Restaurants that have recently earned rave reviews…
* Rick Nelson reports on his visit to Apertif in Woodbury, Minneapolis. [Star Tribune]
* Jennifer Graue boasts about Baumé in Palo Alto. [Mercury News]
* Diners in West Hartford, Connecticut, will enjoy new Mexican eatery Besito. [NECN]
* Encore in Denver deserves an ovation. [Denver Post]
* Alan Richman stops by Colicchio & Sons in Manhattan’s Meatpacking district and likes what he sees — and eats. [GQ]
* Kirkwood in Atlanta isn’t really new, but it is really good, according to Bob Townsend. [AJC]
* Baltimore’s La Scala continues to deliver big flavors in Little Italy. [Baltimore Sun]
* Michael Bauer believes Marlowe‘s second act deserves three stars. [San Francisco Chronicle]
* Barbara Lynch’s new restaurant Menton is amazing, according to a Boston blogger. [LimeyG]
* Michael Schulson’s Sampan scores a “very good” endorsement from Inquirer critic Craig LaBan. [Philly.com]
* “Top Chef” contestant Dale Levitski has helped Chicago’s Sprout earn three stars from Phil Vettel. [Chicago Tribune]
* STK Miami serves up sexy food in a similar atmosphere. [Miami Herald]