Central

I didn’t really care for Central Michel Richard when I went there (not that it’s terrible, but I had an “it was fine, but…” reaction to it) and ever since I’ve been eager to condemn it as “overrated.” But I’ve been unsure how highly rated it is. Ezra Klein doesn’t like it either! But now that it’s won a James Beard Award I can officially proclaim it underrated [UPDATE: by which, of course, I mean “overrated”].

By contrast, the Bagaduce Lunch in Brooksville, ME, which apparently also won an award of some kind, offers absolutely delicious fried seafood baskets in a delightful outdoors setting for just a fraction of what Michel Richard is charging for his pretentious take on unpretentious food.