Copyright 2008 The New York Sun Wed, 18 Jun 2008 16:38:04 -0400 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Jennifer Leuzzi :: Stories from The New York Sun http://www.nysun.com/authors/Jennifer+Leuzzi istoll@nysun.com (Ira Stoll) webmaster@nysun.com en-us JENNIFER LEUZZI http://www.nysun.com/food-drink/introducing-the-african-brasserie/70834/ Wed, 6 Feb 2008 00:00:00 EST The latest venture of chef Marcus Samuelsson, Merkato 55 — an "African brasserie" — is slated to open at the end of this week in the meatpacking district. Merkato means "market" in Italian, and Mr. Samuelsson said the restaurant was designed to recall the kaleidoscopic energy of Africa's largest outdoor market, Addis Merkato in Ethiopia's capital city, Addis Ababa. The fare, however, isn't focused entirely on the cuisine of any one country. Instead, Mr. Samuelsson, who was born in Ethiopia and... JENNIFER LEUZZI http://www.nysun.com/food-drink/chefs-christmas-menus/68315/ Wed, 19 Dec 2007 00:00:00 EST Adults look forward to Christmas, often more for the food than for the gifts. While Thanksgiving menus are generally similar for most New Yorkers — turkey, stuffing, and pumpkin pie — Christmas menus are unique, inspired by family memories, many originating from points outside of the city. Three local chefs share their favorite recipes for the holiday. LAURENT TOURONDEL: MOM'S BLACK & WHITE CHOCOLATE CAKE For chef Laurent Tourondel of the BLT restaurant group, there are two reasons to eat cake... JENNIFER LEUZZI http://www.nysun.com/food-drink/chefs-last-suppers/65566/ Wed, 31 Oct 2007 00:00:00 EST For his last meal on earth, French chef Jacques Pépin would choose crunchy baguettes and Béylon oysters. And chef Wylie Dufresne of WD-50 on the Lower East Side would opt for a "screaming rare" cheeseburger topped with a fried egg, while chef Laurent Tourondel of BLT fame would eat a classic, glazed Krispy Kreme doughnut. Messrs. Pépin, Dufresne, and Tourondel are among 50 of the world's preeminent chefs — 22 of them have New York restaurants — whose interviews and portraits are featured in "My... JENNIFER LEUZZI http://www.nysun.com/food-drink/where-food-is-on-the-marquee/62983/ Wed, 19 Sep 2007 00:00:00 EST Anticipating new eateries from name brand chefs is exciting, but don't jump to dial the reservation lines just yet. Fall openings are often delayed — and it could be months before the tables are actually set. Food-related fall events, by contrast, are almost always a sure thing since venues are reserved, tickets sold, and experts secured months in advance. Here is a roundup of some of the season's tastiest happenings. Gourmet Institute One weekend a year, the editors and staff of Gourmet... JENNIFER LEUZZI http://www.nysun.com/food-drink/cordial-invitations/61955/ Wed, 5 Sep 2007 00:00:00 EST Several years into a cocktail renaissance, house-made specialty drinks and artisan liqueurs are no longer trends; these days, they are the standard. Like their culinary counterparts, "bar chefs" are striving to devise new and innovative recipes. In that vein, an owner and the head mixologist at the year-old Devin Tavern (363 Greenwich St., between Harrison and Franklin streets, 212-334-7337), Michael Waterhouse, will this week unveil his "Cordial Box of Liquid Truffles." While most flavored... JENNIFER LEUZZI http://www.nysun.com/food-drink/steak-in-the-family-business/61061/ Wed, 22 Aug 2007 00:00:00 EST In the three decades since Alan Stillman opened the first Smith & Wollensky steak house in Midtown Manhattan, his empire has grown to 13 restaurants, and in 2001, it went public as the Smith & Wollensky Restaurant Group. This week, shareholders approved a deal to sell the restaurant group to Patina Restaurant Group for $94.6 million, or $11 a share. Under the deal, the group will no longer own the eight Smith & Wollensky restaurants outside of New York City, but Mr. Stillman will retain... JENNIFER LEUZZI http://www.nysun.com/food-drink/when-mercury-is-on-the-menu/59139/ Wed, 25 Jul 2007 00:00:00 EST Trans fats, beef, cheese and soft drinks. Cut back on them, a flurry of health studies have warned. This week's cautionary report comes from the New York City Department of Health, putting sushi and fish with high-mercury content such as tuna and swordfish on the list. How do the city's top seafood restaurants respond? It's not a four-alarm fire, but it has ignited plenty of discussion. Several