Zagat

Who needs a Zagat when you can have a Franchot? Every so often, Md. Comptroller Peter Franchot will whip out his quill and dash off a Certificate of Recognition for a Maryland restaurant, and on Wednesday morning, the comptroller dropped by Sascha's 527 with such a certificate, which he presented to the restaurants owners Sascha Wolhander and Steve Suser. The certificate reads, in part: "In celebration of your culinary achievements, serving American cuisine with global touches from Asia to France in a stunning 19th-century atmosphere.

Zagat released on Wednesday its first-ever survey of Italian food, the favorite cuisine of Zagat voters. According to the survey, 31 percent of Zagat voters report eating Italian food three or more times per week.   The survey was conducted online Jan. 16-25, and the results are from voters who report eating Italian food. Zagat voters say that their favorite pasta sauce is Bolognese, followed by marinara and arrabbiata, and their favorite pasta is pappardelle. Pappardelle? I didn't realize it had such a following.

Zagat has released its 2012 America's Top Restaurants Survey, covering 1,578 of the nation's top restaurants across 45 U.S. markets, including Baltimore, which is yoked together in most, but not all, of the survey questions with Washington. Restaurant owners in Baltimore-D.C. area may have their work cut out for them. Diners in our market say they eat out an average of 2.6 times a week, which ranks 43rd among the 45 markets surveyed and far below the national average of 3.1 times a week.

It's tailgate season, when fans gather on parking lots outside M&T Bank Stadium. But on Oct. 18, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Greater Chesapeake, along with presenting sponsors Under Armour and the Baltimore Ravens, are inviting fans to tailgate inside the stadium, and right on the field, at the fifth annual Biggest Little Tailgate Party. Guests at the event will have on-field access and participate in activities like the Under Armour Combine Experience, End Zone Challenge, an exclusive tour of the Ravens' locker room and mingling with cheerleaders.

Tim and Nina Zagat, a New York couple with an eclecti collection of in-depth guides to restaurants and hotels in 16 cities, are in the airline-rating business. And some of their findings make great reading.As experienced business travelers might guess, international airlines, led by Singapore, Swissair, Japan, SAS, Qantas and Lufthansa, rank far ahead of U.S. carriers in comfort, service, on-time reliability and food in the Zagat survey. Aeroflot was the clear winner as the world's worst airline.

With Baltimore's own Tony-winning Cinderella story Hairspray leading the way, Broadway shows are attracting audiences from all over the world. Still, for some theater lovers, especially out-of-towners, planning a dinner-and-show trip into New York City can be daunting. Beginning this spring, however, those theatergoers have a new resource to call on, an opinionated guide with a familiar name: Zagat. The venerable restaurant rating service is branching into Broadway with the Zagat Survey's New York City Theater Guide, which is in stores now. Covering everything from parking to after-show cocktails, the new guide promises to demystify the entire theatergoing experience.

I'm keeping my eye on 1325-A Key Highway, where work on Little Havana is progressing. It doesn't look as though the new Cuban/seafood restaurant will open anytime soon; but when it does (my guess is late this fall), it should be worth the wait. At least as far as the setting is concerned. I love the idea of sitting on Little Havana's deck, watching the water and eating grilled swordfish with mango and blueberries or steak with papaya-onion salsa. (Those are a couple of dishes from the tentative menu.

Does a critic's power to make or break a restaurant irritate you? Especially when you don't agree with his or her taste anyway? Then the Zagat Survey of Washington, D.C., and Baltimore restaurants is for you, with its reviews based on the opinions of over 2,200 restaurant-goers.The 1994 Zagat ("Rhymes with begat or kill the cat," says publicist Allan Ripp) is out just in time for the holidays. It's not a new survey, but an update of last year's, with a new foreword and notes on openings and closings.

Looking good"We have the best view on the South River," says Jerry Osuna of his new restaurant, Surfside 7, in Edgewater (48 S. River Road). He also has the former head chef of the luxe Corinthian in Annapolis cooking for him. You could call it Florida cuisine -- Osuna went to school in Miami -- and there's lots of seafood on the menu. But you'll find plenty else, like pastas and meat, and prices that are easy on the pocketbook. Entrees run from $7.95 to $14.95.Donna's sproutsOnce if you wanted a roasted vegetable sandwich and a cafe latte you had to go downtown to Donna's.

