10 Gourmet Restaurant Swindles

Former skeptic Josh Ozersky sees benefits to the earth

(NEWSER) - Not even a fish-loving foodie can justify the environmental cost of wild-caught salmon . "If I could, I would only eat wild," writes Josh Ozersky for Time. "But I can't in good conscience." Sure, farmed salmon's "taste is duller, the flesh flabbier, the finish forgettable." But "with wild populations getting wiped out by overfishing" and 90% of ocean life forms predicted to collapse by 2048, there is no other choice. More»

From 'grilled to perfection' to 'garden fresh'

(NEWSER) - Tired of menus that use the same old phrases over and over? So are the food critics at the Chicago Tribune. They nominated nine menu clichés for the compost pile:

• "Grilled to perfection": Subjective to the point of meaninglessness. And why always grilled, and not “boiled” or “baked”? Can only grilling reach perfection?
• "World famous": Almost always an empty boast.
• "Kobe burger": “Kobe” is becoming a general synonym for “high quality”; it doesn't apply unless the beef actually came from Japan.

Food & Wine takes a look at the freshest cooking talent the US has to offer

(NEWSER) - Food & Wine has posted its Best New Chef awards for 2008. Look for their profiles in the July issue, but take a peek at the winners here:

1. Jim Burke: owner of James, a modern Italian restaurant in Philadelphia's Bella Vista neighborhood.
2. Gerard Craft: owner and chef at Niche in St. Louis, where bacon and eggs sandwich and braised pork belly top the menu.

10 best gut-stretching meals around the country

(NEWSER) - Tired of picking at salads and counting out almonds? Fill up your plate with the 10 "best-tasting, most gut-stretching" meals the Discovery Channel could find.

1. Lambert's Cafe, Sikeston, MO
2. Eagle's Deli, Brighton, MA
3. Seiad Valley Cafe, Seiad Valley, CA

The birthplace of the tube steak offers something for everyone

(NEWSER) - Hot dogs may be cheap, but they're rich in flavor—and history. Travel + Leisure visits the birthplace of the tubesteak and clues you in to the seven best spots for all breeds of dog:

1. The classic: Murphy's Red Hots
2. The classic with an accent: Hot Doug's
3. The classic with car service: Superdawg Drive-in