The end of the year brings about many food lists, reflections and looks forward. Here are the food stories that grabbed our attention this week:

Eater complied a whole lot of year-end lists, beginning with complaints from media and industry types. This prompted a pretty great and funny response from Shitfoodblogger. And then Eater released a list of bests for the year. And today came its list of the most scathing restaurant reviews of 2014. 

Good news! Alcohol, apparently, bolsters our immune systems. 

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Andy Ricker has opened the first of two much-anticipated Thai restaurants in Chinatown, and L.A. Magazine has the scoop. 

The L.A. Times has a cool list of over-the-top hot dogs in and around L.A. 

Starbucks is adding the Australian coffee drink the flat white to its menu. The most amusing place to read about it is in the Australian media, where commentary runs along the lines of “Americans will soon be able to enjoy real coffee.”

Open Table, the online reservation site, has launched a food blog aimed at restaurant owners called Open for Business. At launch, there are a lot of articles about how to have a successful business, as well as a Q&A with Ruth Reichl on criticism and how to spot a critic. 

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