LPShanet

Anyone hear anything further about Ushi Wakamaru's status? Rumor had it that reopening would be in November, but I haven't heard whether this will (or has) happen.

I must say I've had both negative and positive experiences at WD-50. Mostly positive (3 times) and one negative (the most recent visit). The frustrating thing is that it's hard to put my finger on what was wrong on my last visit. The first three times I went, I had three of the most memorable meals of my life. In addition to the creativity that everyone seems to agree upon, the dishes had unexpected flavor profiles that still totally worked. Even though this isn't often said about this type of cuisine, I had several dishes that I totally craved afterwards. In fact, more than once I reordered another round of the same dish right after finishing it. (This is an incredibly positive statement about the dish's taste, as well as a slightly negative one about overall portion size. Still being hungry after a 10 course meal is quite a feat.) After my first three visits, I sent everyone I could to eat there. On my most recent visit, however, I came away feeling a little flat. The dishes showed their usual cleverness in concept (both those that were new additions, and those that were old familiar friends on the menu). Yet none of them wowed me. The flavors seemed more meek and less well balanced, although I couldn't identify what exactly what was wrong. I didn't find any of the dishes "delicious". My dining companion agreed. While it was fun and funky, it wasn't cravable at all (which it had been each of the other times). I'm not sure if anyone else has had this experience, but I'm still trying to figure it out. There was nothing overtly wrong with any of the elements, it just wasn't a great meal. I want really badly for it to have been an anomaly, but worry that it wasn't. I know that it wasn't just my having seen some of the dishes before, as I'd tried several repeats on my 2nd and 3rd visits, and loved them just as much as the first time. I certainly didn't experience any rancid fish, nor did I have any memorable service lapses...it was just that the food wasn't very exciting to eat. I want very much to love WD-50 again, as it's really the only place in town offering this type of cooking right now. Theories?

I've been several times, but none in the last 20 years! It was always good, dependable home-style Italian fare. Not ambitious in the least, but satisfying in that way that recalls old fashioned family meals. They make way more than 5 dishes, although they present them in five waves/courses. If you're looking for cutting edge or refined cuisine, look elsewhere, but if you want what they offer, you'll get lots of it...

Every few years, the Times publishes "The New York Times Guide to New York City Restaurants." This is a guidebook that includes the main dining reviews, the $25 and Under reviews and various other tidbits. The cover claim is "The Most Authoritative Guide to Eating Well in New York." The latest edition was dated 2004 (link). I imagine they'll prepare another edition soon, now that Bruni has been on the job for long enough to write a significant number of reviews. Or they won't, because sales of the book were never particularly good. Nonetheless, the Times has long made these sorts of comprehensive, guidebook-ish claims. I have an older edition of the book, for example, from the Bryan Miller era (the 1992 edition), and there's a Ruth Reichl one as well (the 2000 edition). I believe there have been five editions altogether. In addition, it's pretty clear to me that the Times has structured and presented its website as a restaurant database akin to CitySearch. Once you put up a "FIND NYC RESTAURANTS" tool, where you can search "By Restaurant Name," "By Type/Location/Price," restrict to "Top Picks," etc., and once you have specially formatted guidebook-like results pages, you've stepped outside the role of newspaper reviewing restaurants and into the role of cityguide-type website. ← I stand corrected about the claim in general, then. But the fact that they haven't issued one since 2004 kind of backs up my point. And since I maintain that Michelin hasn't actually visited some of the restaurants in its 2007 guide since about 2004, it may be a wash. Since the NYT guide from 2004 was current in 2004, I don't think anyone would assume that same guide was current in 2007. My point was that the 2007 Michelin guide contained a few reviews that clearly hadn't reflected the usual number of visits in the last year or so, and therefore was misleading. Thanks for the additional info, FG.

