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 8×12 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 …

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Technorati Tags: New York, NYC, Manhattan, restaurants, restaurant reviews, this week in reviews, week in reviews

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 …

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

“The pleasures of the table, and of life, are infinite.”
— 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

“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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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 …

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. . . . . . . . .

Technorati Tags: New York, NYC, Manhattan, restaurants, restaurant reviews, this week in reviews, week in reviews

“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

• 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 …

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. . . . . . . . .

Technorati Tags: New York, NYC, Manhattan, restaurants, restaurant reviews, this week in reviews, week in reviews

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 shocked at the lack of organization and selection of food vendors. Despite a few bright spots, the event was one that left more people disappointed than full” … NY Culinary Festival web site …
• Augieland reviews the bar food at Eleven Madison Park … the Gougères “deserve to keep their place on the bar menu” … the “Smoked Salmon Brioche and Horseradish Cream [is] a good, solid dish that plays on the lighter side of the menu” … and the “Grilled Cheese Pork Belly and Gruyère Réserve [are] wonderfully tender, rich, and generally succulent. An order is five tea-sized sandwiches, but the sumptuousness made one or two enough” … web site, 11 Madison Avenue, at 24th Street, 212-889-0905 [MenuPages | NYT | openlist | Gayot | Citysearch] … gave Home 320 habitationillian stars and described it as “A humble neighborhood place you can stop by in your commuting clothes, sit down, and have a well prepared meal much like the one you would have made yourself had time and energy been on your side.” … web site, 20 Cornelia Street, at 6th Avenue, 212-243-9579 [NYT | NY Mag | openlist | Gayot | Yelp | Citysearch] … and gave 471 brokerillian stars to Harry’s Steak … “Dry Aged NY Strip on the Bone: Aged in-house 28 days, this was a decent steak with nice browning, not overly charred. There were both sweetness and richness, good salt and pepper, and no need to do much more to this than apply a knife and fork.” … “If there are three levels of steak house in New York, on its first night Harry’s was solidly at the top of the middle — far better than many, and only subjugated to a few.” … 97 Pearl Street, 212-785-9200 [MenuPages]
• megnut‘s recent dinner at Eleven Madison Park didn’t start out too well: “no bread nor water nor even server for nearly fifteen minutes” … but things improved: “The third amuse, and best presentation of anything I’d seen in a long time, was a beet and apple forest. Two kinds of beets and apples, carved into cylinders of various lengths, were standing on end, nestled together. Delicious and so artfully assembled, this was the highlight of the meal for me” …

____________________________________
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

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 a roundup of DC restaurant reviews from DC food bloggers and media, see This Week in DC Reviews at Hobnob Blog …
NYC Restaurant inspection results online

