Cuisine and culinary talent of Italy’s Mola di Bari abound at fine U.S. restaurants

Jul 23, 2007

With the recent proliferation of restaurants featuring the food styles of Italy’s Puglia region, it’s fascinating to trace many of them to one small seaport town, Mola di Bari, a few kilometers from Bari.There are dozens of such restaurants in and...

Rocker Hynde to open upscale vegetarian eatery in Ohio

Jul 23, 2007

AKRON OHIO. —Chrissie Hynde, lead singer for the rock group The Pretenders, is planning to open an upscale vegetarian eatery here this fall. The restaurant, to be named VegeTerranean, is...

Californian shocks Italians, wins Naples pizza-making contest

Jul 23, 2007

Tony Gemignani’s eight world dough-tossing acrobatics titles have made his name almost synonymous with the quirky craft of spinning the skins.But when the co-owner of Pyzano’s Pizzeria in Castro Valley, Calif., entered the Trofeo Citta di Napoli...

Red Lobster helps Canada’s lobster trade

Jul 20, 2007

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Seattle’s host county mandates menu labeling

Jul 20, 2007

SEATTLE Wash. Chain restaurants in Seattle and other parts of Washington’s King County would be required to post nutrition information on menus and menu boards as of Aug. 1, 2008 under a law approved Thursday by the county Board of Health. ...

Applebee’s could pay $60M if IHOP deal stalls

Jul 19, 2007

OVERLAND PARK Kan. The merger agreement between Applebee’s International Inc. and its pending acquirer, IHOP Corp., calls for Applebee’s to pay IHOP $60 million should it back out of the deal, according to a Wednesday night filing with the...

Applebee's explains post-buyout changes to employees

Jul 17, 2007

OVERLAND PARK Kan. In Applebee’s first communication to employees since announcing its pending $2.1 billion purchase by IHOP Corp., the casual-dining company said Tuesday that job cuts at Applebee’s are expected should the acquisition close, and...

Abuelo's switches to trans-fat-free oil

Jul 17, 2007

LUBBOCK Texas Abuelo’s, the 38-unit casual-dining Mexican chain based here, said it was converting to a cooking oil with zero grams of trans fat. The systemwide conversion, which follows extensive testing of oil options, has already begun...

IHOP to buy Applebee's for $2.1B

Jul 16, 2007

GLENDALE Calif. Pancake specialist IHOP Corp. has agreed to acquire casual-dining behemoth Applebee's International Inc. for $2.1 billion in cash, or $25.50 per share, the parties disclosed Monday morning. The announcement cited a five...

Smokey Bones tinkers with its menu

Jul 16, 2007

ORLANDO Fla. With almost half its units shuttered and the rest up for sale, Smokey Bones Barbecue & Grill is continuing to tinker with its menu, perhaps in an attempt to make it more attractive to potential buyers. The Darden Restaurants-owned...