Other Critics

Socarrat’s Paella Impresses Bruni; Ramsay at the London Still Weak

Socarrat Paella Bar may offer twenty tapas, but Frank Bruni advises sticking to the paella. He disses the space and the wine list, but loves the title dish enough for one star. [NYT]

Le Cirque’s Wine Bar Lounge finally works after three years of tinkering, writes Steve Cuozzo: “[T]he café’s $48 prix-fixe dinner menu buys 3 courses and proximity to all the blondes you can take.” [NYP]

At Corton, Gael Greene calls the food an “elegant seduction,” but wonders if Paul Liebrandt has too much going on. “If you really like this kind of high wire eating, you’ll want to reserve now,” she writes. [Insatiable Critic]
Related: A First Look at Corton, Menu and All

Alan Richman revisits Gordon Ramsay at the London and regards it as “the least New York of any upscale restaurant in the city” and one of “Micheline’s mistakes.” [Forked/GQ]

Danyelle Freeman is so enamored with the pesto pasta at Bar Pitti, she believes that “every New Yorker should eat it at least once.” It’s not on the menu, but ask for it. [NYDN]

Allegretti looks like it could be any restaurant serving any kind of food anywhere in the world,” writes Ryan Sutton. “Then you see the prices.” But he does love the food, using words like “unadulterated flavors” and “stunning.” [Bloomberg]

Randall Lane visits Peaches in Bed-Stuy and likes the Greenmarket-southern mix, even though the restaurant still has its rough spots. “Peaches still has much to do to get its act together,” he writes, but notes that it “offers progressive food in a spot where the mere existence of such a restaurant is noteworthy.” [TONY]

Go for the kebabs at Café Sim Sim in Kensington, Brooklyn, Robert Sietsema advises. You can also order (and crack jokes about) stew of lamb testes and a veal-organ dish called “jiz biz.” Hi-larious. [VV]

Socarrat’s Paella Impresses Bruni; Ramsay at the London Still Weak