20 'Mature' Restaurants Pete Wells Should Review

Earlier today Pete Wells the Impaler, the new New York Times restaurant critic, told his readers that he is taking requests for more "mature" restaurants, since he can't live on new restaurants alone. As some have already noted, this is a) traffic bait, b) will bring all the crazies out of the woodwork (the thread is over 100 comments long), and c) is an invite for blatant shills. On the last count, Pistol Pete is already at the ready. He jumps in the thread after a 100 percent shill for Midtown's Casa Nonna and writes, "Kara, I couldn't help noticing that your e-mail domain is "esquaredhospitality.com," and that ESquared Hospitality is the company behind Casa Nonna. I trust this doesn't have any bearing on your endorsement of the restaurant!"

Other comments are more genuine and/or more cleverly disguised. So we've culled them, comments on Eater, and previous re-review recommendations to compile a succinct list of the 20 most deserving "mature" re-review candidates. For what it's worth, the always modest Tom Colicchio has a suggestion as well.

1) Le Bernardin, this is a gimme because of the recent revamp
2) Jean Georges, four star restaurant that hasn't been reviewed in five years.
3) Monkey Bar, new chef and front of house team
4) Lupa, crime that it doesn't have any sparklers
5) Sho Shaun Hergatt, this is oft-mentioned, supposedly because it was robbed (though proponents of a re-review should remember Wells' previous take on this one).
6) Babbo, not reviewed since 2004 and is still one of NYC's most popular restaurants
7) ll Buco, a neighborhood gem that hasn't been reviewed since its onespot in 1996
8) Balthazar, last reviewed in 2004 when it got two stars.
9) Cafe Boulud, a three spot that hasn't been reviewed since Gavin Kaysen came aboard.
10) Les Halles, as a commenter notes, "He should crush it once and for all."
11) wd-50, it was reviewed in '08 but readers are clamoring for a reassessment for some reason
12) Kajitsu, a chef and Michelin favorite but never got more than a Brief
13) Nobu Tribeca, Ruth Reichl was the last critic to check in on Nobu, giving it a threespot
14) Il Mulino, a commenter notes, "hasn't been reviewed in 20 years, still charges a ton of money, and is shrouded in secrecy/curtains over the windows."
15) The Modern, three stars for the Bar Room and two for the Dining Room? Makes no sense.
16) Rubirosa, because it's a fantastic onespot kind of place
17) Le Cirque, has three stars and has not been re-reviewed with its new chef
18) Fedora, better food than its Brief treatment implies
19) Momofuku Ko, been awhile since anyone's checked in, and Bruni went pre alcohol, pre price hike.
20) La Mangeoire, a wild card but La Mangeoire is an under the radar old French restaurant that just so happens to have one of New York's most famous veteran French chefs, Christian Delouvrier, at the stoves.
· Tell the Critic Where to Go! [DJ]
· Eater's Official Pete Wells Cheat Sheet [~ENY~]