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Forget talk of a recession - a new $175 burger has set the city's gold standard for conspicuous consumption. Literally. The Richard Nouveau - from the Wall Street Burger Shoppe, natch - comes topped with a blizzard of real gold flakes, plus 25 grams of black truffles, a seared slab of foie gras and an aged Gruyere typically reserved for a high-class cheese tray.

Well, John is in Seattle today on a whirlwind tour to shore up support for the upcoming elections. He is also making lots of speeches. We like it when John speaks out. We want him to speak out even more! So, on our quest to aid his efforts, we are offering a few menu options for his entourage on the road. Oh, he may look like he eats at Wendys, but then just ends up throwing the food in the trash! So, here are a few menu options for the Senator's delicate palate. Oh, and by the way, if you...

A proposed ban on trans fats in New York and Chicago restaurants has attracted national attention and posed a question for cities like Boston: Are such bans the best way to make people healthier? Trans fats, also known as partially hydrogenated oils, were created as a replacement for saturated fats, long known to cause heart disease. Like saturated fats, trans fats are tasty, partially solid, and don't spoil, making them ideal ingredients in cookies, candy bars, and that crispy outer coat of a French fry. Many restaurants use them in deep fryers, where they can be stored and reused, and...

A new dish is appearing on menus across the nation. Restaurateurs say they have little choice other than offer it, though it horrifies many customers. That item is the $40 entree. Until recently, such prices were the stuff of four-star, white-tablecloth meals, the kind that ended with a diamond ring on the petit four tray. But now entrees over $40 can be found in restaurants that are merely upscale, where diners wear jeans and tote children. In geographic terms, New York and Las Vegas have led the charge, and in culinary ones, luxury items like steak and lobster were first...

WASHINGTON, Aug. 28, 2006 – The Defense Commissary Agency is partnering with a national anti-substance-abuse organization to promote the concept of families dining together as a means of establishing healthy lifestyles for young people, a DeCA spokesperson said today. “Since we’re the food leader for the military, anything that has to do with family quality and family lifestyles and focuses on eating is a good thing for us to be involved in,” said Bonnie Powell during a telephone interview with American Forces Press Service from her organization’s headquarters at Fort Lee, Va. DeCA will support and celebrate “Family Day...

3/29/2006 - SOUTHWEST ASIA (AFPN) -- Thirty-five tons of apples, oranges, bananas and plums, 1,600 gallons of milk, 16 tons of grilled chicken breasts and 39,040 candy bars. The list of food consumed here in one month goes on and on. “It’s an amazing operation,” said Lt. Col. Kevin Schields, 379th Expeditionary Services Squadron commander, referring to the largest food service operation in the region. “No matter how you slice and dice it, the 379th feeds more people than any other base in the theater.” On any given day, the food service flight serves 14,000 meals at the Manhattan, Independence...

GITMO Special - Lemon Chicken Featured Entree at SoCal Johnny Carino's!

A diner bit into a segment of human finger while digging into a bowl of chili at a San Jose Wendy's restaurant Tuesday night, Santa Clara County health officials said today. The woman, who asked officials not to name or even describe her, spit out the well-cooked digit and reportedly warned other diners to stop eating. She then became sick to her stomach. Santa Clara County Health Officer Dr. Martin Fenstersheib said today the woman was horrified "due to the unpleasant sensation of having this (object) in her mouth." But he said the finger had been cooked at a high...

Hi all - pardon the vanity but I'm needing some help from my Freeper friends. Tomorrow is my wife's birthday and all week I had been planning on taking her and some friends out. Unfortunately I'm having a hard time getting any solid recommendations. We are not interested in really dancing or karaoke or anything like that. We are mostly interested in a good atmosphere where we can socialize and see something interesting. Someone recommended Julian's downtown and that's a definite possibility as it offers many options. Any other recommendations along those lines would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for your...

Senator Kerry, as your tour over "Flyover Country" is now spinning out of control, it must be really hard on your stomachs. You and the missus are used to the finest cuisine and now have to look like you are eating like the locals. All the little people are so impressed! I know you must have been embarassed by the revelation that you ate on the bus at stop and threw the local food in the garbage. We all saw that you really didn't eat at Wendy's. I mean, everyone thought you were eating at Wendy's, but then you had...

(AP) A New York City man accused of leaving an inadequate tip at a restaurant was arrested, fingerprinted and photographed for a mug shot. Humberto A. Taveras, 41, faces a misdemeanor charge of theft of services after he and his fellow diners argued with Soprano's Italian and American Grill managers over the legality of requiring an 18 percent tip for large parties. "They chased us down like a bunch of criminals," Taveras said. "It killed our weekend." Taveras and eight others had pizza at the restaurant in this resort village Sunday night. He told the Glens Falls Post-Star they weren't...

Howdy. Senator Kerry, as your tour over "Flyover Country" rolls on, it must be really hard on your stomachs. You and the missus like the finest cuisine and now have to look like you are eating like the locals. All the little people are so impressed! I know you must have been embarassed by the revelation that you ate on the bus at stop and threw the local food in the garbage. Gosh, maybe that's what you and the missus had a spat over recently: stayed in separate rooms. She might have even said "shove it". We all saw that...

