We love that this place never changes. The diner is one of our national treasures, a dying artifact that’s rarely found in city centers anymore. Clark’s Dairy has been around for a long while. It’s family-run, it’s filled with regulars, and with its 1950s appliances, menu of old standards, and warm, fuzzy service, the place is a nod to that tradition—but it’s the white-bread version, without as much character as the great diner, and chances are it will leave you still thirsting for something more nostalgic or tasty.
With a central kitchen island and lunch counter, Clark’s feels half diner, half Friendly’s. But sit at the counter and your experience will be largely diner; you’ll also be closer to the staff, who are kind and welcoming in a “What’ll it be, hon?” kind of way.
The fare is comfort food, delivered quickly. Grilled cheese is always the right thing to order (anytime, anywhere). Square-cut fries are appropriately crispy. Try the cheeseburger deluxe, relentlessly traditional, with… [More]
9.4 Caseus
9.3 Ibiza
9.1 Union League Café
9.1 116 Crown
9.1 Bar (Brü Room)
9.1 Frank Pepe’s
9.1 East Japanese Restaurant
9.1 Sally’s Apizza
9.0 Heirloom
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Heirloom is in the new Study hotel, the hippest lodging New Haven has ever seen. The feel is very Soho-Grand-ish—and it’s pulled off remarkably well. There’s warm lighting, sleek glass, and silky wood; in short, you’ll feel important dining here. But all this cool luxury doesn’t come cheap. It’s an expense-account destination, to be sure, but even if the experience doesn’t quite match the prices, it’s nice to see this type of urban sensibility here in New Haven. To compare Heirloom to its predecessor, Olde Blue Publick House, is to compare apples to Buffalo-wing sauce.
Start your evening off here with some interesting cocktails at the lively bar—the setting is beautiful. In fact, some just choose to sip a libation, munch on an app or two, soak in the vibe, and leave it at that. Otherwise, a stiff drink will help you feel better about all the money you’re about… [More]
My talk at the International Food Blogger Conference in Seattle, “Recent Advances in Bullshit Reduction,” along with my panel session and discussion/debate with Robert Schroeder of the Federal Trade Commission and Foodista.com CEO Barnaby Dorfman about the new FTC guide to the disclosure of freebies and financial relationships in blog reviews, will be broadcast live on UStream at 3pm Pacific time. was scheduled for streaming video, but the video had technical problems and dropped out in the middle of my panel session, so for those who are interested, I’ve posted the PowerPoint presentation (with images downsampled) here. If you’re interested, you can also check out the original Osteria L’Intrepido post, my followup to Wine Spectator’s response, and a few other related entries on my blog.
