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 Hungry Rose has an overview of Chinese sweets … “Sweets are particularly ubiquitous during the Lunar New Year–Chinese bakeries all over the world produce lots of different yummy and delicious treats because having something sweet to eat will help make your New Year just as sweet as well.” …
• Nick Paumgarten says there is more than one La Esquina … “there are really several Esquinas: a taquería, a cafe, and a ‘brasserie’ in the basement. The main event–meaning the hardest to get into–is the subterranean one” … “In spite of the pretense, the place is hard to hate” … don’t count on it … (previous reviews: Frank Bruni (TWIR, September 2, 2005)) … 106 Kenmare Street, 646-613-1333 or 646-613-8880 or 646-613-7100 … [MenuPages | NY Metro | Gayot | Citysearch]
• foodite had a Restaurant Week dinner at Tabla … “the food was good, but it must be noted that the service was even better.” … (previous reviews: 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] … and says the initial impressions of the franchised Original Soupman “aren’t promising” … (previous reviews and commentary, Cynthia Killian, Eater, NewYorkology, and Jonathan Lemire (TWIR, November 4, 2005)) …
• Gael Greene is fighting at Antonucci “over the marvelous soppressata on the salumi gathering of lardo, cured duck, coppa, and prosciutto” … “best of the entrées is short ribs with celeriac purée [and] the mushroom risotto is perfect.” … 170 East 81st Street, between Lexington and 3rd Avenues, 212-570-5100 [MenuPages | Citysearch]
• sassy radish says Wallsé serves “food that’s meant to be eaten rather than admired” … the “the foie gras terrine [is] heavenly” … (previous review: Big Apple Dining Guide (TWIR, November 4, 2005)) … web site, 344 West 11th Street, 212-352-2300 [MenuPages | The Economist | NYT | NY Metro | openlist | Gayot | Citysearch]
• eating for brooklyn had brunch at applewood … “The winter omelet with earthy mushrooms, garlic confit, rapini and cheddar cheese really won me over” … 501 11th Street, Brooklyn, 718-768-2044 [NYT | NY Metro | Village Voice | openlist | Citysearch] … and had dinner at Cocotte … “French onion soup and the Cognac burger. The soup was classic with sweet onions and gooey melted cheese [and I] liked the burger’s charred exterior, but I couldn’t taste how the Cognac made a difference.” … 337 Fifth Avenue, Brooklyn, 718-832-6848 [NYT | NY Metro | openlist | Citysearch]
• David Rosen has an odd review of Del Posto … “Cauliflower souffle, bucatini with cured pork cheeks and roasted squab are the three dishes that leave the best impression. Whole fish and huge slabs of meat are available to share for large tables constituting the most original feature in the menu and service here.” … “Regardless of the price tag, the Del Posto team failed to see an essential point. Actors in a Tennessee Williams’ play in 16th-century costumes and a more ornate set are not necessarily reciting Shakespeare” … what? … (previous review: Andrea Strong (TWIR, January 20, 2006)) … 85 Tenth Avenue, between 15th Street and 16th Streets, 212-497-8090 [MenuPages | NY Metro | Village Voice | Citysearch]
• Adam Platt says that “if there were ever a dining trend tailor-made to the appetites of stolid Upper West Side burghers” it’s Telepan … and the “food is generally very good” … “the best thing of all was the great mound of smoked trout, tossed with olive oil and chives and piled over one of Telepan’s buckwheat blini” … “the seafood dishes I tasted were close to excellent” … (previous reviews: Steve Cuozzo (TWIR, January 13, 2006), Andrea Strong (TWIR, January 6, 2006)) … web site, 72 West 69th Street, between Columbus Avenue and Central Park West, 212-580-4300 [MenuPages | Mouthfuls | Citysearch]
