This week in the Times, Bruni two-stars Allen & Delancey. Loves the atmosphere; says “the food at Allen & Delancey is at once sophisticated and accessible, reliant on fail-safe luxuries deployed in a modestly creative and occasionally playful manner.” Says that in some ways it’s similar to what he did uptown (at Gordon Ramsay at the London) but it works much better in this context.

In $25 and Under, Peter Meehan goes to Food Shing on East Broadway for hand-pulled noodle soup. Says “those noodles, the restaurant’s soup and its prices (nothing costs more than $6.50) are good enough to keep me coming back for more.” He especially likes the beef soup with pulled noodles.

Alan Richman is also at Allen & Delancey, for Bloomberg. Says the tale of Neil Ferguson’s redemption is almost as delicious as the food. “Is his redemption absolute?” he asks. “Not quite. The food at Allen & Delancey is mostly wonderful, part haute-gastropub and part Sunday dinner… [but] his seafood dishes have flaws.” Likes the wine list and desserts, not so enthusiastic about the “not very good portraits of female nudes” on the walls.

Moira Hodgson goes to Back Forty for the Observer, says “the restaurant feels like a chic, minimalist farmhouse,” the wine list is “a bit too local” and “the menu is strange.” Overall, she feels that Peter Hoffman’s new restaurant is appealing but not quite there yet.

Restaurant Girl goes to Irving Mill (pictured) for the Daily News, gives the restaurant one and a half stars. Says, “This is seasonal American for the masses: both the farmhouse-chic décor and the familiar strides of the plates evoke a diluted brand of cuisine.” Too many dishes did not excite, she says, but the dishes that do work, work very well. And get the parfait for dessert.

In other reviews, Adam Platt is also at Irving Mill; Paul Adams goes to Belcourt; Sietsema reviews Pacificana; Ryan Sutton goes to Dessert Studio and The Smith; Tables for Two visits Back Forty. In the blogs, Writing with My Mouth Full goes to Bun; NYC Nosh is at Empire Diner and Banh Mi Saigon; Gael Greene visits Park Avenue Winter and The Smith; Mona’s Apple goes to Il Mulino.