Archive for the ‘Critic’ Category

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Bauer’s Star Strategy, Sifton’s Music, and the Arguments For and Against Critics

Wednesday, June 30th, 2010

* New York Times restaurant critic Sam Sifton makes a lot of musical references. [Eater]

* Also, he doesn’t mean to be a (unprintable word). [Grub Street NY]

* Frank Bruni discusses his life as a regular citizen. [Food and Wine, Part I and Part II]

* In case you were wondering what critic Gael Greene loves and where she eats (and you know you were JUST wondering those very things), wonder no more. [Insatiable Critic]

* Speaking of critics, what are they good for? [The Atlantic]

* Something? [SF Weekly]

* Nothing? [Dallas News]

* Meanwhile, Chronicle critic Michael Bauer explains how he awards stars. [InsideScoopSF]

* …but, apparently, no one really cares. [Modern Luxury]

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Restaurants 86 Filament Bulbs, Special Requests; Beirut’s the New Vegas; More

Friday, June 11th, 2010

Recent trends and tips from the restaurant world…

* Some folks have had their fill of filament lights in restaurants. [The New York Times]

* The age of celebrity-chef worship continues… [Time]

* …which may explain why they’re turning down your special requests. [NY Post]

* Shark has jumped the shark in Hawaii. [Associated Press]

* New York City restaurateurs fear a bad grade from the DOH will cause their businesses to fail. [Gothamist]

* Laptops in restaurants leave a bad taste in some diners’ mouths — and some guilt on Michael Bauer’s conscience. [InsideScoopSF]

* Certain Manhattan hotspots only want hot waitstaff serving up hot plates. Lawsuit, anyone? [NY Post]

* You can now become a food snob in seven simple steps. [Salon]

* Clean your plate — or one chef will make you pay, literally and figuratively. [MSNBC]

(more…)

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Vancouver’s Divino Is Divine; Go Fish Ocean Club Is a Catch; and Other Reviews

Friday, June 4th, 2010

Restaurants scoring positive reviews…

* Balsan‘s steadfastly seasonal Chicago cuisine wins praise from Elaine Glusac. [The New York Times]

* Daniel Boulud proves nothing succeeds like success, with a stellar review from Richard Vines for his London outpost of Bar Boulud. [Bloomberg]

* Phil Vettel thinks that former underground restaurant Bonsoirée is too legit to quit. [Chicago Tribune]

* Mia Stainsby finds Vancouver’s Divino quite divine. [Vancouver Sun]

* S. Irene Virbila takes a first look at First & Hope and likes its Southern food and supper-club vibe as does LA Weekly‘s Jonathan Gold. [Los Angeles Times and LA Weekly]

* Steve Cuozzo thinks Todd English’s new Food Hall at the Plaza is sweet. [NY Post]

* AA Gill awards London’s The French Table three shiny stars. [Times Online]

* The executive chef at Dallas’ Go Fish Ocean Club is a contender on the upcoming season of Top Chef, and with good reason, according to Leslie Brenner. [Dallas Morning News]

* Amy Kuperinsky takes a gander at new New Jersey steakhouse Hamilton & Ward, which features a dish called the Flintsone. [NorthJersey.com]

* In Boston, Jerry Remy Sports Bar and Grill is getting it right. [Boston Herald]

(more…)

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What Waiters Hate: Restaurant Pros Turn the Tables on Diners

Tuesday, May 25th, 2010

What Waiters Hate What Waiters Hate: Restaurant Pros Turn the Tables on DinersBecause this is a diner-centric blog, we usually talk about the experience of going to restaurants from a patron’s perspective. Lately, though, some folks have been wondering what waiters think about the diners they serve. Over in the UK, Simon Usborne of The Independent gets a top waiter to spill the details on “waiter speak” and how you may be being unwittingly manipulated — or insulted — by your server. And, InsideScoopSF scribe Michael Bauer asks his readers who have been on the other side of the table to tell him what waiters hate when it comes to tough tables.

As a former wait staffer, what I disliked most were diners who were perpetually looking for something for nothing. The folks who asked for extra this or that and then balked when I told them there would be a charge for it. Servers don’t set policy; management does — yet that never stopped the most parsimonious patrons from trying to (figuratively) kill this messenger.

Are you or have you ever been a wait professional? What do diners do that makes your job more difficult than it should be? Share you story here or over on Facebook.

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Critical Mess: McNally Calls Platt Overweight; Cuozzo Calls McNally Big, Fat Crybaby

Thursday, May 20th, 2010

Critical Mess Critical Mess: McNally Calls Platt Overweight; Cuozzo Calls McNally Big, Fat CrybabyLast week, Manhattan restaurateur Keith McNally took restaurant critic Adam Platt to task on a VERY personal level, attacking his appearance, after Platt penned a lackluster review of McNally’s latest venture, Pulino’s (where former A16 chef Nate Appleman now works). In an open letter to the New York Magazine scribe, McNally calls him “out of touch,” “balding,” and “overweight.” He also accuses Platt of inhabiting a middle-aged world. It should be noted that McNally is almost 59 years old, which is technically far beyond middle age (unless he lives to 116), so perhaps his remark wasn’t ageist so much as envious.

In the past two days, New York Post critic Steve Cuozzo sprung to his counterpart’s defense, telling McNally to “shut his yap,” while, elsewhere, restaurateur Tony May, of SD26, noted his displeasure with New York’s restaurant critics. In contrast to McNally, however, May kept things strictly professional, positing that many critics do not understand “the true flavors of Italian cuisine.” Meanwhile, Eater NY took a look at the scorecard for newish restaurant critic Sam Sifton of The New York Times, analyzing his first seven months of reviews, for fairness and trends.

