Restaurant Critic Roundup: Fenway Restaurant Barrio Cantina 'Lacks Sizzle'

This week in restaurant reviews, New York Times critic Pete Wells tastes the fare at Kajitsu, "a restaurant that practices an animal-free cooking tradition called shojin ryori." Of the experience he says, "I am never shocked to find that I don't miss meat or fish."

In Boston, Fenway Mexican restaurant Barrio Cantina, "lacks sizzle," according to critic Devra First. And while she doesn't knock the taco, fajitas are a different story. "I don't understand fajitas," she says, "and I don't like them. But if fajitas must exist in this world, then the sizzle is integral. So when, at Barrio Cantina, the fajitas arrive silent, room temperature, no smell of onions wafting upward, we fall silent, too."

Near Denver, Korean restaurant Silla gets good rankings. "An encouraging sign," he says, "the place draws a loyal following of Korean ex-pats." The service however was "friendly, but a bit sluggish." 

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.
 

Restaurant Critic Roundup: 6/19/2013

Click here for The Daily Meal's "Top Chefs Review — and Rate — America's Food Critics."

Tyler Sullivan is The Daily Meal's assistant editor. Follow her on Twitter at @atylersullivan.