Baume & Brix

This marriage of the whimsical, modern cooking espoused at Moto (from whence Baume & Brix chefs Thomas Elliott Bowman and Ben Roche came) to the thumping, clubby scene of nightlife-restaurants like Tavernita, Sunda, etc. is a rocky one. By working as co-chefs, Bowman and Roche (the latter was the pastry chef at Moto) intend to create a symbiosis between sweet and savory. This is occasionally charming—particularly in the desserts—but more often, the sweetness in the savory dishes (e.g., potato-vanilla foam over raw lobster) feels intrusive and overbearing and, overall, their dishes don’t convey a clear or convincing concept.