♦ Frank Bruni gives Double Crown two stars in today's Times: "It's an intensely pleasant place to hang out, the friendly service and festive atmosphere papering over the menu's weak spots." [NYT]
♦ Bloomberg's Ryan Sutton probably won't be returning to Jeffrey Chodorow's new steakhouse ("Center Cut serves a variety of items that should have died in the previous century"). But he's pretty pleased with Tom Valenti's West Branch. [Bloomberg]
♦ Where to eat out, order in, drink, and party for Thanksgiving. [Eater]

♦ Frank Bruni of the Times heads to Brooklyn to pay a visit to James and awards ths spot one star for "sophisticated" food that locavores can "feel especially virtuous about." [NYT]
♦ The Daily News' Danyelle Freeman takes on Allegretti this week, giving the "upscale, yet accessible" resto three out of five stars. [NYDN]
♦ TONY's Jay Cheshes isn't a fan of the Sheridan Square. The food is inconsistent and the place lacks personality, according to Cheshes, which explains why he gives it two stars out of six. [TONY]
♦ Paul Adams of the Sun hits up Sheridan Square, too, although he prefers chef Franklin Becker's food ("exceptional") much more than the service. [NY Sun]

• Frank Bruni visits media mogul central, Michael's, and hands the restaurant the zero-star review it fully deserves ("gloppy, affected pub grub") although he points out that the food there "isn't really the point," which is true, too. [NYT]