Review Preview: Madangsui

Sam Sifton’s last four reviews have been big-budget productions: Aureole, Oceana, A Voce Columbus, and SD26. All were, in a sense, mandatory—the Times couldn’t be the paper of record without reviewing such highly-publicized openings.

We had a feeling he was overdue for another review plucked out of nowhere—the kind of review filed because he wants to, not because he has to. Sure enough, tomorrow Sifton visits Koreatown stalwart Madangsui.

The Eater oddsmakers have set the action as follows: Zero Stars: 100 - 1; One star: 2-1; Sift Happens: 5 - 1; Three Stars: 1,500 - 1.

Sifton so far hasn’t been throwing out two-star ratings like candy, the way a certain well known predecessor did. The precedent, as Eater notes, is Imperial Palace, which received a glowing onespot. We agree with Eater that one star is by far the most likely rating.