Critic Roundup: 51 Lincoln Well-Intentioned But 'Baffling'

This week in restaurant reviews, Pete Wells mostly enjoyed the food at new New York spots Cagen and Ristorante Morini, but was vastly unimpressed by the decor at both. At Ristorante Morini, he commented that the chandeliers looked "like grotesque experiments in stretched skin."

Alan Richman mused on the inspirational, healthy ethos of Broadway's salad spot Sweetgreen, and gave the food mixed marks.

"The best single food item at Sweetgreen is the avocado, whacked fresh out of the shell," Richman wrote. "The worst is the baked falafel, in taste and appearance is much like an old sponge picked up from your basement floor."

Devra First of The Boston Globe found the ambitious cuisine at 51 Lincoln "frequently baffling," and gave chef Jeffrey Fournier some spirited advice, writing:

"To thine own self be true," First suggested. "Just make sure you keep the customers happy, too. Ideals don't pay the bills."

Michael Bauer of the San Francisco Gate gave high marks to Hong Kong Lounge II, describing his meal as "a succession of pristine, perfectly cooked dishes." In particular he lauded menu items that hadn't been Americanized, including Chinese water spinach which was "cooked to that elusive stage where it's at once sweet, mineral-y, soft, and crunchy."

Restaurant Critic Roundup: 4/30/2014

Critic	Publication	Restaurant	Rating
Devra First	The Boston Globe	51 Lincoln	Mixed
Richard Vines	Bloomberg	La Mar	8/10
Pete Wells	The New York Times	Cagen and Ristorante Morini	2/4 Stars
Eric Doksa	Charleston City Paper	Lee Lee's Hot Kitchen	Mixed
Alan Richman	GQ	Sweetgreen	1/4 Stars
Michael Bauer	San Francisco Gate	Hong Kong Lounge II	3/4 Stars
Zachary Feldman	The Village Voice	North River	Positive
Scott Reitz	Dallas Observer	Palapas Seafood Bar	Positive

Adam D'Arpino is the Restaurants Editor at The Daily Meal. Follow him on Twitter @AdamDArpino.