The Other Critics

Richman Lambastes Landmarc; Has Sietsema Lost His Mind?

Robert Sietsema reviews what might be the most un-Sietsema-like place imaginable, a twee Williamsburg bistro called Juliette. “The snails in anise butter are fab, and so is the whole steamed artichoke flaunting a festive champagne vinaigrette.” Okay, call the FBI. The real Robert Sietsema has obviously been kidnapped. [VV]

“Think too much and you’ll find the place hard to like”: Alan Richman sees the new Landmarc for what it is – a stark, expensive, underachieving restaurant with few niceties of service or cooking – but still manages to find something nice to say about the steaks. [Bloomberg]
Related: Will Landmarc’s Downtown Cool Play Alongside Its Ritzy New Neighbors? [Grub Street]

Frank Bruni had a high old time at Resto, so much so that he gave the place a shocking two stars. Expect all future reviews to react to this hyperbole by taking pains to note the place’s shortcomings.[NYT]
Related: Brussels Sprout [NYM]

Provence gets its first bad notices, as the Sun’s Paul Adams finds it disappointing, with chewy snails, a tough lamb steak, and house wine so lame that he didn’t even finish the carafe. [NYS]

And Time Out’s Randall Lane didn’t like it much more, finding only the appetizers and French fries deserving of praise. [TONY]

Kate Julian, in The New Yorker, gives a wildly enthusiastic review of Anthos, the first since Randall Lane’s initial five-star review. [NYer]

Ryan Sutton takes down davidburke & donatella’s million-dollar fried rice, an $88 dish that he makes sound less appetizing than the $3.50 version you get on the corner. [Bloomberg]

Richman Lambastes Landmarc; Has Sietsema Lost His Mind?