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As a great example of a restaurant book that reflects the style of the restaurant, I'd suggest The Balthazar Cookbook. It might be slightly on the small size to qualify as a 'proper' coffee table book, but it's beautifully produced and I think it captures the spirit of the restaurant perfectly. Makes me want to go and eat there whenever I pick it up!

Thanks Ed for a great post. I haven't heard of many of those places but you make them all sound inviting. I'd also like to endorse Ed's support for Junior's, and not just for the deservedly famous cheesecake. Sunday brunch is a pleasure there, for the friendly service, and even more so for the basket of delicious mini-Danishes. I often take visitors to Junior's as a 'Brooklyn experience' and it never fails to please. The only black mark I'd give the place is for the introduction of one of those irritating bathroom attendants.

Patois (check out the photos as well as the menus) was one of the first arrivals on Smith Street. I haven't eaten there in a while so can't comment on recent complaints, but I've never had any problems in the past. If you fancy going I suggest waiting for warmer weather and trying for one of the tables in the garden. It's very romantic, so take a date!

We went to Grocery about a year ago and thoroughly enjoyed it. The food was great and the staff were super-friendly and accomodating, despite the busy Saturday night. It's cosy and welcoming with a creative menu and a reasonable wine list too. I'd endorse the other local places mentioned above. I was glad to see Pete's Waterfront Alehouse given its props - simple but good. I also like Henry's End, Noodle Pudding (both on Henry St) and the new place Centro on Montague St which does good mussel bowls, amongst others. It sticks to staples, but Montague St has been short of anywhere worth eating for years so it's good to have something worth visiting at last. I didn't notice anyone in the thread mention Patois on Smith St.; too obvious perhaps. Other places worth honorable mention include Palmira's (Italian, at Clark St), and the more creative Alicia's Cafe hidden away on Columbia Place. I'm hoping to try the new Curry Leaf outpost on Remsen Street soon - the area is in dire need of a good Indian restaurant, so fingers crossed for this one...

It's all very well for AB to alert us to 'The Most Important Publishing Event EVER', but why is he being so modest about another of this year's publishing events - namely, the Les Halles Cook Book? Got a date for us Tony? BTW - anybody any idea why Fergus Henderson's book needs to be re-titled for the US market? The original sounded fine to me. Are those darned marketing people to be blamed again?

I find (too much) time for Good Eats, A Cook's Tour, Opening Soon and assorted Jamie Oliver things (excepting that embarrassing stage show thing, obviously). I was looking forward to Andrea Immer's wine program on Fine Living, but am I the only one who finds it a big letdown? There's some interesting stuff in there, but far too much gushing filler that is nothing more than advertising for the winery/hotel/location in question. Get that woman an editor! [And on a purely personal note, the scene in the first program featuring Andrea sharing lunch with separated-at-birth twin shrieker Rachael Ray had me gasping in fear and discomfort. But maybe that was just me.] In general, I enjoy any programs that I find teach me something - a technique, a pairing of ingredients, some science, or maybe a piece of historical or cultural background. The programs that leave me cold are those that are either insulting dumb (Top Five) or adverts pretending to be TV programs (Unwrapped).

Hi Jon, From Vickie's answers to earlier questions I thought that her team did develop their own food these days, in addition to using food selected from the market and adapted for use. I should probably have made my questions clearer, but I was asking two things - firstly, have they looked at the existing backpacker foods, either to use directly or for adaptation; and secondly, if they had considered repackaging their food for sale to backpackers, since they would seem to be a market looking for many of the properties in food products that her team have spent so long developing. I hadn't thought of the marketing tie-in approach but that could work too, providing the packaging and substance of the food remains suitable for backpacking (and backpackers are a demanding bunch - just a NASA logo ain't gonna cut it). It may not be a big enough market to justify the cost of entry, but I just thought it would be pretty cool to sit on the top of a mountain somewhere eating the same food as an astronaut!

Hi Vickie! As an occasional backpacker I was intrigued to read your descriptions of your food because it appears (superficially, at least) to share many properties with the range of packaged foods available to backpackers. Many of the requirements seem the same - not too heavy or large-size, nutritious, easy to prepare, and able to last a long time at ambient temperatures. I wondered if you had looked at any of the backpacker foods available (especially the more recent offerings that are a dramatic improvement on the horrors of the past) and perhaps even considered this market as a possible source of extra revenue for your department?!? I have a feeling many backpackers would love the chance of buying food designed for astronauts and carrying the NASA brand!

"Making Sense of Wine", by Matt Kramer. A readable wine book! Who knew! BTW, check out this account of Thomas Keller and Gray Kunz returning to New York - http://nymetro.com/nymetro/food/features/n_9682//index.html (As a newbie I'm not really sure where this link should be posted on eGullet...)