Today Bloomberg published Ryan Sutton's rather scathing review of Pulino's, the Keith McNally-owned Italian restaurant where Nate Appleman employs a market-driven, pizza-centric menu, similar to what he did here at A16. Well, according to Sutter, it's not going over so well across the country: "Chef Nate Appleman’s Left Coast arugula noodlings just miss the target." And it's crystal clear he doesn't like the pizzas:
"...closer to cracker-like Roman pies, except they’re so thin the dough is translucent...Domino’s thin-crust [is] the unintentional point of reference...The toppings are disrespected too...Margherita-style comes with forgettable tomatoes and olive oil, evoking any other $2-a-slice joint. The mozzarella on pizza bianca is about as creamy as Polly-O string cheese."
All this comes after an unexpected and questionable arrest last month and some unceremonious cross-country slaps from our very own Bauer. You'll also recall the New York Times review, which did have some notable high points; but the New York magazine review was so un-rosy it prompted serious angries out of Pulino's owner Keith McNally. So we're forced to ask the big questions: Does SF have lower standards than NY? Or is Appleman just out of his element?
· Keith McNally Tries Pizza at Pulino’s, a Bowery Flop: Food Buzz [Bloomberg]
· Eastern Migrations [~ ESF ~]
· Appleman Arrested [~ ESF ~]
· Week in Reviews [~ ESF ~]
· Week in Reviews: New York Magazine [ENY]
· McNally Calls Adam Platt Bald, Overweight, Out of Touch [ENY]