Bonsoir! Senator Kerry, as your tour over "Flyover Country" continues, it must be really hard on your stomachs. You and the missus are used to the finest cuisine and now have to look like you are eating like the locals. All the little people are so impressed! I know you must have been embarassed by the revelation that you ate on the bus at stop and threw the local food in the garbage. We all saw that you really didn't eat at Wendy's. I mean, everyone thought you were eating at Wendy's, but then you had some take out at...

Senator Kerry, as your tour over "Flyover Country" continues, it must be really hard on your stomachs. You and the missus are used to the finest cuisine and now have to look like you are eating like the locals. All the little people are so impressed! I know you must have been embarassed by the revelation that you ate on the bus at stop and threw the local food in the garbage. We all saw that you really didn't eat at Wendy's. I mean, everyone thought you were eating at Wendy's, but then you had some take out at a...

Senator Kerry, as your tour over "Flyover Country" continues, it must be really hard on your stomachs. You and the missus are used to the finest cuisine and now have to look like you are eating like the locals. All the little people are so impressed! I know you must have been embarassed by the revelation that you ate on the bus at stop and threw the local food in the garbage. We all saw that you really didn't eat at Wendy's. I mean, everyone thought you were eating at Wendy's, but then you had some take out at a...

Well, Senator Kerry, the flyover tour continues it must be just so hard on your stomachs. You are getting smarter though! You and the missus didn't even show up to that stupid Milwaukee Dairy Queen or that grubby Leon's BBQ place to throw your food away! Hey, I know you said you'd go, but you cleverly ducked that one and ate some fine cuisine at Pieces of Eight on the lakefront. Pretty slick my friend. It was a scenic location and the missus probably approved of that one. We understand that you and the missus are used to the finest...

Senator Kerry, as your tour over "Flyover Country" continues, it must be really hard on your stomachs. You and the missus are used to the finest cuisine and now have to look like you are eating like the locals. All the little people are so impressed! I know you must have been embarassed by the revelation that you ate on the bus at stop and threw the local food in the garbage. We all saw that you really didn't eat at Wendy's. I mean, everyone thought you were eating at Wendy's, but then you had some take out at a...

Now Senator Kerry. I know you must have been embarassed by the revelation that you ate on the bus at stop and threw the local food in the Trash. We all saw that you really didn't eat at Wendy's. I mean, everyone thought you were eating at Wendy's, but then you had some take out at some fancy place uptown so you and missus wouldn't have to eat all that "flyover country" garbage that the little people call food. I know that a wealthy "Uber" class person such as yourself wants to really eat the way you are used to....

Hey Senator Kerry. I know you must have been embarassed by the revelation that you ate on the bus at your last stop. We saw that you really didn't eat at Wendy's. I mean, everyone thought you were eating at Wendy's, but then you had some take out at some fancy place uptown so you and missus wouldn't have to eat all that "flyover country" garbage that the little people call food. I know that a wealthy "Uber" class person such as yourself wants to really eat the way you are used to. So, as a service to your campaign,...

Hey, Michigan Freepers — Team B-Chan is going to be in the Grand Rapids area all of next week on a business trip, and I was wondering if any of you could suggest some good places to eat. We love to eat at good restaurants, so please, no Perkins or other chain places — we're looking for fine dining restaurants (swanky is OK), good home cooking joints (need not be swanky), or other unique eating opportunities. All suggestions welcome!

I'm traveling to Michigan next week as part of my 2003 personal appearance / lecture tour, and will be staying in the Grand Rapids area for several days. While I'm there, I'm planning to take a group of close friends out for a really good dinner -- but, since I've only been to western MI once in my life (to Michigan Dunes, almost 20 years ago!), I have no idea where to take them. Therefore, I'm asking if any of you denizens of the Mitten can tell a lost Texan where he can find a decent (Ruth's Chris or above)...

WASHINGTON (AP) - A partner with an accounting firm specializing in organized labor pleaded guilty Thursday in federal court to helping leaders of the iron workers international union hide $1.5 million in entertainment and dining expenses on annual disclosure reports to the Labor Department Frank J. Massey, 50, a certified public accountant and partner in the Washington offices of accounting firm Thomas Havey LLP, agreed to cooperate with the government in its criminal investigation of embezzlement and fraud at the International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental and Reinforcing Iron Workers. The union has about 140,000 members. Investigators say Massey's cooperation...

Danny Piecora is a businessman to the core. When he moved to Seattle from Brooklyn in 1978, he saw a void on Capitol Hill: There wasn't any New York-style pizza. So he opened Piecora's Pizza at 14th and Madison. Now, two decades later, 49-year-old Piecora sees another void on Capitol Hill--one that he intends to fill with God. On Sunday, May 5, Piecora, along with Pastor Bud Kolstad, 52, who has opened churches in Bellevue and Salem, Oregon, inaugurated his "Church on the Hill," a non-denominational organization that convenes in the pizzeria. Holding services in the pizzeria--in the newest...