• the 2006 James Beard Foundation Restaurant and Chef Awards are out … nominees for best chef in NYC include: Dan Barber, Blue Hill; David Burke, davidburke & donnatella; Floyd Cardoz, Tabla; Gabriel Kreuther, The Modern; and David Waltuck, Chanterelle (page 11 of 11 -page pdf) … in the mid-Atlantic: Mark Fustenberg, Breadline; Peter Pastan, Obelisk; and Fabio Trabocchi, Maestro at the Ritz-Carlton Tyson’s Corner (page 10 of 11 -page pdf) .. Del Posto and The Modern are among the nominees for Best New Restaurant … Outstanding Chef nominees include: Tom Colicchio, Craft; Alfred Portale, Gotham Bar & Grill; and Michel Richard, Citronelle (page 10 of 11 -page pdf)
• Big Apple Dining Guide had lunch and a tour at Blue Hill at Stone Barns … worth seeing the entire piece for many pics and a review of lunch … (previous review: eat drink one woman (TWIR, January 13, 2006)) … web site, 630 Bedford Road, Pocantico Hills, NY (just past Tarrytown), 914-366-9600 [New York | openlist | Gayot | Citysearch]
• WhiteTrashBBQ reminds us about Grillin’ on the Bay – NYC’s first sanctioned BBQ contest this Saturday, Corner of Avenue Z and East 18th Street, Brooklyn …
• pushcart NYC says the “the beef steak and spicy pork tacos were unbelievable” at the taco truck at 96th Street and Broadway, SW corner, 917-837-6052 …
• Steve Cuozzo goes to Piano Due … and asks, “[W]hy won’t spoon-fed food writers with great influence over public taste wake up to it?” … to which he answers: “Thank a food media that’s hung up on televised chefs, ‘master mixologists’ and gimmicks, but is too often palate-dead.” … “Its richly spiced pasta and sauces have thrilled me since last October. Its earthbound menu moves my earth.” … “Since it opened to a brief, enthusiastic Gael Greene write-up in New York magazine, Piano Due has suffered a virtual media blackout. It has neither been reviewed in any large-circulation publication nor enjoyed the feature coverage routinely lavished on big-league openings. Cetrulo doesn’t have the gift of gab of a Batali, Bobby Flay or David Burke. But he does run Scalini Fedeli in TriBeCa, recipient of a Michelin star and also one of the highest-ranked Italians in the Zagat Survey. Even if you don’t place a fig of credence in either Michelin or Zagat, shouldn’t the fact that both rate Scalini Fedeli so highly at least stir the curiosity of media types who rush to every Meatpacking District barn?” … “Piano Due has no gimmicks, only some of the most sensuous Italian cooking in town.” … (previous reviews: Moira Hodgson (TWIR, November 18, 2005), Gael Greene (TWIR, October 14, 2005), David Rosen (TWIR, September 9, 2005)) … web site, 151 West 51st Street, between 6th and 7th Avenues, 212-399-9400 [MenuPages | Citysearch] … if the food media wants to see an interesting review, check out Big Apple Dining Guide’s review of Blue Hill at Stone Barns above … read Augieland, eat drink one woman, Veal Cheeks, Mona’s Apple, NYC nosh, Twenty Bucks a Day, and Waiter Rant … and stop reviewing the same 50 restaurants …
• David Rosen gave 3 stars to Tia Pol … the “fluffy tortilla espanola, crispy potato bravas, delicate croquettes and garlicky chorizo [are] magically and consistently great” … web site, 205 Tenth Avenue, between 22nd and 23rd Streets, 212-675-8805 [NYT | NY Mag | Yelp | openlist | Gayot | Citysearch]
• eat drink one woman warns that at Da Andrea “Don’t fill up on the generous focaccia basket with the dish of olive oil and pitted kalamatas. Instead, get those tigelles that got written up in all the initial reviews. They’re still fab — hot silver dollar flatbreads you split and fill with melty prosciutto and grated parm” … web site, 557 Hudson Street, 212-367-1979 [NYT | NY Mag | Yelp | openlist | Citysearch]
• Mona’s Apple had dinner at Blue Ribbon Bakery … asparagus vinaigrette “was perfectly cooked with a slight crispness to it with the vinaigrette drizzled on top. The vinaigrette made this dish, and now whenever I see or hear asparagus I’m going to want BR’s vinaigrette to go along with it.” … “the mushroom ravioli [were] rich in mushroom and cream, like pillows of goodness.” … “the fried chicken with mash potatoes and collard greens [was] was soft and tender on the inside with a cackling crispness on the outside-just how fried chicken’s supposed to be.” … “The generous filet of salmon was grilled to perfection and topped with crispy potato flake” … web site, 33 Downing Street, at Downing Street, 212-337-0404 [MenuPages | NYT | NY Mag | Village Voice | Yelp | openlist | Gayot | Citysearch]
• Augieland gave 211 lewinskibillion stars to A Voce … “I am sorry to say I did not like it at all. I don’t say this meaning that you won’t like it, you may, but as far as my experience last night goes, they managed to do enough things exactly the opposite of how I believe they should be done that I would suggest not going.” … it looks like Augieland’s 211 lewinskibillion stars is the equivalent of 1 star from Frank Bruni … (see Bruni below for links) … awarded 651 swellzillian stars for lunch at Cookshop … “Wife and I shared the soup and split the Grass fed mini burgers, Vermont cheddar, onion rings, fries, chipotle ketchup & a Guss’ pickle as our other appetizer. Grass-fed beef may never be as soft as wagyu or as fatty as prime, but boy is it flavorful. The accoutrements for this little slider would have walked all over the beef typically being used these days. Here, though, there is a strong matching of sharp cheddar, ketchup with the warm reminders of capsicum, and a rather sweet roll, with the very flavorful almost mineral tang of good beef.” … (previous reviews: Robert Sietsema (TWIR, March 10, 2005), Forbes (TWIR, February 10, 2006), Veal Cheeks (TWIR, February 3, 2006), Andrea Thompson (TWIR, December 16, 2005), Frank Bruni (TWIR, December 2, 2005), Hal Rubenstein (TWIR, November 18, 2005), Andrea Strong (TWIR, November 11, 2005), NYC Nosh (TWIR, October 14, 2005)) … 156 10th Avenue, at 20th Street, 212-924-4440 [MenuPages | Yelp | Citysearch] … attended a “vertical wines of Giacomo Conterno dinner with the wine maker Roberto Conterno at Babbo” … “Truly great Babbo is truly inspired Italian food that sticks with the ethos that in Italy you would never use sub-par ingredients to fit a recipe but would adapt your recipe to fit your greatest ingredients. So here in America, what is best, not what is traditional, is served.” … (previous reviews: Veal Cheeks (TWIR, February 24, 2006), Big Apple Dining Guide (TWIR, October 28, 2005)) … web site, 110 Waverly Place, 212-777-0303 [MenuPages | NYT | NY Metro | Village Voice | openlist | Yelp | Gayot | Citysearch]
