Overheard on the New York Boards

"The pork braciola was so flavorful and tender. The sauce was perfect. Bursting with tomato flavor, but lacking the usual acidity. My lamb was absolutely delicious. The sauce was out of this world and in no way overpowered the lamb. It also clung well to the ever so light pasta." – jhopp217 on Frankies 457 Spuntino in Brooklyn, which served Sam Sifton the best meal of his tenure as chief restaurant critic for the New York Times. Sifton will be succeeded by Pete Wells, formerly the paper's dining editor.

"It took us a while to figure out that when this dish comes to the table it needs to be thoroughly mixed since a lot of the spices are on the surface. If you don’t do that the first few bites will be overwhelming. A few stirs distributes the spices evenly and the result is fantastic. The spicing is aggressive but not over the top. There’s plenty of heat but the beefy flavor shines through. An absolute winner." – Bob Martinez on braised sliced beef with chile sauce at Grand Sichuan House in Brooklyn

"They encompass all that is great about the chocolate chip cookie. Slightly hard on the outside—check. Soft and ever so slightly undercooked on the inside—check. Big chocolate chunks—check. Nicely baked color—check. Sweet and savory cookie dough—check. They are $1 each. Try it for yourself." – ssl5b on Blue Spoon Coffee Co.