Restaurant Critic Roundup: Simple Dishes Reign At Hunger In Seattle And Mayfair And Pine In Washington, D.C.
As always, the ratings range from stars to bells to beans, but every review offers specialized insight into the food, atmosphere, and service of eateries in each city's dining scene and the critics eating at them.
This week in New York, restaurant atmosphere, rather than menus and price-points, seems to take a lead in the discussion. Pete Wells of The New York Times comes out of his Biang! experience noting that the furniture greatly helps the ambiance. Michael Kaminer over at The Daily News, however, gives the kitchen at Ken & Cook four stars and the restaurant space, one.
Providence Cicero and Tom Sietsema find pleasure in the "simplest" dishes, at Hunger in Seattle and Mayfair and Pine in Washington, D.C., respectively. Both critics claim that the restaurants take great care in tending to diners needs and making them feel comfortable.
The guacamole at Rosa Mexicano in Boston is the restaurant's saving grace, according to Devra First, who considers it one of the only truly compelling features. She deems the rest of the menu, especially the "soggy fries" and the "out of balance" mole sauce, "mediocre."
From the East Coast to the West Coast, from North to South, the weekly restaurant critic roundup is here for all of your dining out needs.
Restaurant Critic Roundup: 8/16/12
| Critic | Publication | Restaurant | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Devra First | The Boston Globe | Rosa Mexicano | 1.5 stars |
| Phil Vettel | The Chicago Tribune | Frog N Snail | 2 stars |
| Jonathan Gold | The Los Angeles Times | Shunji Japanese Cuisine | |
| Victoria Pesce Elliott | The Miami Herald | La Gloutonnerie | 2 stars |
| Ryan Sutton | Bloomberg | Rosemary's | 1 star |
| Michael Kaminer | The New York Daily News | Ken & Cook | 2.5 stars |
| Pete Wells | The New York Times | Biang! | 1 star |
| Michael Bauer | The San Francisco Chronicle | Salt House | 2.5 stars |
| Providence Cicero | The Seattle Times | Hunger | 2.5 stars |
| Tom Sietsema | The Washington Post | Mayfair & Pine | |
| William Porter | The Denver Post | Gumbo's | 1.5 stars |
| Robert Moss | Charleston City Paper | 'Cesca |
Check out last week's Restaurant Critic Roundup!
Tyler Sullivan is The Daily Meal's assistant editor.