New York chefs, while they do not anticipate major menu or ordering changes, said the city study... JENNIFER LEUZZI http://www.nysun.com/food-drink/from-dishwasher-to-pasta-expert/56423/ Wed, 13 Jun 2007 00:00:00 EST A Voce Restaurant serves about 100 pounds of fresh pasta each week. But as with most Italian restaurants in New York City, the penne, spaghetti, and ravioli are not made by Italian grandmothers or celebrity chefs. They are made by a little-known force of dishwashers and porters turned pastamasters. At A Voce, the much-lauded pasta is made in-house by Jose Guermos, a prep cook who has become an expert in handmade pasta under the watchful eye of chef Andrew Carmellini. "There are prepguy... JENNIFER LEUZZI http://www.nysun.com/food-drink/tv-dinners-2007-06-06/55977/ Wed, 6 Jun 2007 00:00:00 EST Chef Anne Burrell has a solid résumé, with time spent in the kitchens of Felidia, Savoy, Italian Wine Merchants, and a stint as an instructor at the Institute of Culinary Education. If her name isn't familiar, however, you might recognize her shock of white-blond hair as belonging to one of Mario Batali's sous chefs on the television show "Iron Chef." Now Ms. Burrell is opening her first restaurant, Centro Vinoteca (74 Seventh Ave. South, 212-376-7470). "The show helped me get the job, and I'm... JENNIFER LEUZZI http://www.nysun.com/food-drink/bubbly-treat/55505/ Wed, 30 May 2007 00:00:00 EST Next time you're relaxing in Central Park and are a bit peckish, consider a snack from a cart. Leave the green, cross Columbus Circle, and head up to the 35th floor of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel. There you'll find the ne plus ultra snack: the Champagne cart. It rolled into the lobby bar recently to offer guests an indulgent summer treat. The cart offers Dom Pérignon and Krug Champagnes, selections that are not available on the regular wine list. Before the cork is popped, the waiter adds a... JENNIFER LEUZZI http://www.nysun.com/food-drink/best-in-chow/53167/ Wed, 25 Apr 2007 00:00:00 EST On May 7, the nation's top cooks will trade their chef whites for black tie and stroll down a 30-foot red carpet at Lincoln Center's Avery Fisher Hall. They'll be taking the night off from the kitchen to attend the 20th annual James Beard Awards — the culinary Oscars, complete with glamour, rivalries, and after-parties. The James Beard Foundation, a nonprofit based in New York, boasts a mission of "celebrating, preserving, and nurturing America's culinary heritage and diversity." It provides... JENNIFER LEUZZI http://www.nysun.com/food-drink/central-parks-new-chef/51302/ Wed, 28 Mar 2007 00:00:00 EST When a chef takes over a restaurant, he usually starts by thinking about new menus. For Brian Young, the newest chef at Tavern on the Green, the first order of business was learning everyone's names. It took him a full week: There are more than 90 people working in the 13,000-square-foot kitchen, to which Mr. Young has added $100,000 worth of new equipment. Mr. Young's first menu will make its debut on April 8 — Easter Sunday — with 2,000 reservations already on the books. He'll try out dishes... JENNIFER LEUZZI http://www.nysun.com/food-drink/pastry-chefs-prepare-for-the-main-course/48595/ Wed, 14 Feb 2007 00:00:00 EST Enjoy that plain chocolate cake this Valentine's Day while you can because dessert in New York is about to get interesting. Former pastry chefs Pichet Ong, Sam Mason, and Jehangir Mehta are all soon opening full-service restaurants downtown, and the menus go far beyond sugar. Each chef has a different style, but together they are creating a new kind of cuisine that blurs the line between savory and sweet. Mr. Ong's last post was pastry chef at both Spice Market and 66. The restaurants' chef and... JENNIFER LEUZZI http://www.nysun.com/food-drink/taste-of-the-west/46808/ Wed, 17 Jan 2007 00:00:00 EST "All cities are B cities compared to New York," chef Mario Batali said. Yet Mr. Batali opened a restaurant in Los Angeles after finding success with Babbo and other Italian restaurants in New York. He opened Mozza, an outpost of his casual downtown spot Otto, in November in Los Angeles. He said the main reason he opened Mozza was to collaborate with his friend and business partner, Los Angeles chef Nancy Silverton. Mr. Batali is not the only chef to be lured to Los Angeles in recent years... JENNIFER LEUZZI