• gothamist has a new contender for best burger in NYC at Stone Park Cafe … “You might pass this burger by at first; the menu unassumingly calls it a ‘short rib sandwich.’” … “The sandwich is a miniature, served as an appetizer. Size notwithstanding, it packs a punch. So much so that you might be tempted, as we were, to order a second one and skip the entrees entirely” … web site, 324 Fifth Avenue, Brooklyn, 718-369-0082 [NYT | NY Metro | Village Voice | openlist | Citysearch]
• Blog Chelsea says that even though “the atmosphere has taken shabby chic a bit too literally to where it’s hard to feel glamorous there. And the menu is pretty much incomprehensible” at Bright Food Shop, “it is always unfailingly surprising and delicious” … 218 Eighth Avenue, between 21st and 22nd Streets, 212-243-4433 [MenuPages | Cheapo New York | NYT | NY Metro | Citysearch] … and her favorite burger in Chelsea” is at Half King …505 West 23rd Street, 212-462-4300 [MenuPages | NY Metro | NYT | Citysearch]
• Moira Hodgson gave 1 star to Philippe … “The service at Philippe, which opened six weeks ago, is astoundingly–and often hilariously–bad.” … “serves the best Peking duck I’ve ever tasted” … “frizzled seaweed greens are deep-fried with a touch of sugar–and they’re terrific” … “the green prawns and the crispy XO beef [were] disappointing.” … web site, 33 East 60th Street, between Park and Madison Avenues, 212-644-8885 [MenuPages | Gayot | Citysearch]
• Peter Meehan likes Minangasli: “It is very good and very cheap and there are a dozen or more dishes that anyone with even a cursory knowledge of Indonesia cuisine will not be able to pass by.” … “It also turns out that my long-held fear that New York was never going to have an Indonesian restaurant worth traveling to was in vain. Minangasli is it.” … “Nasi rames, combination plates, are the go-to option when dining alone” … satays “were excellent at Minangasli” … beef rendang “was in top form here” … (previous review: Robert Sietsema (TWIR, January 27, 2006)) … 86-10 Whitney Avenue, Elmhurst, Queens, 718-429-8207 [Mouthfuls | chowhound]
• Steve Cuozzo finds out Jovia uses web cams to monitor staff … and customers … and so do other restaurants … “Jovia, it turns out, is wired up the wazoo with cameras that preserve video images on a hard drive. So are lots of other places. Let it be a lesson for cheaters dining out on the sly and executives sneaking a meal with the competition: You’re being watched and recorded, too.” … “Daniel Boulud keeps an eye on tables from his kitchen, and Thomas Keller watches his kitchen at Per Se at Columbus Circle from his French Laundry in the Napa Valley.” …
• Augieland gave “831 ohwellilian stars” to Tomoe … “No one could have eaten the pieces I was served in one or even two bites — they were gy-normous. There was also nothing truly unique offered.” … “All the fish was as fresh as it could be, but nothing was of exceptional quality.” … 172 Thompson Street, between Bleecker and Houston Streets, 212-777-9346 [MenuPages | sushi NYC | NYT | openlist | Gayot | Citysearch] … and appears to have moved into Morimoto NYC … “Omakase bar night 1” … “Omakase bar night 2” … 88 10th Avenue, between 15th and 16th Streets, 212-989-8883 [Citysearch]
• Twenty bucks a day likes the Kwik Meal cart at the “corner of 45th St. and 6th Ave.” … this “absurdly clean cart produces one of the finest lamb sandwiches this side of Kings Highway” … “The lamb with pita was excellent” … “At $5.75, on the expensive end of cart food, but on the far-low end of the restaurant price range – and this food tasted like it was made at a good restaurant” … southwest corner of 45th Street and 6th Avenue [Cheapo New York | NY Metro | Roadfood.com | NY Press] … and went back to an old haunt … Mandoo Bar … “kimchi mandoo ($8) were especially good” … if you’re “in the mood for food that’s a little flashy, bibimbop (basic version is $9) fits the bill – it’s kind of like a liquid-less rice soup crossed with fajitas” … web site, 2 West 32nd Street, 212-279-3075 [MenuPages | NYT | NY Metro | Village Voice | openlist | Gayot] … “didn’t like the steak sandwich” at Mooncake Foods … “The sliced steak was grilled perhaps a little long, and the cut of meat was tough enough that it was nearly impossible to bite through it, but the garlic dill mayo and peppers were still delightful” … 28 Watts Street, at 6th Avenue, 212-219-8888 [MenuPages | NY Metro | Village Voice | openlist | Citysearch]
