Zemans Devours the Burger at The Florentine; Sula Finds NoMi Simple; More!

Daniel Zemans finds the burgers at The Florentine delicious. The Florentine burger, "pretty restrained as far as cheffy burgers go" is an "outstanding blend of strong beefiness with tangy, funky, and slightly sweet toppings." The burger is perfectly rare, and the soft and light potato roll made Zemans "perk up a little bit." The dual-meaning BLT burger is a "very well-balanced burger" even if the aioli is "underrepresented." This burger he ordered medium rare, which provides an "excellent crust and some extra char flavor." The "almost jerky like" bacon is "a major asset to this burger," but he still places this burger in the "delicious but not worth the cost category." As for the fries, "they're extremely crispy but tasted more like oil than potato." [A Hamburger Today]

Mike Sula thinks that NoMi has changed into more of a something-for-everyone kind of place. Except for the sushi bar which is "the exceedingly sophisticated counterpoint to the minimalized dishes on the main menu." The menu seems to get "significantly simpler" as it progresses, but NoMi is "operating at an elevated level," with a few dishes "that rise above the rest" including a side dish of tagliolini with grated bottarga and grape tomatoes. Although he enjoys his food, he regrets that "Nothing lasts forever, but it's a shame NoMI's no longer a truly unique restaurant." [Reader]

Michael Gebert loves Perennial Virant. He finds the food that speaks to his soul "is the food that makes comparatively simple use of the best ingredients." The "silky" pork pate "had its fattiness precision-cut by the sweetness of Virant’s housemade strawberry jam," and the smoked short rib dish, "was terrific, like if barbecue had a baby by a German soldier." The best thing of all for Gebert is "I felt I could come back here next week, have a bunch of new things, and be just as happy with what I had that night....the love for great ingredients at Perennial Virant is generous, unconditional love." [Sky Full of Bacon]