Wednesday Food News: Early Edition

Bruni one-stars Cafe Cluny: it's "a beguiling neighborhood place," he says, and not much else. Cluny is partly-owned by Lynn Wagenkneckt, ex-wife of Keith McNally (the man who bought us Odeon, Cafe Luxembourg, Balthazar & Pastis), and Bruni sees something of their successful formulas here. Doesn’t make up for the "unimaginative" menu or "erratic" service, though.

Over at Eater, confusion reigns. They put the odds on one-star (nice going), yet they themselves bet on two (huh?).

In $25 and Under, Peter Meehan goes to Yakitori Torys, eats chicken bones. He calls it a place for "fowl fetishists," which also serves up grilled necks, soft knee bones and tails. For the more weak at heart, the more familiar parts of the chicken are served too, grilled on skewers, and "Torys does the basics better than anyone (save perhaps Totto)," says Meehan.

Ryan Sutton goes to Kobe Club for Bloomberg News, eats (what else?) kobe beef. The restaurant "has the feel of a slick, 1980s strip joint," he says. He kind of likes it: "the American kobe strip had the texture of a filet with the beefiness of a sirloin. The Japanese strip had the taste of rich rib-eye with the texture of seared foie gras." And while it cost him, he didn’t eat again for 15 hours. Is that a good thing or a bad thing?

Steve Cuozzo at the Post takes an early look at Metro Marche, and generally appreciates its "spirited little bistro menu," despite some misses. Owner Simon Oren sees the humor in its Port Authority Location: "'Take a look at our wine,' Oren says with tongue half in cheek - 'It's the only wine in the Port Authority that doesn't come in a flat bottle.'"

In other reviews, Tables for Two hits Boqueria, Augie visits Varietal, and Restaurant Girl stops in at Swich.