"The motto of L'Amyx is, 'It's not just tea. It's a lifestyle.' That's easy to believe when you spend some time in this sunny storefront, where the ambience is completely different than that of the Bay area's coffee bars." Those are Michael Stern's words from his Roadfood.com review of L'Amyx Tea Bar (we'll archive the review tomorrow). We recently learned from buffetbuster that L'Amyx has closed. A little research revealed that it folded its tent at the end of September 2012. Marcia, the owner, can now be found in Oakland at Lin Jia Asian Kitchen on Lakeshore Avenue, at the site of what was once a second L'Amyx.

Opening Day for Abbott's Lobster 

Yesterday, at 12 noon, was the beginning of summer. At least it was as far as some people, us included, are concerned, because that was when Abbott's Lobster in the Rough began their 2013 season (see the Roadfood.com review). Their hours will be limited to Fridays through Sundays until Memorial Day weekend, when they begin a daily schedule up through Labor Day weekend. We like to visit early in the season because that is when hard-shell lobsters are most plentiful. Don't forget to visit their website to print out a coupon for free clam chowder (valid with lobster dinner purchase, M-TH, starting Memorial Day).

Go Giants Go: that's how it's listed on the menu. It's an old Carnegie Deli menu item (see the Roadfood.com review), where Harold Jaffe once worked years ago. He brought it to Harold's New York Deli in Edison, NJ (see the Roadfood.com review), where we split an order: two giant hot dogs, a giant potato knish, and a heated can's worth each of Heinz vegetarian beans and sauerkraut (along with plenty of Harold's excellent mustard).

We're normally wary of big, fat hot dogs - throws the surface to innards to bun ratio off, but these are terrific. They are super-garlicky and juicy, with a satisfying meaty chaw. They slash the surface and, we assume, deep-fry them, which results in a nice chewy skin. There are Shofar signs in the restaurant but we believe they've been out of business for years, so we don't know where these are from. We'd guess New Jersey's own Marathon/Sabrett.

The third edition of the Dallas chicken-fried steak and pie joint known as Norma's Cafe will be opening in the northern suburbs of Dallas next month, at 8300 Gaylord Parkway in Frisco. Michael Stern, in his Roadfood.com review of Norma's, had this to say: "For biscuits and gravy in the morning or square meals and mile-high pie, Norma's has been a Dallas favorite since the 1950s. It's a true diner with counter service, booths, and tables serviced by a staff of in-your-face waitresses."

And remember to mark June 25th on your Roadfood calendar, because on that day Norma's will be celebrating their 57th anniversary at all three locations: certain meals, including the chicken-fried steak, will be available for $1.79!

The news is old, but not to us: Sioux Falls, SD's Cookie Jar, which Michael Stern, in his Roadfood.com review, termed "a great sweet-tooth stop in South Dakota," moved around the corner last November, and now call themselves The Cookie Jar Eatery. The Eatery has added a breakfast and lunch menu while continuing with its repertoire of baked sweet things. They can be found in the Shriver Square Building at 230 South Phillips Avenue.