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Restaurant Review Recap

Frank Bruni visits Perbacco in the East Village and gives it two stars, describing it as "worthy of its name, which means 'wow.'" [NYT]
Adam Platt wasn't thrilled with Matsugen in this week's New York. Jean-Georges Vongerichten's response: Platt didn't like the restaurant because he missed the concept, which is "pure, authentic, Japanese cooking." [NYM, JGV]
The New York Sun's Paul Adams pays a visit to Kafana, and describes the meaty dishes as "invigorating." [NY Sun]
Jay Cheshes at TONY checks out two Brooklyn restaurants this week: James, which lands four stars and surpasses his expectations with a burger that's close to "perfection," and The General Green, which "fails to live up to the hype," says Cheshes. [TONY]

Frank Bruni of the Times gives three stars today to Matsugen (left) for its "obsessive attention to detail." He especially likes the noodles ("never too floppy or too firm") and the "startling" desserts. [NYT]
The Post's Steve Cuozzo checks out Matsugen, too, but the "ordinary" shrimp and overpriced Wagyu ribeye leave him less than enthusiastic. [NYP]

Frank Bruni of the Times hands out one star to Persimmon, where he says dining is an "adventure" filled with uneven dishes and "spasmodic" service. [NYT]
Paul Adams at the Sun is won over by Forge's solidly American dishes, although he wonders if he'll be seeing quality ingredients and a large staff a few months from now. [NY Sun]
Danyelle Freeman of the Daily News visits Matsugen and gives it four out of five stars, gushing about the "astonishingly fresh" noodles. [NYDN]
Over at TONY, Jay Cheshes is a fan of Matsugen, too: Five out of six stars for his "transporting blockbuster meal." [TONY]
Robert Sietsema of the Village Voice heads all the way up to Harlem to check out Keur Mame Diarra, a Senegalese restaurant that offers only "three or four choices for any given meal." [VV]

Frank Bruni of the Times hands out three stars today to Scarpetta, Scott Conant's new meatpacking eatery: "Conant has been reunited with his best instincts." [NYT]
The Post's Steve Cuozzo isn't quite as enthusiastic about Conant's new baby: "It's reassuring to see Conant in the house, but his firm hand doesn't always show up on the plate. It's great having him back, but a little more diligence, please." [NYP]
Alan Richman of GQ tackles Forge, the Tribeca restaurant owned by Marc Forgione, the son of Larry Forgione. "I think the kid might turn out to be a better chef than the old man," says Richman. [GQ]
Danyelle Freeman of the Daily News also visits Forge, handing over two stars out of six. The Village Voice's Sarah Gregory's take on Forgione's spot: It "looks like the Little House on the Prairie crossed with Dracula's dining room." [NYDN, VV]
Over at TONY, Randall Lane awards four out of six stars to Veritas, which recently took on a new chef, Gregory Pugin: "Pugin's flair is visible in each plate." [TONY]
Paul Adams of The Sun isn't so impressed with Harlem's Asian fusion Talay. [NYSun]

Frank Bruni finds Midtown seafood stalwart Oceana "still very much worth boarding," handing it three stars and deeming its fish "superbly cooked." [NYT]
New York's Adam Platt is the latest to shower praise on Scott Conant's meatpacking Italian restaurant Scarpetta, where he give out three stars for the "high-minded, almost priestly brand of Italian cooking." [NYM]
Gourmet's Ruth Reichl "fell head over heels" for the "gutsy, flavor-forward food" and "extraordinary" pastas at Michael White's brand-new Convivio. [Gourmet]

New York's Adam Platt spanks Alain Ducasse's new brasserie Benoit with a zero-star review. Some of his least favorite dishes? The lobster ravioli (a "viscous mess"), cassoulet (tastes like it was "preheated in a microwave"), and the steak tartare ("dressed with enough horseradish to choke a cow.") [NYM]
The Times' Frank Bruni wasn't quite as unhappy, handing over a single star. Bruni found the baguettes "adorable" and the halibut "delicious," but couldn't excuse the place for bungling the "must-ace dish" of roasted chicken. [NYT]