Restaurant Critic Roundup: New York's Daniel Gets Demoted

This week in restaurant reviews, Washington, D.C. restaurant MXDC is described as "vaguely Mexican and utterly forgettable." Critic Tom Sietsema continues, "The only thing clear to me is the exit."

Near Los Angeles, restaurant Paiche is not to be confused with the fish, however they are serving much of the Upper Amazon selection on their menu. "If your experience with paiche, also called pirarucu, comes mostly from the Discovery Channel, you may be surprised to learn of the existence of the local restaurant ... where customers may be observed consuming paiche tiradito, paiche tucked into lettuce leaves, grilled paiche ribs glazed with chile and sweet miso and paiche stewed in a spicy sauce," says critic Jonathan Gold. 

In New York, restaurant Daniel is "a light that shines through the clouds." "But certain restaurants, if you can afford them," critic Pete Wells continues, "can knock down the barriers between you and happiness for a few hours. Every taste seems to transport you to another world, while every gesture of the staff convinces you that you live in the privileged center of this one. Daniel, which turned 20 this year, can make you feel that way." With this 3-star review, the number of 4-star New York restaurants has fallen from 6 to 5. 

As always, the ratings range from stars to bells to beans, but every review offers specialized insight into the food, atmosphere, and service of eateries in each city's dining scene and the critics eating at them.

Restaurant Critic Roundup: 7/24/2013

Click here for The Daily Meal's "Top Chefs Review — and Rate — America's Food Critics."

Tyler Sullivan is The Daily Meal's assistant editor. Follow her on Twitter at @atylersullivan.