One evening, two years ago, entertainment lawyer Josh Saltman started wondering why karaoke is only available in “blank K-Town boxes” and sketchy dives. Why not offer this kind of fun in a more upscale environment? Anyway, from that thinkage Vodvil was born and here we are a couple of years later with the venue set to open in November. Saltman is working with a team that includes architect Ralph Gentile (whose boutique architectural firm is responsible for Red O), Cal Iseminger, a Desperate Housewives extra turned celebrity game-night organizer, and chefs Cari Levin and Sharon Funt, both graduates of the CIA who have spent time at Patina Group establishments.

Eater

• 6 chicken breasts
• 2 heads of cabbage
• 1 package of large carrots
• 2 fifty-piece packages of lumpia wrappers

Preparation

• Fill a large sauce pan with water, garlic, and soy sauce to taste
• Boil the chicken breasts ubtil tender in water with garlic and soy sauce
• Remove the chicken from the pan and tear into small pieces
• Save the broth
• Peel each carrot and grate
• Cut each head of cabbage lengthwise into quarters
• Trim off the cabbage stems and discard
• Cut each quarter into two eighths
• Cut two eighths crosswise into small strips
• Add the prepared vegetables to the chicken broth and steam until tender

Pour vegetables into cooked chicken.  Mix thoroughly and put into strainer.  Drain liquid from mix.

• Serves six

Ingredients

• 1 pound of fresh ahi, cubed
• 1/4 cup yellow onion, minced
• 1/4 cup green onion, minced
• 3 tablespoons of limu kohu (Asparagopsis taxiformis), chopped
• 1 tablespoon of inamona (roasted kukui nut and Hawaiian salt)
• 2 tablespoons of sesame oil

Preparation

• Mix gently
• Refrigerate for one hour
• Enjoy!

Here’s a quick, delicious way to make good use of those big bags of russet potatoes. We like them withe skin left on. Serves six.

Ingredients

• 4 large russet potatoes, washed and sliced diagonally 1/8″ thick
• olive oil
• garlic salt to taste
• pepper to taste
• paprika to taste

Preparation

• Pre-heat oven to 500 degrees
• Cover two baking pans with foil and lightly coat foil with olive oil
• Place the chips one-by-one onto a pan, forming a single layer
• Turn over each chip before baking to lightly coat both sides with oil
• Bake for fifteen to twenty minutes, until the potatoes are a crispy light brown
• Season to taste with garlic salt, pepper, and/or other seasonings of your choice
• Garnish with paprika
• Enjoy!

The new cut was dubbed the “flat iron steak,” supposedly because it is shaped somewhat like an old-fashioned flat iron.

This preparation for a thick cut from the tenderloin allegedly takes its name from the first diner to enjoy it, Vicomte Francois-Rene de Chateubriand (1768-1848).

Mental Floss

Here’s my mother’s much-loved potato salad recipe. Even people who don’t care for potato salad love hers. There’s two tricks to making it work. First, your potato cubes shouldn’t be too large or too small. Second, and more importantly, you need to add just enough mustard to give the dish a beautiful, light golden-yellow color. We like it with just about anything, but she often serves it with baked beans and cold cuts. Serves eight.

Ingredients

• 3 cups cubed, boiled white potatoes
• 6 sliced, hard-boiled eggs
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1/4 cup chopped green onions
• 3/4 cup American-style mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup American-style yellow mustard
• 3 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
• 1 teaspoon table salt
• pepper to taste
• paprika to taste

Preparation

• Boil potatoes until firm but tender and allow to cool
• Hard-boil eggs and allow to cool
• Slice potatoes into one-inch cubes
• Slice eggs into quarter-inch rounds (use an egg slicer if you have one)
• Combine potatoes, celery, green onions in a large serving bowl
• Combine mayonnaise, mustard, relish, salt, and pepper in a glass mixing bowl and fold carefully into the potatoes, mixing thoroughly but gently
• Garnish with eggs and sprinkle with paprika
• Refrigerate for at least two hours
• Enjoy!

Some claim that it’s simply a dryer version of an older cocktail called the Martinez; Martinez, California, the birthplace of this cocktail, thus stakes its claim to the title of birthplace of the martini.

This refreshing summer drink owes its name to a 19th century hoax. In 1874, hundreds of New Yorkers heard some bad news while they were out on the town: a certain Tom Collins had been besmirching their good names.

Mental Floss