• NYC nosh was disappointed with Boca Chica … “Coco Shrimp were completely enjoyable: dredged in a savory coconut batter and deep fried” … the “Pastel de Choclo, a casserole-like dish made with chicken, tomato, golden raisins, olives, and a cornmeal topping smelled absolutely fantastic [but too] little spice and a burnt tomato taste together destroyed any chance of this dish’s success.” … “Grilled Chicken Breast with Black Beans and Avocado, should have been an easy home run, or at least a base hit. … Yet the chicken breast’s interior was rubbery and desiccated, and worse, the cardinal sin of chicken cookery was performed to cover the dryness of the meat–the breast was served swimming in a salty lagoon of broth and oil.” … 13 1st Avenue, 212-473-0108 [MenuPages | NYT | NY Mag | Yelp | openlist | Gayot | Citysearch]
• Salli Vates “made a happy discovery” at Kanoyama … “the early-bird special” … web site, 175 2nd Avenue, 212-777-5266 [NY Mag | Citysearch]
• Forbes gives Green GOs to Piola: “pizza baked in a wood-burning oven. Crusts are thin and crispy, and the choice of toppings is dizzying” … 48 East 12th Street, 212-777-7781 [Citysearch] … and Pascalou: “Favorites: stuffed roast chicken and salmon Wellington” … 1308 Madison Avenue, between 92nd and 93rd Streets, 212-534-7522 [Citysearch] … and a Yellow CONSIDER to Manhattan Grille: “Steaks and chops are still first-rate” … 1161 First Avenue, between 63rd and 64th Streets, 212-888-6556 … [Citysearch]
• Moira Hodgson gave 2 stars to Urena … “began with a superb confit of rabbit leg shredded in strips, topped with sliced shiitake mushrooms and served with cauliflower purée. An equally wonderful Spanish onion–tamarind purée graced two seared, rare scallops on a smoky chorizo sauce” … “had no quarrel with the halibut I’d ordered” … “Mahi-mahi with portobello mushrooms … looked as though it had washed up on the edge of New York harbor: It was a bit of a mush. But tender chunks of steamed lobster on a bed of pickled rhubarb purée with glazed salsify were great” … (previous reviews: Veal Cheeks and Adam Platt (TWIR, March 3, 2006), Augieland (TWIR, February 10, 2006)) … 37 East 28th Street, between Lexington Avenue and Park Avenue South, 212-213-2328 [eGullet | NY Metro | Citysearch]
• The Girl Who Ate Everything had fruit waffles for brunch at Smorgas Chef … “it was good! Apple, pear, strawberry, and blueberry” … (previous review: Big Apple Dining Guide (TWIR, January 27, 2006)) … web site, 53 Stone Street, 212 422 3500 [MenuPages | Village Voice | Yelp | openlist | Citysearch] … and “went to Bouchon Bakery on opening day” … “The brioche was pretty much perfect; light, airy, eggy, tasty.” … Time Warner Center, 10 Columbus Circle, at 59th Street, fourth floor, 212-823-9366 [NY Mag]
• Peter Gianotti says Luigi Q is “an Italian restaurant defined as much by the generous, personable owner as it is by the bright, flavorful food” … recommends the seafood … 400 South Oyster Bay Road, Hicksville, 516-932-7450 [NYT]
• Twenty bucks a day is addicted to the sandwiches at Alidoro … “A better context in which to sample the prosciutto is in the Mischa ($9.50), which features that meat with provolone, hot peppers with a good balance of spice to flavor, and the ubiquitous arugula, which is always exceedingly fresh” … and likes “the semolina [bread], which is crusty on the outside, soft on the inside, and has a strong flavor to match its outer dusting of sesame seeds” … 105 Sullivan Street, between Spring and Prince Streets, 212-334-5179 [NY Mag | Village Voice | Yelp] … and doesn’t sound like he’ll go back to Cono and Sons O’Pescatore … “if one wants old-school Italian-American cuisine, it would be better to save money for a splurge at Roberto’s in the Bronx rather than half-ass it at Cono’s or something like it” … 301 Graham Avenue, Brooklyn, 718-388-0168 [Village Voice | openlist] … and is “jealous of people who work near Union Square” because of Ennju … “a serious contender for best ‘fast’ Japanese food in the city” … 20 East 17th Street, between 5th Avenue and Broadway, 646-336-7004 [Village Voice | openlist]
• Frank Bruni goes to A Voce: loved the “quartet of meatballs made from duck leg meat, foie gras and pork” … (previous reviews: Andrew & Karen’s web log and Big Apple Dining Guide (TWIR, March 17, 2006)) … web site, 41 Madison Avenue, at 26th Street, 212-545-8555 [Citysearch] … and Buddakan: “One of our favorites among the dishes we did try was arguably one of the least fanciful: crispy Cantonese spring rolls with shrimp, chicken and bamboo shoots.” … (previous reviews: Augieland (TWIR, March 10, 2006)) … 75 9th Avenue, between 15th and 16th Streets, 212-989-6699 [MenuPages | Citysearch] … Industria Argentina: “succulent short ribs and rack of lamb were much better than an “Andean corn and seafood chowder,” which didn’t have much seafood in it, or a smoked pumpkin risotto, which didn’t have much flavor” … (previous review: Pascale Le Draoulec (TWIR, February 24, 2006)) … 329 Greenwich Street, between Duane and Jay Streets, 212-965-8560 [MenuPages | Citysearch] … Kellari: “young goat, or kid, braised in yogurt [was] one of its best dishes” … 19 West 44th Street, near Fifth Avenue, 212-221-0144 [OpenTable] … and gave 1 star to Morimoto …”The appeal of the dishes at Morimoto, like their ethnic associations, was all over the place, due in part to their frantic nature and in part to the kitchen’s uneven performance.” … “a roasted lobster was overcooked, as was just about all of the shellfish, including shrimp and crab” … “high concept repeatedly supplanted sound judgment, resulting in dishes more amusing to behold than to ingest” … “Although plenty expensive, Morimoto is an often undisciplined restaurant, prone to silliness and crammed with servers whose extraordinary friendliness didn’t mask their mistakes.” … (previous reviews: 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]
