Critic Declares Domenica’s Pizza ‘The Best of All Time Locally’

While critic Tom Fitzmorris finds that the “lack of tablecloths and the use of smallish china with no underliners of any kind makes for a glaring comfort deficiency (at least to [his] sensitivities)” he still gives Domenica in the Roosevelt Hotel an overwhelmingly positive review. He declares the pizza, with its charred crust and “offbeat” ingredients, “the best of all time locally.” His favorites include the pizza Margherita and the pizza tutti carne, basically two ends of the meat spectrum. Other menu faves include: octopus carpaccio, roasted cauliflower, tagliatelle with rabbit and porcini, squid ink tagliolini, spicy lamb meatballs, among others. [CITY BUSINESS]

Helen Freund steps into Bywater Bakery, the “homespun” spot from former Rouse’s bakery director Chaya Conrad. “The cafe's approach to lunch at times bears a hint of West Coast wholesome, and in other moments feels like pure New Orleans indulgence.” She enjoys “decadent cheesy crawfish bread;” Mason jar salads that “at first glance come off as a precious concept,” but “offer great bang for the buck;” and decadent layer cakes. Her only qualm is that a “chickpea salad with shredded carrots and notes of citrus was bitter.” Although only available during king cake season, Bywater Bakery’s are “some of the best [she’s] tried.” [GAMBIT]