This Week in Reviews Archives
This Week in NYC Reviews - July 21, 2006
Each Friday, A Guy In New York publishes "This Week in NYC Reviews (TWIR)," with quick links to reviews of New York City restaurants that sound interesting to us and that we believe represent a good value ... places we would take our friends.
To see a list of upcoming food events in the NYC area, see "New York City Wine Tasting, Dinners, Food/Drink Events."
For DC restaurant reviews, see This Week in DC Reviews at Hobnob Blog, and Tyler Cowen's Ethnic Dining Guide ....
NYC Restaurant inspection results online
- Although Jules at The Bruni Digest has decamped for Chicago, she continues to write about Frank Bruni's "reviews" ... "Le Cirque: Fancy Pants, but No Family Jewels" ... "Time to take off those thatched heather pajamas and put on your fancy pants! The Count, feeling very Countly today, drops in on Le Cirque, flush with seeming nostalgia for the starchy, star-studded brand." ... good luck in Chicago Jules!
- Robert Sietsema says the best place for Sichuan peppercorn-spiced food is Xiao La Jiao ... "In a tawdry bi-level strip mall next to Golden Golden Szechuan stands newcomer Xiao La Jiao (English name: Little Pepper)." (this used to be Spicy & Tasty) ...the dried rabbit "wasn't dry in the least, and the subtle smoked flavor was enhanced by dipping each bite-size piece in the accompanying saucer of salt and toasted huajiao." ... "The best thing on the menu, though, is a dish that dry-cooks swatches of lamb with a coating of cumin and Sichuan peppercorns, three ingredients and one technique inconceivable in southern Chinese restaurants." ... 133-43 Roosevelt Avenue, Flushing, Queens, 718-939-7788
- Steve Cuozzo asks, "Where does less than $6 worth of food cost $32?" ... our answer: Any place where there are people with more money than judgement (MMTJ) ... and at the kind of places we don't go and don't think you should either ...
- eat drink one woman, after eating ja jang myun at Shanghai Mong, is still searching "for the delicious ja jang myun of my memory. Anybody have any recommendations?" [Citysearch]
- Augieland does his typical thorough review, with pics, of Moto ... and Devin Tavern ... we wonder why the NYT can't hire someone to put together reviews half as good as Augie's - just wondering ... and he has a nice overview of the "top of the world of junk food," Chicago Dogs ... we love this:
The last stop of this journey was Hot Doug’s. When Chicago area magazines do surveys, Hot Doug’s often appears on the “favorite places to eat” lists of the Chicagoland chefs I respect most. On a little corner far from the city center (the 3300 north block), across from an empty field with a crew using a backhoe to dig a hole deep enough to fit an extension ladder, is a small (about a dozen four-top tables) lunch-counter kind of place somewhat haphazardly decorated with things like pictures of Brittney Spears, an 8x12 print-out of sausage-centric German phrase translations, and in large white lettering the slogan that “the two nicest words in the English language are encased meats.”- A Guy in New York visited several "good value" eateries with his friend from Italy, Mietta Buitoni ... yeah, those Buitonis ...
- Veal Cheeks has a roundup of Four Asian Spots ... Lao Bei Fang Dumpling House ... Mie Jakarta ... New Asha Cafe ... Skyway ...
- The Girl Who Ate Everything has a picture of omurice at Hiroko's Place and it looks interesting (according to wikipedia, Omurice is "a contemporary Japanese dish consisting of an omelet made with fried rice") ... "Each plump little grain of rice was coated in ketchup. I've never had rice and ketchup before, but it works (if you like ketchup). While I wouldn't want it slathered on in a goopy fashion, the coating was just a tint of flavor." ... 75 Thompson Street, between Spring and Broome Streets, 212-625-1303 [MenuPages | Yelp | The Gaijin Girl's Guide to Chinatown]
- pushcart NYC
took my first visit to Roosevelt Avenue in Jackson Heights -- or is it Rego Park? -- at any rate, near 79th Street, where the legendary Arepa Lady is rumored to hang out.
I was amazed -- here is another piece of the city, unlike any other, as throbbing and busy as Chinatown, and supposedly open later. Queens truly is where the city that never sleeps lives now. Service industry=all hours.
There are a great number of carts of varying degrees of sophistication strung out along the sidewalks flanking the elevated portion of the R. I have singled out two of the simpler ones for this first review, and I fear I haven't even done them particular justice...I'll have to go back soon. Of particular interest: a food-truck specializing in ceviche and the countless fruit salad and fruit-drink carts, particularly the ones that seem to use some kind of crisp pastry as a dish (almost like an sugar cone).
He promises more soon ...- Twenty bucks a day says the food at Damascus Gate is "totally delicious" ... and "the mtabbal, which seemed to be comprised of garlic mashed up with eggplant and peppers, was good and unique enough that I considered taking home a gallon" ... but commenters on zabihah say this place is overpriced ... 7224 5th Avenue, Brooklyn, 718-680-8844 [zabihah | New York Food | Village Voice] ... and says Spartan Souvlaki is "the only restaurant I’ve been to in the last few years (with the possible exception of the dining room in my great-grandmother’s nursing home) that has had flowers painted on the ceiling" ... "the gyro sandwich - a true monsterpiece that adds enormous heapings of yummy meat, lettuce and red onions to the tomatoes, and adds a generous dollop of tzatziki to bind it all together. Warning: this tzatziki has so much raw garlic in it that it is just as pungent as a hot pepper" ... sounds good to us, but we like garlic .... 6820 Eighth Avenue, Brooklyn, 718-748-5838 [Go Brooklyn | Village Voice | insider pages]
____________________________________
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Did we miss your favorite review?
Let us know: aguyinnewyork [at] gmail.com ... we're especially interested in hearing about mom and pop places from NYC bloggers ...
Technorati Tags: New York, NYC, Manhattan, restaurants, restaurant reviews, this week in reviews, week in reviews
Good value
We've been talking about the kind of restaurants we want to tell other people about ... and very few of them have PR budgets and "buzz" ... Eater, Bruni, Andrea Strong, and hundreds of other folks can and do adequately cover those kinds of places ... there's nothing wrong with those kinds of places - we even eat at and like some of them! ...
