A Critic Thinks Radio Anago’s Less is More Approach is ‘Worth the Plunge’

Mike Sula says that Radio Anago’s “pure, no-bullshit approach to the fish makes a trip to this inky sea bottom of a dining room worth the plunge.” Wagyu tartare, which is sweetened by Asian pear, is a “bloody red howl beckoning your ancestral primal beast to attack” and maki rolls, such as spicy tuna or sweet king crab with avocado, show a “level of restraint.” That restraint is “Radio Anago’s winningest feature. The fish is fresh, and it’s treated with respect.” On nigiri, charred spot prawn is “as sweet as can be” and yields a “cool, creamy interior” while unagi is “lush and lacquered sweetly.” Fried chicken is sprinkled with gold leaf but has an “unfortunate greasy grittiness” to it and dessert stars a white coconut cake that “seems to float above the plate like an angel.” To drink, the Osaka old-fashioned is the “real star of the show.” [Reader]

Next delivers another four-star performance with its Nouvelle menu according to Phil Vettel. The refined lineup of French dishes features luxuries such as a “painstakingly precise” mille-feuille of spring vegetables and smoked butter; and a “magazine-cover-worthy” piece of cooked salmon topped by sorrel puree and sorrel leaves. The “most dramatic dish” is a twist on coddled eggs while meaty courses include a reimagined chicken pot pie. Capping things off is a strawberry pate a bombe, with chocolate ganache and Banyuls jam, that “echoes the colors and sweeping curves of the [dining room’s] graffiti.” [Tribune]

Booth One manages to successfully reinvent a classic restaurant, writes Ariel Cheung. The dining room, highlighted by hanging orbs from the ceiling, is “refined but simple—which, incidentally is an apt way to describe the food as well.” Scrambled eggs showered with black truffle and poached crab is a winner, as is Japanese snapper ceviche with uni and passion-fruit sauce that “pleasantly calls to mind a chilly late-spring beach day.” Among entrees, the Crispy Duck a la Booth One is “crispy indeed, with a crackly skin encasing the rich, fall-off-the-bone meat.” For dessert, the 1950s-era cheesecake is a “lovely way to end the night.” [Modern Luxury]

“Lavishly decorated” and inspired by flavors around the globe, Beatnik is a party that never seems to end. Drinking is a necessity so Lisa Shames starts with a “refreshing” Kenny’s Redemption Sour, a pisco-based cocktail with kaffir lime leaves, lemongrass, and aquafaba. Vegetable-focused meze include fried baby eggplant, “its chewy skin is a lovely contrast to its creamy interior,” and potatoes prepared three ways with smoked trout roe, “which adds a fun, salty pop of flavor.” Rabbit arepa is a must-try while grilled whole branzino from the Fest section of the menu also excels. Save room at the end for the “terrific” warm apple cake or “stunning” chocolate halva torte with hazelnut gelato. [Sophisticated Living]

Bar Lupo’s new lunch menu “aces modest ambitions.” The chili dog is the “best [Graham Meyer’s] ever tasted” and “proves that with chili dogs, you can do better than fair.” Avocado toast “touches on every flavor category” thanks to “complexly blending rich” avocado, bitter-fruit citrus zest, radish matchsticks, pickled red finger pepper slices, and fresh herbs. And minestrone soup with a poached egg has plenty of depth. “For those looking to savor lunch rather than just wolf it down,” Bar Lupo is the place to go. [Crain’s]