Gary Tanigawa

Star Advertiser reports that Futaba, opened in 1975, will be closing.

FYI, Chefs Catalog has a sale on the Magimix 5150 for $300. There is also a coupon code on the interweb that will give you another $25 off the purchase.

Yes, they honored the price above and I received the "cube" in about a week. I have not, however, seen the 50% coupon repeated.

It's worth being a Barnes & Noble member! Received a 50% discount coupon by email. Discounted price of $418.81 reduced by half plus tax = $219.87. Free express shipping for the holidays. Crossing my fingers that the order isn't canceled.

Another option is to call/go to the Jaleo in Crystal City, and see if the retail wine shop in the restaurant carries the same wine.

It appears to have been U.S. Patent No. 4,321,857

I haven't gone there, but I read of another family-owned plate lunch place closing February 28, 2007 after more than 30 years in business: Masu's Massive Plate Lunch. Stories in the Advertiser and Star-Bulletin.

Here's a link to news about Josselin's opening in the rebuilt Coco Palms Resort. So keep your fingers crossed that both projects succeed.

Commander's Palace (@ Aladdin) has a "jazz" brunch on the weekends. Emeril's New Orleans Fish House (@ MGM) and Delmonico (@ Venetian) are open for lunch every day of the week. I would recommend the latter.

McCully Chop Sui Kyo-ya

Just pointing out that it varies at different spots, the Hybla Valley store was fine the last time I was there about a year ago. Some people believe quality is better at the locations opened before the owners started to franchise and Hybla Valley is not (I believe) one of the new franchisee-owned stores. Have fun !

Dinner or Lunch? Closest I would recommend is Five Guys in Hybla Valley (7622 Richmond Highway)serving OK burgers/fries. Going north on Mt. Vernon Highway, continue north at the intersection to Richmond Highway and Five Guys is on the left (visible from the road). It's a local chain of variable quality depending on the location. Southside 815 (815 S Washington Street; 703-836-6222) is farther away (about five miles?) north in Alexandria. It's a tavern/restaurant with some Southern specialties, and a parking lot in the back. Farther north into Old Town Alexandria, there are lots of places on King Street or close by in the area. Flying Fish (www.flyingfishdc.com/MLunch.html) and Restauran Eve's bar (turn right at the hostess stand), which do not have cheap items on their regular menus, have weekday lunch specials that might fit the budget. The owners of Restaurant Eve have also opened a "Dublin chipper" called Eamonn's. Bebo Trattoria is in Crystal, which mapquest calculates to be 12 miles north of Mt. Vernon (23 minutes).

The Wine Spectator's article about Joel Robuchon's restaurants in Las Vegas doesn't appear to link, but you could use Google to find the article by searching for the magazine's and the restaurant's names.

Here are the online menus: The Mansion L'Atelier

I was sad to read that Leong's is closing. The owner blamed the lack of parking in the area.