CJ drops one-star bomb on Lentini's suburban Da Vinci

Andrew makes a good point. I have friends who live in the Polo Fields, which I consider to be on the outskirts of Frankfort, and they dine on Bardstown road as often as I did when I lived right on the main drag.

We live in Jeffersontown and go a minimum of once a week to Frankfort Avenue restaurants; and several times a month to Bardstown Road/Baxter Avenue. This weekend we did Baxter Station on Friday & the Irish Rover on Saturday. August Moon last weekend. No big deal. Go where the good food is. As for Da Vinci, unfortunately not so good food. We went once, no desire to go back.

[Robin Garr]

Then I read Robin saying that Marty Rosen shouldn't waste time on this suburban spot that's what - 15 minutes maybe? 10 minutes? - from the Highlands. Whoopee.

Like a lot of other posts in this thread, it's true, but it's not really responsive to what I was TRYING to say.

One last time, and then I give it up, because I don't really disagree with what you guys are saying.

My ONLY point, or the only one I intended, was to question whether devoting a full column to a lackluster spot that's not generating a buzz and isn't on many people's radar, no matter where it is, might not be the best use of Marty's limited resources, since he's only got one column per week and policy doesn't seem to permit him to break it into shorter takes.

I'm not saying he shouldn't do one-star reviews. I am speculating that when you don't get to grab the mike too often, it might make sense to prioritize what you do with it once you've got it.

I can't recall ... has the CJ rated Cheddar's? It draws bigger crowds and arguably has much more ardent fans than Da Vinci.

Bur really, Andrew, nobody's saying the suburbs don't deserve reviews. Limestone certainly does. And so will Seviche Bistro. They're hot, and they draw people out from the city.

Look over my reviews, and you'll find plenty of suburban spots, and more than a few lackluster spots, and more than a few chains. But I have the luxury of three print partners, all of which allow me more space than the Scene column, and the essentially infinite space and freedom of scheduling of a Web publication.

All I'm saying is that if I could only review one restaurant a week, and could only devote 500 to 600 words to it, I would think long and hard about what review would give me the most bang for the buck every week.

That's all.

As a restaurant owner, I cringe when I read a review like this one. John Q public, who enjoys dining out once or twice a week simply has no idea how much time, effort and prayer goes into opening and surviving in this business. When a review like this one is published, it seems so unfair to me. I know everyone out there might not like what I offer, but I prefer that they find out through word of mouth, not through published criticisms. Good luck DiVinci's as you tweek what you must to hang on and survive.

Movies can cost 100 million dollars to make, but if it is bad, I want the critic to tell me.

I don't think any business should get a pass just because they worked hard or spent a lot of money. In fact, I would guess that if you know what you are doing, you truly worked hard, and you spent a lot of money, odds are you are not going to get a one star review from Marty or Robin. Restaurants that get bad reviews are the ones that tried to cut corners and it showed in the food, service or both.

Michele: If you do not feel that negative reviews should be published, but should be spread by word of mouth only, do you feel the same about good reviews?

Went Friday with the family.......was singularly unimpressed with the entree's however, the Pizza that the nephew's got was WONDERFUL. Would go back in a heartbeat for that.

Service was attentative, but had to ask for fresh greated parm........and then the grater would not work properly.

But I don't think it's it's 1 star........at the very least, 2.5.

As a restaurant owner, I cringe when I read a review like this one. John Q public, who enjoys dining out once or twice a week simply has no idea how much time, effort and prayer goes into opening and surviving in this business. When a review like this one is published, it seems so unfair to me. I know everyone out there might not like what I offer, but I prefer that they find out through word of mouth, not through published criticisms. Good luck DiVinci's as you tweek what you must to hang on and survive.

Ditto, your thoughts... Just look at what happened to La Rouge .... Three failed operations in what will surely be a sought after property(right down the street from you) once the downtown arena opens!

I'm a firm believer in the kiss of death that the negative reviews have had on this property...

So what's the solution? Should the critic lie in the review? Or, should the critic give bad restaurants a pass? Is it a restaurant review if it only gives praise? Is it the job of the media to provide good PR for businesses? Which businesses should get that special treatment?

I see huge problems on many levels with the idea that journalistic criticism shouldn't ever criticize.

A good example of the difference is comparing an honest review with the "special advertising setion" that is in the middle of every food magazine.

If you were planning a long anticipated trip out of town, and you were planning your meals for each night, would you rather have some honest reviews that tell the good and the bad or a bunch of fluff pieces put out by the restaurant's PR team?

When I go to another city to try a bunch of restaurants for the Road Trip column in Food & Dining Magazine, I do heck of a lot of research beforehand to determine which restaurants are worthy destiantions. I have neither the time nor the money to waste going to bad restaurants. Good, accurate and critical reviews are crucial to making that determination.

[Robin Garr]

I'm a firm believer in the kiss of death that the negative reviews have had on this property...

I'm going to disagree a little here. First, there was only one one-star review on this property, it was one of the most negative reviews that Marty ever wrote, it was justified, and it should have been published.

But the restaurant in that incarnation - La Rouge - was already on the ropes, and the decision to close it had already been made when the review appeared. The CJ might have had the power to shut down a bad restaurant back in the '80s, but it hasn't had that kind of influence since Gannett took firm control and both its readership and influence started to fade in the early 1990s.

I don't think this review will close Da Vinci either. I just might have passed on Da Vinci because it's really nothing but a second branch of an existing restaurant and wasn't on most people's radar anyway.

I'm not saying that a poor review isn't deserved if the place isn't up to par.
I just think that the effects of a poor review have other consequences.

I don't ever recall seeing a review anywhere about Bobby J's that tried to resurrect itself in that location. I loved going to Steam and was sorry to see it's demise. I had high hopes that Bobby and Rick could turn things around on that corner, but it has closed as well.

My point being that a bad review is a bad review..The negitive conotations linger on in a place long after it has closed. For example..Look at how many different places tried thier luck where NIO's is now...After the failed Bazo's I think the location got a bad rap even though it is in one of the highest traffic areas in the city.

I also feel that no press is as bad as a negitive review. Positive word of mouth can only take you so far, if the major media outlets don't acknowlege your presence.