• Adam Platt isn't feeling much love for Jean-Georges Vongerichten's Matsugen. In this week's issue, he gives JGV's soba house a single star. [NYM]

• Frank Bruni of the Times gives three stars today to Matsugen (left) for its "obsessive attention to detail." He especially likes the noodles ("never too floppy or too firm") and the "startling" desserts. [NYT]

Two members of the Gossip Girl gang are celebrating birthdays today: Chace Crawford is 23 and Kristen Bell is 28. Steve Forbes, who is not on Gossip Girl (but could very well be a fan? Steve?) turns 61 today. Brooklyn Museum director Arnold Lehman will be 64, New York's Adam Platt will turn 50, and Joe Torre will celebrate his 68th. Weekend birthdays: On Saturday, artist Marilyn Minter will be 60, Calvin Butts will turn 59, and ESPN's Stuart Scott will be 43. On Sunday, Gisele Bundchen will turn 28. Other birthdays on Sunday: the Times' Stuart Elliott, composer Michael Gordon, theater producer Rocco Landesman, and former VJ Simon Rex.

• Frank Bruni finds Midtown seafood stalwart Oceana "still very much worth boarding," handing it three stars and deeming its fish "superbly cooked." [NYT]

• New York's Adam Platt spanks Alain Ducasse's new brasserie Benoit with a zero-star review. Some of his least favorite dishes? The lobster ravioli (a "viscous mess"), cassoulet (tastes like it was "preheated in a microwave"), and the steak tartare ("dressed with enough horseradish to choke a cow.") [NYM]

• Taking on restaurant-y wine bars, the Times' Frank Bruni gives a star apiece to Jody Williams' Gottino and Marco Canora's Terroir, where he deems the pork blade steak the best dish he's had in months. [NYT]

New York magazine's food dude Adam Platt recently visited Danny Abram's Central Village resto Smith's. The food was good, try the squid but really who cares. We want to know who was there! Or do we!

Remember when the Michelin Guide for New York launched? How everyone who even tangentially cared got their cloth napkins in a twist over it? Too French! Too elitist! (Which is much like calling the Atlantic too wet and too salty, but never mind.) The Spotted Pig?! Jean-Georges better than Daniel?! Oh, people were angry. And, oh, those were good times.