http://www.nysun.com/food-drink/restaurant-openings-for-2007/46380/ Wed, 10 Jan 2007 00:00:00 EST The New York restaurant scene last year offered record-breaking numbers of multimillion-dollar eateries from superstar chefs including Joël Robuchon, Masaharu Morimoto, and Gordon Ramsay. Meanwhile, classics such as Le Cirque and the Russian Tea Room reopened with great fanfare. The gastro-high continues into 2007, but with moderation. Tables to come include Alain Ducasse at the St. Regis, Park Chinois at the Gramercy Hotel, and Morandi, Keith McNally's first foray into Italian cuisine. Sound... JENNIFER LEUZZI http://www.nysun.com/food-drink/year-in-eats/45793/ Wed, 27 Dec 2006 00:00:00 EST This year showed that New York's hunger for all things culinary is far from abating. On the contrary, it's booming. According to the 2007 Zagat Guide, restaurant openings outpaced closing by two to one — there were 222 "noteworthy" openings compared with 102 closings. The press has expanded its coverage online, in print, and on the airwaves to include not just restaurant openings, but plate-by-plate accounts of chefs' lives, exhaustive neighborhood reports, and up-to-the-minute guides on... JENNIFER LEUZZI http://www.nysun.com/food-drink/gordon-ramsay-lands-in-new-york/43509/ Wed, 15 Nov 2006 00:00:00 EST Yesterday afternoon, Gordon Ramsay landed in New York, cleared customs, and proceeded directly to West 54th Street. Off the lobby of the recently opened London NYC hotel, workmen were putting the finishing touches on his restaurant, Gordon Ramsay at the London, where 300 people were expected at 6:30 for the opening-night cocktail party. Today, Mr. Ramsay is off to an afternoon signing at a Midtown Barnes & Noble for his new book, "Roasting in Hell's Kitchen." And tomorrow the restaurant... JENNIFER LEUZZI http://www.nysun.com/food-drink/november-restaurant-openings/42647/ Wed, 1 Nov 2006 00:00:00 EST In the photo studio at Gourmet magazine, pastry chef Sam Mason recently showed off several dishes from his yet-to-be-named SoHo restaurant. Most fall previews listed it as opening this month, but Mr. Mason explained, "It takes a lot longer to build a restaurant than I thought." His restaurant is now scheduled to open next year, which leaves plenty of time to come up with a name. Here's a list of new places, all with names, reservation lines, and opening dates this month. But delays are often on... JENNIFER LEUZZI http://www.nysun.com/travel/well-timed-spa-vacation-just-before-boarding/42505/ Mon, 30 Oct 2006 00:00:00 EST Travel and fashion magazines have long dictated in-flight regimens of lotions and potions to keep travelers hydrated, feeling fresh, and to make the trip more comfortable. Sage advice yes, but no longer possible under the current (and ever changing) travel regulations. The new quick service spas at the airport — tucked between Starbucks and the Hudson News kiosk — present an alternative, but how relaxing is it to have a chair massage on the concourse? A recent offering from the award-winning... JENNIFER LEUZZI http://www.nysun.com/food-drink/michelin-makes-its-list/42242/ Wed, 25 Oct 2006 00:00:00 EST The contents of Michelin's inaugural guide to New York City restaurants were announced last year at a highly anticipated party at the Guggenheim Museum in front of a crowd of international chefs and journalists. This year, the director of the Michelin Guides, Jean Luc Naret, presided over a simple breakfast at Bouchon in the Time Warner Center, attended by just a handful of members of the press. "We decided to do things little differently this year," Mr. Naret said at yesterday's event. "The... JENNIFER LEUZZI http://www.nysun.com/food-drink/chefs-exhale-zagat-makes-its-appearance-today-but/41349/ Wed, 11 Oct 2006 00:00:00 EST October has become a nervewracking month for chefs. Gourmet magazine listed its top 50 restaurants in the country in its October issue, and the second Michelin guide to New York City will be released later this month. And the populist Zagat Survey's 2007 New York City Restaurants guide, which covers many more restaurants than the others combined, makes it national debut today. "You take them all seriously," chef Bill Telepan said last weekend, "and hope for the best." The guide consolidates... JENNIFER LEUZZI http://www.nysun.com/arts/new-yorks-king-of-hospitality/40856/ Wed, 4 Oct 2006 00:00:00 EST "If I've learned any one thing in 21 years of business, it's not