• Adam Platt also went to Morimoto … “There is the varied sushi menu (the fish is flown in four times weekly from the Tsukiji market in Tokyo), which even my most effete sushi-snob friends conceded was irreproachable. There is the main menu, which is filled with clunky but often enjoyable riffs on simple Asian dishes (Korean bibimbap made with yellowtail tuna, pork gyoza dunked in crème fraîche). And there is the chef’s special omakase menu, which features Japanese fusion cooking of the highest kind, designed to be enjoyed while sitting in zaisu chairs with your shoes off, at the elite ‘omakase bar.’” … the “signature tempura is possibly one of the most grisly things I’ve ever tasted (the batter is thick and greasy, and there’s a pot of oily Gorgonzola sauce on the side). But there’s also plenty of intriguing food on the menu” … including “lumps of soft buffalo mozzarella with slices of the freshest salmon or octopus … lamb carpaccio with a rich ginger-scallion sauce [and] a poached-lobster salad (with a soy beurre blanc) that’s as good as anything at the hoity-toity Continental restaurants uptown” … “‘Japanese Bouillabaisse’ is worth ordering solely for the delicious broth made with sake and red miso. Best of all, however, is the ‘Duck, Duck, Duck,’ an inspired postmodern dissertation on the wonders of Peking duck, composed of a single duck leg cooked in the classic Peking style, a duck egg, and a roast-duck sandwich made not with Chinese pancakes but with a croissant infused with foie gras.” … the omakase menu “costs $120 and is worth every penny” …
• Nick Paumgarten says “there is something preposterous about Del Posto” … “The extreme pomp of the place–the footstools for ladies’ purses, the high-tea piano music, the miles of marble, the fleets of flatware–can feel like a put-on, as though this were the setting for a reality show in which celebrity chefs compete to see who can charge out-of-towners the most for offal” … (previous reviews: Frank Bruni (TWIR, March 3, 2006), Steve Cuozzo (TWIR, February 17, 2006), David Rosen (TWIR, February 3, 2006)), Andrea Strong (TWIR, January 20, 2006)) … 85 Tenth Avenue, between 15th Street and 16th Streets, 212-497-8090 [MenuPages | NY Mag | Village Voice | Citysearch]
• Pascale Le Draoulec also went to Del Posto … “While there were moments and dishes at Del Posto that were indeed transcendent, too many were merely ‘good,’ given the price and pageantry of the place, starting with a whooaaa-Nelly $29 valet parking service.” … Peter says if you want good Italian food, cook at home … where you’re already parked …
• Christine Muhlke has some “highlights of my cross-country feeding frenzy,” reporting on the highs and lows of restaurants on a drive from San Francisco to NYC … and says Avec in Chicago is “Noisy, but worth a plane ticket just for the wild boar with pappardelle” … web site, 615 West Randolph Street, Chicago, IL, 312-377-2002 … [MetroMix | NYT | Chicago Tribune | Yelp | Chicago Reader | openlist | CenterStage | Gayot | Citysearch]
• Jean Tang has an advertising roundup of “Indian bistros” … “There’s a new form of Indian restaurant in town, and it’s the bistro. Sure, the curry houses of yore are still around, but the old-style traditional tackiness is now replaced with minimalist design, campy drinks, groovy soundtracks and tongue-in-cheek menus.” … Mint: “biryani, not steak frites, is one of the house specialties” … 150 East 50th Street, 212-644-8888 [Citysearch] … Leela Lounge: “dishes are typically authentic, but tweaked to Western tastes” … 1 West Third Street, 212-529-2059 [Citysearch] … Moksha: “Moksha’s food, created by ex-Tamarind chef Peter Beck, is remarkable” … 18 Murray Street, 212-608-0707 [Citysearch] … Yuva: “the tandoor – which makes up a startling quarter of the menu – sends out remarkably charred-tender food” … 230 East 58th Street, 212-339-0090 [Citysearch] … Bombay Talkie: a “two-level paean to street food and Indian pop culture” … 189 Ninth Avenue, 212-242-1900 [Citysearch] …
• VittlesVamp reminds us that Spring Has Sprung (Shake Shack is open) … and says “pork rinds dipped in white chocolate … is long overdue for a quickie divorce” at Compass … (previous reviews: The Hungry Rose (TWIR, January 20, 2006), Frank Bruni (TWIR, November 25, 2005)) … web site, 208 West 70th Street, between Amsterdam Avenue and West End Avenue, 212-875-8600 [MenuPages | openlist | Gayot | Citysearch]
• A Hamburger Today comments on Shake Shack opening: “And the line no doubt goes down the block. It’s good, people, but come on.” … we agree … try Tony Dragonas’ grilled hamburger …
• Amateur Gourmet liked the coconut samosas at Milon … “The food was decent [but] the environment and decor (have I mentioned the decor?) made up for it.” … 93 1st Avenue, 212-228-4896 [MenuPix | NY Mag (scroll down to 23) | Yelp | openlist | Gayot | Citysearch]
• Rachel Wharton interviewed Tim Zagat … “[W]hen it comes to eating out, says Tim Zagat, the man behind the famous restaurant guides, bad service is what ticks us off. When filling out surveys for the 2006 city guide, he says, a whopping 49% of New Yorkers named bad service – mostly attitude, inattentiveness, reservation issues and waiting – their No. 1 grumble. ‘It’s by far the largest,’ says Zagat of this category of complaints, noting that it would have been even higher if we weren’t getting increasingly fed up with noise and crowds (32%) and the cost of eating in the most expensive dining destination in the country (14%).” …

