Spring is here, you guys. And it's totally going to be over before you know it and tourists will litter the city with their touristy ways and everything will be simply horrid until the first chill of fall. (Not really. Summer is rad.) Why not take advantage of asparagus' all-too-brief moment in the sun by making a reservation at Michael Mina to wolf down his warm asparagus salad? What's in it, you ask? Hold on, we'll tell you: it's assembled with a slow-poached Jidori hen egg, black truffle, and burrata. It will run you $22, but as always, it's worth it. more ›

Word has it that Absinthe chef and Top Chef cheftestant Jamie Lauren has been stung harder by the fame bug more than she has arugula's peppery tang. (Fame is fleeting, Lauren! Your palette and plates, much like your tattoos, are forever!) But in a fusion of attention grabbing and culinary trickery, Lauren and 7x7 Magazine are having a springtime veggie contest. It goes like this: You create a phenomenal original first-course dish using asparagus, one that would fit in with Absinthe’s "American-influenced French brasserie and Northern Italian cuisine" menu, and your creation will be featured on the menu for two weeks. Also, you'll get a complimentary dinner for two at Absinthe, a swank KitchenAid stand mixer, and coverage in 7x7. more ›