But we're more interested in, and prefer to support, the numerous great "mom and pop" places, where the owners - and often their families - are much closer to the business of cooking and not so focused on showy and expensive artistry ... again, nothing wrong with showy and expensive artistry, but those places have many people who want to swoon over and gossip about them ... and we don't need to add to that ... plus, we're not the swooning types ...
Steer away from all the fancy flowers, silverware, bottled still or sparkling water, sexy female hostesses and publicity-seeking chefs ... we are not impressed with all the extra noise ... we are only interested in the food and great value ...
Moreover, some would claim that ethnic eateries are not hygenic but we have not seen any empirical evidence from the City health authorities to substantiate that claim ... we have never caught any sickness from eating street vendor food and at ethnic eateries ...
From now on, we will highlight reviews of places that sound interesting to us, and we'll continue to try and spread the good word about places we like ... places we would like to take our friends ... and we hope that you will try them, too, so that they can stay in business and thrive ...
NYC is a town where you can eat at fantastic restaurants and street vendors every day on less than $20 ... yes, we like him, too ... so, from now on we will share reviews and tell you about those places that we believe are a good value ...sometimes those will be expensive places ... but more often they won't be ...
This Week in NYC Reviews - June 23, 2006
Each Friday, A Guy In New York publishes "This Week in NYC Reviews (TWIR)," with quick links to New York City restaurant reviews and mentions from the previous seven days in blogs, magazines, and newspapers.
To see a list of upcoming food events in the NYC area, see "New York City Wine Tasting, Dinners, Food/Drink Events." Also see our roundup of Michelin 1, 2 and 3 star restaurants with links to reviews ...
For DC restaurant reviews, see This Week in DC Reviews at Hobnob Blog, and Tyler Cowen's Ethnic Dining Guide ....
NYC Restaurant inspection results online
- snack can save you $7.98 ...
- Slice NY has a a great pic of how to enjoy the World Cup ... GO Ecuador! GO Argentina! GO Mexico! GO Brazil! ... and reposts something worth reading: "Di Fara: 'Why the hurry? Life's too short'" ...
- Off The Broiler is looking forward, as are we, to a new Pixar movie coming next summer ... Ratatouille ... web site ... btw - if you go see Cars, stay all the way through the credits at the end ...
- NYC nosh says Jordan Lobster Farms is worth the trip ... "if you really, really love fresh shellfish, this is exactly where you want to be" ... web site, 1 Pettit Place, Island Park, 516-889-3314 [NYT] ... and likes the tacos at Tehuitzingo Mexican Deli: "might just be the best on our tiny island" ... 695 10th Avenue, between 47th and 48th Streets, 212-397-5956 [MenuPages | NYT | Yelp]
- The Food Section has "discovered the Best New Brunch Dining With a View in New York" ... "one of the most spectacular views of the East River and the Statue of Liberty you’ve ever seen" ... Fairway in Red Hook ... web site, 500 Van Brunt Street, Brooklyn, 718-694-6868 ... directions ...
- Veal Cheeks says Veritas "is a restaurant where one can easily spend $200+/person, yet hear more of one's neighbors' conversations than that of one's partner." ... "None of the dishes were transcendent, but both the appetizers and entrees were well-conceived and stalwart." ... web site, 43 East 20th Street, at Broadway, 212-353-3700 [MenuPages | NYT | NY Mag | openlist | Gayot | Savory NY | Yelp | Citysearch]
- Gotham Gal says Chinatown Brasserie "is good not great." ... Disneyland Brasserie ... (previous reviews: Steve Cuozzo (TWIR, June 9, 2006), Off the Broiler (TWIR, June 2, 2006)) ... web site, 380 Lafayette Street, 212-533-7000 [MenuPages | Savory NY | Citysearch]
- Twenty bucks a day liked the pljeskavica at Djerdan ... "Regardless of price, the meat can’t be faulted. The pljeskavica arrived on an aluminum plate bearing twin containers of chopped white onions and ajvar, (a red pepper spread that, if I can find a jar or six to take with me to the Cape, will be the hit condiment of the summer with my family)." ... 221 West 38th Street, between Seventh and Eighth Avenues, 212-921-1183 [MenuPages | NYT | NY Mag]
- Forbes gave 3 Green GOs ... Cafe D'Alsace: "Try the petatou (warm potato salad appetizer laced with Munster cheese), the roast chicken, the grilled trout with buttered spinach and a Riesling sauce, and the choucroute garnie" ... web site, 1695 2nd Avenue, at 88th Street, 212-996-1706 [Shecky's | NYT | NY Mag | Yelp | Citysearch] ... Shelly's New York: "Portions are large and delicious" ... web site, 41 West 57th Street, 212-245-2422 [MenuPages | NYT | NY Mag | openlist | Gayot] ... Woo Lae Oak: "Make it a point to try the tempuralike calamari: yummy" ... web site (Flash and music), 148 Mercer Street, between Prince and Houston Streets, 212-925-8200 [MenuPages | NYT | NY Mag | openlist | Gayot | Yelp | Citysearch]
- Gael Greene wonders why she hadn't heard of Sfoglia ... Andrea Strong reviewed it in May (TWIR, May 26, 2006) ... web site, 1402 Lexington Avenue, at 92nd Street, 212-831-1402 [MenuPages | NYT]
- Adam Platt gave 0 stars to Mr. Chow Tribeca ... "Always, the food is served by bow-tied waiters in an exaggerated, pseudo-swank, Continental style. Always, it’s outrageously expensive, a canny tactic designed to alleviate the hidden fear, among the masses who flock there, that it might not be very good after all." ... "the chicken satay they recommended turned out to be two scraggly portions of chicken breast ($5.50 each) marinated in some indistinct orange substance and obscured in a kind of boiled cream sauce tasting vaguely of peanuts. The harried (mostly Italian) waiters also brought us some rock-hard, midget-size pot stickers, a petite mound of the famous Mr. Chow diced squab (costing roughly $9 per petite spoonful), and a single, shopworn scallion pancake about the size (and texture) of one of my daughter’s breakfast mini-waffles. Our frog’s legs were muffled in an elderly batter crust, and a dish called Drunken Fish ($31 à la carte) consisted of a couple of wet pieces of sole sunk in a curious gelatinous substance which had no color and very little taste and looked perilously like pond slime." ... uh huh: it's expensive, so it must be good ... "Pay your bill, and get out of there as fast as you can." ... or better yet, STEER CLEAR and then you won't have to pay a bill ... web site, 121 Hudson Street, near North Moore Street, 212-965-9500 [Gayot | Citysearch]
- Lauren Collins says the signature noodles at Mr. Chow Tribeca are "as gelatinous as the lo mein at your neighborhood Golden Dragon, and the accompanying meat sauce, oversugared and tomatoey, tastes exactly like Chef Boyardee Beefaroni." ... yum, yum ... MMTJ ...