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Technorati Tags: New York, NYC, Manhattan, restaurants, restaurant reviews, this week in reviews, week in reviews

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 …
This weeks TWIR is lighter than usual because we’ve been spending a lot of time working as a volunteer on a U10-U15 girls invitational soccer tournament. We apologize if we missed your review, but look for a regular TWIR next week.
For a roundup of DC restaurant reviews from DC food bloggers and media, see This Week in DC Reviews at Hobnob Blog …
NYC Restaurant inspection results online

• If you want to know how hard some wait staff work, read this from Waiter Rant …
• Augieland gave 444 againijrillian stars to Cru … “The fish was fantastic, the pheasant was perfect but the best part was the asparagus with the veal. Sweet and fresh and unlike any other I had.” … (previous reviews: Veal Cheeks (TWIR, February 24, 2006), Augieland (TWIR, February 17, 2006)) … web site, 24 5th Avenue, at West 9th Street, 212-529-1700 [MenuPages | NYT | NY Mag | openlist | Gayot | Citysearch] … and 630 bestozillian stars to Taim for the “Best Falafel I have had in NY” … 222 Waverly Place, 212-691-1287 [MenuPages | NY Mag | Citysearch]
• CityRag is “totally addicted to the heavenly pizza made with vodka sauce from” Lazzara’s … web site, 221 West 38th Street, 212-944-7792 [MenuPages | NY Mag | openlist | Citysearch]
• Salli Vates says Cheeks Bakery “sells delicious goods which are made exclusively with organic eggs and rBst-free milk“… web site, 378 Metropolitan Avenue, Brooklyn, 718-599-3583
• Peter Meehan says El Centro “has some significant shortcomings on the menu, including its tacos and many of its seafood dishes, which seemed dashed off with unintegrated flavors” … but the “dishes that kept me going back for more were the posole and any version of chilaquiles with meat.” … 824 Ninth Avenue, at 54th Street, 646-763-6585 [NY Mag | Citysearch]
• Andrew & Karen’s web log ate at A Voce and “on its third official night in business, we found it to be kink-free” … “Lamb Shank Tortellini [:] It may have been the lemon that provided the ‘je ne sais quoi’ that put the dish over the top.” … web site, 41 Madison Avenue, at 26th Street, 212-545-8555 [Citysearch]
• Big Apple Dining Guide also went to A Voce … “Service was perfect. I can’t believe how well this place is running after just a week or so of being open. [And] the food was delicious as well” … “the Lamb Shank Tortellini [was] very good. The warm tomatoes were incredible as they popped and melted in your mouth” …
• Irene Sax reports that at Yuva Frontier Indian Grille “The music is Western, the cocktails strong, and the small room pleasantly dark” … “the real action is in the tandoor” … “Rack of lamb cut into chops, drenched in yogurt and cooked in the tandoor stayed miraculously rare. Salmon fillet was bright pink in the center, charred on the outside and totally blah in flavor.” … “the naan was wonderfully charred and chewy, so hot that we could barely pull it apart when it came fresh from the oven.” … “prices mount rapidly when you order from a steakhouse-like menu, where everything is à la carte. It hurts to pay $5 for a bowl of rice that was not enough for the four of us.” … 230 East 58th Street, between 2nd and 3rd Avenues, 212-339-0090 [MenuPages | Citysearch]
• Mona’s Apple “can’t really rate” Salt as she “was abnormally polite that night, and did not insist on trying everything that came to the table” … ” appetizer was the slow roasted eggplant, beet tartare and blue cheese fondue … eggplant and beet combination worked really well and the blue cheese gobs meshed it all together. The eggplant was perfectly cooked and maintained a soft but not soggy texture. I think I left a squeaky clean plate.” … “entree was the grilled Newport steak with mashed potatoes and roasted Brussels sprouts. Both dishes were excellent.” … web site, 58 Macdougal Street, between Prince and Houston Streets, 212-674-4968 [NYT | NY Mag | openlist | Gayot | Citysearch]
• Frank Bruni gave a Satisfactory rating to P.J. Clarke’s On The Hudson … “It does nothing spectacularly well. It does some things badly.” … “16-ounce rib-eye or that 36-ounce T-bone, both slightly charred, very juicy and just fatty enough when I tried them.” … web site, 4 World Financial Center, near the intersection of Vesey Street and the West Side Highway, 212-285-1500 [MenuPages | Citysearch]
• Twenty Bucks A Day finally had dinner at Queen’s Hideaway … “Arriving on our table roughly concurrently were peanuts, boiled with what looked like dried red chiles. My girlfriend exclaimed her excitement and explained that boiled peanuts are a southern roadside staple. I’m pretty sure I like the Fenway ballpark peanuts better, but I suppose that’s what the Waffle-House-IHOP line will do for a relationship.” … “oyster casserole ($16), which promised to include artichoke hearts, chestnuts, and leeks [was] good, particularly the oyster parts, but [the] rest seemed a bit mush-like.” … “I was more impressed with my pulled pork dish ($17) – it wouldn’t surprise me to hear that the proprietor had smoked it herself, and it was served in two amazing crepe-like cornmeal cakes, making these the best dry enchiladas I’ve had, possibly ever.” … 222 Franklin Street, near Green Street, Greenpoint, Brooklyn, 718-383-2355 [NYT | NY Mag | Yelp
  | Citysearch] … and didn’t quite make it to Hadramout … (previous review: Robert Sietsema (TWIR, December 16, 2005)) … says Corner Bistro “is unlikely to please your neat freak friends” … but has, “hands down, the best burger I’ve ever been served in a restaurant.” … “the Bistro has thus far slain the legendary Shake Shack, the well-regarded Burger Joint, the less-regarded mini-Burger Joint, the also-miniature burgers of Schnack, Roll N’ Roaster’s old-time fast-food-style sandwich, the faux-Californian Blue 9, the late and lamented McHale’s, the eponymous Goodburger…plus probably dozens of places you’ve never heard of in cities across the nation.” … web site, 331 West 4th Street, 212-242-9502 [A Hamburger Today | MenuPages | NYT | NY Mag | openlist | Gayot | Citysearch] … 172(d) Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn, 718-852-3577 … but ended up at Yemen Cafe instead, where he had “an admirable rack of baby lamb arrive on the side of my salta. It wasn’t roasted in your grandmother’s style and served with mint jelly, mind you, but the meat was falling off the bone and flavorful without being skanky” … “Better was my roommate’s ‘special Yemeni fateh,’ a stew made with diced lamb and day-old pita” … but “The best part of the meal was absolutely the pita bread” … 176 Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn, 718-834-9533 [zabihah | Village Voice | Citysearch]

