Yesterday Ryan Sutton took a trip to Philadelphia to review Volver, and many of the city's other critics—including Pete Wells—are taking a break this week, but here's a roundup of all this week's big reviews:
[The Nomad Bar by Nick Solares]
Steve Cuozzo was a fan of the food, if not the rowdy crowd at the new Nomad Bar:
"Mischief has the run of the menu. Swiss-born Humm kicks off his molecular-cooking gravitas, the way T.S. Eliot took a break from metaphysics for 'Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats.' 'Scotch olives' wittily riff on the old Brit pub snack, Scotch eggs. The olives are stuffed with feta and wrapped in lamb sausage, then panko-breaded and fried. You'll want more than one. A log-size, bacon-wrapped hot dog could bludgeon a pit bull into submission."Despite a few other misses, and the "Slob Scourge clientele" he gives the bar three stars. [NYP]
[Tavern on the Green by Krieger]
Tavern on the Green gets panned once again, this time by Stan Sagner: "[Katy] Sparks brought double disappointment with her crock of broth-soaked 'Wood-Roasted' Maine Mussels ($15). The mollusks that were stranded above the water line stumbled out cold and long withered, while the mussels that were under the liquid squirted out a tongue-lacerating dose of garlic with each bite. I waved the white flag after only three, but no one noticed. The plate went back without a peep. Main courses got no better. Sparks' tender quail ($30) is held hostage to her concrete grits and paired with a caustic salt lick masquerading as chorizo hash. Thankfully, my tongue was still anesthetized from the mussels, so I hardly felt the burn." One star. [NYDN]
[Au Za'atar by Krieger]
THE ELSEWHERE: Ligaya Mishan goes on an ethnic ice cream shop crawl. Gael Greene checks out the Nomad Bar, with a second stop at the Nomad. And Shauna Lyon reviews three Lebanese spots, Balade, Au Za'atar, and the food truck Toum for Tables for Two.
[Heartwood by Krieger]
THE BLOGS: Andrew Steinthal of The Infatuation has a solid meal at the Spotted Pig, Chekmark Eats finds hits and misses at Peasant, NY Journal recommends sticking to the pizzas at Heartwood, NYC Foodie loves everything except the bagels at Russ & Daughters Cafe, and the Pink Pig has a great meal at Patti Jackson's Delaware & Hudson.