Actually, they are: it's called the New York Times website. No sensible reader would assume that the unstarred restaurants "suck". As Nathan noted, even being mentioned in the guide is an honor, of sorts. Michelin's position is that every restaurant listed is respectable in its category.Bear in mind the Guide's Eurpean roots. It's a travel guide. In some areas, you could find yourself hundreds of miles from the nearest "starred" restaurant. They are certainly not suggesting that the places without stars are unworthy of your attention. Actually, I think it's inconceivable that anyone would produce a similar list without making a few selections that the rest of us would regard as dubious. ← I think the New York Times would be very surprised to hear that their website is meant to be considered a complete and up to date guide on all restaurants in New York, especially in light of the fact that they only re-review restaurants that they consider especially important, and only do that when "time permits". This sometimes takes years. (Seems Michelin does this, too, but doesn't admit it, suggesting that all their included restaurants have received multiple visits in the last year). As a result, the NYT website includes many reviews, and is a collection of archived features, but I defy you to show me where it claims to be a current guide to all the places in its archives or all significant dining in New York or to be a single body of work to be viewed as a whole. The Michelin guide makes this claim by its very format and nature. And while even the unstarred places in Michelin are supposed to represent a certain quality level, there are many glaring omissions from the book entirely, and many one starred places that are obviously inferior to those without stars. I don't believe these are cases of subjectivity...many clearly seem to be cases of simply not having done the work. For example, it will be impossible for you to convince me that they've been to Jewel Bako as often as they've been to various two and three star restaurants, and still given it a star. In reality, it's highly likely they haven't been there more than once, if at all, in the last two years. However, unlike the New York Times, their very format suggests that they have. It's misleading. And that causes unreliability at the one star and no star level, because they suggest that they have recently and thoroughly evaluated those restaurants as thoroughly as the two and three stars, even though this clearly isn't the case. This has nothing to do with disagreement or subjective differences of opinion, it has to do with Michelin not actually visiting the one-star and no-star establishments often enough (if at all) to be reliable in reviewing them. And it's easily fixed by just working harder. There's no way Bruni has written a new review in his column and not visited the place in question in two years. As I said, I think the Michelin guide is more reliable in their two and three star choices. This is when they really use their review process, which involves a consensus, and is therefore better in principle than having Bruni's bias at play. However, we can't take advantage of this better methodology if they aren't even going to actually eat at some of the restaurants that get one star or less.

It's safe to assume that the two and three-star places get more scrutiny, as they should. Frank Bruni has acknowledged that he follows a similar system with the NYT 3/4-stars, as he should.We don't know how much time elapses between Michelin visits to one and zero-starred restaurants, but then again, we don't know that with Bruni either. But as Michelin has fewer starred restaurants and more than one reviewer, they are probably doing a better job of it than Frank is. That assumes that the unstarred restaurants received no scrutiny at all, which of course is not the case. Similarly, Bruni visits many restaurants that he eventually decides not to review. The more you expand upon this, the clearer it becomes that their system is pretty much the same as Bruni's (or any critic's), but better. ← That is all true in principle, but leaves some problems: Michelin presents itself as a complete guide to New York, while Bruni is simply a reviewer of local restaurants. So there is no expectation or promise of completeness on Bruni's part. Nor are his collected reviews available anywhere in one guide that claims to cover all New York restaurants. If he doesn't review a place, readers don't assume it sucks, they just don't draw any conclusions. Since Michelin presents itself as a guide to New York restaurants, an omission of any but the most obscure places implies that the place has been deemed unworthy of even a single star. Furthermore, since Bruni doesn't publish reviews suddenly of places he hasn't visited in four years, he doesn't mislead people into thinking he's been there of late and that his info is current. Overall, I'm still happy to agree with you that the Michelin guys have better taste and knowledge of food, and that their methodology is better at the high end, but no more than that. I trust their opinion more than I do Bruni's with respect to two and three star places. But their execution is more flawed, and draws greater attention to its flaws, especially in light of the implied promise of their format, a problem Bruni doesn't have to deal with. This is a shame, as the problems with Michelin would be fairly easily fixed, while Bruni's problems are inextricably linked to his personal idiosyncracies and his inherent lack of expertise in many aspects of food.

Agreed. And on top of that, both Prune and Red Cat have declined somewhat (possibly due to their owners' attentions being divided) in my opinion in the last couple of years.