- Joshua Bernstein says that although Burgers and Cupcakes (458 9th Avenue, between 35th and 36th Streets, 212-643-1200) and Zip Burger (300 1/2 East 52nd Street, 212-308-0623) "are excellent role players, in this hypercrowded meat market they’re hardly destinations. Instead, these newcomers will ably serve their local, under-burgered neighborhood crowd…until another trend boots cheesesteaks, tacos and burgers to food’s fickle curb." ... no foul, no goal ...
- Frank Bruni gave 2 stars to Degustation ... warning: "You should not visit Degustation in a group larger than two, because the side-by-side seating would make conversation awkward. You should not go if you're keen on desserts, because Degustation doesn't excel at them. You can easily spend $40 or more to assemble enough modestly priced dishes -- maybe four, maybe even five -- to fill you. And if your reserved seat isn't ready, there's nowhere comfortable to wait." ... (previous reviews: Leo Carey (TWIR June 16, 2006), Robin Raisfeld and Rob Patronite (TWIR, June 9, 2006)) ... 239 East 5th Street, between 2nd and 3rd Avenues, 212-979-1012 [Augieland | Yelp | Citysearch] ... and 1 star to Jewel Bako ... "a few pieces of its sushi -- pike eel with a dab of pickled plum, chopped jack mackerel with baby ginger, scallions and shiso -- are noteworthy." ... 239 East 5th Street, 212-979-1012 [NY Mag | Gayot | Savory NY | Citysearch]
- eat drink one woman went to Mercadito Grove for drinks and appetizers and reports "the bill came out to a whopping $270 for six (only four actually ate dinner) with tax and tip. $270, and I was still hungry and completely sober!" ... easy to avoid that place ... 100 7th Avenue South, at Grove Street, 212- 647-0830 [MenuPages | NYT | Gayot | Yelp | Citysearch]
- David Rosen gave 1.5 stars to Peking Duck House ... "the pancakes were superior to any I have consumed in other Chinese restaurants, but the duck lacked the intense flavor that characterized Mainland¹s and the crispy texture that is a hallmark of Shun Lee West¹s. Altogether, it was a good Peking duck, but certainly not the best I have ever had." ... web site, 28 Mott Street, between Chatham Square and Pell Street, 212-227-1810 [MenuPages | NY Mag | Savory NY | Citysearch]
- Big Apple Dining Guide liked the ice tea at Prune ... and says the "simple [poussin] dish was truly terrific." ... 54 East 1st Street, 212-677-6221 [MenuPages | NYT | NY Mag | openlist | Gayot | Yelp | Citysearch]
____________________________________
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Did we miss your favorite review?
Let us know: aguyinnewyork [at] gmail.com ... we're especially interested in hearing about mom and pop places from NYC bloggers ...Link to TWIR
If you want to place a TWIR logo with a review that was featured, feel free to link to one of the banners on the TWIR page.
Technorati Tags: New York, NYC, Manhattan, restaurants, restaurant reviews, this week in reviews, week in reviews
This Week in NYC Reviews - June 16, 2006
-- Julia Child
To see a list of upcoming food events in the NYC area, see "New York City Wine Tasting, Dinners, Food/Drink Events."
Each Friday, A Guy In New York publishes "This Week in NYC Reviews (TWIR)," with quick links to New York City restaurant reviews and mentions from the previous seven days in blogs, magazines, and newspapers.
Also see our roundup of Michelin 1, 2 and 3 star restaurants with links to reviews ...
For DC restaurant reviews, see This Week in DC Reviews at Hobnob Blog, and Tyler Cowen's Ethnic Dining Guide ....
NYC Restaurant inspection results online
This week's TWIR is late and light due to World Cup interference ... GO Ecuador! GO Mexico! GO Argentina! GO Brazil! GO USA! ...
