Here’s my issue:  They’ve been open ONE WEEK.  Urbanspoon already has 4 reviews both great and bad.  Give it some time, folks . . . even experienced restauranteurs need time to get things flowing.  Go visit, take notes, wait, go back, think about it…. and then post a review.

Thanks.

P.S. I’m not saying that Gregorio’s is getting any different treatment than most new and hyped joints in town, but this one happened so quickly that I wanted to object in public to the general practice of lobbing critique at brand new restaurants.

But I’m not here to argue one style vs. another – today it is all about New York.  The Daily Show used a segment about Sarah Palin visiting Donald Trump to showcase the latter’s inexcusable behavior towards all that is holy in Gotham – that is, PIZZA.

See below for the video, but let’s digress first, into the Albuquerque metro area. Who has the best New York style? Big slices, floppy and greasy, that must be folded to be consumed? I like a fair number of pizza joints in this town, particularly Venezia’s Pizzeria, as well as JC’s NYPD downtown. But I hear there is good NY style in Rio Rancho, too. Comment below and let me know your favorite, for they will soon get their 15 minutes in a Venue review, if they pass muster.

Meanwhile, enjoy the exuberance of Jon Stewart defending New Yorkers and their cuisine:

ONE:  Cafe Giuseppe, home to fantabulous espresso, decadent gelato that kicks the crap out of Ecco, and a laid-back feel for sipping cappuccinos or surfing the net on their wifi.  They’re adding a second location downtown near 3rd, right in the vicinity of….

TWO:  P’tit Louis Bistro, home to kickin’ frog legs (har) and the best lemon tart on this Duke City planet.  Their fame is so unmatched they too are opening another location . . . right near Cafe Giuseppe.

Bizarre, neato, and I hope they both continue to thrive and receive raves.

Just in time for all my friends (and myself) who are traveling to Chicago for the Bank of America Chicago Marathon on 10/10/10, I’ve created a whopper document with tips on finding great local eats.

It is based on my own experience with lots of additional research from local food bloggers, foodies, gastronauts, and food snobs in general.

You’ll find italian and pizza, yeah. But you’ll also find a place that sells duck hot dogs, S’mores pancakes, and the diner open 24 hours for all the late-night corned beef cravings you can dream up.

Download Chicago 2010 Eats Guide (PDF)

Anyway, at some point I found out that it is essentially a second location of Saggio’s, with some tweaks and minor menu changes. This is pretty neato since I like Saggio’s yet never seem to haul my butt over there. Perhaps I am frightened by the looming dessert case, or put off by the insane noise levels in there.

But I will have to investigate Fastino’s and let everyone else know they don’t just serve noodles. They even took it upon themselves to add a note to their sign that says, “Saggio’s!!!”

On the menu one of the items listed is a Bruschetta, and I noted that the bread is house made, “Tuscan style”.  I remember having mussels at Vivace some time ago and nearly being unable to stop eating the lusciously grilled hunks of bread that rimmed the brothy bowl.  Now I see why I was hooked – bread made by someone who knows what the heck they are doing is a wonderful thing, especially then when it is drizzled with good olive oil and marked by the grill.

Maybe I need to go back and have more of it….