The New York Times does the very same thing, as does just about every media outlet that awards stars. When Frank Bruni awarded two stars to Le Cirque and The Little Owl in consecutive weeks, could anyone argue that those two ratings were at all comparable? Le Cirque's two stars make sense only against the ratings given to other luxury French restaurants, and The Little Owl's only against other casual Italian restaurants.The breakpoint between one and two Michelin stars? It's the same as the breakpoint between two and three NYT stars. That's why The Little Owl's two-star review sounded ecstatic, but Le Cirque's was the opposite. For casual Italian places, two stars is the maximum, which means that The Little Owl hit it out of the ballpark. For Le Cirque, four is the maximum, which makes a rating of two rather disappointing. There are a few differences between the two systems. Frank Bruni awards more stars in a year than there are in the whole Michelin guide. The Michelin folks say that every restaurant with a star is at least "very good in its category," but Bruni very clearly did not think that Le Cirque was a very good luxury French restaurant. No one would read his two-star review, and believe he was enthusiastic. In that sense, the Michelin system feels more honest. Every one of their stars translates to an enthusiastic recommendation. All they're saying is that EMP, Yasuda, and Felidia are not very good (as opposed to merely good) in their respective categories. I might argue with some of those judgments, but I also argue with some of Bruni's judgments. ← Actually, that wasn't quite what I was saying. I was saying that they actually seem to use a different set of reviewers or at least fewer of them (if ANY in some cases, as some of the restaurants seem not to have been visited literally in YEARS), a different number of visits, and a different basis of choosing which places to visit in the first place than they do for two and three stars. Furthermore, the very methodology of Michelin, whereby any stars is considered a very good thing, means that many places are totally left out of the review process. It covers up the fact that they simply haven't visited many important restaurants by equating those places with ones they visited and deemed to be below the one star level. This, combined with other factors, makes their one star choices highly unreliable, but their two and three (as stated many time) seem to be as good or better than anyone's.

If price were no object, my short list would be (not in any particular order): Masa, Jean Georges, Sugiyama, Per Se, Daniel, L'atelier de Joel Robuchon, 11 Madison Park, The Modern, WD-50. Also, if you're going to make a night of it, you should hit one of the city's top cocktail destinations (also in no particular order): Death & Co., Pegu Club, PDT, Little Branch.

The reason I think it's a yes/no proposition is that there are probably very few people who are going to buy more than one guide. So either the guide you've bought is (mostly) reliable, or it's (mostly) not.In any case, I think the vast majority of even the one-star ratings are reasonable. If you asked anyone else, they'd just make different mistakes. ← Not sure I understand what you said. My point was that in the Michelin guides, it seems that the two and three star ratings have some semblance of reliability, while the one stars seem not to have any. Not only are they bizarre by many accounts, but they seem not to have been arrived at by the same process as the two and three star ratings. In fact, I maintain that if Michelin had the manpower and will to do so, they could get the one stars on the same level of reliability, but with their limited resources, they clearly don't make the effort.

Well, I just ate at Perilla tonight, and have to say that it exceeded expectations. The food was all wonderful (I was there with 5 people and tasted everyone's and there wasn't a dud in the bunch). The vibe is that of a neighborhood bistro, but the food is of a higher level than that category would imply. I haven't heard much about Morandi's food other than mixed reviews, so I'd say go to Perilla if you care more about the food, and to Morandi if you care more about the "scene".

Very funny...I was there that night, too (with a group). My third visit. Totally agree with your comments, and can report that the chef, Ryan Skeen, is also capable of even more. On my birthday, he prepared a 9-course dinner especially for me that featured iterations of many menu items that had been modified (for the even better!) to the format. Sort of a "best of" with more refined plating and a few good experiments in terms of presentation, saucing, etc. He's got a way with porky goodness.

I wasn't necessarily recommending the bun, but I'm not much of a sweet roll person. It does seem like the better option of the two, though neither is the least bit necessary. ← The buns are good if you like that sort of thing. They sort of remind me of Hawaiian bread, which I happen to like.

Very happy. I know it was painful, but you've done us all a great and informative service! Thank you.

Out of curiosity, which places do D'artagnan and the like get their foie gras from?

For someone like me, Michelin's reliability is academic. I've been to most of those restaurants anyway, and have my own opinion. Where I haven't been to them, or where my experience is stale, I follow enough of the sources to have a decent sense of the prevailing consensus.But for the book's target audience—the people who actually use the book for its intended purpose—reliability is pretty much a yes/no proposition. Any intelligent person will realize that a book of that scope probably contains some errors. The question is whether, on the whole, it's good enough to depend upon. In my view, the answer is unquestionably yes. I don't know a single source of its kind that is more reliable. I trust Michelin's ratings more than Zagat. I trust them more than the New York Times, particularly because so many of the Times ratings are woefully outdated. I trust them more than the eGullet message boards, particularly because the interests of eGullet members cover the restaurant universe so unevenly. That's right. Among those sources that assign ratings, there's a pretty broad consensus that places like Per Se and Le Bernardin (and a few others) are at the top of the pack. ← Great points. I totally agree with each of your statements, but feel that we don't necessarily have to treat reliability only as a yes/no proposition. I think we could refine that a bit by allowing that Michelin can be relied upon in general (at least more than any other available resource) with respect to its two and three star choices, but that at the one-star level it becomes unreliable and somewhat random, as well as slipshod in its methodology and thoroughness, not to mention completeness. I'd say that applies to tourists as well.

