Yes, I taste everything
Piano Rob asked a question this morning that deserves a separate entry. I may have touched on this before, but if so it's been awhile. Here's what he said:
SusanWNAJ brought up an interesting point: "You could then tell them that you got a part-time job as a restaurant reviewer and it's important that you try all the foods."
This may have been discussed elsewhere on D@L over the past year, or even in a feature story. How do you go about writing about all of the dishes during a restaurant visit? Do you sample from everyone's plate or rely on their own opinions? Just wondering. Thanks! ...
I never rely on anyone's opinions but my own. If they want to tell me, I'll listen, but mostly my companions know that all they have to do is order what I tell them to. This is harder than it sounds sometimes when you're craving a salad for a first course and I make you order the crispy sweetbreads with apples, raisin spoon bread, a Sauternes sauce and bacon oil. (Yes, this is an actual appetizer on Meli's menu.)
I do sample from everyone's plate. I try to do it as discreetly as possible, but I never write about anything I haven't tasted.
The reason I don't ask what my guests think is that some readers tend to agree with me, and others find my reviews useful because they almost always disagree with me. But at least I'm consistent. The one exception is that if one of us loves something and another hates it, I might mention that (making it clear which side I'm on) to show that it's a controversial dish.
(Photo of Cynthia's in Severna Park by Algerina Perna/Sun photographer)
Comments
EL - Thank you for the enlightenment. I especially liked the sentence "mostly my companions know that all they have to do is order what I tell them to." Why wouldn't they? They're not paying and I'm sure they know the parameters of dining with you. Now, if you persisted in this practice everytime you dined out not on the Sun's dime, I think there'd be trouble - LOL!
Why wouldn't they? You'd be surprised even with free food how often people really want something else than what has to be ordered. I know I would in their place. Those who aren't good at hiding their disappointment don't get asked again. :-) EL
Posted by: Piano Rob | May 22, 2008 12:21 PM
I make you order the crispy sweetbreads with apples, raisin spoon bread, a Sauternes sauce and bacon oil.
You'd have to make someone order this? I know it's not just because I haven't had lunch yet that I'm drooling...
Posted by: Rosebud | May 22, 2008 12:37 PM
Is it just me or is the formatting on this post messed up? The stuff that's usually on the side is at the bottom.
Is it still for you? I thought I had fixed it, but it's DIY techie time at The Sun. I go in and take out coding and put other coding in that I don't even know what it does but just hope. EL
Posted by: OMG | May 22, 2008 12:52 PM
"Those who aren't good at hiding their disappointment don't get asked again. :-) EL "
So how do I get asked?
Posted by: Mr. Old Fart | May 22, 2008 1:34 PM
Still messed up.
Well, close Opera and try Firefox or IE. EL
Posted by: OMG | May 22, 2008 3:31 PM
I can llive with it. It's just this one page.
Posted by: OMG | May 22, 2008 3:58 PM
Firefox is messed up too. Sorry.
Posted by: Robert (the Single One) | May 22, 2008 4:00 PM
Oh come now.
We all know LIZ stopped tasting food years ago.
As Baltimore's most powerful and well-renown food writer, she doesn't have to. Playing by the rules has never been her style.
Posted by: Sam Sessa | May 22, 2008 4:14 PM
Hmmm.... Only this topic is messed up.
Posted by: Mr. Old Fart | May 22, 2008 5:13 PM
Is there a conspiracy theory to explain this?
Posted by: Dahlink | May 22, 2008 5:32 PM
Sorry this page and the main page are messed up, too. I'm slogging through the others.
Posted by: Robert (the Single One) | May 22, 2008 6:45 PM
I would never complain about having sweetbreads instead of a salad
Posted by: Robert of Cross Keys | May 22, 2008 7:35 PM
Take me with you and i'll eat what ever you say order.
Posted by: Bill | May 22, 2008 10:56 PM
Perhaps we could have some sort of drawing to select one lucky sandbox denizen to accompany our fearless food editor to a restaurant of her choice to order whatever she selects.
I'm in!
Posted by: Mr. Old Fart | May 23, 2008 8:28 AM
Mr. Old Fart wrote, So how do I get asked?
What, you don't see the signup sheet for joining E-Liz for future dinners? Oh, wait, maybe it's the formatting problem some people have seen.
If you just follow the link to the following pag$&DD(SU-!!#(#%!!! you can get signed up...
:-)
Posted by: Zevonista | May 23, 2008 10:09 AM
I've been offering my tasting services ever since Lady E started this blog, and she hasn't taken me up on it. Not gonna happen. ;-
Posted by: Dahlink | May 23, 2008 10:28 AM
Zevonista, I went to the page and I'm number 379! I'm an Old Fart. At the rate the Devine Ms. E chooses from the list, I might not live that long.
Posted by: Mr. Old Fart | May 23, 2008 12:44 PM
I ahve a feeling that the code was messed up just to distract everyone from jumping up and down and yelling, "Pick me, pick me" at Elizabeth. She can't take one of us since then we'd know what she looks like.
Posted by: Rosebud | May 23, 2008 1:17 PM
Now here's a little secret. If someone goes through their complete collection of Sunpapers, neatly piled in rows up and down the living room, dining room, spare bedrooms and basement, when Her Majesty was a mere editor, her postage stamp size photo was in the paper. ; )
Quite the cutey, as I recall.
Posted by: Robert (the Single One) | May 23, 2008 3:05 PM
I'm willing to eat with a bag over my head. Although that might tip off others in the restaurant ...
Posted by: Dahlink | May 23, 2008 3:17 PM