The Other Critics

Gold Hails Keller’s Second Coming; Virbila Champions Mercantile and Noir

Photo: Hadley Tomicki

“Keller marches into town like a Caesar,” says Jonathan Gold, excited for Bouchon’s arrival and straight-forward bistro fare, though he finds the pomp extravagant, even for Beverly Hills. [LAWeekly]

S. Irene Virbila has “always enjoyed Beltran’s cooking,” but finds the small plates and wine list make Noir his best restaurant yet. [L.A. Times]

Los Tres Cochinitos serves “a competitor for the title of best tortilla soup in town,” opines Merrill Shindler about this shrimp-tastic Mexican spot in Wilmington. [DailyBreeze]

Patrick Kuh likes the food and finds East to have enthusiasm, Hollywood flash, great ambition, and a surplus of superlatives. [Los Angeles]

Jonathan Gold thinks “luxury dining means being able to find your favorite tamale vendor two nights in a row,” before discussing how displaced Breed Street vendors have relocated and reinvented themselves by using Twitter. [L.A. Weekly]

In an early look at The Mercantile, S. Irene Virbila is encouraged by the food, finding the French onion soup “just about perfect” and everything else off to a promising start. [L.A. Times]

Jonathan Gold reveals that he’s never tasted human flesh and that boiling and roasting are techinically opposites. [L.A.Weekly]

Brad A. Johnson never questions “the high tarrif” for the chef’s dinner at Studio at The Montage, but gets concerned when going a la carte. The restaurant loses one star with Johnson, who still likes it. [Angeleno]

Gold Hails Keller’s Second Coming; Virbila Champions Mercantile and Noir