- Augieland gave 871 spritezillian stars to Little Owl ... the gravy meatball sliders, " three airy meatballs about an inch and a half in diameter dressed in simple tomato sauce, topped with pecorino and chopped parsley, sandwiched in perfectly fitting home made garlic rolls [must] be about as good as a meatball sandwich is ever going to taste." ... "It is definitely worth a visit, whether it is because you want to say you were there back when, or you live close and want a good meal, or the reason I’ll probably be back most often: you like to eat great food in noisy little places." ... web site, 90 Bedford Street, on the corner of Grove Street, 212-741-4695 [NY Mag | Citysearch]
- Off The Broiler has great pics of the Big Apple Barbecue Block Party 2006 ... and declares that Shake Shack is "one of the very best fast food establishments in the entire city, if not the best, bar none" ... web site, southeast corner of Madison Square Park, near Madison Avenue and East 23rd Street [A Hamburger Today | MetropolisMag | MenuPages | NY Mag | Yelp | Citysearch] ... and had "the Wazwan, the multicourse tasting menu composed of both hot and cold items" at Tabla ... beautiful pics ... (previous reviews: foodite (TWIR, February 3, 2006), Veal Cheeks (TWIR, December 23, 2005)) ... web site, 11 Madison Avenue, at East 25th Street, 212-889-0667 [MenuPages | NYT | NY Metro | Village Voice | openlist | Gayot | Citysearch]
- Steve Cuozzo declares that "heaven is a burger made of fresh-ground, high-quality chuck beef grilled to a juicy turn under a crackling crust." ... " my favorite restaurant burger is Nice Matin's 'Five-Napkin' ($16.75), which uses nothing more exotic than 10 slurpy ounces of fresh-ground chuck on a soft french roll." ... and then looks at 6 places that sell "shamburgers" ... and concludes: "Luger's $7.95 burger (lunch only) is the bargain in the bunch - a slurping-good slab of juicy, fatty meat on a simple, seeded bun, and a fine introduction to the place's legendary way with beef. Though smaller than the others, it's still the Great American Hamburger." ... Nice Matin: web site, 201 West 79th Street, next to the Lucerne Hotel, 212-873-6423 [MenuPages | NYT | NY Mag | Gayot | Village Voice | Yelp | Citysearch] ... Peter Luger's: web site, 178 Broadway, Brooklyn, 718-387-7400 [A Hamburger Today | openlist | NYT | Gayot | Citysearch]
- Peter Meehan likes the braised short rib sandwich, the skirt steak salad, and the "Starwich Cobb salad ($11.95), classically composed, hit the spot, even if I wouldn't go out of my way for it." ... at the chain Starwich Salads & Sandwiches ... web site (Flash and music), 63 Wall Street, at Pearl Street, 212-809-3200, 72 West 38th Street, 212-302-7775, 525 West 42nd Street, 212-736-9170, 153 East 53rd Street, 212-371-7772, 1055 Lexington Avenue, at 75th Street [MenuPages | openlist | Yelp | Citysearch]
- Leo Carey writes that Degustation Wine & Tasting Bar has "food that is striking and occasionally inspired." ... (previous review: Robin Raisfeld and Rob Patronite (TWIR, June 9, 2006)) ... 239 East 5th Street, between 2nd and 3rd Avenues, 212-979-1012 [Augieland | Yelp | Citysearch]
- Veal Cheeks writes that at Country "it is the food that requires panache. The service at this newly opened restaurant at the Carlton Hotel near Madison Park is as slick, convivial, and confident as that at any four star restaurant. The kitchen's handiwork, while never failing, lacks the flair of genius." ... "The problem was not Executive Chef Doug Psaltis's gaffes, but a deficit of delight, an absence of astonishment. Psaltis is a B+ chef. Psaltis is a pro at synthesizing high-middle cuisine, creating a restaurant free of complaint. Indeed, the high point of the evening was Country's "Carlton House Rolls," a soft, comforting, and polished bread modeled on the Parker House brand." ... (previous reviews: Steve Cuozzo (TWIR, March 10, 2006), Pascale Le Draoulec (TWIR, January 20, 2006), Frank Bruni (TWIR, October 28, 2005)) ... web site, 90 Madison Avenue, at 29th Street (in the Carlton Hotel), 212-889-7100 [MenuPages | Gayot | Savory NY | Citysearch]
- Adam Platt says Craftsteak "is big and snazzy, but the beef doesn’t quite measure up." ... and "The lobster I sampled was dull (it’s served in the shell, swimming in an opulent lobster broth), and not worth its $55 price tag." ... web site, 85 Tenth Avenue, at 15th Street, 212-400-6699 [MenuPages | Citysearch]
- Frank Bruni gave 2 stars to Dona ... "a fillet of marlin [was] hijacked by an intrusively sweet orange vinaigrette and a too-salty twofer of caper berries and olives" ... "A zippy 'paella soup' took many of the components and seasonings of paella, let orzo play the role of rice and turned it all into a sort of bouillabaisse. Even better was a kind of bacalao Parmigiana, which combined fried salt cod, buffalo-milk ricotta, pecorino and cherry tomatoes." ... (previous reviews: VittlesVamp (TWIR, June 2, 2006), Adam Platt (TWIR, May 26, 2006)) ... web site, 208 East 52nd Street, near Third Avenue, 212-308-0830 [Diners Journal | NY Mag | Citysearch]
- Gotham Gal reports that Le Cirque "has reopened once again. Sirio Maccioni and his family gets huge credit for continuing to reinvent their signature restaurant." ... "The fish was a tad over done and the large pieces really didn't have tons of flavor but the key was the fennel au jus. Our waiter came over and poured that jus around the plate. That changed the entire taste of the dish. My friends both had the snapper. 7 spices crushed and covered over the fish and baked with a green curry relish. It was good. Keep in mind that each of these plates were $37." ... we agree with the commenter: "that's ridiculous" ... web site (Flash), 151 East 58th Street, 212-644-0202 [NY Mag | Gayot | Yelp]
____________________________________
Subway MTA map | Straphangers interactive map | schedules | HopStop | Interactive Transit Map
Did we miss your favorite review?
Let us know: aguyinnewyork [at] gmail.com ... we're especially interested in hearing about mom and pop places from NYC bloggers ...Link to TWIR
If you want to place a TWIR logo with a review that was featured, feel free to link to one of the banners on the TWIR page.
Technorati Tags: New York, NYC, Manhattan, restaurants, restaurant reviews, this week in reviews, week in reviews
This Week in NYC Reviews - June 9, 2006
"The pleasures of the table, and of life, are infinite."
-- Julia Child
Each Friday, A Guy In New York publishes "This Week in NYC Reviews (TWIR)," with quick links to New York City restaurant reviews and mentions from the previous seven days in blogs, magazines, and newspapers.
Also see our roundup of Michelin 1, 2 and 3 star restaurants with links to reviews ...
For DC restaurant reviews, see This Week in DC Reviews at Hobnob Blog, and Tyler Cowen's Ethnic Dining Guide ....
NYC Restaurant inspection results online
- pushcart NYC says the kebab cart at the NW corner of 32nd Street and Broadway in Queens "is the hands-down winner in the kebabs category, serving fresh-cooked meat from noon to 6 in the morning, 7 days a week. This is a hard-core operation." ... "The meat is so perfect though, any way you have them they'd be great." ...
