Reviews for The Marrow, Aska, Hanjan, and More

Steve Cuozzo loves what Harold Dieterle is cooking at The Marrow. He gives the restaurant three stars, with special praise for the $26 mushroom entree: "The mighty mushroom, a forest-primeval fantasy grown on a Pennsylvania farm, blows away cauliflower 'steak' efforts. Roasted to an arresting crunch on top and adorned with frisee, it looms over a lush micro-habitat of white truffle butter, cardoons and butter-braised kale." [NYP]

As noted yesterday, Pete Wells is impressed by chef Fredrik Berselius's Scandinavian-influenced fare at Aska: "The flavors he draws out of vegetables, meat and seafood can stop your breath. He found exceptional sweetness in the purple carrots he served with pike and whipped anchovy cream, and extracted a broth from monkfish bones that had something like the depth of veal stock when it was spooned around a fillet of the fish and a slice of its sautéed liver." Two stars. [NYT]

Ryan Sutton gives two stars to Hanjan, the new Flatiron District restaurant from chef Hooni Kim: "Hanjan is about spicy, salty, fishy, flavors, all in modestly-sized portions that cost $22 or less. And if things all start tasting familiar, that's because many dishes are an efficient delivery system for gochugaru, Korean red chili flakes that could melt earwax. That's what inflames the belt fish (hold), as well as a saute of squid (buy), and a small mound of glutinous rice cakes and pork fat (strong buy). " [Bloomberg]

The Robs award three Underground Gourmet stars to Salvation Taco: "At Salvation Taco, chicken feet and pig's ears vie with beer nuts and guacamole for the drinker's attention. The fried pig's ears, in particular, are terrific: an aggressively seasoned study in crispy-chewy textural contrasts that sticks to your molars like salt­water taffy." [GS/NYM]

Jay Cheshes thinks that Hanjan is worthy of four stars (out of five): "Cod roe sacks—cradling their briny caviar cargo—float in an intense spicy broth that'll warm you up from the inside out. Hot stone plates hold gorgeous, golden rice-flour pancakes, studded with sweet squid and scallion batons as abundant as chocolate nuggets in a Chips Ahoy! cookie. Kimchi, with a well-aged hot-sour tang, adds great depth to crispy rice on a sizzling platter topped with a fried egg and speckled with brisket, and to another dish of tender, seared pork belly with fresh creamy tofu in a big scoop on the side." [TONY]

Stan Sagner gives Old Homestead Steakhouse two stars (out of five): "The Kobe Burger ($41) is a cautionary tale of runaway excess. Despite its premium trimmings, the heart of this dish, the patty, has at its core a spooky, purplish tinge and an incongruous, unsettling texture. This otherworldly beef, renowned as much for its velvety texture as for its flavor, has no business being puréed into baby food. Each bite gives you pause." [NYDN]

THE ELSEWHERE: Ligaya Mishan is a fan of Jesus Nunez's traditional Spanish fare at Barraca, Gael Greene has several satisfying meals at Arlington Club, Restaurant Girl thinks that the kitchen is firing on all cylinders at The Marrow, and Robert Sietsema likes many of the dishes at Aamanns-Copenhagen but he's disappointed by the overall experience.

THE BLOGS: Serious Eats gives a solid A rating to Fu Run in Flushing, the Immaculate Infatuation boys love the inventive Southern food at Maysville, NYC Foodie has a very good meal during friends and family at Cole's Greenwich Village, Goodies First has an okay dinner at Three Letters in Clinton Hill, and NY Journal thinks that Table Verte is a good choice for vegetarians.
· All Coverage of Reviews [~ENY~]