The last thing a food critic wants to write is an obituary, least of all for a restaurant that's still taking reservations. But it's hard to talk about Ro-Zu without mourning the departure of its debut chef, who left the Bella Vista sushi spot abruptly in mid-May.

In the Land of Beer Commercials there are three immutable laws. The mountains shall be snow-capped, the streams must run clear, and the only way to drink a malt beverage is from a vessel tricked out with turbulence-inducing ridges or a color-changing logo. City Tap House fails marvelously on all three counts.

April in Paris has nothing on May in Queen Village. Argue if you feel like it, but that will only mark your misfortune of having missed out on Hoof + Fin's patio in late spring.

Supposing everything were executed to perfection, this setup may appeal to well-heeled, risk-averse diners. It offers a sort of survival-of-the-fittest smorgasbord, in which yesteryear's experiments have been winnowed down so that the most successful ones remain. But perfect execution is not something to be counted on at R2L.

A secret ingredient recently joined my pantry. If all you knew about it were the basic facts concerning its historical uses, you would probably not want to come over for dinner.

If the Senate really does intend to kick off another round of foaming at the mouth over immigration reform, wouldn't it be beautiful if Garces Trading Co. catered the floor debate?

What Tacos Don Memo 3.0 might look like is an open question, but there's every reason to hope Saavedra gets another chance to grow.

Amis fizzes with a freewheeling spirit, a kinetic energy that ricochets across the room from the crowded cocktail bar to a track-lit kitchen counter where nibblers munch fried rice balls 3 feet from the chefs

Chef Steve Gonzalez hails from Southwest Philly but has spent the last decade or so out of town. His résumé also includes Vetri, and that's the one that shows — his homemade pasta is what's really distinguished Zavino in its first few months.

How long since novelty and comfort had come together in such a gestalt? How long since I'd been this eager for a second bite?