So who was the restaurant critic on duty at CJ who...

...shut down Calendrino's? Many years ago, but I remember the beginning of the review. Something like, how this restaurant stays open... And it shut down very soon afterwards.
So, was it really that bad, or did the reviewer enjoy their 'power'?
I don't even know if I ever went in that restaurant. Don't know who owned it. But at the time it seemed very wrong and it still does.
Inquiring minds want to know.

[Robin Garr]

Inquiring minds want to know.

It wasn't me, and I don't remember the occasion. I think I may have helped shut down an eatery or two over my tenure, but I liked it a whole lot better when I could give a good new place a boost.

I doubt that I would have ever written a review ASKING why a place stays open. I would have been more inclined to make up my own mind and express it than to ask readers to do it for me.

I don't think it's totally fair to hold a restaurant critic responsible for a restaurant's closing after one bad review. It stands to reason the restaurant must be consistently doing something(s) wrong and repeatedly putting out bad experiences for it to fail. That is, if it fails because of it's food/service. Restaurants also fail because of bad business management and practices. Don't get me wrong, critics do have clout , but one bad review crashing a restaurant? Nah, there's always something more going on.

I don't think it's totally fair to hold a restaurant critic responsible for a restaurant's closing after one bad review. It stands to reason the restaurant must be consistently doing something(s) wrong and repeatedly putting out bad experiences for it to fail. That is, if it fails because of it's food/service. Restaurants also fail because of bad business management and practices. Don't get me wrong, critics do have clout , but one bad review crashing a restaurant? Nah, there's always something more going on.

I'm going to "sort of" disagree on this one as I have seen it first hand. A place in Berkeley Ca. in which I was a Sous got a scathing review from a certain S.F.Chronicle critic and the "tasted old and grey" venison sunk us quick. Granted, it was sub-par on that evening but we were lambasted for it (everything else was great by the way). Just my .02

I feel that word of mouth is either your best friend or worst enemy.
If one person has a bad experience, surveys have shown they will tell ten of their friends. If that same person had a great experience they only tell two.........