As Broadway ticket prices continue to inch up ($250 for a premium seat at "Gypsy" or "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof," for example), it's nice to know that someone in the Theater District is in tune with the times. The new 44th Street wine bar Gallo Nero kindly keeps the economy in mind with well-prepared Italian classics at recession-worthy prices. Try finding a bowl of pasta as delicious as the meze maniche--rigatoni-like noodles with tomato, buffalo mozzarella and prosciutto--for $10 in the nabe. Or a winter dish as generous and satisfying as the short ribs with near-gravity-defying gnocchi for $15 (the most expensive dish in the house). Open only three weeks, audience response so far points to a long, extended run.

What is the difference between wild and farmed? Can you cure a fish if it isn't sick in the first place? Doesn't spawn sound like a dirty word? You can learn the answers to these questions and more at Starwich's first "ingredient tutorial," featuring salmon, tomorrow, February 7, 6:30pm-8pm at its 42nd Street location. A tasting will be held after. The best part--it's free! Call (212) 462-2310 to reserve a spot.

You've gotta hand it to those "Top Chef" folks--the show has a decent batting average when it comes to chefs who go on to open their own restaurants. Harold Dieterle appears to have a bona fide hit with Perilla, Josie Smith-Malave has bounced around a bit before landing at Speakeasy, and now Dave Martin, he of the funny tics, has brought his truffled mac and cheese and scallops in vanilla bean cream (pictured) to Crave on 42nd. We already posted a bit on his fondness for wacky dish names, but how does the stuff actually taste? Click through to get our critic's take--plus read reviews of Community Food and Juice, a spinoff of Clinton St. Baking Company, Brooklyn African spot Korhogo 126 and seven more new and notable restaurants.

(Photo courtesy of Crave on 42nd)

Having only recently reinstated my cable, I never actually watched the first season of "Top Chef," but apparently Dave Martin was one of the more colorful cast members on the show. And now he joins the ranks of TV reality vets with an actual business to his name a few years later. His Crave on 42nd (named presumably to avoid confusion with Brooklyn's Crave) offers a menu that goes heavy on the wacky titles with dishes like Smokey Rubbed Filet Mignon with Groovy Gorgonzola and Sassy Sea Bass with Adobo Honey Butter, Toasted Coconut Couscous and Roasted Veggies. Click through to get the scoop on more new restaurant openings.

(Photo courtesy of Crave on 42nd)

Citysearch user ssbailey tipped us off to a policy at Hell's Kitchen dessert spot Kyotofu which was so hard to believe, we had to check it out ourselves. Apparently, the restaurant has a "one order per person" policy, which is understandable, but what really boggles our (and ssbailey's) mind is the share charge. Say one person doesn't want a full dessert, but opts to split one with a companion--well, Kyotofu charges an additional 5 dollars for each person sharing the plate. At that point, you're better off just ordering an extra dessert. While we understand that making money off a mostly dessert menu can be a challenge, this seems excessive. We're wondering, have other readers have similar experiences with share charges, and what do you think about it?