Pete Wells Finds a Slightly Muted Provence at Claudette

Pete Wells reviews Carlos Suarez and Wade Moises' Provencal-inspired restaurant Claudette this week and finds a charming space, some "intelligent" salads including one of snap peas and radishes with an intriguing cumin dressing, and nods to North Africa. But, he notes: "Claudette's exploration of Provence can be undercut by its impulse to play it safe," as seen in a pieds paquets, sans pieds:

As a server with an oratorical flair put it, 'we absented the feet for cleanliness of flavor.' What we get instead are tripe-wrapped bundles of pork shoulder braised in white wine and tomatoes. Tender but polite, they are upstaged by the grilled bread…