BruniBetting: The Oak Room

Tomorrow, Frank Bruni reviews The Oak Room, landmarked, renovated and revived as part of The Plaza's recent $400 million overhaul. Today, the Eater oddsmakers have set the action as follows:

Zero Stars: 20-1
One Star: 6-1
Two Stars: 3-1 ??
Three Stars: 4-1
Four Stars: 25-1

Order of biz number one, let's do away with the matter of the Oak Room seemingly having come out of nowhere. Its chef, Joel Antunes, is a giant in Atlanta, has Michelin stars and myraid other accolates under his belt. For whatever reason, he hasn't ever moved the needle in New York buzz circles, but let's not write dude off: he can cook. The relative quiet with which Oak Room has emerged has everything to do with a prohibitive price point, versus more core culinary shortcomings. Indeed, while it's taken more calendar weeks than normal, the critics who have weighed-in—from Jay Cheshes in the cheap seats to the Cuozzo who got the full dog-and-pony show—are double-inski. These factors have the brain-trust in these parts eyeing two or three stars as almost equally likely, while all other scenarios entirely unlikely. The essential question this week is, Will the big man dock Oak Room a star for its bull market pricing and undaring menu, or does it sail to three stars anyway, because it's straight excellent? Money on the tres isn't like burning cash, but Eater is calling it for the deuce this week, by a very small margin. We say the Bruni rounds down because he didn't walk out blown away. All 10 betting windows are open for your convenience.
· Oak Room [NYT; after 8:00 PM]
?? denotes the Eater bet.