Wednesday Food News: Early Edition

This week in the Times, Bruni two-stars Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar & Grill (the new one, at Columbus Circle). After a few rocky meals immediately after the opening, “the food has been consistently first-rate,” says Bruni. “Much of it also reflects the [owners’, Eric and Bruce] Bromberg’s winning playfulness.” He also says that while the sushi isn't the best in town, the fried chicken may be.

In Dining Briefs, Bruni visits Cooper’s Tavern (pictured) in the New Yorker Hotel, where he likes the steaks but isn’t as enthusiastic about the rest of the offerings. Julia Moskin goes to Mermaid Inn Uptown, says that while it is “a reasonably good seafood restaurant in the East Village, [it] is a frustratingly mediocre one in its new location on the Upper West Side.” And Peter Meehan doesn’t like Bacaro, and explains its popularity by stating that “weird spaces like [Bacaro’s] private dining room under the sidewalk are like Kryptonite to the better judgement of New Yorkers.”

Moira Hodgson raves about Lebanese restaurant Ilili for the Observer, says, “Everything that I tasted here that was cooked over charcoal was terrific.” She also loves the kefte, which is stuffed with foie gras, the fried brussels sprouts, and the fish. Skip the desserts, though.

Paul Adams visits The Smith for the NY Sun, says “The food, environment, and oppressively outgoing staff seem carefully targeted at a youthful audience with limited budgets, catholic palates, and speedy metabolisms.” Much of the food is heavy, and about the most enthusiasm he can work up is to say that “Most of the dishes do their jobs just fine.”

And in the Daily News, Restaurant Girl goes to the revamped Brasserie 44, doesn’t much like what she finds, and allegedly leaves her notebook behind. Oops! She gives the restaurant one and a half stars, and says chef Scott Ekstrom’s menu “caters to a broad scope of hotel guests at the sacrifice of excitement.” Finds most of the dishes “timid and lackluster,” though she does love the olive oil-poached salmon and the onion tart.

In other reviews, Ryan Sutton goes to Bar Boulud and Cooper’s Tavern; Tables for Two goes to Toloache; and Sietsema is at Belcourt and Metro Marche. In the blogs, Gastro Chic goes to BLT Market; Twenty Bucks a Day visits Pho Tay Ho; Slice goes to Abitino’s; Gael Greene goes on a tapas crawl and to Dovetail; and NYC Nosh is at Dim Sum Go-Go and Chiles & Chocolate.