BJC at The Innkeeper; Providence Cicero at LloydMartin

The Stranger's Bethany Jean Clement reviewed Belltown's The Innkeeper this week, and says this Black Bottle progeny "does exactly what it should do, in a basic and satisfying way, with some particularly delicious cheese." BJC enjoyed the grilled Mexican cheese, the empanadas, the goat curry, the slow roasted chicken thigh bowl--indeed, nearly all that she sampled. The only exceptions were the Caeasar Salad, whose dressing was too creamy and a shrimp cocktail("wet, flavorless shrimp and extremely ordinary red cocktail sauce unredeemed by fresh horseradish").

Seattle Times' Providence Cicero reviewed Sam Crannell's LloydMartin this week. Named after Crannell's two grandfathers, Cicero finds the Queen Anne eatery to be a suitable venue for the "refined comfort food" that is served there. Like Raskin before her, Cicero notes that the dining room was nearly empty when she visited. She urges diners to try the entire menu, because it is mostly filled with successful dishes. She is less enamored of Lloyd Martin than Raskin, who argued in an earlier review that the dining room "ought to be a sellout." Cicero ultimately awards LloydMartin 2.5 stars.

Hanna Raskin once again rips on a deli--the honor this time belongs to Bellevue's Goldbergs' Famous Delicatessen. The "kitchen isn't unskilled" and the critical items are smartly sourced(Blazing Bagels and Nation's Best corned beef are cited in support). Raskin's not in love with the service, Goldbergs' "tribute band"-like faithfulness to its Detroit inspiration, the diners who aren't "entirely fluent in deli," the burger patty, the brisket, nor the knish. It's also lacking a sense of fun: "I wish the restaurant would find a way to goof on matzoh balls or lovingly tweak kreplach." However, "if you're craving deli, there's much here that will do the trick." Raskin enjoyed the lox platter, the gravy, the "granular chopped liver," and cabbage rolls.

· You Can Keep Your Pretension [The Stranger]
· Comfort food, low-key vibe beckon at LloydMartin on Queen Anne [Seattle Times]
· Goldbergs' Deli Double [Seattle Times]
· All Week in Reviews Coverage on Eater Seattle [-ESEA-]