The Other Critics

Le Cirque Back in the Three-Star Club; It’s La Belle Epoque Again at Adour

Who says Frank Bruni has no heart? After demoting Le Cirque last year, Bruni restores the third star, courtesy largely to new chef Christophe Bellanca’s masterly handling of ultraluxe ingredients and, of course, the Maccioni family’s trademark feudal service. [NYT]

Maybe you don’t consider the salmon at Dovetail “a religious experience,” the way Restaurant Girl does, but everyone seems to agree with Adam Platt that it’s a very fine restaurant and outrageously good for the Upper West Side. [NYDN]
Related: This Dove Flies

Ryan Sutton has filed the first review of Adour, and he makes it sound, at least to anachronistically minded readers, truly awesome. Did you know Adour is serving lobster thermidor? Lobster thermidor! In this day and age! Sutton is also impressed by the virtual wine list, as most other visitors have been. [Bloomberg]

You don’t have to sell Steve Cuozzo on Bar Boulud; as far as he’s concerned the place is “already the pigout capital of…the lower–Upper West Side.” He loves the room, loves the charcuterie, and is approving, if not exactly enthusiastic, about the bistro menu. Yet another victory for Bar Boulud. [NYP]

El Quinto Pino counts another critic, Paul Adams, in its stable of admirers (Rob and Robin were early ones). But reading the review, you have to wonder if it’s worth it to cram in for the sake of eating an unadorned little ham sandwich or a plate of almonds. I mean, when does the real food come out? [NYS]
Related: The Cutest Sea-Urchin-Egg Sandwich Ever at El Quinto Pino

Peter Meehan loves Soba Totto almost as much as he loves Yakitori Totto, its sister restaurant; the review does leave us wondering, though, just what the big deal is about soba noodles. Nobody, Meehan included, seems to enjoy them that much who is not a lifelong devotee of the form. [NYT]
Related: Soba Totto’s Chef Is a Yakitori Goddess

Dell’anima was bound to get good marks for its artful Italian food from Ligaya Mishan in “Tables for Two” and was also bound to get some canned social criticism about the toffs who eat there. Both phenomena are well established as part of the standard Dell’anima-review protocol, and deservedly so. [NYer]

There’s a new Sri Lankan restaurant, Nirvana, in Gramercy Park. What, you thought Robert Sietsema wasn’t going to like it? [VV]

Le Cirque Back in the Three-Star Club; It’s La Belle Epoque Again at