Review In Absentia: Pinch

Since its doors opened last month, we've been aiming to make it to Park Ave. South (@28th) for a taste of Pinch: Pizza By the Inch. However, our skin tends to start itching by the time we ascend to 18th Street, and we're forced to retreat. Happily, Ken brought 24 inches of Pinch goodness to our poker game last night, so we gave it a go in the comfort of an East 12th Street apartment. Pinch's concept, similar to that of the East Village's Pie (which, on a recent visit, seemed to be slipping a little), is to measure out pizza in segment sizes of your choosing. The idea is to mix-and-match cuttings with interesting toppings to make a meal. Verdict: though the pizza we had suffered from transport fatigue, we found the hot sausage pie in particular very tasty. Hats off to our old college chum Matt Birnbaum and his brother (above), who run the place. We'll throw on the protective wear one of these days and make it into the actual restaurant, where they serve up not just pizza but pasta and other goodness, too. Pizza weblog SliceNY has already made the journey to Pinch [via nyceats] and seems to have survived with skin intact.

The TanDa Moment Is Over

With great sadness, it must be noted that the TanDa moment is over. (New name: Sage.) Also via that link: two intriguing new East Village pizza/panino joints.

Citysearch Users Feud Over TanDa

I like Citysearch a whole lot, but most Citysearch restaurant listings boast a handful of boring user reviews. Not so for TanDa, where 201 people have opined in a most contentious exchange of opinions. Gems like ""Went to Tanda with my husband for a nice evening out. Got there and was greeted by a crowd of snot nose 20 somethings" compete with "TanDa Rocks!!! My friends & I love it. The people are friendly, cool, and well-groomed. Go TanDa!" There's obviously more going on here than just mere reviews. Spot the reviews that could only have been writtten by the owners for bonus points. (Tip o' the Below 14th ski goggles to Conor B., who let us in on this.)

Dos Caminos Review

Visited the latest in the Steve Hanson restaurant empire last week with SA. The place, Dos Caminos (Park Ave. South @ 27th Street... Above 14th, alas), has a simple concept: high-end Mexican. They make the guacamole at your table. Great place for groups or parties, though a bit pricey. But the absolute highlight is the bathroom experience. There's a lineup of six potties, all unisex. Two attendants lurk in the narrow hallway, and every time someone emerges from a bathroom, they leap into action and wipe down the toilet seat and bowl. As a result, the line for toilets stretches back into the restaurant. Utterly bizarre.

Blue Smoke Review

Spent the Eve of the Equinox at Blue Smoke (East 27th / Park), the much-hyped barbeque-and-jazz-joint from Danny Meyer... Mr. Meyer chilling at the bar, which features a house brew concocted by Brooklyn Brewery... Waited about an hour for a table. Service uneven, food (beef brisket, chili) served lukewarm... Waiter kept using the word "Awesome." Example: "Would you like another beer?" "Yes." "Awesome!"... Loved the vibe, though. Totally packed in only its second week of operation.