• Frank Bruni gave 1 star to Barbounia … “For a starter, try a grilled kebab of minced beef and minced lamb.” … “Or go for saganaki, a pool of molten kasseri cheese.” … “Rabbit braciola is a better bet” than braised duck or veal medallions … “It serves crispy-skinned red snapper as an entree, and on most nights it also presents the possibility of grilled dourade, branzino or pompano. All of this fish was impeccably cooked.” … (previous reviews: Moira Hodgson (TWIR, January 13, 2006), Andrea Strong (TWIR, December 23, 2005)) … web site, 250 Park Avenue South, at 20th Street, 212-995-0242 [NY Metro | Gayot | Citysearch] … and had dinner at Paradou … “only some of what we ate, including a Kobe-style beef tartare, impressed us” … “two side dishes we tried, ratatouille and a potato gratin, were terrific” … web site, 8 Little West 12th Street, between Ninth and Washington Avenues, 212-463-8345 [MenuPages | NY Metro | Village Voice | openlist | Citysearch]
• Mona’s Apple, after eating at Mo Pitkin’s House of Satisfaction, was “drooling rethinking this meal and I might have to go get lunch in the middle of writing this post, if I don’t eat my arm first” … “the chicken club with apple-smoked bacon … could go down as one of my favorite sandwiches of all time” … “the garlic fries were incredible” … (previous reviews: Bergers & More (TWIR, January 27, 2006), Andrea Thompson (TWIR, November 11, 2005), Andrea Strong (TWIR, October 21, 2005), Peter Meehan (TWIR, September 30, 2005)) … web site, 34 Avenue A, between 2nd and 3rd Streets, 212-777-5660 [MenuPages | Gayot | Citysearch]
• A Hamburger Today also went to Mo Pitkin’s … “Our first venture into the world of crazyburgers, is the Mo Burger” … “a half-pound beef burger topped with fried onions, a fried egg and chopped chicken liver” … “I loved the mix of the egg, fried onion and ground beef. Both the textures and the tastes complement each other well. Unfortunately, the chopped liver was a disappointing addition to the burger experience. The saltiness of the recipe combined with the quantity of chopped liver was very distracting. More importantly, the meat was just average.” … the “cheddar-burger was in the good-but-not-great category” …
• Veal Cheeks says Mas (farmhouse) is “a restaurant that doesn’t need tricks, its kitchen is a treat. Yet, Mas fitfully pretends that it is a farmhouse in a village in Provence, not a hip space in the Village in Manhattan” … “Of our appetizers, the outstanding issue was Roasted Beets, baked with Goat Cheese, Baby Greens, Almonds, and Cucumbers. This is probably the finest vegetarian dish I have had this year.” … “the Roast Duck with Bahri Date Puree, Sauteed Brussel Sprouts and Chestnuts was one of the better duck treatments I have tasted and surely the best thing to happen to Brussels sprouts since Lambic beer and eel pie.” … 39 Downing Street, at Bedford Street, 212-255-1790 [MenuPages | NYT | openlist | Gayot | Citysearch] … The Red Cat: “sea diver scallops on a citrus salad … suffered from scallops not so lissome as the diners. Their chewiness suggested that perhaps the kitchen was offered a wholesaler’s deal, too tempting to resist” … “Sauteed Muscovy Duck Breast with Sweet and Sour Delicata Squash with Scallion and Rice Salad. I enjoyed this wild poultry, particular with the squash hash. It lacked a sweet/sour tension, but the richness of the squash