- Slashfood agrees with our assessment of the pizza, hot dogs, and chicken bakes at Costco ... "The best place to get a cheap meal is no longer your local McDonald's, Burger King or other fast food establishment - it's Costco." ... all-beef foot-long hot dog, with drink, for $1.50 ... "the foods taste great and are an incredibly good deal" ... 18-inch pizzas for $10 ... berry smoothies for $1.55 ... no whiny emails please ...
- Robert Sietsema likes Mie Jakarta ... "Next to satays, gado-gado is probably Indonesia's most famous dish, and it has been embraced throughout the island chain and in neighboring Malaysia. Mie Jakarta's version is more rudimentary than the one found at New York's Malaysian cafes, consisting mainly of shredded lettuce, bean sprouts, bean curd, a boiled egg, and decorative shrimp crackers--but what could be more perfect?" ... "The most spectacular offering is ayam rica ($6.50), a quarter fried chicken paved with a coarse red coating that, upon closer inspection, turns out to be mainly pickled chiles" ... 86-20 Whitney Avenue, Queens, 718-606-8025 [Chowhound]
- The Girl Who Ate Everything liked the massive burgers and fries at Corner Bistro ... "My rare burger was fortunately cooked to my order ... a mass of soft pink innards that made me feel more carnivorous than I normally do." ... (previous review: Twenty Bucks a Day (TWIR, March 17, 2006)) ... web site, 331 West 4th Street, 212-242-9502 [A Hamburger Today | The Economist | MenuPages | NYT | NY Mag | openlist | Gayot | Yelp | Citysearch]
- foodite also likes Corner Bistro ... "There's hardly a burger place with less pretensions as this West Village burger haunt that serves thick and juicy, sometimes even too-bloody, burgers on nothing more than flimsy coffee filter saucers." ... has pics of the $24.07 lunch at Gotham Bar and Grill ... web site, 12 East 12th Street, at 5th Avenue, 212-620-7810 [MenuPages | NYT | openlist | Gayot | Citysearch] ... and congratulations to foodite on starting Level 2 at The French Culinary Institute!
- Savory Tidbits added 4 new videos: "Devi with Suvir Saran, Il Buco with Donna Lennard and Ed Witt, 'inoteca with Joe Denton and Eric Kleinman and Veritas with Scott Bryan."
- Vittles Vamp likes the "perfectly crisp Blintzes stuffed with sweet farmer's cheese and fresh blueberries" at Teresa's ... 80 Montague Street, Brooklyn, 718-797-3996 [MenuPages | NYT | NY Mag | Citysearch]
- NYC nosh warns that when eating the Carolina Pulled Pork BBQ Sandwich at Daisy May’s BBQ USA, "grab extra napkins. Let me repeat that: grab extra napkins! The bun will be soggy toward the end (i.e. not much help), and the sauce gets, well… absolutely everywhere." ... "The ‘Texas Chopped Beef Brisket’ sandwich ($9.50) arrives with meat that is so tender it falls apart as you eat it" ... says the "quality of its sides [is] a bit more uneven." ... web site, 623 11th Avenue, at West 46th Street, 212 977-1500 [White Trash BBQ | MenuPages | NYT | "The Pushcart Prize," by Carl Swanson, NY Mag | Village Voice | openlist | Gayot | Yelp | Citysearch] ... but they weren't so impressed with El Centro: "we found lots of passably decent dishes–and we ordered quite a bit of food–with nary a standout in the bunch." ... 824 Ninth Avenue, at 54th Street, 646-763-6585 [NY Mag | Citysearch]
- Andrea Thompson's review of A Voce sounds ... confused ... "one evening, the duck meatballs, sour and sweet, were well received on one side of the table but dismissed on the other" ... "An entrée of black sea bass was equally divisive: to her, the fish was succulent, the broth bright and fresh, the addition of mussels and croutons a delight. To him, the plate was sparse, the fish too fishy, the vegetables too meagre." ... just the kind of place we want to go and spend $30 for fish ... no thanks ... (previous reviews: Augieland and Frank Bruni (TWIR, March 24, 2006), Andrew & Karen's web log and Big Apple Dining Guide (TWIR, March 17, 2006)) ...
- Salli Vates says the sushi sashimi lunch at Restaurant Yamaguchi is "Worth the trip from Manhattan, just take the Port Washington line from Penn Station." ... "Yamaguchi is for the purist; you won't find any spicy mayonnaisey maki here, but you'll be totally fulfilled by the excellent quality of the fish." ... 63 Main Street, Port Washington, 516-883-3500 [AOL Cityguide | Citysearch]
- Steve Cuozzo bemoans the loss of real Chinese restaurants and says Chinatown Brasserie "is the Disneyland version of a Chinese restaurant." ... "Mastering the techniques of fine Chinese cooking from any region - stir-frying, steaming, braising - can take a lifetime." ... "Another problem is the perception of younger New Yorkers that Chinese food, historically one of the world's healthiest cuisines, is greasy and fatty - which it often is from takeout joints that load dishes with flour to withstand a 15-block bicycle ride." ... (previous review: Off the Broiler (TWIR, June 2, 2006)) ... web site, 380 Lafayette Street, 212-533-7000
- Restaurant Girl confirms that Chinatown Brasserie is "Nothing like Chinatown, this dramatically vibrant space possesses more old world opulence than all of the gritty Canal Street haunts stacked together." ... "If you close your eyes and click your heels together, you might just find yourself in Beijing" eating "a caramelized banana-topped peanut butter parfait surrounded on all sides by peanut brittle and a gentle ginger syrup" ... Oh yeah, that famous Chinese dessert, caramelized banana-topped peanut butter parfait ... uh huh ... Chinese food without the gritty Chinese haunts stacked together, and without Chinese people ... yeah, that's the ticket ... Steve Cuozzo got it right - this place attracts those looking for Disneyland ...
