After months of torment (ours certainly, but surely also hers), the NYT's interim restaurant critic Amanda Hesser has filed her last review. And just when you were prepared to say 'Farewell, sweet Amanda,' she smacks you in goodbye:

Masa is my last review as the interim restaurant critic. After several visits, my impressions are firm: four stars when dining at the sushi bar and three stars at the tables. If forced, I could settle on one, but I would rather not. Instead, I will look forward to reading, in the future, what The Times's new permanent critic, Frank Bruni, thinks of it.

I'm still trying to figure out how many times Hesser got to go to the $300 prix fixe Masa before her last day on the job: "Several," she says. "Being of a number more than two or three but not many," says Dictionary.com. Looks like the NYT will spend another $1500+ for new critic Frank Bruni to eat out in pursuit of Masa's stars. How nice for him.
Mystery, Allure and Sushi [NYT]