Frank Bruni of the New York Times Calls It a Day

So what do you say when one of the most divisive restaurant reviewers in New York Times history puts down his pen and leaves his post as restaurant critic at the Gray Lady?

Many people in the industry disliked Mr. Frank Bruni and thought he should spend more time opining on the food on his plate and less on witty wordplay and clever similes in his reviews. But I for one often found myself nodding in agreement reading his reviews and tended to agree with his riffs on the food scene here in NYC. NYC is a tough place to be successful as a restaurateur and food is only one component to being a success (albeit the most important). Mr. Bruni seemed to get that and he often surprised with his warm reviews of smaller, neighborhood-y establishments. He recognized that going out to eat is about spending time with friends, particularly in NYC, with our bite-sized apartments, and that simple, focused dishes and a welcome atmosphere could make up for failings of imagination and verve. No wonder he loved the warm Italian neighborhood spots that he reviewed positively over the years such as Perbacco and Spigolo.

Restaurant critics have an intimate relationship with their readers--as a reader you have to trust your critic and if he repeatedly lets you down or you disagree with his palate, you move on. Over the years, once that trust is established, you can read between your favorite restaurant critic's lines and know his likes and dislikes and how they match up to yours. Mr. Bruni and I got along and I will be sad to see him go.

And naturally, with such a prestigious post in the restaurant world vacant, everyone has an opinion on who will fill the position next. Obviously, newspapers have been trying to seem hip and savvy recently, so some are calling for a prominent foodie blogger to be tapped as the next critic. No, thank you, I'll pass on that. Not only do you need somebody with a great palate who is highly opinionated, you also need somebody who can write. It is the NY Times after all. Adam Platt of New York Magazine seems to fit that bill and I think would be an intriguing choice. Even Robert Sietsema of the Village Voice could be amusing, although he may be too downtown for the NY Times readers. Nevertheless, whoever it is will have big shoes to fill.

Don't fret too much, we still have four more months of Bruni to enjoy. I will definitely be curious to see what restaurants he has on tap for his farewell tour...perhaps, he finally cracked the Momofuku Ko code or he pays a visit to Babbo again which was his first review. I just hope he goes out with a BANG.