Here are some midweek restaurant headlines around the neighborhood.
- The Times’ Pete Wells gave Bowery newcomer Cherche Midi two stars yesterday, highlighting the beef dishes on the menu in particular. The review also offered commentary on Keith McNally’s other downtown restaurants. About LES fave Schiller’s Liquor Bar, he had this to say: Despite a “table full of disappointments” on the food front, “I enjoyed myself more than I have at far better restaurants.”
- The Observer’s critic weighs in on Birds & Bubbles, chef Sarah Simmons’ new Southern fried chicken and champagne restaurant on Forsyth Street: “Overall, there’s too much shoved into Mason jars, too much that seems crafted to adhere to the whims of the culinary fervor of the moment, but not enough care given to execution of dishes.”
- The NYT cooks brussels sprout bubble and squeak from the Fat Radish Kitchen Diaries, the new cookbook from the four-year-old Orchard Street restaurant.
- Dimes gets its Tables for Two moment in The New Yorker.
- Today is World Vegetarian Day. Celebrate with a meal from one of the city’s excellent vegan food trucks, or check out Guest of a Guest’s list of eight top veggie restaurants from 2013, including the East Village’s Angelica Kitchen. (Note: that list includes Dirt Candy, which is now closed in the East Village, in preparation for its move to much bigger space on Allen Street on the Lower East Side next month.)
- Los Perros Locos, the Colombian hot dog restaurant at 201 Allen St., has closed, Eater reports.
- The Michelin stars are out this week. There aren’t any LES eateries honored, but Grub Street has the rundown if you’re curious who made the cut.
- Finally, don’t forget this Sunday is the Grub Street Food Festival, which takes over the Hester Street Fair space (and then some). There’s a beer garden, a mini-golf course and a cheap-eats section, along with lots of neighborhood favorites.