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Did we miss your favorite review?

Let us know: aguyinnewyork [at] gmail.com … we’re especially interested in hearing from NYC bloggers …

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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

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 a roundup of DC restaurant reviews from DC food bloggers and media, see This Week in DC Reviews at Hobnob Blog …
NYC Restaurant inspection results online

• Waiter Rant has some good observations and some good advice for young men …
• The Impetuous Epicure had a “really creamy (ie:Rich and fat-full) and delicious” quiche at Patisserie Claude … but the croissants, oh, the croissants … “what a first bite it was! The crisp skin gave way to a multi-layered heaven. I could have teared up and broke down into joyful tears.” … “Monsieur Claude! You must be trying to take over the world with these croissants! But for these, the world is worth it!” … 187 West 4th Street, 212-255-5911 [food-plan | NY Mag | Citysearch]
• slice has a nice overview of pizza in NYC … “classic Neapolitan-American pies, made in coal-fired brick ovens with fresh mozzarella. New York has Lombardi’s ” … “Then there’s the New York City whole-pie culture that utilizes gas ovens. Estimable pies come our of the ovens of Denino’s in Staten Island, Mario’s in the Bronx, and Nick’s Pizza in Forest Hills, Queens, and the Upper East Side of Manhattan.” … “Interested in individually sized, Neapolitan-inspired pies that come out of a wood-buming oven? New York has those, too, starting with La Pizza Fresca in the Flatiron district, Celeste on the Upper West Side, Naples 45 in Grand Central for commuters in need of a good pizza fix, and Caserta Vecchia and Franny’s in Brooklyn” … read the whole thing …
• Augieland says his first wine dinner at Tribeca Grill “was great. It was well organized, going as far as presenting each wine with an identifying label on the glass’s base. The food was all good, the highlights being the passed appetizers during the cocktail hour.” … web site, 375 Greenwich Street, corner of Franklin Street, 212-941-3900 [NYT | NY Mag | openlist | Gayot | Citysearch] … gave 882 liveatjrllian stars to Buddakan New York … “The food is interesting, if not daring. These are the well-heeled versions of flavors you know, more Asian-themed or inspired than Asian.” … “was most pleased with the dish that had a direct correlation in the more familiar versions of Chinese restaurants, the Crab Fried Rice. The rice was soft, the eggs were fluffy, the crab was real and sweet, each thing showed its own flavor and the whole tied together harmoniously. The Shaken Chili Beef Tartare was fantastic” … “I found the Lobster Dumplings hard to handle and thought the Black Beans Lobster was a little dull, but the people next to me chose the lobster as their favorite dish” … 75 9th Avenue, between 15th and 16th Streets, 212-989-6699 [Citysearch] … gave Jack Bistro 280 notyettjillian stars … the “Moules with fennel cream sauce in the appetizer size [was] not quite cooked to our preferences so we sent them back for a couple more minutes in the pan. On there second coming they were nice.” … “It is too close to my house, too early to judge, and pretty cheap by neighborhood standards, so I may go back again for a second look, but I won’t do it enthusiastically.” … 80 University Place, at 11th Street … and gave 433 homonymillian stars to Gilt … “Someone has decided to wedge one of the most modern chefs in NY into one of the most traditional and staid rooms in town.” … had the chef’s tasting menu: “the food is both creative and exact. There was great technique and very sound method. Great balance and subtlety was omnipresent while dishes benefited from new methods like the process to powder a chorizo. Somehow, I was let down though.” … “The truth is the food is fantastic, and I will go back soon to see it without the weight of expectation. I wanted Dali, I got Van Gogh. In general, I probably much prefer Van Gogh, unless I thought I was going to a Dali show.” … “At this point I am sure of two things: Paul Liebrandt is a great chef, and $25 is RIDICUOUS money for a cocktail.” … (previous reviews: Adam Platt (TWIR, February 17, 2006), Frank Bruni (TWIR, February 10, 2006), Steve Cuozzo, David Rosen, Gael Greene (TWIR, January 20, 2006)) … web site, 455 Madison Avenue, at 50th Street, 212-891-8100 [NYT | Citysearch]
• Peter Meehan says Little Dishes “is the sort of restaurant any neighborhood would be happy to call its own.” … “a massive, meaty lamb shank [was] braised to unctuous tenderness and a burnished glow, scattered with rosemary and served over pan-fried spaetzle studded through with black olives.” … 434 Seventh Avenue (15th Street), Park Slope, Brooklyn, 718-369-3144
