Steve Cuozzo Tears Into 'Boring' La Gamelle on the Bowery

Last week he was taking down $151 lunches and coyote fur chairs, this week Steve Cuozzo rips into La Gamelle, Mathieu Palombino's bistro replacement of his Bowery Diner. It's "archaic," he says (the horror), and out of place on that happening strip of restaurants. Also the food, with a few exceptions (the charcuterie, the croque-monsieur, the steak), fails to impress him:

Grilled branzino was indistinguishable from oodles of others. A parched quality defined duck confit. Roasted chicken, shy on seasoning and without a drop of jus, faded after a few bites. Steak frites, ordered medium-rare-plus, arrived rare, although the sliced flat-iron cut was deeply flavorful.

He gives the restaurant one and a half stars.