The Other Critics

Fatty ’Cue Stuns Sifton; Cheshes, Richman Split on Kenmare

“The food is incredibly good,” says Sam Sifton of Fatty ‘Cue. “The combination of American barbecue technique and South Asian flavors is brilliant and unsettling … To eat at Fatty Crew’s new restaurant is to experience the very essence of nowness. No one else is cooking like this anywhere.” [NYT]
Previously: A Closer Look at Fatty ‘Cue

Kenmare seems at first glance to be yet another private club pretending to be a restaurant,” observes Jay Cheshes. But he’s surprised to find that Joey Campanaro’s food, “in significant disconnect from the setting, is remarkably free of pretense.” [TONY]
Related: Joey Campanaro’s N.Y. Diet

Alan Richman is also at Kenmare. “I ate almost nothing I particularly liked,” he says, and goes back for more. “I again ate almost nothing I particularly liked.” But atmosphere inexplicably counts: “Except for the food and the two bland, unbalanced cocktails I tried, Kenmare is interesting.” [Forked & Corked/GQ]

“If you seek the staff’s advice, and heed it, you’re likely to enjoy a very good meal; the service is even more consistent than the food,” advises Lila Byock to future diners at ABC Kitchen. [NYer]
Previously: First Look at ABC Kitchen

“ABC Kitchen delivers consistently good value and much seriously delicious food in a relaxed, fun setting,” says Ed Levine. “The best dishes are the small plates, salads, and appetizers — all of which seem to reflect the considerable talents of executive chef Dan Kluger, though Jean-Georges touches and flavors are very much in evidence.” [Serious Eats NY]

Ryan Sutton thinks ABC Kitchen “epitomizes the global empire of the three-Michelin-starred Vongerichten, where life-changing dishes share table time with food that should never have been allowed out of the kitchen.” [Bloomberg]

“The modern foodie will especially want to groove on those glistening vegetables above the steam table,” says Robert Sietsema of the offerings at focacceria Casa Calamari, noting that they “jibe so well with our own contemporary eating preferences, establishing an unexpected affinity between us and the old-fashioned Sicilians.” [VV]

Fatty ’Cue Stuns Sifton; Cheshes, Richman Split on Kenmare