• A Hamburger Today had a playful week …two perfect foods combined: “Krispy Kreme Bacon Cheeseburgers” … yuck (too furry): “Cat Burger” … “Body by Burgers” … no burgers on Friday for us, it’s Lent …
• Paul Lukas writes about the “Dames of Beef” … “a dozen rather fabulous women [who dress] in 1940’s and 50’s dresses, vintage hats, jeweled brooches, Art Deco earrings, black-seamed stockings and lots of bright red lipstick” … “12 retro-minded women who get together every few months to patronize the city’s vanishing old-school restaurants” … sounds like fun …
• Twenty bucks a day says the dosas from Pongal are “a bit soggy when delivered, their spicing is impeccable.” … web site, 1154 1st Avenue, 212-355-4600 [Citysearch]
• The Girl Who Ate Everything finally got to Katz’s Delicatessen and had a corned beef sandwich … “I’ve never seen a sandwich like this in real life before. Thick slices of tender meat that practically fell apart just from my wide eyed gaze” … “Although I though that the corned beef was great, the pastrami beat it down with a gigantic ‘haha, I’m tastier than you’ mallet; yeah, it was better. With mayo, it was even better than better” … web site, 205 East Houston Street, 212-254-2246 [MenuPages | NYT | NY Mag | Village Voice | openlist | Gayot | Citysearch] … and would much rather have the hot chocolate at Jacques Torres … but went to Joe, “the art of coffee” instead … and had the spicy “European drinking chocolate” … “had a great tatse [but it] isn’t something you can comfortably drink. It’s not quite pudding and it’s not quite a liquid you can sip from a cup.” … looks like sin in a cup to us … web site, 9 East 13th Street, 212-924-7400 [NY Mag | openlist | Citysearch] … Jacques Torres: web site, 350 Hudson Street at King Street, 1 block South of Houston, 212-414-2462 … also at 66 Water Street, between the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges, Brooklyn, 718-875-9772 [NYT | NY Mag | Village Voice | openlist | Gayot | Citysearch]
• New York Magazine posted its Best of NY Food: 2006 …
• cityrag writes that “If you’re looking for a yummy multi-course meal with paired wines, but don’t want to break the bank, check out L’Ecole at The French Culinary Institute.” … “The food is very good, not exceptional, but very tasty, a little inventive, and fresh.” … web site, 462 Broadway, 212-219-3300 [NYT | NY Mag | openlist | Citysearch]
• Peter Gianotti visits a classic, L’Endroit … “And everyone seems content. The mild onion soup laced with Calvados might have something to do with it. Likewise, the penne in a hearty veal ragu. Or the neatly manicured asparagus au gratin.” … “Calf’s liver, sauteed with shallots, herbs and white wine, is textbook correct, and recommended. The steak au poivre, in a lush Cognac-black peppercorn sauce, extols tradition with flair, plus two spears of carefully trimmed asparagus. Filet mignon, treated similarly to the liver, is equally fine.” … web site, 290 Glen Cove Road, East Hills, NY, 516-621-6630 [NYT | openlist]
• pushcart NYC says the wraps at From Atlantis With Love are “a savory melange, a robust torpedo wrapped in a tortilla and two layers of tinfoil, enough food for a meal now and a snack later. Enough to launch a story of its own.” … East 2nd Street at the Bowery [Village Voice] … and the cart on the NW corner of Forsyth Street and Division is “Heaven ‘on the Stick‘” … “It’s just this — the fresh flavor of the meat, the perfect juice inside and the sweet fats brought to the surface by the intense heat of the coals. Simple. Simple and perfect.” …
• NYC nosh is glad the menu changed at Marseille … “foie gras with grilled toast batons was smokey and very smooth, tasting rich without being too fatty on the palate [and the] hangar stake was also a real treat, served with very crispy, thinly-sliced shallots” … web site, 630 9th Avenue, at 44th Street, 212-333-2323 [NYT | NY Mag | Village Voice | openlist | Gayot | Citysearch]
• Lauren Collins went to Hong Kong Station … “Since the dishes are mix-and-match, like a liquid salad bar, there are many choices to be made, and, since the ordering is done cafeteria-style, they have to be made quickly so as not to antagonize those waiting in the (often long) line.” … “pig’s feet, served on the bone, are a spicy treat, although they might be even better if you could eat them blindfolded. Most beloved is the ‘faux fin soup,’ made with filaments of pork and mushroom instead of shark fin.” … (previous reviews: NYC nosh (TWIR, February 3, 2006), Plate of the Day) … 128 Hester Street, east of Bowery, 212-966-9382 [NY Metro]
• Adam Platt looked at 5 instant dinners … and concluded that 2 were Tasty: FreshDirect Fresh Dining Smart and Simple Massaman Chicken Curry and South Beach Diet Cashew Chicken … 2 were Edible: Smart Ones Grilled Chicken and Healthy Choice Grilled Turkey Breast … and 1 was Bad: Lean Cuisine Salmon With Basil …
