To review or not to review...

I review restaurants, not a big stretch (except for the waist of my pants) considering my love of food, but it is a tougher job than one might imagine. First, taste is subjective, for instance I love Brussels sprouts and hate Lima beans – I know some total mutants that love Lima beans but hate Brussels sprouts. The point is when I write that such and such a dish is excellent, the reader may hate the taste of the stuff no matter who makes it. Types of food is another problem. One look at me and it’s easy to realize I’ll eat damn near anything, and have. Might want to hide your kids and pets when I come into the neighborhood, as my philosophy is if it runs slow it’s food. I eat seafood, all types in various stages of cooked or not. It’s all good, but there are folks, believe it or not, that hate seafood in general. Well, while there’s more for me, going on about how great a platter of octopus is won’t do me much good if it makes my reader (note the singular) want to puke.

Beyond that there is the problem of ethnicity. Ever notice on almost any Chinese or Mexican menu one can always find the ubiquitous burger? Wonder why? Nothing wrong with burgers, but it is sad when someone turns up their nose at new types of food in favor of a burger. People that do this are either 5 year olds or brain damaged in some way shape or form. Want clown burgers dripping with artery clogging grease head for the deadly arches and have at, but when at a Mexican restaurant get a sampler, try a few things, just like the “no thank you bite” you should be making your kids take when introducing new food. How does one reach people whose experience with food is limited to overcooked crap prepared by a clown, a king, or a rat?

Then there’s the cost factor. It isn’t cheap going out to eat and especially bad with the economy the way it is, despite the assurances from our esteemed government to the contrary. Along with this I have my favorite places, and I’d rather eat there because I know what to expect or have developed a relationship with the folks that own the place. I love Chen Wok and if I eat at another Chinese restaurant I feel as though I am cheating on the folks at the Wok. Stupid, I suppose but I want to see them make it – the food is good and may someday lure the idiots away from “Fast Panda,” one of those restaurants that has nothing to do with Pandas or Chinese food. It bothers me when there are small family owned restaurants, producing great food but struggling to make it and people insist upon eating fast cheap reconstituted crap at McClowns or other joints of that ilk.

Anyway, I will continue to review places as I can, noting the good dismissing the bad (in my opinion). I’d encourage anyone to eat at the ones I didn’t like as well as the restaurants I did. I might have hit them on an off day; picked a dish they have trouble with, or have different tastes. The review is just out there as a thought, a suggestion, take it or leave it. On the other hand if there are small ma and pa operations around, patronize them if they are good. Tell friends; get the word out because those little businesses are important to the community and to the world of food. If they die, soon all that will be left are chain burgers, fake Italian food, and Chihuahua tacos.