Dammit, dude, you had to drag me into this quandry, didn't you... Like Sam, I've resisted in on this one as well, but I meant to write about Mitsuwa because it is the singular example of a NJ foodie destination that I will self-transport to or find someone who is driving to. I think I'm qualified to weigh in on your question, not just because I'm a prodigious consumer of the full variety of Japanese cuisine, but because I grew up among the largest native Japanese population outside of Japan - this is in the 80s, during Japan's bubble economy, in Westchester, as in north of the Bronx, not NJ. This is when Japanese banks, when not bidding on Rockefeller Center, sent their employees and their families to NY on what is called "kaigai chuzai", 4-8 year rotations, and the Metro-North GCT to Scarsdale was split Jewish and Japanese. As a matter of fact, you can definitely attribute my focus on Japanese cuisine to this occurrence; as I was growing up, the heads of my schools would ask me to essentially take care of all the new incoming Japanese students, so I grew up with this 4-year rotation of Japanese friends and their families, which meant I grew up with their video games, their culture, and got fed a lot of authentic stuff at an early age. The ingredients for that food came from the Meiji-ya and Daido supermarkets in Westchester - none of which were as big as Mitsuwa but collectively a lot more volume. There are remnants of this past but it wasn't quite as huge as it was in the 80s. Those who chose to, could afford to, or were otherwise able to stay, seemed to spread out evenly around Westchester and Northern New Jersey, and to a lesser extent, Long Island. I'm not sure when the Mitsuwa opened (it will always be the "Yaohan" to me), but what you find there was the opportunity for a single Japanese complex (it's not just the Mitsuwa, it's also a book store, Japanese gift store, riverside restaurant, food court, etc.) to be built from scratch to service all the Japanese families spread out around Northern NJ, who are most likely passing through on their way into the city on a regular basis anyway... It's no coincidence where it's located. I was first taken there by Westchester-based Japanese friends in the 90s, as the complex as a whole can keep you busy all day vs. the supermarkets of Westchester. "Yaohan" was a Japanese supermarket conglomerate that went belly-up in 1998, had nothing to do with the NY outpost. They were all over Japan and SE Asia. Korean interests bought them out and changed the name to Mitsuwa, but thankfully, nothing really changed. It's not like you could suddenly only get Korean white rice there. It's also important to note how much crossover between Japanese, Korean and Chinese cooking there is in terms of ingredients. You can find many Japanese products at Chinese and Korean marts all over the NYC area, and conversely, many many Korean-American and Chinese-American families shop at the Mitsuwa. So, unlike all the Japanese supermarkets in Westchester which DO serve a relatively large population in a relatively small 20-mile square radius, the Mitsuwa makes it seem like there's a much larger population than there really is. In terms of restaurants, sorry FG, but good Japanese restaurants in New Jersey (and Westchester and LI for that matter) are really the exception to the rule. There is definitely good Japanese cooking, and suprisingly good sushi, in New Jersey, and a simple browse of the NJ forum should yield those results, but Manhattan is really where it's at and you're not going to get that level anywhere else. Let me put it to you this way; when Ushiwakamaru's owner realize he had erred and opened in NJ rather than NY BY MISTAKE, he got out and crossed the Hudson right-quick. Part of this is because Manhattan is the business-center and a lot of Japanese fine-dining is business-related, or for going out, or to go with friends from out of town, while the wife and kids are back at home where it's simply better to cook it yourself then go out for mediocre suburban Japanese food. Besides sushi, there isn't much Japanese food that can't be reproduced at home with a small array of Japanese home-cooking gadgets. Takoyaki-makers, anyone? Also, keep in mind how dependent on stellar ingredients Japanese cuisine is, and as a result, it is much better to be in NYC. Anyway, Mitsuwa is the only place I'll make it a point to get to in Jersey. They still have the best ramen in the tri-state area, until Hakata Ippudo opens up :-) You can get great laquerware, cheap. Ito En has an outpost and you can probably buy 100 tea varieties between there and the super. They have a Parasienne bakery where you can get that stupidly delicious Japanese whitebread, among other things. You can get a Japanese rice-cooker (perfection), okonomiyaki/takoyaki set, sushi-kit, any kitchen gadget you ould need. Their Japanese groceries are on average a full dollar lower than Manhattan; that adds up. Part of appreciating Japanese cuisine is trying to cook it at home, and that means building a pantry; Mitsuwa has everything you could possibly ever need, fresh and cheap. And could you really ever have enough Japanese sake, shochu and beer? For Japanese these are all things they cannot live without - so it's a no-brainer for them. But given the acute interest in Japanese cuisine and culture lately, only lately being eclipsed by the same amount generated by China, it's a NJ Foodie destination because what's more it's a cultural experience that makes it actually worth it to ship yourself over to (although it's by FAR the most painless of any of the NJ destinations to get to), one that you could only reproduce through a walking tour of Midtown East including the Japan Society, the kind you'd get in Jackson Heights, Flushing, or any other ethnic neighborhood... The unfortunate thing is, besides Oak Tree Road and Korean parts of north Jersey, it seems like everything we're talking about is located in a strip mall somewhere. I'll write later about South Indian food, being my soul food, because the whole Oak Tree Road thing is enticing, but Edison is frickin' HAUL. I might consider it the next time I'm headed down south. There's also a reason I wrote so much about Westchester; I think it's equivalent in terms of accessibility to NJ, but probably has more to offer cuisine-wise. Westchester, NY might as well be New Jersey to most in the city. Not to complicate the conversation; just sayin'.... ← Sorry for dragging you into the fray, Raji. But great post! Lots of good info in there for everyone. By the way, how would you compare the ramen at Mitsuwa to that at Minca, Setagaya, Rai Rai Ken, Sapporo, etc.? Also, if there are places in Westchester worth traveling to for Japanese, I definitely think we should start a chain (or at least a list) about that. Anything that's best in class and improves upon NY options would be of interest.