complemented the duck with wintery eloquence.” … web site (plays Johnny Cash’s “I Walk the Line” in endless loop), 227 10th Avenue, at 23rd Street, 212-242-1122 [MenuPages | NYT | openlist | Gayot | Citysearch] … had dinner at 5 Ninth, “contemporary American cuisine filtered through Singapore nights” … “Nouveau Amerasian” … “Best of the three courses was my appetizer, Veal Bacon and Egg Congee, cooked in a clay pot with Chili Paste and Shiitake mushrooms” … “Loup de Mer (a variety of seabass), steamed, and served with chili lime paste, ginger, and cilantro and bok choy greens. The fish, otherwise well cooked, was swimming in a soupy essence that detracted from the plate” … (previous review: foodie nyc (TWIR, December 16, 2005))web site, 5 Ninth Avenue, at West 12th Street, 212-929-9460 [MenuPages | NYT | openlist | Gayot | Citysearch] … says Cookshop “is much like many other medium-priced restaurants found throughout New York neighborhoods. The food is creative, fun, and satisfying, but is limited by constraints of cost and inspiration.” … (previous reviews: 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] … and had lunch at Fleur de Sel … “I started with the finest soup I have had in New York, [the] parsnip soup with roasted chestnut/parsley ravioli was exquisite.” … entree was “Pan-Seared Drum Fish with Baby Carrots and Mushrooms in a Lobster Whisky Emulsion … a satisfying alliance of fish and vegetables. However, the emulsion didn’t have much of an impact. The fish was rich (Fleur de Sel is a butter peddler), but it was an earthbound contrast to the transcendent soup.” … (previous review: Big Apple Dining Guide (TWIR, November 4, 2005)) … 5 East 20th Street, between 5th Avenue and Broadway, 212-460-9100 [MenuPages | NYT | Citysearch]
• Big Apple Dining Guide also ate at The Red Cat … “Tempura Green Beans [were] as good as ever…. Better than candy to a kid.” … and had “Roasted monkfish cheeks with hearts of palm salad and sweet hot sauce [and] the Beach Boys” … and had a Restaurant Week lunch at Eleven Madison Park … “the champagne pear soup … was perfect” … “the braised short ribs with broccoli rabe, blue d’auvergne and puree of a root vegetable that escapes me. … The short rib was flawless, the puree a nice texture to go with it and the bitterness of the broccoli rabe and the salty earthiness of the blue d’auvergne provided a carnival of flavors and textures.” … “”I simply don’t know why this place wasn’t packed with people.” … web site, 11 Madison Avenue, at 24th Street, 212-889-0905 [MenuPages | NYT | openlist | Gayot | Citysearch]
• Kris Ensminger has a list of dim sum places … but she missed Chatham Restaurant, 9 Chatham Square, 212-267-0220 … our review is here …
• The Girl Who Ate Everything had Ethiopian at Awash… the meat sambusa: “Whoaaa, this was good. It reminded me of a delicate spring roll made of phyllo dough whose outside layers were light and crispy and the innermost layers, soft and chewy” … and liked the “teff injera, a pancake-like bread traditionally made from teff flour” … and liked the “two-person combination platter of two meat dishes and three vegetarian dishes” … web site, 338 East 6th, between 1st and 2nd Avenues, 212-982-9589 [MenuPages | Citysearch]
• The Impetuous Epicure describes Rai Rai Ken as “a quick pop-in and go ramen restaurant” … “shoyu ramen was really good. The noodles had a very nice bite to it and broth was very good. The pork was tender” … (previous review: Twenty Bucks a Day (TWIR, October 28, 2005)) … 214 East 10th Street, between 1st and 2nd Avenues, 212-977-7030 [MenuPages | yelp | NY Metro | IgoUgo]
• NYC nosh‘s favorite dish at Hong Kong Station “is lai fun noodles with curried fish balls and a few vegetables” … you “build” your soup here … 128 Hester Street, east of Bowery, 212-966-9382 [NY Metro]

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