A short while back I attended a wine dinner at Element Fresh to check out the new wine pairing menu they've developed with ASC sommelier Andy Tan. The menu items are drawn from their regular menu--of note were the gazpacho and carrot cake wine pairings (though skip the carrot cake frosting, all whip no cream cheese).

While chatting with EF's operations manager Karim Rushdy, he tipped me onto a recent development that may have caused some people to hyperventilate in anticipation--the appearance of a Krispy Kreme "now hiring" ad in the Shanghai Daily a few weeks back. First rumored to be setting up shop in Shanghai in 2006, it seems the company has begun to move forward with the plan, although their official website still has no mention of pending openings set for Shanghai. Rushdy heard rumors that Krispy has been planning an aggressive expansion into Shanghai with "like 20 stores." Wait and see, wait and see.