Mr. Bauer circled back for an update this week at one-year-old Sons & Daughters, after the place has been thoroughly swooned over and praised by everyone from Alan Richman to the Michelin folks. He’s gone back to eat there twice in the last couple of months, and he says of co-chefs Teague Moriarty and Matt McNamara “it’s apparent they have matured nicely.” With the restaurant’s new attention, the originally super-cheap prices ($48 for four courses) have risen ($76), but that was inevitable. Bauer writes that “Just about every course has an obscure ingredient or one that’s used in an unusual way,” and he sounds wholly impressed with them all, including a salad of nasturtium leaves, egg whites, cheese curds, carrots, and tofu; and a sweetbreads dish with pioppini mushrooms, green farro, and lemon marigolds. He ups the place to three stars overall now, from their original two and a half, with three stars for food and service both. [Chron]
Perhaps we need to give Criolla Kitchen another look and not discount Reidinger’s opinion out of hand — this week Patricia Unterman gives it a glowing review, calling Randy Lewis’ four-month-old restaurant “an ebullient, happening, well-run café.” She says his “grits are a revelation,” and that the Castro Quarter Gumbo “hits the spot.” Also, she says the service is warm and friendly, and she likes the fried chicken too — though we’d send you elsewhere for that if you’re an aficionado (it’s a little too cornmeal-crunchy for our taste). [Examiner]
Meanwhile, Reidinger reviewed the other new New Orleans restaurant in town this week, Boxing Room, and he notes its “upmarketness” compared to Criolla — which he loved. He’s impressed though, adoring the fried oyster po’boy, and he “loved” the gumbo as well. [SFBG]