• Joshua Bernstein reviews Pho Grand, using way too many unappetizing words, which makes us wonder where his editor was … “options number more than a dozen, running from flank steak to omosa (tripe) to chewy tendon. I favor the duo of fingernail-thin slices of eye of round and brisket. The round is served rare, still cooking in the just-below-boiling broth, while sloppy brisket chunks are fatty and flavorful.” … 277C Grand Street, between Forsyth and Eldridge Streets, 212-965-5366 [NYT | Village Voice | openlist | Citysearch]
• Robert Sietsema reports that the entrees at Cookshop range “from mediocre to pretty damn good” … “Pretty damn good describes an entrée of Vermont suckling pig, on a menu that subscribes to the modern mania for identifying raw materials by source—as if you cared that the asparagus, say, came from the Marquis de Sade Organic Farms in Piscataway, New Jersey.” … “Aside from making too much of beans and, in an Atkinsy way too common today, substituting root vegetables where potatoes or noodles should be, the menu chugs along in a predictable fashion through a far-flung terrain of soups and salads and steaks and chicken and fish.” … “But here is what I love about Cookshop. At the top of a menu is a category called Snacks. Priced around $5, these small savory dishes are not only delicious, but solve many dining dilemmas.” … (previous reviews: Forbes (TWIR, February 10, 2006), Veal Cheeks (TWIR, February 3, 2006), Andrea Thompson (TWIR, December 16, 2005), Frank Bruni (TWIR, December 2, 2005), Hal Rubenstein (TWIR, November 18, 2005), Andrea Strong (TWIR, November 11, 2005), NYC Nosh (TWIR, October 14, 2005)) … 156 10th Avenue, at 20th Street, 212-924-4440 [MenuPages | Citysearch]
• Joan Reminick says “all the Italian words [are] spelled correctly” on the menu at Pronto … “the food is imbued with the kind of honest rusticity that might lead one to (wrongly in this case) suspect a caring nonna in the kitchen.” … was “impressed with gamberi prosciutto, marinated shrimp wrapped in prosciutto and baked to salty succulence.” … “Our friendly waiter suggested ordering chicken scarpariello, which wasn’t on the menu. What came was a classic saute of chicken and sausage, herbal and garlicky, given an unusual twist by the addition of crisp fried zucchini on top.” … 111 Deer Park Avenue, Babylon, NY, 631-422-7955
• Frank Bruni gave 1 star to Blaue Gans … “For a satisfying entree, a whole brook trout is sautéed, festooned with capers, fringed with carrots and bathed in creamed kohlrabi, a turniplike root vegetable.” … “Of the restaurant’s many presentations of sausage, two were especially good. A pale pork and veal sausage, served with sweet mustard and a soft, salty pretzel, had the lightness of mousse. A mash of blood sausage and fingerling potatoes was molded into a circle and placed on a roomy bed of sauerkraut.” … (previous reviews: Maria Hodgson (TWIR, February 17, 2006), Rob Patronite and Robin Raisfeld (TWIR, January 20, 2006)) … 139 Duane Street, between West Broadway and Church Street, 212-571-8880 [MenuPages | NYT | Citysearch]
• The Bruni Digest opines that Frank Bruni “seems to have stumbled upon a pleasant if uninspiring sibling of Kurt Gutenbrunner’s more celebrated culinary endeavors, not so much a delightfully nostalgic re-run of a fresh new formula as a rough distillation of themes and ingredients that have already regaled dining audiences in more sophisticated forms. Let’s call Blaue Gans ‘The Nanny’ to Thor’s ‘Who’s the Boss?’” …
• Andrea Strong says El Bocadito is “tiny but it’s got a big heart (and great food).” … “the horacha–a wide long rectangular tortilla sheet that was topped with tender shredded steak, a creamy white hot sauce and then smothered with a beautiful bubbly mess of melted cheese” was excellent … 79 Orchard Street, between Broome and Grand, 212-343-3331 [NYT | Gayot | Citysearch]
• Steve Cuozzo reports that Peacock Alley “launched with much hoopla after a $5.5 million redesign last fall, pulled in its feathers [because] Not enough people wanted to eat Tovar’s $30 entrees in a prefab-looking lobby restaurant amidst noisy Texans and piles of luggage.” … “Yet, while Peacock Alley has all the buzz of a half-empty tour bus, Country is so swamped with demand for tables it’s had to limit the number of bookings [and] There’s excitement – not pandemonium – in the air, and it compounded the pleasure I took in Zakarian’s $85, four-course, prix-fixe menu.” … Peacock Alley: ( previous review: Owen Phillips (TWIR, March 3, 2006)) … web site, 301 Park Avenue, 212-872-7335 [NYT | openlist | Citysearch] … (see how Peacock Alley got its name) … Country: (previous reviews: Pascale Le Draoulec (TWIR, January 20, 2006), Frank Bruni (TWIR, October 28, 2005)) … 90 Madison Avenue, at 29th Street (in the Carlton Hotel), 212-889-7100 [MenuPages | Gayot | Citysearch]

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