In a rare breach of habituality, Oliver and I went out for dinner to Café Diem last Wednesday night. It’s under new management this season: Mamdouh Elgharib, formerly of Meeko’s just up the street has take over the reigns (the Meeko’s space has been assimilated into the Murphy Cube — see Which Murphy is Which? for guidance).

The standout item: potato salad. It’s very, very good. The carrot cake, about half the size of a brick, is also very good (although, at $5.95, it’s more expensive than a brick too).

Overall impression: service is as good or better than it’s ever been, the menu is expanded and less panini-centric, and everything else is much as it ever was.