New York Times likes first Top Chef winner's restaurant

This review confused me for a moment. New York Times restaurant critic Frank Bruni gives Perilla, the restaurant owned by first season Top Chef winner Harold Dieterle, one star out of four. Now, if you're talking about movies or TV shows or albums, that's probably the "poor" category. But the way Bruni and the Times do it, it actually stands for "good" (if you get zero stars or just get a "satisfactory" rating, that's a bad thing). I wonder what four stars means? Best meal in the history of the universe?

Bruni calls the place "earnest and endearing" (if a bit of a snooze), and he likes the way the restaurant is set up and he even likes the choice of tables. He likes the way is "more cozy than glamorous" and that it has a "friendly service ethic." The prices are reasonable too. Food-wise, he gives a thumbs up to the roasted duck, the use of fresh vegetables and Asian flavors, the little duck meatballs and the grilled hangar steak. He says there are a few errors in judgment, like the "excessively sweet, gloppy black cod with black bean glaze," but overall he likes the place.

Top Chef is currently airing its third season on Bravo, set in Miami.

[via Time.com]