Ago Gets the Bruni Bagel; Richman Sky-high on Scarpetta

Everything that could go wrong did at Ago for Frank Bruni.

Posted 06/11/08 in Grub Street : The Other Critics

Tags: ago, alan richman, benoit, broadway east, danyelle freeman, fiore, frank bruni, greenwich grill, hundred acres, jay cheshes, moco global dining, paul adams, robert sietsema, ryan sutton, scarpetta, The Other Critics

Giancarlo Quadalti to Spring Viola on New York

Giancarlo Quadalti’s new eatery will have a Tuscan theme, but the location is still TBD.

Posted 03/21/08 in Grub Street : Back of the House

Tags: Back of the House, bianco, celeste, fiore, gael greene, giancarlo quadalti, italian, teodora

Platt Disses Daniel, and Other Holiday Tales

Presidents’ Day is a holiday for Grub Street, but, thankfully, there’s enough in this week’s magazine to read till we return tomorrow. Daniel Boulud, whom Adam Platt respects as the Last Great French Chef, falls down in his new restaurant and gets only one star. In this week's "Openings," Rob and Robin introduce us to Olana (American with Italian influences) and marvel at Akhtar Nawab and Noel Cruz for putting a restaurant where Jimi Hendrix used to (reportedly) play. At Momofuku Ssäm Bar, Rob and Robin find the mind-bending “Frankensteak”: hanger steak that is literally glued to world-class rib-eye deckle. The Insatiable Critic falls for Fiore, a funky, rustic Italian place in Williamsburg; for those at risk of scurvy, pickled lemon is in "In Season" this week. But if you want a drink, you’ll find a guide to the city’s top boutique wineshops by the Gastropoda herself, Regina Schrambling.

Posted 02/18/08 in Grub Street : In the Magazine

Tags: adam platt, daniel boulud, elettaria, fiore, gael greene, in the magazine, momofuku ssam bar, olana, rob patronite, robin raisfeld