Tomorrow, Frank Bruni reviews Mai House, Drew Nierporent and Michael Bao Huynh's Vietnamese entry in Tribeca. Today, the Eater oddsmakers have set the action as follows:
Zero Stars: 5-1If there was a way to bet on 1 1/2 stars, we'd be all over it, for this is a restaurant on the one-two bubble if ever there was one. Bao 111 received one star from the Bruni in December 2004, and given the size of that venue, the review established Bruni's taste for Huynh's food. But, Mai House is more an atmosphere upgrade than a food one (though the menu is more well-rounded here), so the extra star isn't a given. Factor in somewhat inconsistent reviews for Mai House to date and we've got ourselves a nail-biter. All in, we're taking the two star action at Mai House, with the understanding it's not a sure bet by any stretch.
One Star: 3-1
Two Stars: 4-1 ??
Three Stars: 20-1
Four Stars: 5,000-1
· Mai House [NYT; after 8:00 PM]
?? denotes the Eater prediction, not necessarily the most likely scenario. For the most likely outcome, look for the shortest odds, in this case 3-1 on one star.