service, it's hospitality," Danny Meyer said a few weeks ago at the International Economic Development Council's annual conference in New York. As keynote speaker at the "Defining Issues" luncheon (along with Jet Blue's chief executive, David Needleman), Mr. Meyer was there to share his business philosophy. "Service is how product is delivered, the technical aspect," he said, while hospitality is how you make people feel. "Good... JENNIFER LEUZZI http://www.nysun.com/food-drink/october-restaurant-openings/40881/ Wed, 4 Oct 2006 00:00:00 EST Chefs love to open a new place in the fall because it's the busiest time for restaurants in New York and it gives them time to work out the kinks before the lucrative holiday season. But opening a restaurant is not an exact science, it's more of a work in progress — so dates are fluid. Visitors can enjoy the perks of a hotel suite, like a minibar and concierge, without checking in by reserving one of the nine private dinning rooms at Room Service. Order off-the-menu with 24 hours' notice and... JENNIFER LEUZZI http://www.nysun.com/food-drink/citys-next-flavors/39956/ Wed, 20 Sep 2006 00:00:00 EST New Yorkers like to be first in a new restaurant, which makes it challenging for existing restaurants to grab the spotlight. It also means we sometimes forget the city's classics. This fall, Gramercy Tavern and Gilt both have new chefs, making the restaurants as exciting as something new. In the food world, a changing of the guard at restaurants with such high profiles is like a trade by the Yankees. Although Gilt has not been open quite a year, the space it occupies in the landmark Villard... JENNIFER LEUZZI http://www.nysun.com/food-drink/opening-in-september/39980/ Wed, 20 Sep 2006 00:00:00 EST A preview of the season's coming restaurants has become a part of fall in New York, just like back-to-school shopping. While they provide an enticing glimpse at what's ahead, previews are fraught with potential disappointment. Restaurant openings are often delayed because of problems ranging from turning on the electricity to acquiring permits and hiring staff. It's not unusual for a fall preview restaurant to appear again six months later in the spring list or, in some cases, never to open at... JENNIFER LEUZZI http://www.nysun.com/food-drink/citys-mecca-for-epicureans/38796/ Wed, 30 Aug 2006 00:00:00 EST When Union Square Partnership hosts its 11th annual grazing event "Harvest in the Square" on September 19, the park will be teeming with foodies: 45 restaurants, paired with wines and sponsors, are expected to draw 1,200 attendees and generate $100,000 for the partnership. And why not? Union Square today is New York's central food district. Culinary interests — from the beloved Greenmarket to pioneering restaurants to new stores like Trader Joe's — dominate the public space that through... JENNIFER LEUZZI http://www.nysun.com/food-drink/when-salt-dresses-up/38363/ Wed, 23 Aug 2006 00:00:00 EST There are 340 different kinds of salt in the world," chef Wolfgang VonWieser of the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas said recently. And like an increasing number of gourmands with a fascination with the mineral, he just might use them all eventually. From its 20th-century B.C. origins as a salary for Roman soldiers, salt eventually became a mandatory member of the well-stocked modern pantry. And now it has become exotic again: It's common to see dozens of salt choices in the grocery store and on... JENNIFER LEUZZI http://www.nysun.com/food-drink/top-chef-arrives-in-new-york-finally/37595/ Wed, 9 Aug 2006 00:00:00 EST New Yorkers are close to having their first taste of chef Joël Robuchon, whose restaurants in Paris, Tokyo, and Las Vegas are considered among the best in the world. L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon in the Four Seasons Hotel, will officially open September 5. But in the meantime, starting today, the restaurant is in "soft opening" — that means regular New Yorkers have an early chance to enjoy what will likely be one of the city's most popular high-end restaurants. Doing a soft opening is a common way... JENNIFER LEUZZI http://www.nysun.com/travel/4-star-farm/36560/ Mon, 24 Jul 2006 00:00:00 EST My husband made the vacation plans, but I was skeptical. I told friends, "We're going to some huckleberry farm down south." Then I saw the itinerary: It said Tennessee, and I was even