Pete Wells Names 12 Restaurant Triumphs of 2012; Calls Mission Chinese “Most Exciting Restaurant of the Year”

Mission Chinese Food's Danny Bowien

By Kathleen Squires

No review this week from Pete Wells. Instead, he reflects on his first year as New York Times dining critic, citing twelve restaurants along with the restaurant industry’s response to hurricane Sandy as the most impressive moments of the year. The surprises: four Brooklyn eateries make the list and Danny Bowien’s Mission Chinese Food snags the top spot over higher-starred spots such as Atera, Ichimura at Brushstroke and Il Buco Alimentari e Vineria. The most interesting part of the story, however, is his hint about the restaurants “still too young to be reviewed” that will have to wait for next year’s list. Let the speculation begin….