Finally, the Los Angeles Times, known for its fine food criticism, looks at the skills it takes to be an astute-yet-svelte restaurant critic. After all the recent name-calling, is this a job anyone even wants?

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Aldino’s in Chicago; Boston’s Menton; Hibiscus in Oakland; and Other New Reviews

Wednesday, May 12th, 2010

Reviews and previews of restaurants on the OpenTable network…

* Diners will like the “mom-and-pop touches” at Aldino’s in Chicago, says Phil Vettel. [Chicago Tribune]

* Denver restaurant reviewer Tucker Shaw revisits a restaurant a second time for the first time, and he finds Black Pearl to be a true “gem.” [Denver Post]

* CAV Winebar and Kitchen chef John Maher is a star, according to Michael Bauer.[SF Gate]

* Elements Kitchen in Pasadena has “all the elements of success,” according to S. Irene Virbila.[Los Angeles Times]

* Carol Ness calls Oakland restaurant Hibiscus “fine dining that’s fun.” [SF Gate]

* New New York City restaurant Leona’s, located in The Helmsley, promises to offer “the best service in the city.” [The New York Times]

* Sam Sifton calls The Mark Restaurant by Jean-Georges “a welcome addition” to New York’s Upper East Side. [The New York Times]

* Patrick Main digs the scene and the food at Menton, Barbara Lynch’s latest Boston restaurant. [WeeklyDig.com]

(more…)

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Baumé in Palo Alto; Kirwood in Atlanta; and Other New Restaurant Reviews

Tuesday, April 20th, 2010

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]

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Steve Cuozzo Dishes Up Disses; Sexist Servers; and More

Wednesday, April 14th, 2010

Steve Cuozzo Dishes Up Disses Steve Cuozzo Dishes Up Disses; Sexist Servers; and MoreFrom the “State Your Complaint” files…

* New York Post critic Steve Cuozzo has had enough of pizza mania, small plates, and even smaller snacks at Manhattan restaurants. Someone woke up on the wrong side of the menu this morning. [NY Post]

* A diner accuses wait professionals of sexism, but critic Michael Bauer says her seat — and not her sex — may be the reason she’s not getting the check. [SFGate]

* Phil Vettel’s reader’s react to his list of restaurant flaws. [Chicago Tribune]

* Phil Vettel reacts to bad brunch services. (Can brunch ever be really bad? You’re allowed, heck, even encouraged, to have a cocktail IN THE MORNING!)  [Chicago Tribune]

* Eater had previously weighed in on restaurant design trends that need to go the way of microwave cooking. [Eater]

* Diners are feeling squeezed. Literally. [Star Tribune]

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What Sam Sifton Looks Like, How to Find Out What Michael Bauer Looks Like, and Other ‘Critic-al’ News

Tuesday, April 13th, 2010

What Sam Sifton Looks Like What Sam Sifton Looks Like, How to Find Out What Michael Bauer Looks Like, and Other Critic al NewsRestaurant critics create the news, and sometimes they make the news….

* The New York Times restaurant critic Sam Sifton’s identity has been compromised by the sneaky peeps at Eater, while eating KFC of all things. [Gawker]

* New York Magazine reviewer Adam Platt clarifies a few things for those wanting to compromise his identity. [GrubStreet New York]

* Michael Bauer will willingly reveal his identity to you — if you win first prize in the “SFGate Top 100 Foodspotter Awards” and get to share a meal with the San Francisco Chronicle scribe. [SFGate]

* Mark Hayter, a new reviewer, reluctantly joins the mix in the Lone Star State and shares some of his self doubt about being critical. [The Courier]

* Canadian foodies debate the merits of professional food critics versus those of online amateurs. [Macleans]

* Howard Kurtz ponders the merits of critics in general. [Washington Post]

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District, Epic, Harwood Arms, Square 1682, and Others Earn Rave Reviews

Tuesday, April 13th, 2010

Argentinian Skirt Steak District, Epic, Harwood Arms, Square 1682, and Others Earn Rave ReviewsRecently reviewed restaurants on the OpenTable network…

* Chef Bruno Loubet is back in a big way in the UK with his Bistrot Bruno Loubet. [Financial Times]

* Authentic Argentinian cuisine is alive and well at Carlitos Gardel in Los Angeles. [Los Angeles Times]

* Newly opened in the City of Angels, S. Irene Virbila says don’t miss District. [Los Angeles Times]

* Chicago’s Epic lives up to its name, according to Phil Vettel. [Chicago Tribune]

* Bare Magazine recommends you gather up some friends and head over to Gather in Berkeley. [Bare Magazine]

* Giles Coren pays a satisfying visit to London’s first Michelin-starred gastropub Harwood Arms in London. [Times Online]

* Kith and Kin is  a win. [Chicago Tribune]

* The Mark by Jean-Georges hits it, according to Gael Greene. [Insatiable Critic]

* You’ll find big flavor in the small plates at Piccolo in Minneapolis, according to critic Rick Nelson. [Star-Tribune]

* Prasino gets praise for its potential from Phil Vettel. [Chicago Tribune]

* Baltimore’s Prime Steakhouse is just about perfect. [Baltimore Sun]

* There’s nothing square about the stylish Square 1682 in Philadelphia. [Philly.com]

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