more skeptical. After a two-hour and 10 minute flight from La Guardia, we landed in Knoxville. Blackberry Farm is in Walland, 15 minutes down the highway (800-557-2203, www.blackberryfarm.com). A bright white fence, guarding a rolling green pasture dotted with a dozen colts, is the first thing to come to into view... JENNIFER LEUZZI http://www.nysun.com/food-drink/taste-of-the-future-maybe/35873/ Wed, 12 Jul 2006 00:00:00 EST "Maté is the new chai" the founder of the new Denver-based company Pixie, Duane Primozich, said, as he poured a cup of his own brew. Maté (pronounced MAH-tay), the evergreen tree native to South American rainforests, boasts vitamins, minerals, eight times the antioxidants of green tea, and smoother kick than coffee. It's also just one of the ingredients being touted at this week's 52nd Summer Fancy Food Show at the Javits Center. Between Sunday and yesterday, 2,200 companies exhibited their... JENNIFER LEUZZI http://www.nysun.com/food-drink/in-las-vegas-the-stars-are-out/35184/ Wed, 28 Jun 2006 00:00:00 EST Long before the term "foodie" was invented, gastronomes were planning trips around reservations at the world's top tables. In 1900, the Michelin tire company produced "Le Guide Michelin," adding its three-star rating system in 1926 to encourage readers to drive to dinner. While the guidebook has not yet reached Las Vegas - New York recently became the first American city rated, and a San Francisco guide will debut this fall - the city has become the site of an unlikely desert constellation... JENNIFER LEUZZI http://www.nysun.com/food-drink/pitmaster-parade/34166/ Fri, 9 Jun 2006 00:00:00 EST A parade of barbecue rigs and refrigerated trucks filled with meat will make its way to Madison Square Park today. It's all in preparation for this weekend's 4th Annual Big Apple Barbecue Block Party, where America's top pitmasters offer their best to a hungry throng of New Yorkers. Some, such as pitmaster Bryan Bracewell of Southside Market & BBQ, are coming from as far away as Texas. "We were surprised at the intensity of how much New Yorkers love barbecue," Mr. Bracewell said of his... JENNIFER LEUZZI http://www.nysun.com/food-drink/le-cirques-incarnation-is-about-to-be-tested/32872/ Wed, 17 May 2006 00:00:00 EST The third incarnation of Le Cirque will open to the public on May 31 at its new home at One Beacon Court. The restaurant is already booked for the month of June and into July. Between the opening party tomorrow night and the public opening are two weeks of parties hosted by foodies and celebrities including Ruth Reichl of Gourmet magazine, real estate magnate William Zeckendorf Jr., and actor Bill Cosby. Despite the pomp and circumstance, one thing hasn't changed at the new $16 million space... JENNIFER LEUZZI http://www.nysun.com/food-drink/new-chef-in-town/32429/ Wed, 10 May 2006 00:00:00 EST "In San Francisco I was on top of the game,"chef Daniel Humm said the other day. "But I have so much energy. On top, you're not pushed and I love the challenge."At the jewel box restaurant Campton Place, in the San Francisco hotel of the same name, Mr. Humm was one of only seven chefs to receive a four-star rating from the San Francisco Chronicle last year, sharing the list with Thomas Keller and Alice Waters. In 2004 the Chronicle named him a rising star. In 2005 Food & Wine Magazine named... JENNIFER LEUZZI http://www.nysun.com/real-estate/ian-schrager-finds-an-antidote-to-living-in/32135/ Thu, 4 May 2006 00:00:00 EST Whether it's a discotheque, hotel, or restaurant, Ian Schrager seems to have a knack for hitting the sweet spot of public tastes, just when people are looking for a new flavor and just before someone else has set up shop. His latest project, 50 Gramercy Park North and the Gramercy Park Hotel, is a 2-in-1 combination hotel and luxury condominium. The two buildings are distinctly separate, yet are linked by services, amenities, and Mr. Schrager's signature style. Owners are scheduled to move into... JENNIFER LEUZZI http://www.nysun.com/arts/feast-for-the-eyes/31217/ Wed, 19 Apr 2006 00:00:00 EST The first entry for the slang term "food porn" appeared in the online dictionary Wikipeda in 2003. The current definition is "food with spectacular presentation," and "food so exotic or complex that the average cook wouldn't even attempt it." Looking is the pleasure. Photography is crucial for a cookbook, even those with recipes