Sifton Rides The R-Train To Bay Ridge To Review Tanoreen

Tomorrow Sam Sifton will shine the spotlight on on twelve-year-old Bay Ridge Middle-Eastern spot Tanoreen. After weeks of reviewing newer, high-profile Manhattan spots and one old stand-by, Sifty will be focussing on the kind of celebrated neighborhood restaurants we know he loves so dearly. As far as Middle-Eastern goes, Tanoreen is no hole in the wall. It's a slightly up-scale, family-run establishment that is beloved by its neighbors. The restaurant is also planning a more refined spin-off in the near future.

THE PLAYBOOK: The last time Tanoreen got any coverage from the Times was back in 2004 when Eric Asimov filed a $25 and under rave. We know that Sifty shares the same love of out-of-the-way ethnic fare as Asimov during his tenure -- most likely, Tanoreen will tickle Sam's Sifty senses in the same way that Purple Yam , Mandangsui, and Imperial Palace did last year. We're in some solid onespot territory here, with a deuce as a likely possibility.

SIFT HAPPENS: Doesn't really apply here. The Siftonator wouldn't ride the R-Train to Bay Ridge to drop a goose egg, and this place ain't getting no three-spot. We learned last week that one star is very good, but two might be in the cards.

THE LINE: Goose Egg: 100-1. One Star: 3-1. Two Stars: 2-1. Three Stars: 50-1.
[Tanoreen Reviewed, NYT; after ~ 8 PM]