Intermittent Greatness at Pomerol; Grand Ambitions at Marron

In this week's restaurant reviews, Providence Cicero of The Seattle Times pays a visit to Fremont's new restaurant Pomerol and awards it two and a half stars for "intermittent greatness," with "flashes of brilliance and occasional missteps." She raves about the slow-grilled short rib and the pork flank steak but found details that faltered with the lamb leg steak and yellowfin tuna. Overall, "Pomerol has glimmers of greatness but needs to play a more consistent game."

Kathryn Robinson of Seattle Met heads to Restaurant Marron to document its "grand ambitions" with its multi-course dinners and daily-changing menu. Right from the start, the amuse-bouche makes it "manifestly clear that [co-owner Eric] Sakai knows a thing or two about execution." Robinson calls an eggplant appetizer "really exquisite," though, she notes "diners will begin to locate the limits of Sakai’s achievement. Conceptually, his reach too often exceeds his grasp." In conclusion, Marron has great potential but isn't yet playing in the big leagues with neighbors Altura and Poppy.

Seattle Mag's Julien Perry checks out Il Terrazzo Carmine's new sibling restaurant, Intermezzo Carmine. Compared to the 30-year-old Il Terrazzo Carmine, this new restaurant is "more casual, trendier, smaller and a touch more elegant." The small, 15-item menu has items that are "playful" but not altogether "innovative." Overall, Perry says, "The food’s wow factor isn’t high here, but together with some of the most attentive (and attractive) staff in town, it will be a place you will certainly want to return to if for no other reason than to feel appreciated and pampered."