reviews

Looking for a hot new restaurant to go to for a birthday dinner, or a swanky downtown joint to grab dinner and drinks with friends? Search my reviews below, or email me if you can't find what you're looking for. Wanna get the low-down on the newest restaurants going up? Get the strong buzz. (Please note: You can freely link to my restaurant reviews, but republishing any part of them without written permission is expressly prohibited. For information and syndication details please email syndication@thestrongbuzz.com).

“Arthur on Smith”
Butter is an ingredient I have some affection for. I love to cook with it, to spread it on thick cut slices of toast, to watch it melt over summer's white corn. But at restaurants it can be tricky. It's often overlooked, served thoughtlessly cold ...
>>read more
Posted: May 14, 2012

“Acme”
I had no idea I liked porridge. In fact, other than eating imaginary bowls of the cold, hot, and just-right stuff with my daughter Emily (who plays a charming Goldilocks to my Mama Bear), I'm not sure that I have given porridge all that much t ...
>>read more
Posted: April 9, 2012

“Pampano Botaneria by Dara Pollak”
Catching up with friends is a good excuse to try out a new bar or restaurant, and when the restaurant in consideration is from the Richard Sandoval empire (Zengo, Maya, Four at Yotel), you know you’re in for a good meal. Pampano Botaneria is ...
>>read more
Posted: April 1, 2012

“Il Buco Alimentari & Vineria”
Rachael Ray was sitting behind us. I wasn’t sure if that was a good sign or a bad one. Then someone mentioned seeing Martha Stewart. Both of them in one restaurant? Would there be a catfight? No matter. Steven, Katy and I could have cared le ...
>>read more
Posted: March 2, 2012

“Brooklyn Wok Shop by Dara Pollak”
If there is one thing the area of Williamsburg is lacking in, it’s Chinese food. Good Chinese food. No one knows this better than Husband and wife team Edric and Melissa Har, who have opened up Brooklyn Wok Shop in hopes of bringing the trad ...
>>read more
Posted: February 18, 2012

“Bin on Bleecker, by Dara Pollak”
On a cold, wintery New York night, sometimes you just need to warm up with a glass of red wine and some hearty food. Stepping into Bin on Bleecker in the West Village (which was previously Bar’rique), you can smell the aromas wafting out of ...
>>read more
Posted: February 6, 2012

“Wong”
There’s something quite unusual about Wong, the latest restaurant from chef Simpson Wong, who has in the past brought us Jefferson, and Jefferson Grill (both no longer) and Café Asean (still thriving after 15 years). It has not ...
>>read more
Posted: January 22, 2012

“Loi by Dara Pollak”
Few things bring me back to my childhood in the same way that the scent of onions, lemons, and herbs do. Being of Greek descent by way of Sparta, I was raised by a family of great cooks and woke up to this aroma trifecta nearly every day. My Yia Y ...
>>read more
Posted: December 18, 2011

“Danji”
Chef Hooni Kim may not be a household name. Given the food he's cooking at Danji, however, it's just a matter of time. In my estimation, he's the next Dave Chang. Here's why.Like Chang, he's a classically trained fine-di ...
>>read more
Posted: December 7, 2011

“Saxon + Parole”
I was sad to see Double Crown go. I loved the space - a mix of British colonialism and Asian exotic--and enjoyed several very good meals there. But the owners--the chef, Brad Farmerie, the design team at AvroKO, along with Partner Dan Rafalin ...
>>read more
Posted: December 1, 2011