- Augieland gave 450 gaugeillian stars to Cento Vini ... "On the whole, I would say Cento Vino has promise: all the food was of serious quality in execution and freshness. What is there at this point is simple, sometimes excellent and sometimes a little short of that, but their dishes can easily evolve as the wine list and menu fill out. It is worth mentioning that the dishes are actually appetizer size, not larger, and are on the more expensive side." ... web site, 25 West Houston Street, 212-219-2113 ... and says the food at Hearth "was as fresh, lively, light, and well made as it looks. The layers of herbs, lettuces, and aromatics are all right there to see. Feast your eyes [on the pictures in the post]." ... web site, 403 East 12th Street, 646-602-1300 [MenuPages | NYT | NY Mag | openlist | Savory NY | Gayot | Yelp | Citysearch]
- Off The Broiler declares that Union Square Cafe "is as vibrant and warm and as satisfying a dining experience as the day it opened" 21 years ago ... web site, 21 East 16th Street, between Fifth Avenue and Union Square West, 212-243-4020 [MenuPages | NYT | NY Metro | Village Voice | openlist | Gayot | Citysearch]
- Big Apple Dining Guide ate at SriPraPhai ... "WOW! As good as I've heard and then some. This will likely go down as one of the best dinners I'll have in New York. The flavors and balance of ingredients were incredible. Truly an eye opening and mouth watering experience. A true wake-up of the senses." ... 64-13 39th Avenue, Queens, between 64th and 65th Streets, 718-899-9599 [NYT | NY Mag | Village Voice | openlist | Savory NY | Gayot | Yelp | Citysearch]
- A Hamburger Today and gothamist are hosting a Beach Burger Party on June 24, 2006, starting at 6:00 pm, at Water Taxi Beach ... details here ...
- Peter Meehan writes that the cookies and pies at Pies n Thighs "are on a par with the best homemade baked goods I have ever had the fortune of eating." ... "In Pies 'n' Thighs Mr. Tanner and Ms. Buck have cobbled together a restaurant that makes their loves clear: good Southern cooking and great baked goods. It's a compelling combination, well executed and put forth with real heart -- the sort of restaurant that's hard to find, especially in the big city, but easy to love once found." ... web site, 351 Kent Avenue, Brooklyn, next to the Williamsburg Bridge, 347-282-6005 [NY Mag | NY Press | Citysearch]
- Frank Bruni gave 2 stars to Dressler, which "promises, and delivers ... food that's sophisticated without being too clever, in a room that's beautiful without being too flamboyant." ... web site, 149 Broadway, Brooklyn, 718-384-6343 [MenuPages | NY Mag | Savory NY | Citysearch]
- Gael Greene says "the abundant hills of tantalizing, gently priced food are real, too" at Dressler, "a joy in this era of foam and froth" ...
- Twenty bucks a day says he has "disparaged the Mexican food of New York City for the last time, quite possibly" ... after eating at De Guerreros Taqueria ... "an unbelievable selection of tacos, sandwiches, and other meat-and-starch combinations at prices that will bring a smile to your face." ... 719 5th Avenue, Brooklyn, 718-499-8881 [Village Voice] ... and warns there is "some maddening variation in quality" at Pio Maya ... "Go get your chorizo tacos at a peak lunch hour, and be prepared to wait for them to make it fresh." ... 40 West 8th Street, between 5th and 6th Avenues, 212-254-2277 [NY Mag | Village Voice | Yelp | Citysearch]
- Robin Raisfeld and Rob Patronite report that "The sixteen-seat space has seamlessly become an elegant tapas bar" at Degustation Wine & Tasting Bar ... The chef is "Wesley Genovart, a Perry St. grad who looks to be about 12" ... "Flavors, for the most part, are bold and harmonious, and often so rich that the smallish portions make perfect sense." ... 239 East 5th Street, between 2nd and 3rd Avenues, 212-979-1012 [Augieland | Yelp | Citysearch]
- UPTOWN flavor says the chicken in the $2.99 snack pack at Harlem Wing And Waffle "was well seasoned and fried to perfection" ... web site, 2394 Adam Clayton Powell Blvd., Seventh Avenue and 140th Street, 212-281-1477
- Veal Cheeks had lunch at Per Se ... "if my finest New York meal was at Per Se, my second finest New York meal was at Per Se as well" ... (previous review: Veal Cheeks (TWIR, January 20, 2006)) ... web site, 10 Columbus Circle, at 60th Street and 8th Avenue, Time-Warner Center, 212-823-9335 [MenuPages | NYT | openlist | Gayot | Citysearch] ... and says even if Jovia "does not provide the finest meal or even the finest lunch, it surely is the champion prix fixe. A happy occasion for tongue and wallet. Cheap at twice the price." ... (previous reviews: Frank Bruni (TWIR, December 9, 2005), Forbes (TWIR, December 2, 2005), Moira Hodgson (TWIR, November 25, 2005), Steve Cuozzo (TWIR, November 18, 2005)) ... web site, 135 East 62nd Street, at Lexington Avenue, 212-752-6000 [MenuPages | NY Mag | Savory NY | Yelp | Citysearch]
- Word of Mouth likes the tapas at Las Ramblas: "Every item was a winner, which is a not-too-frequent occurrence. Each dish had very particular, bold flavors, and the chef has clearly paid great attention to seasonings and taste combinations. Nothing was timid, nothing was heavy-handed."... web site, 170 West 4th Street, 646-415-7924 [MenuPages | Citysearch]
____________________________________
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This Week in NYC Reviews - June 2, 2006
-- Julia Child
Each Friday, A Guy In New York publishes "This Week in NYC Reviews (TWIR)," with quick links to New York City restaurant reviews and mentions from the previous seven days in blogs, magazines, and newspapers.
Also see our roundup of Michelin 1, 2 and 3 star restaurants with links to reviews ...
For DC restaurant reviews, see This Week in DC Reviews at Hobnob Blog, and Tyler Cowen's Ethnic Dining Guide ....
NYC Restaurant inspection results online
- Robert Sietsema liked Mazorca ... "picada mixta mazorca ($18.25), an amazing square-foot haymow of meat randomized with lime wedges, lettuce, purple onions, sliced tomatoes, fibrous fried yuca, salty skin-on potatoes, and miniature masa cakes called arepitas. The meat roster includes grilled beefsteak, cumin-laced chorizo, pork ribs, and crispy pork skin. Rifling through the heap is half the fun." ... 83-17 Northern Boulevard, Queens, 718-205-2484
- The Bruni Digest looks at Frank Bruni's recent review of Cafe d’Alsace ...
