Reviews for Chez Sardine, Le Philosophe, Aska, and More

Ryan Sutton digs the sushi at Chez Sardine: "There's no overfished blue fin tuna. Instead we get more sustainable, full flavored alternatives like Spanish mackerel (with leeks), arctic char (smoked), fatty Hamachi (with ginger) and beef tongue (with ponzu and jalapeno). My only gripe is with the rice, which isn't as sublime as the fish; you don't get the warm rice/cool flesh contrast that makes for transcendental tastings. Then again, a surf-and-turf hand roll of cold urchin and cool beef wrapped in seaweed is a $7 ticket to nirvana." The critic gives the restaurant two stars. [Bloomberg]

As noted yesterday, Pete Wells is a big fan of chef Kyle Knall's Southern fare at Maysville: "I have seen poached eggs over grits all around town, but I've rarely tasted a version as compelling as Maysville's. The grits are creamier and the egg is softer, just barely set, so it dissolves on your tongue like warm jelly. Then Mr. Knall, who most recently cooked at Gramercy Tavern, takes it deeper, adding sensationally tender duck confit, sautéed trumpet mushrooms and a few rich spoonfuls of smoked duck broth. It's the kind of bowl you'd like to share. At the same time, you want to keep it to yourself." [NYT]

Robert Sietsema is charmed by Le Philosophe in Noho: "Foie gras torchon, lobster thermidor, duck l'orange, and tournedos Rossini sound more like formal cuisine than everyday bistro fare, and indeed they are. But chef Matthew Aita has pared these recipes down and jazzed them up, so that duck l'orange ($27), rather than being a bird mired in thick goo, is now a few slices of crunchy-skinned breast ringed with orange segments in a light sauce, while the fluffy deshelled meat of his homard comes tangled with haricots vert in a sunny emulsion dotted with mustard seeds. Call it haute cuisine lite." [FitR]

Adam Platt awards two stars to Aska, the new Williamsburg restaurant from Fredrik Berselius and Eamon Rockey: "It's possible to have an excellent meal at the bar at Aska, where the menu on the evenings I dropped by included helpings of braised beef cheeks, platters of local oysters on the half-shell (hand-foraged, of course), and two different kinds of Scandinavian-style hot dogs." [NYM/GM]

Jay Cheshes bitch slaps Tribeca Canvas: "With a sprawling menu riffing on Tex-Mex, Chinese takeout and barbecue, the place has a sort of Battle Junk Food restaurant theme. While its long, dark dining room is certainly attractive—a virtual forest draped in canvases painted with haunting black trees—the food and decor are way out of sync with each other. Morimoto, entering new territory, has abandoned his usual classic Japanese simplicity for Guy Fieri–style kitchen-sink cooking." One star out of five. [TONY]

Michael Kaminer gives three stars (out of five) to The Library: "Catskill Mountain Trout ($24) earns the biggest ovation. Simple presentation suits its clear flavors and clean textures; a snowy fillet rests on a smooth, tangy bed of ocher-colored butternut-squash puree and firm lentils. I'd welcome it on a warm summer night or a frigid winter's evening." [NYDN]

THE ELSEWHERE: Tejal Rao has a great time at Bar Corvo, Gael Greene finds a mixed bag at Bill's Food and Drink, Ligaya Mishan discovers great Dongbei fare at Lao Dong Bei in Flushing, and Shauna Lyon tries some great dishes as well as a few clunkers at Ngam in the East Village.

THE BLOGS: Serious Eats recommends The Library if you want a bite before a show at The Public Theater, the Immaculate Infatuation guys give Gaonurri a 6.8 rating, Eat Big Apple likes the miso ramen at Ramen Misoya, Chekmark Eats pays a visit to Gwynnett St., NYC Foodie absolutely loves chef Andrew Pressler's Southeast Asian dishes at Jo's in Nolita, the Pink Pig samples the cassoulet at 26 Seats, and NY Journal has an excellent meal at Sirio and a very good one at Jo's.
· All Coverage of Reviews [~ENY~]
[Krieger]