Le Marais Kashrut in Question

Repost from the Maalot Yahoo group:

Le Marais Kashrut in Question
Thu Mar 22, 2007 4:43 pm (PST)
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but it looks like a mashgiach from le
marais resigned over some kashrut related weirdness, and is demanding that
the OU take action...

www.amashgiachspeaksout.com

Is this the (temporary) end of "warm chocolate cake"?

note: I have not called the OU for their side of the story. I would
encourage others to do so.
-----------------

Personally, I love Le Marais. Its one of my favorite restaurants in the city. Their food is good and their steak, fries, salad for $17.95 is one of the best deals in town. When you come from a non-kosher background where you could go to Sizzler and get the steak, shrimp, and all-you-can-eat salad bar for $9.99, the Le Marais meal doesn't sound that great, but still, its tasty. I'm saddened by the news but it will hopefully be resolved soon.

Paris' Prime Grill

Nope, Prime Grill is not opening an outpost in France. I was browsing a fave website TMZ early this week and kept reading stories and watching clips of Paris Hilton's recent birthday party. The kept saying the party was held in Los Angeles at Prime Grill. I thought that was an amusing coincidence. Theres a restaurant in LA that has the same name as a kosher hotspot in NY. Prime Grill on East 49th Street is the go to place for many wealthy business men that need to find kosher food and a classy locale. I've been there twice. Once with friends, the other for a SCW student council "event". You often encounter frum celebrities like Avraham Fried and...um, thats about it. Turns out they did in fact just open a Beverly Hills restaurant and it has become the "It" restaurant for young celebs. When Donald Trump wants to woo frum LA businessmen he takes them there. When kosher Golden Globe winner Sacha Baron Cohen's frum mom and dad are in from the UK, he brings them there. But the chophouse was put on the map last week when Paris chose Prime Grill Beverly Hills for her 26th birthday party. Come on. I know celebs like to waste money on stupid things. Like million dollar cars that they are just going to have impounded after their next DWI. But kosher food? Thats just crazy. If you're hungry, and you don't keep kosher? For God's sake, go to Fatburger or Pinks. Make me proud.

When Kashrus Alerts are funny.

Sixteen Bean Soup Mix with Ham Seasoning UPC #75480753595:

The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company-Montvale, NJ: This product bears an unauthorized OU symbol and is being withdrawn from the marketplace. Individuals spotting this product are requested to contact the Orthodox Union at 212-613-8148 or via email at kashalerts@ou.org.

Now, I don't know about you, but when I come across a product like that, I first get ecstatic that I can once again taste the yumminess of pork products (the delicious fake soy bacon provided by Morningstar does not always cut it), but before I throw the can in my cart, I will first peruse the Nutritional Content chart on the side of the can. I'm sure after listing all 16 beans used to make this delightful soup, there would be some reference to ham. Ham comes from pigs and the last time I checked, pigs are treif. Whoever needed this kashrus alert to inform them that their ham soup was treif, God help them.

Quick side story: One of the most yummy kosher meals is making a Mornigstar Bacon Cheeseburger using one of their veggie burgers and their fake bacon with a slice of my favorite Smart Beat cheese. A few years ago I was eating one of these for dinner when my Breur's neighbor stopped by my apartment and told me how wonderful my meal smelled. B"H she didn't ask what I was eating. Had I said a bacon cheeseburger she probably would have dropped dead.