- Off The Broiler had dinner at Chinatown Brasserie ... "serving what I would probably call 'Tweaked' American Chinese food with interesting twists, along with very hardcore Hong Kong Dim Sum." ... web site, 380 Lafayette Street, 212-533-7000 ... doesn't "really have words that can adequately describe just how amazing the pizza that Domenick DeMarco makes at" DiFara ... (previous reviews: A Year In Food (TWIR, December 2, 2005), Clareified (TWIR, August 26, 2005)) ... 1424 Avenue J, Brooklyn, 718-258-1367 [slice] ... writes that Market Cafe is "an eclectic sort of regulars neighborhood bistro joint serving really top notch food at very reasonable prices" ... 496 9th Avenue, between 37th and 38th Streets, 212-967-3892 [MenuPages | NY Mag | Village Voice | openlist | Gayot | Yelp | Citysearch]
- NYC nosh visited Salud, a "mostly tapas joint just off the main drag of downtown’s rapidly changing South Street Seaport area" ... favorite dish is "paellita, or mini-paella" ... 142 Beekman Street, between Front and South Streets, 212-566-2220 [MenuPages | openlist | Yelp | Citysearch]
- Veal Cheeks writes that "The jewel of the evening" at Salut Kosher Restaurant "was lagman, a lamb and noodle soup, given surprising flavor by cilantro, cumin, and a sharp taste of anise. The broth was rich and aromatic. The bowl had a distinctive taste that I will long treasure." ... 63-42 108th Street, at 63rd Road, Queens, 718-275-6860 [NY Mag]
- Adam Platt gave 1 star to Quality Meats ... "In a city teeming with mediocre veal chops, the one at Quality Meats is among the best I’ve tasted, but the best dish of all was the suckling pig, cooked to a kind of melting, crackly crispness and mingled, ribs and all, with a savory apricot sauce." ... "Three stars for the room, and three stars for the suckling pig. But this is a steakhouse, and the steak is good, not great." ... web site, 57 West 58th Street, between 5th and 6th Avenues, 212-371-7777 [MenuPages | Urban Daddy | Citysearch]
- Pascale Le Draoulec is grateful for Le Miu ... "Finally: An innovative Japanese restaurant that a) isn't in the Meatpacking District and b) doesn't price its sushi like diamonds." ... web site, 107 Avenue A, between 6th and 7th Streets, 212-473-3100 [MenuPages | Citysearch]
- Mona's Apple likes the outdoor terrace at La Bottega despite the slow service ... "I think every New Yorker should go to La Bottega" ... web site, 88 9th Avenue, between 15th and 16th Streets, in the Maritime Hotel, 212-242-4300 [MenuPages | NYT | NY Mag | Gayot | Yelp | Citysearch] ... and "went cuckoo" for the soft-shelled crabs at Blue Water Grill ... web site, 31 Union Square West, at 16th Street, 212-675-9500 [MenuPages | NYT | NY Mag | openlist | Gayot | Yelp | Citysearch]
- VittlesVamp says that although Dona "was a culinary winner" she has "no urge to return ... Quite simply, it wasn't a fit. Between its decidedly Midtown East address, over-dressed and overly-botoxed clientele and its overly-pimped decor complete with wall-to-wall zebra carpeting - reminiscent of Carmela Soprano's version of "classy" - we just couldn't take pleasure in Dona's ambience" ... (previous review: Adam Platt (TWIR, May 26, 2006)) ... web site, 208 E. 52nd Street, near Third Avenue, 212-308-0830 [Diners Journal | NY Mag | Citysearch]
- The Girl Who Ate Everything says Cafe Kashkar has manty, which she describes thus: "Take a normal sized Chinese dumpling, enlarge it by 400%, inject it with Uygur superpowers and you'll get something that looks like manty." ... "these are some tasty, meat juicy dough bags" ... also liked the lamb pilaf, samsa, and the geiro lagman ... web site, 1141 Brighton Beach Avenue, Brooklyn, NY, 718-743-3832 [Twenty Bucks a Day | NY Daily News | Village Voice]
____________________________________
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Did we miss your favorite review?
Let us know: aguyinnewyork [at] gmail.com ... we're especially interested in hearing about mom and pop places from NYC bloggers ...Link to TWIR
If you want to place a TWIR logo with a review that was featured, feel free to link to one of the banners on the TWIR page.
Technorati Tags: New York, NYC, Manhattan, restaurants, restaurant reviews, this week in reviews, week in reviews
This Week in NYC Reviews - May 26, 2006
Each Friday, A Guy In New York publishes "This Week in NYC Reviews (TWIR)," with quick links to New York City restaurant reviews and mentions from the previous seven days in blogs, magazines, and newspapers.
Also see our roundup of Michelin 1, 2 and 3 star restaurants with links to reviews ...
For DC restaurant reviews, see This Week in DC Reviews at Hobnob Blog, and Tyler Cowen's Ethnic Dining Guide ....
