Reviews for Claudette, Colonia Verde, Lea, and More

Pete Wells thinks Claudette is holding back: "Braised chicken thighs on a bed of nutty toasted bulgur arrive in a tagine, but they aren't cooked in one. When servers lift the glazed lid, the mint and other aromatics don't rush into your lungs the way they would in Tangier. The tiny dab of harissa doesn't go far, either. But the chicken is moist and well browned." One star. [NYT]

Zachary Feldman visits Lea, a new pizza restaurant in Ditmas Park: "Stretched into uneven rounds, Lea's pizzas are light and chewy. They're imperfectly perfect...The margherita translates the archetypal flavors of mozzarella, basil, and tomato sauce with nary a stutter." [VV]

The Robs review fried chicken hot spot Wilma Jean alongside omusubi specialist Hanamizuki. The latter "takes a fusion approach, studding its roster of eight white- or brown-rice balls with things like salty eel and pickled sansho pepper (in the unagi) and a porky wallop of salami, plus black olives and capers, in the Italian." Three stars for Wilma Jean, two for Hanamizuki. [NY Mag/GS]

Stan Sagner visits Latin restaurant Colonia Verde in Fort Greene: "I didn't need encouragement to start (or finish) the Duck Confit Tacos ($14) — which were far and away [Felipe] Donnelly's best dish. The meat itself is succulent and spoon-tender — thanks to four days of stewing. But Donnelly swaddles it in soft flour tortillas and adds a crunch of yucca and some tangy Catupiry cheese to tame its richness." Three stars. [NYDN]

Time Out reviews the Malaysian food at Pasar Malam: "The should-orders are ones that are tougher to unpack, stuff like curry bobbing with fish heads ($19), an oyster omelette studded with bean sprouts ($6.50) or the intensely licoricey lo honko drink ($4)." Three stars. [TONY]

[The Gorbals by Krieger]

THE ELSEWHERE: Hannah Goldfield makes a trip to The Gorbals. Ligaya Mishan is a fan of the tiny Taste of Northern China. Gael Greene is impressed by her early meals at Dirty French.

[Dirty French by Krieger]

THE BLOGS: Chris Stang gives Racines an 8.1, The Pink Pig rounds up the best and worst of summer, Chopsticks + Marrow lists the best noodle dishes in Queens, Goodies First checks out Manhattan's first Denny's, NYC Foodie is a fan of Dirty French, NY Journal is impressed by The Simone, the Food Doc dines at Ichimura at Brushstroke, Chekmark Eats loves the burger at Allswell,