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In a Tough Year, The Reader Doesn’t Like To Use the Word ‘Best’

Nightwood, one of the year's best
Nightwood, one of the year’s best Photo: Helen Rosner

The Reader’s the first out of the gate this year with their wrapup of the best restaurants of 2009, but before launching into a short list of unsurprising shining stars (Xoco, Browntrout, Taxim, and Nightwood, among others) Mike Sula takes a moment to contemplate the elusive notion of “best,” noting that especially at a time when the restaurant industry is hurting financially, he hates “the casual arrogance implied by those two words—the best—particularly when they’re applied to the infinite universe of food.” But the masses yawl for judgment, and so Sula and his team pick and choose their favorites. But they’re quick to hedge: these are the best “of the year … so far.”

The Best New Restaurants of 2009 [Reader]

In a Tough Year, The Reader Doesn’t Like To Use the Word ‘Best’