Sam Sifton Too Good for 'The City's Best Pizza'

The brussels sprouts and pancetta pizza is, according to Sam Sifton, "Like something from a magic act, a dog speaking BBC English. It is great and unsettling, far better than imagination would dictate." Translation: "Good." [Photograph: Robyn Lee] What do those New York Times stars mean? What distinguishes a "good" restaurant from a great one, a three-star from a four? It's a question often debated, never resolved, and hardly furthered by Sam Sifton's review this week of Motorino. My problem is not that he is so audacious as to name the city's best pizza. (We can't fault him for...

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37 Comments | Posted by Carey Jones, February 17, 2010 at 11:30 AM
Tagged: food critics, Motorino, New York Times, reviews, Sam Sifton

Ambiance Is Not a Topping

"It sometimes seems as if he's living in an alternate pizza universe—one where Papa John is Chris Bianco and ambiance should be a topping that you can order like fennel sausage." Mic check 1, 2, 1, 2. Bubbles B in the place to be. Comin' outta retirement to work ya like a fireman. What's good, sliceheads? I know it's been a minute, but I have to break you off with a little something. I made a move to the Upper East Side (it's not all bad—Central Park, Museum Mile, D'Ag hags) and can't say much for the pizza thus far,...

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11 Comments | Posted by DJ Bubbles, July 21, 2009 at 9:00 PM
Tagged: delivery, DJ Bubbles, DJ Bubbles Drive-By, food critics, Frank Bruni, Manhattan, NYC, UES, Upper East Side