Saigon, at 3345 Belair Road, gets high marks in the latest Zagat Survey for "phenomenal pho," "great value" and "warm family" atmosphere. Unfortunately, by the time the survey was published, the Vietnamese family who owned it had sold the place. Last week, they opened a new, larger restaurant, Saigon Remembered, at 5857 York Road. It's located where the Empire Cafe used to be, across from the Senator Theater. The menu has expanded, with a range of authentic Vietnamese dishes like noodle soups (pho)

The Zagat's “2013 Washington, DC/Baltimore Restaurants Survey,” is released on Tuesday. Among the guide's new listings, editors have designated 10 “key newcomers,” including, Hersh's Pizza , Of Love and Regret , Pabu , Thames Street Oyster House and Wit & Wisdom . Although Zagat publishes annual updated guides, established restaurants are only re-rated, and re-ranked, every other year. Charleston remains on top of the Food and Decor ranking, with 29 out of a possible 30 points in both categories, and remains tied with the Prime Rib for best service, along with newcomer Tersiguel's . Top ranked restaurants by cuisine include Charleston (new American)

Who needs a Zagat when you can have a Franchot? Every so often, Md. Comptroller Peter Franchot will whip out his quill and dash off a Certificate of Recognition for a Maryland restaurant, and on Wednesday morning, the comptroller dropped by Sascha's 527 with such a certificate, which he presented to the restaurants owners Sascha Wolhander and Steve Suser. The certificate reads, in part: "In celebration of your culinary achievements, serving American cuisine with global touches from Asia to France in a stunning 19th-century atmosphere.

Baltimoreans, a new Zagat survey says, are among the nation's least frequent diners, but they tip just fine. Only diners in Boston and Philadelphia say they dine out less frequently. On Tuesday, Zagat releases its 2012 America's Top Restaurants Survey, covering 1,578 of the nation's top restaurants across 45 U.S. markets, including Baltimore, which is yoked together in most, but not all, of the survey questions with Washington. Restaurant owners in Baltimore-D.C. area may have their work cut out for them.

Google has purchased Zagat. Here's the offiical annoucement by Marissa Meyer, vice president, local, maps and location services, on the Offical Google Blog "Zagat will be a cornerstone of our local offering," Meyer's statement said, "...enabling people everywhere to find extraordinary (and ordinary) experiences around the corner and around the world. " In their own posted statement, Nina and Tim Zagat said, "We are thrilled to see our baby placed in such good hands.

The 40th anniversary of Chez Panisse in Berkeley hasn't passed without notice. Here's a nice, long piece from Sunday's San Francisco Chronicle.  I've never been but features colleague Michael Sragow has -- he was teaching a Berkeley graduate journalism course on writing on film. He just told me that Chez Panisse was one of the few things that entirely lived up to its reputation. " Baltimore photographer and Zagat editor Marty Katz told me that when he showed up at Chez Panisse in between the breakfast and lunch sevice the staff took pity on him and brought out fresh muffins for him. And here are pictures and coverage from Friday night's anniversary party at the Berkeley Museum of Art (Eater SF)

The Zagat's "2012 Washington, DC/Baltimore Restaurants Survey," is released today. Think of this an update of the previous edition, with 119 new listings. But established restaurants have not been re-rated and re-ranked -- that happens every other year. In Baltimore, the new listings include Hampden's new Alchemy and Corner BYOB , Meet 27 in Charles Village, Chazz in Harbor East, Towson's Havana Road, Mount Vernon's Waterstone as well as the new Suburban House .  Elsewhere in Maryland, the Eastern Shore welcomed elaborate pub Banning's , nuevo deli Big Pickle FoodBar , American/French Brasserie Brightwell and in Frederick, Mick's New American Bistro All of this content can also be accessed online at ZAGAT.com or via Zagat's suite of mobile apps.

The brewer's artBeing a graduate student at Hopkins, Greg Santori says, afforded him plenty of time to brew beer in his basement. From that modest beginning grew the idea of a brew pub and restaurant, which will become a reality when Brewer's Art opens in late July at 1106 N. Charles St. He and co-owner Volker Stewart, formerly a librarian at the University of Maryland, have hired Michael Dalesio as a consultant and Johey Verfaille, a Donna's graduate, as...

Food *** (3 stars) Service *** (3 stars) Atmosphere *** (3 stars) When restaurant owners open new places, I like to go back and see what's happening with the first restaurant. Sometimes it suffers from neglect. But the Carlyle Club, Baltimore's only upscale Lebanese restaurant, seems to be reinvigorated by the attention its new sibling, the Spice Company in the Colonnade, is getting. The Carlyle is actually the second restaurant of brothers Kehar and Binda Singh. (The first is the nearby Ambassador.

Zagat released its 2011 Washington, DC/Baltimore Restaurants Survey last week. Across the four major categories of top food, top decor, top service and most popular, the top-ranked restaurants for Baltimore and surrounding areas were, respectively, Charleston , Charleston, Charleston and Woodberry Kitchen . Charleston placed a far-from-shabby second in that last category, most popular, which I guess allows for a little je ne sais quoi:...