meant for the home cook. "It's not a coffee table book, but a book to be cooked from," chef David Burke said about his recently published "David Burke's New American... JENNIFER LEUZZI http://www.nysun.com/food-drink/king-of-the-eu/30386/ Wed, 5 Apr 2006 00:00:00 EST Do you know Bob Giraldi? Ask the question at a Hollywood cocktail party and the response will be,"Yes, the director?" Ask at a New York City restaurant opening and the response will be, "Yes, the restaurant owner." Mr. Giraldi, whose 12th restaurant, the E.U., opens Friday, has created two successful careers, in film and restaurants. No other restaurateur has his work in the collections at the Museum of Modern Art or has won hundreds of Clio Awards. As he said last week at his neighborhood... JENNIFER LEUZZI http://www.nysun.com/food-drink/restaurant-forecast-plus-new-spring-drinks/29577/ Wed, 22 Mar 2006 00:00:00 EST A preview of restaurants to come is always fraught with potential disaster. Restaurant openings are notoriously delayed, anywhere from a few days to more than a year. Anyone who's done even minor construction in an apartment understands why. The causes range from waiting for Con Edision to turn on the gas to needing a last million dollars to finish construction. In compiling this story, I asked for not only menus and architect's names, but also if permits have been issued and the lights have... JENNIFER LEUZZI http://www.nysun.com/new-york/crowds-swamp-trader-joes-as-it-opens-in-city/29392/ Mon, 20 Mar 2006 00:00:00 EST The first New York outpost of Trader Joe's - the West Coast grocery chain famous for its cheap and cheerful sensibility - opened on Friday near Union Square to massive crowds. But with a Whole Foods Market just one block away, there's a battle royale shaping up for your gourmet dollar. Is it worth braving the throng at Trader Joe's to see what all the fuss is about? I decided to put my taste buds to the test. Trader Joe's has built a cult-like following for its inexpensive house brand and... JENNIFER LEUZZI http://www.nysun.com/food-drink/al-fresco-at-a-voce/28355/ Wed, 1 Mar 2006 00:00:00 EST What's uptown chef Andrew Carmellini doing cooking Italian downtown? The answer is al fresco. "I've always felt like I've lead a double life, working uptown and living downtown," he said recently, "but I'm really a downtown guy." Mr. Carmellini garnered great reviews during his six years as chef de cuisine at Cafe Boulud, the very French restaurant on the Upper East Side. Food & Wine magazine called him the best new chef in 2000 and the James Beard Foundation named him the best chef in New... JENNIFER LEUZZI http://www.nysun.com/food-drink/first-serving-at-morimoto/26406/ Wed, 25 Jan 2006 00:00:00 EST On Monday night, Morimoto (88 Tenth Ave., 212-989-8883) opened its doors for the first time for a party hosted by "Iron Chef" Masaharu Morimoto, Philadelphia-based restaurateur Stephen Starr, and Ruth Reichl, editor in chief of Gourmet magazine. The trio stood on the dining room's mezzanine welcoming the near- capacity crowd of 400 guests, a who's who of the industry including Mario Batali, Daniel Boulud, Tom Colicchio, Scott Conant, Rocco DiSpirito, Ken Callaghan, Laurent Gras, all the... JENNIFER LEUZZI http://www.nysun.com/food-drink/third-times-a-charm/25294/ Wed, 4 Jan 2006 00:00:00 EST Mention the name Paul Liebrandt and inevitably someone brings up the infamous dining room stunt: At the now-defunct Papillon restaurant, he made a splash by blindfolding dinner guests. Despite the fact that it only occurred twice and was, according to Mr. Liebrandt, his pastry chef's idea, it's a story he can't shake. Now that he's running the kitchen at the newly opened Gilt, in the Villard Mansion (formerly Le Cirque 2000), he's got a more serious name for his handiwork: "The chef is very... JENNIFER LEUZZI http://www.nysun.com/food-drink/next-wave-italian/25049/ Wed, 28 Dec 2005 00:00:00 EST One of the most anticipated openings in New York City this season is Del Posto (85 Tenth Ave. between 15th and 16th streets. 212-497-8090), the newest offering from Mario Batali, Joe Bastianich, and Lidia Bastianich with Chef Mark Ladner. It's too soon to tell if the elegant eatery will break Italian restaurants out of the three-star ghetto, but given the Batali-Bastianich record of starting trends, it probably will change everything from dining room service to the way chefs take out the trash...