EaterWire: Door Foils Robbery, The Counter Does Marin

OAKLAND—Given the inherent fire hazards and racial profiling, we're still not so sure locking doors during business hours is the best way to prevent robberies, but it may have helped once: "The owner of a Montclair district Chinese restaurant foiled a robbery Tuesday night when he refused to open his locked door to the suspects he saw put on masks [Ed. note: well played, robbers]. Whether Lee's Cafe in the 2800 block of Mountain Boulevard was going to be the latest in a series of takeover robberies plaguing eateries across Oakland is not known but it most likely was." [IBA]

MARIN—A relatively new/fancy burger chain called The Counter continues to expand, with the next location getting closer to San Francisco: "An upscale 'build your own burger' franchise will open at Town Center Corte Madera next year. The Counter will replace McDonald's, a Town Center tenant for 22 years ... Within the next 10 years, Counter Intelligence plans to open 25 to 30 stores in Northern California." So we can get 30 of these guys across the area, but not one more In-N-Out in San Francisco? [MIJ]

NEW YORK—If this weekend's bash isn't quite enough for you, there's always October's New York Food & Wine Festival, and the new events announced today include two familiar California characters, Alice Waters and heirloom tomatoes: "This group of events will include a heirloom tomato tasting by Scott Conant, a tour of the Debragga and Spitler facility, and events with the Maccioni family, Alice Waters, Terrance Brennan, Geoffrey Zakarian, Sam Mason, and Michael Lomonaco." [~E~]

NAPA—Some vino news from Wine Country: "Frank Family Vineyards has opened its new tasting room in the old Craftsman house on the property and demolished the old building it formerly used." [NVR]

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