Today, as expected, Frank Bruni awarded one star to Bar Stuzzichini, finding the Italian small-plates joint flawed but worthy:
The restaurant’s agents of tantalization include creamy sheep’s milk ricotta seasoned with saffron and drizzled with honey; ethereal buffalo’s milk ricotta stuffing involtini of thinly sliced eggplant; fried meatballs, each consumed in one crunchy, happy bite; and a tangle of astonishingly tender octopus, poached and then grilled, which is a smart way to treat an octopus.
On a given night there are some 25 stuzzichini in all, each priced between $5 and $10. Only a fool would order them individually because $22 buys any combination of five, and that’s a deal that gives Bar Stuzzichini something to crow about, a hook in a city and era of determined grazers.
Eater and I both took the one-star bet at 2–1 odds. We both win $2 on our hypothetical one-dollar bets.
Eater NYJ Bankroll $40.50 $44.67 Gain/Loss +2.00 +2.00 Total $42.50 $46.67 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Won–Lost 17–5 16–6