Blue Smoke's (NYC) burger, time and time again, gets dissed in various burger "round-ups" (not on that one) and on blogs (here, though) and just about anywhere that people discuss burgers.  So much so that each time I read about someone's thoughts on what is one of my favorite burgers I think "surely this person is going to love it.  surely."  And I'm pretty much always wrong.

My question is: are these people high?  Blue Smoke's burger is certainly one of the best restaurant burgers in NYC.  I'm sticking to that opinion regardless of what the rest of the world says.

With 2006 coming to a close, I found myself reflecting on some of the more notable dishes that I've had in over the last 12 months, while woofing down a very tasty hot pepper pizza at the Star Tavern in Orange.  "Notable" as in they made me utter aloud "wow, that's good."

Who doesn't like lists?  Everyone likes lists.  Lists give our lives order.  Even unordered lists give our lives order.  And they sure give writers and editors something to do at the end of the year.

And so the "Best of" lists were born.  Right there at the bar, the incubator of so many great ideas.

Do you want celery to keep for a very very long time?   

Dos Caminos recently opened their third New York branch.  On 3rd Ave this time, where La Maganette used to live (I'd guess at 50th or so).

I figured it would be another colorful meat market, like the one on Park must be (I've never been).  And I might be right. What I know for sure is that they've got a bunch of nice tequila and some decent pork tacos.  And pretty colors, as the super-megapixel image above so clearly illustrates.

I've cut open a lot of heads of garlic over the years.  Of this you are assured.  Just about everything that I cook has garlic in it.  Right or wrong.  Hell I even steep it in hot water, making "garlic tea," when I have a sore throat.  I'm not sure if it helps, but it sure is fun.

But I've never come across this: