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).

“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 ...
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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 ...
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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 ...
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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 ...
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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 ...
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Posted: December 1, 2011

“Jung Sik”
I hate to say that the reason I'd go back to Jung Sik, the white-washed Zen temple of haute Korean cuisine that's replaced Chanterelle in Tribeca, is a chicken nugget. But it's true. One in a series of delicate and delicious amuse bouc ...
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Posted: November 14, 2011

“The Lunch Truck at the North Fork Table and Inn”
Word of a new food truck doesn’t really impress me anymore. Back in the day (about two years ago), the news would have me tracking the truck in hopes of snagging a great organic hand-churned ice cream cone, or a perfectly grilled sandwich st ...
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Posted: August 5, 2011

“An Ode to New Orleans in Williamsburg: Maison Premiere, By Dara Pollak”
 There are many places in New York that strive for the old-world, southern charm that Maison Premiere so effortlessly delivers to Williamsburg, yet a lot of the time it ends up feel ...
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Posted: July 31, 2011

“The Dutch”
To name a restaurant "The Dutch," is to assume the risk of explaining your concept again and again. I imagine the reservationists are plagued with questions like, "What's with the name?" "Who's the genius who thoug ...
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Posted: July 18, 2011

“Monument Lane”
It’s not easy to serve a lobster roll in this town without earning (often harsh) comparisons to greats like Pearl Oyster Bar and Mary’s Fish Camp, and more recently shops like Ed’s Lobster Bar and the Red Hook Lobster Pound. It&r ...
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Posted: July 5, 2011