Here is what I take to be the top 10 objections to the
50 Best Restaurants. The longer comments below are from emails sent to me by readers. I do get occasional emails, but four or five on the same topic or issue is something major.
1.
Tio Pepe wasn't on it.
Mr. Gorelick, I have enjoyed your restaurant reviews and was glad you were made a permanent restaurant reviewer - I think (emphasis mine). However, we were personally devastated that you did not include Tio Pepe in your list of the 50 Best restaurants. Why was that? Surely any restaurant that has been in business business for 40 years, must be serving great food and giving good servicethey would not survive. One recent Saturday night, we went there with friends and they were packed with happy people who were obviously enjoying themselves. Although we were 8 for dinner, our service was superb. . Then we were there this past Thursday ( a quieter evening) and again had wonderful seafood and excellent and unobtrusive service. The chef Emiliano Sanz came out to greet his customers as he usually does and made sure everything was okay. He even sent us a new dessert he was trying out. How often do you see a chef come out to greet his customers. When I compare it to the horrible service we had at A__ (you can read my comments online) and the very rude service we had at P__ when the arrogant maitre d' would not let us sit at our table until the other party arrived there is just no comparison. Coming from Columbia we were 15 minutes early but he just made us stand with a bar, even though Mike was in a foot cast. Then when our friends arrived, he seated us at a table that had been empty the whole time we were standing. And that is good service? I am sure you were inundated with comments but I could not participate in the online chat. Please advise. You are breaking our hearts and that of Tio Pepe.
2. There was no mention of
Tio Pepe:
Dear Mr. Gorelick, I was shocked that you did not include Tio Pepe among your top 50 restaurants. I understand that this list was based on your own personal experiences and opinions, but I'm still curious as to how you reached this decision.
I've dined at Tio Pepe on four occasions, the most recent being my 27th birthday in late-October. I've always found the waitstaff to be attentive and efficient and the quality of the food unsurpassed. The sangria is the best I've had in the city and although I haven't tasted EVERY sangria in Baltimore, I've tried enough to know the good from the bad. The suckling pig I enjoyed on my last visit was juicy and cooked to perfection. Granted, the restaurant can become cramped, nd being seated does not go assmoothly as it could. No place is perfect of course. Making reservations at the P___ about two months ago was an extremely frustrating ordeal - I had to spell my name three times for the host and was put on hold twice during the exchange. The only reason I didn't slam the phone down in aggravation and take my business elsewhere is that I love the P___ experience once I arrive at the restaurant.
3. The exclusion of
Tio PepeRichard Gorelick's list lost all credibility when he left out Tio Pepe. Is it a personal vendetta?
4. "There is a little restaurant at 10 W. Franklin St. you should try"
5. How could you forget
Tio Pepe? Various posts on my Facebook page
6. Gorelick!
Tio Pepe!! Various on-the-street encounters
7. Hello!?!?
Tio Pepe?!?
Etc.
8. Where was
Tio Pepe?
Conversation at mother's bridge game
9.
Tio Pepe10.
Frazier's on the Avenue!!!!!!
Continue reading "Top 10 outrages of the 50 Best thing" »
My list of the 50 best county restaurants launches today, with numbers 50 through 41.
Well, 
The penultimate decade in the photo-gallery countdown of Baltimore's top restaurants sez me is online 
I got my DINING 
And so, my 
This week, starting tomorrow, we will be posting a photo gallery of Baltimore's 50 best restaurants. 
