DC's First Ethnic 4-Star, Tavern on the Green Mess, More!

WASHINGTON DC—The rumor mill is churning in a big way in DC regarding a tech slip-up by the WaPo that suggests that reviewer Tom Siestema will give four stars to Rasika. If that proves true, Ashok Bajaj’s upscale Indian restaurant would be the ethnic restaurant to get four stars in Sietsema’s nine-plus years as the Post's critic. [Washington CP]

NEW YORK CITY—Diner's Journal counts more ways in which the Tavern on the Green controversy is going to keep worsening. The old operators say they will lay off 400 employees during Christmas if they are not allowed to stay 90 days past New Year's Eve. The new operator, Dean Poll, has threatened that if he gets the place just one day late he'll consider "closing the restaurant for two years while he undertakes renovation work." Stand off! [NYT]

'BUCKSWIRE—Fresh off the big Via instant coffee push, Starbucks will begin offering a decaf version of the instant coffee next week. Your move, Wolfgang. [BT]

NASHVILLE—Now this is a messy situation: the business partner of deceased NFL quarterback Steve McNair wants to shutter their Nashville restaurant Gridiron 9 and stop the pending sale of McNair's interest to a third party. McNair didn't have a will and his estate is worth $19.6 million. [AP]