Blah Blah Bar Buloud

Bar Boulud - Daniel Boulud's new Upper West Side wine bar - sure is generating a ton of attention. Understandable of course. But if you are interested in Chef Boulud's most important project, may we please direct your attention to Maison Boulud a Peking. We may? Thank you. Set to open this spring at Beijing's (Legation Quarter), Maison Boulud will inevitably become the finest French restaurant to open in Asia's hottest city. The design is by Gilles et Boissier, the French firm responsible for Budakkan NYC and the Gramercy Park Hotel. We asked our Little Beijing Birdy for some additional color, and of course they obliged, saying "perhaps most interesting - this restaurant will be located in the former American embassy with views of the Mao mausoleum and Tiananmen Square. And get this - the dining room is in the space where Henry Kissinger secretly met Zhou Enlai to lay the framework for Nixon's historic meeting with Mao." Historic indeed LBB. You are so learned. Maison Boulud will feature a main dining room and separate bar and lounge. So enjoy your wine bar New Yorkers - we're booking our tickets for Beijing.

Quick Hits: La Esquina Booked Up, Boulud Doing it Doggy Style, The Iron Pig

Time for a very special restaurant edition of everyone's favorite, Quick Hits. If you have ever wanted to hit something quickly, please do let us know.

1. La Esquina may be open once again, but that doesn't mean you can get in. A Little Birdy writes, "What's the deal with La Esquina? I called at 10:00 AM the day you announced they reopened, and I can only get tables at 6 or 11:30. It doesn't matter what size my party is, or the day of the week. They only have 6 or 11:30. Ridiculous." That is ridiculous Birdy. Stop saving tables for your VIP list and let anyone book a table.

2. As our friends at Eater point out, Daniel Boulud is planning on bringing his oh so famous uptown hamburger to his new downtown spot, DBowery. When it opens of course. But friends, countryment, Birdies, please do not overlook the hot dog. You know why? A Little Birdy tells us, "Boulud is planning on reinventing the hot dog in the same way he reinvented the hamburger at DB Bistro. It's going to be over the top luxurious." Luxurious hot dog, that's crazy.

3. Finally, a quick word of good luck to one of our favorite chefs, April Bloomfield of the Spotted Pig, who is stepping into the battle zone known as Kitchen Stadium this morning to battle the Iron Chefs. We would think she would be a natural against Batali, but he is gone so who knows? A burger and those pasta things that are made out of 100% cheese should do the trick, no matter what the secret ingredient is.

Quick Hits: Vital Talent, Daniel Boulud Update

Monday morning Quick Hits? Why not?

1. Chaotica and TCA, two music agencies with all-star DJ clients, have merged to form a DJ mega-agency, Vital Talent. That leaves AM Only as the only other agency with a comparable roster. If you want to throw a serious dance party, you are going to probably wind up calling one of them.

2.Master chef Daniel Boulud is bringing his fancy act to the Bowery, joining a few other fancy fellows. Very nice. According to a Little Birdy, the working name (but not 100% official) for his new space is DBowery. And according to DBTH, the food will probably be very expensive.