Reviews for Nishi, Nix, Indian Accent, O Ya, and More

— A few of the dishes are good, and the cocktails can be enjoyable, but Pete Wells can't get past the discomfort at Nishi: "Temporary soreness of the butt and throat were always potential downsides of a Momofuku meal. Back when we first agreed to the bargain, though, the food was so distractingly original and good that you wouldn’t have minded eating it while leaning up against a Dumpster in an alley sharing your chopsticks with GG Allin. At Nishi, you mind." As reported yesterday, Wells gives Nishi one star.

— At Nix, Tejal Rao finds wonderful vegetarian options, and ultimately, that the hits outweigh the misses: "Though the cluster of raw vegetables that start the meal can be a little warm and limp, the edges of the leaves crumpled and dry, missteps at Nix are rare; even a simple avocado can become a luxurious bite." The Bloomberg critic adds: "Your reward for going to Nix, if you’re looking for one, is simple: pleasure." Two stars.

— Gael Greene enjoys almost all 24 courses in O Ya's tasting menu. Here's the critic on some of her favorites: "The warm freshwater Japanese eel with a frizzle of Thai basil that follows has been painted with a sweet glaze and sansho pepper, then grilled — an astonishment. Its sweetness and the heat fill my mouth. After that, the small saddle of rice, wearing nothing but a fingerling potato chip and Italian black truffle, seems daringly clever."

— Ligaya Mishan digs the Taiwanese fare at Taiwan Bear House in Chinatown: "Over this may lie a pork chop hammered thin and sealed inside an improbably fluffy crust, or pork belly in slices thick as cake, with descending horizons of lean and fat, or chicken freed of its bones and deep-fried twice, so the crispy shell of skin turns chewy where it clings to the flesh."

— New Delhi-import Indian Accent has a fan in Zachary Feldman of the Village Voice: "Service has the polished sheen of the Eleven Madison Park vet in charge, and although the kitchen closes at 10:30 p.m., the bar often stays open past midnight — fortunate, given that beverage director Daniel Beedle works infusion magic, imbuing tequila with finger chiles to mix with green Chartreuse, and pisco with cardamom for a chamomile-yogurt-frothed sour."

— Tables for Two writer Nicolas Niarchos finds a Midtown oasis at Hangawi in K-Town: "Incomplete is the dinner at Hangawi that ignores appetizers, even though the restaurant provides kimchi gratis. From the gluten-free section of the menu come little papery dumplings, slathered in spinach sauce, that explode with kale when bitten into. Sesame-leaf tofu patties come decorated with an orchid and taste a little like shrimp toast, but feel a great deal lighter."

The Blogs: The Pink Pig pays a visit to Fritzl's Lunchbox, and Joe DiStefano files on a savory flan.