Nope...you're thinking of Venue, which closed over a year ago. Different chef. ← Yes, thanks! Does anyone know what's become of him? Or whether he has opened or will open a new place? Since NY is famously lacking in places in this category (slim pickin's after WD-50 and Tailor until Paul Liebrandt gets back in the act), I'd think it would at least need to be discussed in an NJ must visit topic.

This post reminded me of a place I had heard about in Hoboken a few years back that has since closed. I remember rumors of a place that did the whole modern/molecular thing very well, but found that it had closed. Anyone know what happened to the chef of that place? Is this the same guy you speak of or are there two that fit this description?

I tend agree. I mean, any Mario Batali restaurant is going to be capable of delivering a great meal, at times.My point about Michelin is that either they're reliable or they're not. If the stars given to Vong and Jewel Bako prove that the Michelin guys are nuts, then they don't suddenly get smart when they give out a rating that Frank agrees with, like Del Posto or Dressler. Either they're incompetent, and the ratings he agrees with are just a fortuitous coincidence. Or they're good at what they do, and the ratings he disagrees with are due to a legitimate critical difference of opinion. Cipriani is the kind of restaurant where Bruni probably could have made multiple visits—indeed, it could have been all of his visits—without being recognized. The place is well off the foodie radar, hadn't been reviewed since 1991, and had no reason to think it would be reviewed now. And a POOR rating wasn't going to hurt their business very much. ← I think that the idea of Michelin either being reliable or not would be a valid position if Michelin were a person. But as a large organization with a huge task, there is much room for inconsistency in the quality of their reviewing process. For example, it would seem that they hadn't even paid recent visits to some of the places they gave good marks (which would go a long way towards explaining Vong and Jewel Bako). On the other hand, at the high end (two and three stars), there don't seem to be any other resources that can be said to have greater accuracy (personal tastes aside). This is why many who hadn't been lately wondered whether maybe there was some merit to the seeming overratings of Del Posto and Gordon Ramsey, despite mediocre meals there early on. I think at least a few people thought it possible that the latter two examples had improved of late, while we all know Jewel Bako hasn't been good in several years. Since their review process at Michelin is less transparent than that at most of the major papers, we have no way to tell which reviews reflect due diligence and which don't, so it's more than conceivable that Michelin is both reliable and not. Some would argue semantically that being sometimes reliable means that you're not at all reliable (since you don't know when they are). But if you can recognize the patterns, it's still possible to cite them as a reliable source for some information and not for other. That said, I don't think you're going to hear a lot of arguing from foodie corners about the Cipriani drubbing.

