WESTERN ADDITION—Lady Hopstress reports that Candybar and Boris Portnoy have parted ways, meaning that the Fulton Street dessert lounge is stuck with its third chef in six months and likely another menu shuffle. No word yet on possible replacements. [Tablehopper]
TELEVISION—Did anyone catch Rocco DiSpirito make his unfortunate debut on Dancing With the Stars last night? Eater LA did: "After a pretty clumsy foxtrot, he and partner Karina Smirnoff got a 14 out of 30. The lowest score out of all 13 teams. When judge Len Goodman put up a 4, host Tom Bergeron quipped: 'I forgot we even had a 4.' Ouch. If Rocco survives tonight, he'll be dancing the mambo." File this entire celebrity chef mess under Things You Do Hate to See. [~ELA~]
NAPA—Downtown staple Taqueria Rosita is back with a new bag of tricks: "Taqueria Rosita opened several weeks ago after being closed for a kitchen remodel. There’s also a change to the menu — they are now open for breakfast on Saturdays and Sundays, 8:30 a.m. to noon. This is breakfast with a Mexican flair, and it’s good." [NVR]
SACRAMENTO—Two simultaneous but separate probes are being conducted by the feds regarding price collusion by egg and California tomato producers: "The investigations, which have not been previously reported, add to concerns that beyond the rising cost of fuel and feed, a hidden factor may be driving food prices higher: collusion among farmers, food processors or exporters ... In wiretaps and raids carried out as part of the bribery probe, investigators found evidence of the wider price-fixing conspiracy, according to FBI documents filed in federal court in Sacramento." [WSJ]
[Photo: Jennifer Yin]
