Wednesday Food News: Early Edition

This week in the Times, Bruni goes to Gramercy Tavern, awards the restaurant--now helmed by chef Michael Anthony--three stars. It was last reviewed by William Grimes, when Tom Colicchio was cooking and when it also received three stars. Bruni says the restaurant delivers what diners want: “a kind of unstrained graciousness and unlabored sophistication.” Nearly everything he tasted was “exquisitely cooked,” and while the desserts aren’t the best ever, “there are some fine choices.”

In Dining Briefs, Bruni revisits Brasserie at Café Grey. In the brasserie (the bar area), Gray Kunz tries out new appetizers, some of which may appear in the cocktail lounge he’s opening this September. Finds the finger food "refined." Marion Burros goes to the newly opened Thai Market on 107th and Amsterdam. Likes the food and atmosphere: “it’s a blend of tradition and new, as well as tasty.” Pete Wells goes to PDT, the new bar hidden inside Crif Dogs (St. Marks and Ave. A). You enter through the photo booth in the hot dog joint. It’s worth it, though, he says: “One will probably forgive anything after knocking back one of PDT’s precisely calibrated, classically inclined cocktails.”

Steve Cuozzo goes to Rao’s in Vegas, doesn’t like what he sees and uses the occasion to take down almost all the NY-Vegas restaurant replicas. “Even if the food is the same at distant locations - a dubious proposition - the atmosphere isn't close, and neither is the dining experience,” he says. He does allow that the dining scene in Las Vegas is amazingly improved, just not as much as the hype would have us believe.

Ryan Sutton visits Grom Gelato for Bloomberg News. Doesn’t like the 25-minute wait, but he does like the product: “the gelato is stellar.” Sutton also visits PDT lounge, finds the cocktails “classic and refined.”

And Paul Adams goes to the Landmarc in the Time Warner Center for the NY Sun. Says it “feels like a rock among jewels, sturdy but unloved.” Heh. Given it’s price range, it’s popular with shoppers, and “the menu abounds in plain, affordable favorites,” he says. He likes the wine list and desserts, but finds the entrees a bit dull.