Balaboosta is a “charming and casual Middle Eastern trattoria,” says Sam Sifton. It’s “a casual, take-your-parents-or-a-date restaurant.” [NYT]
Related: Balaboosta Starts Cooking in Nolita
“Like the city’s other clubby spots, the food takes a backseat to the scene” at the Lion, notes Jay Cheshes. “Which isn’t to say that it’s not often delicious.” [TONY]
Related: Getting a Decent Table at the Lion May Not Be Utterly Impossible
“The almost dizzying array of options” at Tanoreen reveal “a place that revels in temptation — and, even more so, in sating it,” says Katherine Sterling. [NYer]
Related: Meze in Motion
The Neapolitan pies at Totale Pizza are “seriously delicious bargains,” says Ed Levine. The “stupendous” Totale Pie is a “must-order.” [Serious Eats NY]
Related: Totale Pizza’s Mongrel Lineage
Despite “overcrowding of tables, low levels of service, and limited bills of fare” at Cascabel Taqueria, “after the first uncomfortable bite, you’ll fall in love,” says Robert Sietsema. [VV]
