The Other Critics

5 Napkin Burger Is An Over-the-Top ‘Hoot’; Scholars’ Cocktails Taste of ‘Ripe Refrigerator Mold’

• Mat Schaffer hits up New York export 5 Napkin, where the “over-the-top” experience is a “hoot” … though not, perhaps, for “larger bodies” thanks to the cramped booths. Nonetheless, the BLT salad is a “satisfying mix” of iceberg, tomatoes, and bacon, dolloped with “carnation pink” Thousand Island. And burgers were “excellent,” particularly the namesake one, washed back with a milkshake. Just avoid the mac and cheese, which manages to be both “limp” and a “soupy mis-mash.” [Herald]

• Ike DeLorenzo notices a boom in “reasonably priced sushi” in Boston. One prime example? Newbury Street’s branch of Snappy Sushi, where a “meal is entertainment.” Midday, “polished female luxury shoppers of a certain age often mix with unshaven college guys over dramatic presentations of maki, sushi, and the restaurant’s own inventions,” which can be hit or miss depending on the day, though the atmosphere makes up for any disappointments. Do note that only light brown koshihikari rice is used, which brings subtle hints of hazelnut. [Globe]

• Annie B. Copps pops in at Marc Orfaly’s “spiffy” Remick’s, which is “breathing new life” into drab Quincy. Ignore the “yawn-inducing” oyster-and-kimchi po’ boy and opt instead for one of the “strong selection” of pastas or the whole roast suckling pig. [Boston]

The Maharaja in Harvard Square ekes out a solid two stars from Robert Nadeau, who’s confused by the roadhouse-meets-fine dining menu. “Un-fragrant” rice brings down an otherwise nice chicken tikka masala, while meatloaf-esque, cumin-scented Galouti kebab is “comforting and delicious.” That’s about as spicy as things get; the decor is bolder, ornate to the point of being “somewhat embarrassing.” [Phoenix]

• Alive & Kicking, tucked away in Central Square, deserves unearthing thanks to its hulking lobster sandwich on “thick, delicious” Italian bread. Mayonnaise lovers beware: This lobster salad arrives “all but naked,” happily washed back by a “really smooth” cream soda. Yuppies and tourists beware, too: Reviewer Christopher Pineo thinks you “pay too much for lobster,” which savvy seafooders certainly won’t do at this patio-furniture-strewn hideout. [Phoenix]

• MC Slim JB tries the tacos de carnitas at on-trend Temazcal, one of the many new Anglicized Mexican places that sprouted this spring. He expects that “conventioneers, tourists, and suburbanites” will make haste to Liberty Wharf to enjoy “eye-catching” and “oversized” plates, enhanced by a nice view. Happily, the aforementioned pork shoulder tacos are “delicious and elegantly presented,” not to mention very tasty, dressed with napa cabbage, avocado, radishes, and crema fresca. [Stuff]

Time Out thinks Scholars fails. In this former Talbots space, it’s “too cold, the lighting is unflattering and the experience leaves you feeling a little bereft.” Sad-making items include “tasteless” rabbit fritters, four-cheese empanadas that resemble a “grilled cheese pocket,” and cocktails that taste like “ripe refrigerator mold,” doled out by an argumentative server. [Time Out]

5 Napkin Burger Is An Over-the-Top ‘Hoot’; Scholars’ Cocktails Taste