Today I introduce a new category: snackology. What the…is snackology, you ask? It’s the catch-all for snack announcements on new features (yes I’ve got a little somethin’ somethin’ planned for later), newsy things and opinions on the blog. I’ll also answer all your queries*, like…why don’t you review restaurants on snack?
Excellent question. Bien sûr I dine in restaurants frequently and am fairly opinionated. Seemingly, meal + opinion = review. But it’s not simple math, there are exponential factors. To be specific, (meal + opinion) ÷ (the comp + VIP) = a great free meal the average person will never have. Lest we forget the John Mariani Esquire brouhaha, readers would surely sackcloth and ash me for putting forth ‘reviews’ under such conditions.
Example: Barça18. I had two dinners at the Hanson/Ripert big-room tribute to tapas on Park Avenue South. I have been to Barcelona and found many of the same flavors and certainly the lively spirit of the city present all through the meal. I sampled close to every dish on the menu, Spanish wines, Sangria, cocktails - all from a big red banquette in the back of the room. Service: Excellent. Food: Delicious. Overall: Fabulous. I will go back to partake and enjoy.
That’s almost a review…yes? But that niggling voice of ethics will not be quieted until I say I have no idea if it’s a good value for the money because I never saw a menu and I never paid. The chef simple sent food, the sommelier poured and our happy band ate. So you see…I cannot review. But I don’t need to review either. Restaurant criticism has indeed reached critical mass. The good places will be found and lauded. The bad places will self-sabotage and take care of themselves.
So what do I do with all my dinning experiences? All the elements go into the hopper and turn out as trends and news on concepts, ingredients, whatever. And when asked, I have no problem recommending* restaurants. But don’t ask what my favorite is because that’s far too general. Be specific with a cuisine and a price point, please.
*I direct your attention to the email me link up there on the right.
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