Wednesday Food News: Early Edition

This week in the Times, Bruni doubles up on sushi restaurants, reviewing 15 East and Ushiwakamaru. 15 East gets two stars; Ushiwakamaru, one. 15 East “manages to stand out in a crowded marketplaces of Japanese restaurants that focus on uncooked seafood,” he says, partly with the cooked dishes, partly with the sushi and sashimi itself, partly with the “gracious service,” and partly with the outstanding wine and sake list. Whereas at Ushiwakamaru, “for every two pieces of flawless sushi or sashimi there will be one that doesn’t measure up.”

Also in the Times, Peter Meehan goes to Hill Country in Chelsea for $25 and Under. Loves it: “No other barbeque place that has opened in New York in recent years has gotten it so right, right out of the gate.” He’s crazy about the brisket, also the barbequed prime rib. Doesn’t love the sides or desserts, though.

And Cuozzo also visits Hill Country, with a similar verdict: “I’ve never had barbeque this good in New York. Neither have you.” The restaurant specializes in Texas barbeque, meanly mostly beef. He likes the desserts—says the peanut butter and jelly cupcakes are “distressingly delicious.”

Paul Adams goes to Top Chef winner Harold Dieterle’s Perilla for the NY Sun. His verdict? Along the same lines as everyone else’s: “Mr. Dieterle's repertoire may not have the breadth of style that experience brings, but his ideas and skills are sound.”

And Alan Richman visits Insieme for Bloomberg News. Finds the Italian restaurant’s menu way too complicated. Loves the lamb carpaccio and most of the meats; hates the lasagna. Says the wine list is good; order dessert “and go out in style.”