NY Times

Ice needs to do more than chill a drink; it has to entertain, too. Eben Freeman, director of bar operations and innovation for Altamarea Group, went shopping for trays.

The Vault at Pfaff’s, a new subterranean lounge in NoHo, is named for the proprietor of a bohemian gathering place in the area 150 years ago.

To produce the best burger, one needs advanced scientific cooking techniques, a former Microsoft executive says.

A collection of links by the reporters and editors of the Dining section.

A restaurant in the East Village avoids Thai standards in favor of dishes from a region of the country that borders Laos.

The wine panel recently tasted 20 dry reds from Roussillon, a sunny region in France.

The chef Sam Talbot’s large and glittery restaurant at the new Mondrian hotel in SoHo suffers from inconsistency.

In the reception rooms of Congressional offices, visitors get a treat while they wait: regional snacks like Golden Flake potato chips, Little Debbie cupcakes and Peeps.

Sesame seeds are used in both the dough and the coating of these nutty-tasting breadsticks.

TSG Consumer Products recently made a major investment in Stumptown Coffee Roasters, and has met with other top boutique coffee companies.