Can't believe it's the New Year already--Christmas just whizzed by in a blur of "shortBevs", turkey, and tree lights. I wonder how many meals I will eat out this year, and if, heading into my 7th year of reviewing for the Coast, I'll be lucky enough to escape the wrath of the food-borne illness gods yet again. So, I was going to post some letters I'd received and never did. This is the one I mentioned in my previous post:
"liz,
i am the current chef of ***** and have been for the past *****. . since i have come to halifax i have struggled. struggled with the people, the 'scene' as well as the guests of our restaurant. i also have had a great deal of trouble with the staff but that within itself is another story."
The writer then goes on to give me a bit of his background, which includes a bit of name dropping from a larger city.
"consistancy is greatly underappreciated in this area of the world as i have found in the restaurants in halifax. true i have a greatly different perspective on food as most of those around me but all bias should be personal and not given out to others. so this brings me back to the review. the review was greatly anitcipated as i was concerned that we were not getting noticed at all and therefore getting some sort of exposure. the review was given in a way that i feel did not do justice to ours or any other restaurant which would be treated with the same disrespect.
the fact that you only dined with us once is unbelievable. "
(And here we go. This particular restaurant has had three reviews from me, and I went back the third time at the request of the manager (against my own better judgment, I might add)
. "the incorrect statement that the steak frites only came with the steak and the frites just down right pissed me off with the fact that it comes with vegetables and extra virgin olive oil. little things that don't make our jobs easier like an honest and truthful reviewer drive me insane. "
(So, here's the problem, Chef. On that night, I don't care what you say came with the meal, I reported what I got. So the mistake is in your kitchen, not my article.)
"you have your readers, one of which is myself and you have let me down greatly. i just hope and wish that you take my words and deal with them as you will. maybe just maybe you could take sometime to read some of the great reviewers that give restaurants multiple chances and therefore increase the perception of their own opinions. "
(Obviously, he is not that much a reader of mine or he would be well aware that I visit restaurants several times before passing a negative opinion. As to the 'great reviewers' to which Chef refers, he might want to take note that they have expense accounts and are reimbursed for several meals.)
So there you have it. I frequently receive emails from those chef/owners who have gotten what they perceive as overly negative reviews, and they generally start out with "I always agree with what you write but this time you're wrong" type of statement. Irony, anyone?
