th Street. [Urbanite]
• Margaret Palaca Bakes in Cobble Hill is closing. [BP]
• Just a few of the spots mentioned on The City last night: Nero, Cafe Noir, Thom Bar, Extra Virgin, Tenjune, and Philippe. [Metromix Twitter]

It's getting ugly out there for celebs who branched out into the hospitality business. Robert De Niro's Ago is on the ropes, Jay-Z's plans to open a hotel in Chelsea have been derailed, and now after 10 years in business, Chris Noth's Cutting Room will be closing in January. The sudden closure probably comes as disappointing news for Noth but he can always drown his sorrows at Noel Ashman's Plumm, where he's an investor and which is still in business, in case you were wondering. [Page Six]

• Adam Platt's annual "Where to Eat" guide is now online. [NYM]
• Ian Schrager may be talking to Scott Conant about taking over the Wakiya space inside the Gramercy Park Hotel. [Eater]
• Daniel Boulud shares a few of his fave places to eat in NYC. [Independent]
• The NYT asks the months-old question: Is Chloe the new Beatrice? [NYT]
• Hope you can do without guacamole: An avocado shortage is looming. [LAT]
• More options for New Year's Eve, in case you've yet to make plans. [FB]
• The documentary on Le Cirque and the Maccioni family airs tonight. [HBO]

So much for watching soused Saturday Night Live cast members play Bon Jovi songs Saturday nights at "The Cutting Room," because Chris Noth is shutting his Flatiron district club.

New York nightlife is in an incredibly bad place if the biggest spender on the scene is an Episcopal priest who drives in from Wilkes Barre, Pa., to drop tens of thousands of dollars on bottle service. The New York Daily News tries to figure out where Gregory Malia, the youngish fellow second from the right in the photo, gets enough cash to drop $52,000 in one night. He was ordained as a priest in 2002 and otherwise runs a pharmaceutical business that specializes in supplies for hemophiliacs. "I work hard. I make good money. How I spend it - that is my business," he tells the News. "I haven't done anything inappropriate."

• A list of spots where you can save on stress and dine out on Christmas. [NYM]
• Tips on how to avoid food poisoning at Grandma's house this year. [NYDN]
• Frank Bruni checks in on Tom Colicchio's Tuesday Dinner and Brian Bistrong's Braeburn in today's Times. [NYT, NYT]
• Is champagne too ostentatious given current events? Try punch. [NYT, NYT]
• Just in case you feel like skipping ahead to New Year's Eve, here's a complete rundown of events planned for the big night. [Citysearch]

• Armin Amiri's Socialista was shut down by the yesterday for failing to post "No Smoking" signs. Or did it have something to do with the rat problem? [GS]
• A group of vandals broke in Stephen Hanson's Fiamma last night. [Eater]
• David Burke's Fishtail is serving a late-night menu from 11pm to 1am. [GS]
• A bunch of changes are in the works for the Rusty Knot. [GS]
• The new d.b.a. beer bar has opened in Williamsburg. [FB]
• Billy's Bakery is giving out $1 cupcakes today if you're interested. [Eater]
• A roundup of outdoor bars that have heaters, so you can drink all winter long without having to put on gloves. [FB]