WOW! I had no idea that place was still there! I haven't heard anyone mention it in decades. As a kid, my parents took me there from time to time. I remember when I was about 5, hearing them describe a restaurant that had no menu, and couldn't imagine such a place, so I asked them to take me. It may have been the beginning of a long foodie career (along with winning a dinner at Lutece as recompense for acing some important standardized tests). As I remember, no one dish is particularly outstanding, but the overall family dining experience is fun, and you get a lot of decent, soulfully prepared dishes. The pasta was one of the better courses. Great with a group. N.B.: My info is about 25-30 years old.

I've been a little disappointed at the lack of response with respect to Japanese cuisine. I was assuming (or maybe wishing) that the presence of Mitsuwa suggested a large Japanese population in the area, and that it would also mean that there were lots of hidden gems representing any of the hundreds of types of Japanese cuisine (other than standard sushi places). Has anyone with serious knowledge of Japanese cuisine heard anything about this? Are any of the NYC eGulleters familiar with any rumors of any kind of Japanese places in NJ that are really worth checking out? Any leads are appreciated.

Yeah, everyone would like a chart with ratings to summarize these chicken establishments, but I can't bring myself to do it, firstly and most importantly because I'm lazy. Secondly, as snarky as I am, at heart, I'm a food-lovah and a food-encourager, not much of a food critic. Or as a professor once told me, "I don't provide answers, I provide thought." Or was that what my boyfriend said when I asked if he was sleeping around. I don't remember. Same difference. haha. In all seriousness, there's plenty of outlets and guides for quick answers, yes/no's, etc. But I'm.. just not doing that this time. There's been a lot of reviewing on blogs, and pretty prominently rounded up by NYMag (http://nymag.com/restaurants/cheapeats/2007/34998/) and MetroMix (http://newyork.metromix.com/restaurants/article/new-york-s-best/242452/content). Toot. Yup, that's me blowing my horn. Sorry - but they funded the experience. But back to the point - I disagree with both/all of them. Thirdly, I can't say I'm fair - if there is a such thing as justice in any human being. I did not eat at each of these establishments simultaneously or back to back, which would make comparisons instantaneous and differences more apparent. But if you'd like me to be blithely bias, here're some notes: 1. Never eat inside BonBon - unless you're about to commit suicide. Still, I'd take it to go and eat it at the ledge of the Brooklyn Bridge. It's a short walk. That place is so depressing that even picking-up orders are a stretch. In fact, BonBon should just become a korean-fried chicken Automat or vending machine and get rid of any semblance a storefront or interaction. 2. BonChon's highly recommended for a clubby ambiance and good chicken and beer. Bring friends (a korean-speaking one will get you better service, but English or pointing gets you by just fine), high-heels, shopping bags, and small-talk. Great food, standard liquor, questionable service. Asshole manager. 3. UFC/Kyochon are definitely reliably good. Not much pizazz, but I like low-key, good places. Can't go wrong, and they're more accessible. I like Kyochon because I like garlic. And I like UFC ... because I like aliens? Ok, not really, but they make good chicken and supposedly have evolved the Kyochon method of chicken prep. We're looking and tasting UFC: The Next Generation... Cue music please. 4. BBQ Chicken is interesting, mostly because I'm forgiving. This one confuses me a lot. I toss at turn at night over this establishment. Meat.. is so juicy...crust is so textured.. but why is it extra olive oily??? WHY is it not seasoned?? 5. I don't think Forte Baden Baden should be in this KFC category. They just happen to be a Korean sports bar...serving fried chicken. A nice, lively spot nonetheless - except when you're me and there at midnight on a Wednesday. Then it's pretty dead. Nice manager. That's all from the top of my head. I'm thinking of doing a massive ramen round-up next. And by thinking, I really mean that I'm trying not to think about it, because it sounds like a headache. ← So instead of asking for critiques and/or a full ranking, would you tell us which two you thought had the best chicken (regardless of atmosphere)? And for those who care and live in the 'hood (Tribeca/Financial), the solution for point #1 above is that BonBon delivers. You never have to see the place.

For the food porn or for American citizenship? ; P ← Clearly, Melissa, your remaining task is to post a list with the rankings from your eating efforts.

Liberty View 21 South End Ave. 212.786.1888 I don't think the restaurant has a website, none that I could find anyway, but the menu is on the New York Magazine website. ← Has anyone had the braised pork shoulder at Goody's in (NYC) Chinatown? Overall, I put Goody's in the run of the mill Shanghainese category with respect to many dishes (soup dumplings, etc.), but remember having an amazing braised pork shoulder there. However, this was YEARS ago (at least 5 or 6 and probably more like 8), and I'm not sure if it's a known thing.