Everyone is a critic.....

I'm glad people on Hotbytes give various opinions about places; it gives a more rounded view. How much stock do people put into reviews? Will it sway them from not eating at a certain place? Will you still try it, but have those things in mind? Often I've read ( and this is NOT anyone particular ) that a person says they will not go to this place because of this review. I understand listening to people's opinion, but not taking their word for it as fact.

_kyle

some people have no business acting like a food critic. However, it doesn't seem to stop them from posting their opinions. If your on here long enough; you'll find out who knows what their talking about; and who just likes to see their name posted on the web.

[Robin Garr]

Kyle, you have a reasonable point ... ultimately, the only set of taste buds you have to please are your own, and nobody else can tell you what to like.

That being said, I do find that I tend to trust some critics more than others. Here on the forum, we soon learn who has similar tastes and who generally hits the nail on the head, and I tend to give more weight to those I've come to recognize as having tastes that match mine.

Published critics, much the same way. At the CJ, for example, I gave almost no weight to the previous critic, but I have a lot more respect for Marty. Even there, though, sometimes I catch a tone in his review that makes me think he was either unusually smitten - or got something stuck in his craw - and comes out with an exceptionally positive or negative attitude. In those cases, I'm more likely to be skeptical until I check the place out for myself.

For me, I hear occasionally from people who say they trust every word I write, but I suspect they're sucking up. I'm reasonably certain there are people who don't trust a single word I write, but they're generally kind enough not to tell me so ...

:)

I'm glad people on Hotbytes give various opinions about places; it gives a more rounded view. How much stock do people put into reviews? Will it sway them from not eating at a certain place? Will you still try it, but have those things in mind? Often I've read ( and this is NOT anyone particular ) that a person says they will not go to this place because of this review. I understand listening to people's opinion, but not taking their word for it as fact.

_kyle

I'm a little confused because I thought this forum was designed for people of all culinary experience and taste to post their opinions. I didn't know you had to be considered an expert. It is very intimidating for people to join things like this to begin with. If there is some sort of unstated requirement or level of respect needed to post, I guess I'm out. I thought simple love of food, drink and service would be enough.

And Robin- I do trust every word you write. You have never failed me yet. But more than that, I enjoy being entertained by what EVERYONE has to say. In some instances, I like to go to certain restaurants which have received a bad review and hope they have turned it around.

I must point out that this is truely the place of opinion. We all need information to make choices (be they good or bad) in life, or at the very least, where we spend our hard earned dollar.

Yes, we share our individual opinions, and we (loudly at times) defend the honor of our favorites. But, when it comes down to it, it is just indivual opinion. It's not gospel, and it's not law.

I, for one, am greatful for this forum (not to mention the friendships I've made from participating in it). It's a useful tool in the day to day choices we have to make. Plus, it's a lot of fun seeing who's got what to say about where.......

Some people have no business posting their opinions?!

Please.

I don't think the post was meant as people can't express their opinions; only some have no buisness acting like a food critic. To me, it made sense. In a weird...Monday kinda way.

[Robin Garr]

You were right the first time, Jess. Please don't feel intimidated. Talking about food is what we DO here.

Kyle makes a point about deciding which critics to trust, but indeed the whole point of this forum is sharing news and views about local food, and expressing our honest opinions about it. Please don't be shy. We want to know what you think ... and "simple love of food, drink and service" is PLENTY.

I'm a little confused because I thought this forum was designed for people of all culinary experience and taste to post their opinions. I didn't know you had to be considered an expert. It is very intimidating for people to join things like this to begin with. If there is some sort of unstated requirement or level of respect needed to post, I guess I'm out. I thought simple love of food, drink and service would be enough.

I know for myself, I envy Marty Rosen and others who only write a review after several visits; I rarely have that luxury - especially when we didn't like the restaurant the first time!

I tend to look for unanimity on the forum. If several people report a similar experience over a period of time, I tend to believe it. We're lucky enough today to have a wide breadth of choices in Louisville, and I won't "waste" a trip on a place that is uniformly not-recommended. I only hope that others take my reviews (when I give one) the same way: just because I may hate or love a place, that's ME, and it's based (unless stated otherwise) on a single trip . . . any place can have either a good or bad day!

I find this site has a small exclusive group of friends or associates that support each other. With that being said, they praise each others business's and ridicule and degrade other restaurants outside of their circle. Once one figures out how to decipher through their banter, the website can be used a tool to help one figure out which eateries are best.

[Robin Garr]

degrade other restaurants outside of their circle.

Please show us specific examples. If you can do so, I'll do something about it.

If not, we'll have to assume that this post is a troll. Unless there's a third point of view that I'm missing.

I love all the reviews. Good and bad. I usually don't shy away from a bad review to try a place out. I'm a fairly picky eater to be honest and most of the dishes have ingredients I wouldn't normally eat... but sometimes they sound so good, I'll give them a shot. I'm also pretty laid back in regards to service. Maybe I'm too laid back.

Robin, I can kinda understand Sue's point in a very peripheral way. There are some strong allegiances to fan favorite restaurants on this forum. To someone only glancing at the threads here, it may come across as a clique mentality when a handful of establishments are venerated above all others (run a search on this forum for Cafe Lou Lou) and nary an ill word is said.

HOWEVER, in 99% of these cases, the veneration is generally justified and a consensus is usually reached regarding the overall quality of the establishment. I have never seen anyone condemned for saying that a certain restaurant was not the best, or even bad, when they have related a viable experience that justifies that evaluation. Sure, coming on here and saying "this place sucks, or I hate X restaurant" will never fly and will earn the disdain of the community, but no one has ever been shunned for a bad experience or for not liking a forum favorite. If anything, a negative review will almost always prompt supporters to relate their good experiences and encourage the poster to give the place another shot.

I think understanding this comes with reading these forums regularly and reading a majority of the threads to see what is being said.

I find this site has a small exclusive group of friends or associates that support each other. With that being said, they praise each others business's and ridicule and degrade other restaurants outside of their circle. Once one figures out how to decipher through their banter, the website can be used a tool to help one figure out which eateries are best.

As a frequent lurker (trying to become more active), I disagree with your assessment. I think its pretty obvious that there are people on the board who are close friends that will defend each other and their establishments. That's perfectly natural and expected. That being said, if someone has an intelligent and well thought out criticism (even of an establishment within the inner circle) I don't think anyone would immediately bring out the bashing stick. For the most part, I believe that the owners want to know how they are doing both good and bad (see the caveat about being intelligent and well thought out) and, if an issue presents itself, owners will generally acknowledge the problem and take reasonable steps to fix them.

Please remember that this as a forum to support local restaurants, if you're easily offended by Applebee's bashing you might want to find another place to hang.

I think there is a difference between a food critic and a restaurant critic. Critiquing a restaurant involves more than just the taste or presentation of the meal doesn't it? Don't we usually evaluate the overall dining experience?

And secondly, how can anyone remotely say others have no business acting like a critic? Many may not know the 52 various steps in preparing a meal but most people having taste buds are fully qualified to judge taste. I think we're all adults here and realize that people have different tastes and pleasure buttons. I love this forum because I'm told WHY an experience wasn't 100% and can then decide how important that factor would be to me.

People that use food, cars, literature, etc. as a way to exercise some sort of class distinction are bores.