NYC Restaurant inspection results online
- Forbes gave 3 Green GOs to Philippe: "exquisite and unusual jade dumplings, great Singapore noodles, divine filet mignon and delectable Peking duck ... very expensive" (previous review: Moira Hodgson (TWIR, February 3, 2006)), web site, 33 East 60th Street, between Park and Madison Avenues, 212-644-8885 [MenuPages | NY Mag | Gayot | Citysearch] ... La Focaccia: "be sure to try the mushroom polenta" 51 Bank Street, at West 4th Street, 212-675-3754 [MenuPages | NYT | openlist | Yelp | Citysearch] ... Roberto Passon: "a charming spot at which to eat absolutely first-rate Italian fare before or after the theater." (previous review: Moira Hodgson (TWIR, Sept. 23, 2005)), web site (Flash and music), 741 Ninth Avenue, at 50th Street, 212-582-5599 [MenuPages | NY Mag | Village Voice | Yelp | Citysearch]
- foodite has no complaints about the food at Chickpea ... but reports that the service is sloooooooowwwwww ... web site, 210 East 14th Street, between 2nd and 3rd Avenues, 212-254-9500
- Robert Sietsema says the bean curd at En Japanese Brasserie "is indeed wonderful." ... "aji sashimi ($15) was the most remarkable special, a horse mackerel rearing up from a bed of ice, the flesh laid out in planks and curls along the length of its gray glinting body. And it's eyes were as clear as any in the former Fulton Fish Market." ... web site (Flash and music) 435 Hudson Street, 212-647-9196 [Citysearch]
- Peter Meehan says Jerk City "serves exceedingly moist jerk chicken, infused with and crusted in an aromatic, lightly sweet and assertively spicy jerk seasoning" ... 3402 Church Avenue, at 34th Street, Flatbush, Brooklyn, 718-941-3800
- Adam Platt gave 3 stars to Dona ... "the almond-crusted prawns and the octopus, which was simmered in red wine and served in little candy-size nuggets with peaches and salty wafers of crisped guanciale [is] exceptional" ... "The pastas are probably the weakest part of the menu" ... the "buttery, heavily truffled reprise of the tiresomely fashionable Florentine dumplings called gnudi drew gasps of wonder from the assembled gastronomes at my table and are, in fact, worth a special trip." ... web site, 208 E. 52nd Street, near Third Avenue, 212-308-0830 [Diners Journal | NY Mag | Citysearch]
- Gael Greene declares that the burger at Barmarché "is a juicy triumph" ... but says the food is "Not worth a long trip perhaps, but in tune with the hood." ... web site, 14 Spring Street, at Elizabeth Street, 212-219-2399 [MenuPages | NYT | Village Voice | openlist | Yelp | Citysearch]
- Andrea Thompson reviews Morimoto and Buddakan ... Buddakan: "At Buddakan, on the other hand, nothing could mitigate the unpleasantly garish atmosphere. The upstairs lounge is clogged with slick-haired men doused in cologne and young, look-alike women" ... (previous reviews: Frank Bruni (TWIR, March 24, 2006), Augieland (TWIR, March 10, 2006)) ... 75 9th Avenue, between 15th and 16th Streets, 212-989-6699 [MenuPages | Citysearch] ... Morimoto: "How much Morimoto actually contributes to putting food on the plate is unclear, but the kitchen deserves praise. The Japanese-fusion menu has its low moments: a tuna-pizza appetizer paired oddly tasteless, almost mushy fish with an unappealing anchovy aioli." ... (previous reviews: Frank Bruni (TWIR, March 24, 2006), David Rosen and Mona's Apple (TWIR, March 3, 2006), Steve Cuozzo and Augieland (TWIR, February 17, 2006), Augieland (TWIR, February 10, 2006), Augieland (TWIR, February 3, 2006)) ... web site, 88 10th Avenue, between 15th and 16th Streets, 212-989-8883 [MenuPages | NY Mag | Citysearch]
- Frank Bruni gave 1 star to Sascha ... and uses old emails to "write" the review ... web site, 55 Gansevoort Street, at 9th Avenue, 212-989-1920 [Urban Daddy | NY Mag | Gayot | Citysearch]
- The Bruni Digest looks at Frank Bruni's recent cross country trip ... and imagines Frank as "a pampered diner, my diet richer in squab and poorer in chili dogs than most Americans'.” ...
- Veal Cheeks says his lunch at Roberto's "was hardly distressing, but the main course specials were undistinguished" ... "Entrees were moist flubs" ... "[Veal Scallopine] edged toward the sloppy and gloppy" ... 603 Crescent Avenue, near Arthur Avenue, Bronx, 718-733-9503 [NYT | NY Mag | Village Voice | Citysearch]
- Andrea Strong reviews Sfoglia ... "Pastas are also just plain old wonderful—they are truly al dente, firmer than most pastas in town. Capers are the high note in a glorious ragu of Apuglian lamb and tossed with chickpeas that coats pinky-finger sized ricotta cavatelli" ... web site, 1402 Lexington Avenue, at 92nd Street, 212-831-1402 [MenuPages | NYT]
- The Hedonista looks at toy food ...
- NYC nosh says the Golden King Bakery serves "traditional Chinese pastry-light spongey cakes, vegetable and meat buns, and a variety of sweet-ish rolls" ... did not like the steamed pork bun ... 92 Bowery, 212-680-0138 ... and sings the praises of Cincinnati’s Aglamesis Brothers ice cream and chocolates ... web site, 3046 Madison Road, Cincinnati, OH, 513-531-5196 [Citysearch]
- Twenty bucks a day continues in his quest to try all the places on Tom Sietsma's 100 best and most inexpensive list ... wanted the chicken in palm oil at Fatima, but "ended up with the proprietor-recommended hacked up fish parts in a red-brown sauce (it had a little kick) with the most enormous plate of rice I’ve ever seen" ... "The sauce was excellent and the rice was fine - I’m just not that wild about bone-in fish chopped into large chunks" ... 789 Franklin Avenue, Brooklyn, 718-221-8681 [Village Voice | Citysearch]
- pushcart NYC recommends Moshie's Falafel cart on the SE corner of 46th Street and 6th Avenue ... "sit down to eat, and take the time to savor the complex layering of flavors" ...
- Slashfood is inspired by KFC's Cheesy Chicken Mashed Potato Bowl ... and comes up with several variations ... we like "The Bachelor Bowl: base of microwave pizza, then leftover Chinese take-out, then salsa, finally finished by whatever's still in the 'Crisper' drawer" ...
- slice has a pic of the "The coolest wedding reception EVER" ...
- snack plugged the Cans Film Festival ... "the Food Bank's three-day cinema event" ...
- Big Apple Dining Guide says the NY Culinary Festival was "The Story of a Disaster" ... "an awful event" ... "Truly the world's worst run event." ... but admits the food was "pretty good for the most part (of what I sampled)" ... and foodite agrees: "For the most part it was unexciting, unorganized, and most notably, not worth the $20 admission fee." ... The Girl Who Ate Everything: "If you went to the festival just to eat, your $20 were wasted" ... lovescool "was sho