When überchef Andrew Weissman closed his vaunted Le Rêve downtown, Sandbar, tethered to it by an underground umbilical, was forced to leave as well. There was wailing. But while both ended up at The Pearl, Le Rêve having become its Italian almost-equivalent, Il Sogno, Sandbar, by dint of an expanded kitchen, could actually spread its sails. They’re now full-bellied in the wanton wind. (Thanks, Will.)

To illustrate the point: one evening’s special was live sea urchin, extracted, combined with tuna, avocado,… [More]

We might as well just publish the walls at Cascabel; covered as they are with culinary comments such as “The food is great here. There’s no other place like it.” and “Ésta es comida mexicana!” Said walls have only become denser with opinion and attitude over the years that this singular Southtown place has been open.

And every main dish was $7.50 at press time. (Breakfast, served all day, is less expensive.) Tlacoyos, huaraches, birria … these are not… [More]