A Whole Year of Law & Food!

Buried in our surprisingly vast archives are posts that for whatever reason didn't get that many views or attention. In light of the fact that this week marks the one year anniversary of Law & Food, now is as good a time as any to recycle some old content.

First, the two posts that made me (Noah) want to start a blog. My experience at M&T Restaurant in Flushing was so unique that I couldn't keep it to myself. I need to go back to hanging out in Flushing on weekday afternoons...

Next, I still have zero respect for Robert Sietsema, who attacks food bloggers, Yelpers (OK, they're pretty easy to hate) and everyone who is basically not him, while pillaging their recommendations and sweat equity wholesale. Add Seitsema's review of Henan Fangewi to the documented list (see the comments of my post) of legwork "stolen" from Chowhound. While you obviously cannot actually "steal" a restaurant discovery, at a minimum it's highly unethical to not acknowledge your sources (or refuse to even acknowledge their existence). This pattern escalated when Sietsema (or someone else at the Village Voice) used a Chowhounder's photo without attribution (caught fast and quickly taken down). Mr. Sietsema: find your own damn restaurants or at least admit how much you really rely on us "amateurs."

OK enough ranting-- on to a few lighter posts and Steve's favorites after the jump.



I love my cooking post on making gefilte fish with my mother and grandmother for Rosh Hashanah. A close second is my experimentation in making fermented glutinous rice wine.

I'm not entirely sure why, but I enjoyed writing my initial take on má pêche. Though I haven't been back, Steve's post has made me crave a second chance.

I'm reposting my recent late night experience at Katz's, if only to make fun of my buddy Greg one more time. Likewise, my take on the St. Marks outpost of Xi'an Famous Foods catches me in full asshole mode.

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Steve

Like Noah, I also have a number of posts which remain personal favorites for various reasons. Here are a few of mine over the course of last year, and hopefully, there will be many more.

Any mention of the future should reference the past, and ironically, my first post wasn't about any restaurant at all. While Noah may have started this blog, I had long been documenting my meals, ignoring his suggestions to write about them. So it wasn't until he finally went forward with Law & Food that I became motivated enough to contribute.

With more and more restaurants banning cameras in their dining rooms, the issue of food photography in restaurants ("Food Porn") is a decisive topic, even causing significant disagreement amongst ourselves. Regardless of where you stand, my favorite post of last year was the piece discussing both the merits and issues Noah and I have with pictures.

Of all of my posts from last year, I was most inspired by my vehement disagreement with New York Times food critic Sam Sifton's less than stellar review of SHO Shaun Hergatt. Viewed by some (AKA me) as an unfortunate "take down," I ultimately thought it was indicative of Sifton's bias against "tweezer food" and haute cuisine in general.  

Long before Chef Cesar Ramirez and his intimate Chef's Table at Brooklyn Fare came out of relative obscurity and shocked the world with two Michelin Stars, I had a most unfortunate incident with the chef. Still our most viewed and commented post to date, my dissent against an otherwise sea of rave reviews did (and IMHO still does) serve as a cautionary tale (one that others have similarly experienced).

Finally, the extended tasting menu at The French Laundry. Really, what more do I need to say about THE best meal of my life?

Thanks to our (dozens of) readers, friends and family who supported us throughout our first year, and hopefully you stick around for a second (no guarantees beyond that).