CJ gives record-length review to ... Bearno's

[Robin Garr]

The Gannett bean counters allow Marty an unusually hefty 667-word quota for today's Scene review, one of the beefiest reports we've seen in quite some time, and he uses the space to tell us about ... Bearno's? Whatever.

The rating feels about right, 2 1/2 stars, with a review that's friendly enough, but appropriately critical where criticism is deserved. Given that he had extra space for once, I wouldn't have minded seeing a brief discussion of pizza styles in Louisville and how Bearno's fits into that hierarchy, or maybe a brief sketch of the local company's evolution from a single pizzeria on Taylorsville Road into a mini-chain. But it does the job of describing several Bearno's shops and telling us about the food. Fair enough.

[url=http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071201/SCENE02/712010349/1044]Old-fashioned pizza pub lives
Bearno's measures up in taste, convenience, efficiency[/url]

<B>Bearno's Little Sicily</B>
Bearno's by the Bridge, 131 W. Main St., 584-7437; Bearno's Highlands, 1318 Bardstown Road, 456-4556; Bearno's New Albany, 3002 Charlestown Crossing, (812) 949-7914; Bearno's Jeffersontown, 10117 Taylorsville Road, 267-2549.
http://www.bearnospizza.net

...it appears, but Bearno's celebrated their 30th anniversary in business since 1977, not their 13th.

[Robin Garr]

...it appears, but Bearno's celebrated their 30th anniversary in business since 1977, not their 13th.

Oh! That's a bad one! "Thirteenth" for "Thirtieth"? Sounds almost like a mis-heard interview or transcription.

2 and a 1/2 stars for the most consistently salty pizza on the planet....

But it is what it is... I get a hankering for it once or twice a year because it really has its own "distinct" flavor.

Not to be compared with my other all time fave...A Southern Indiana Tradition Since 1958...The one and only PIZZA KING

After been given some crap about our seating preference at the Pizza Hut in Jeff, we went straight to Bearno's, and haven't gone back to the Hut since. We like the Medium Bearno's, although we get extra onions to replace the green olives that neither of us cares for. I have also enjoyed their salads.

But, avoid their buffet like the plague. I thought I would chip my teeth on the crust of the buffet pizzas.

I think Marty is doing an excellent job taking over a position that the C-J has mismanaged for years. I feel bad that every week there is something snide said about him on this site when his new review comes out. I thought that type of "criticism" was warranted with Riegler because she was just not good, but I am not sure why Marty is receiving it too.

[Robin Garr]

I think Marty is doing an excellent job taking over a position that the C-J has mismanaged for years. I feel bad that every week there is something snide said about him on this site when his new review comes out. I thought that type of "criticism" was warranted with Riegler because she was just not good, but I am not sure why Marty is receiving it too.

I totally agree that Marty is a breath of fresh air after his predecessor.

He's still being edited by the same Gannett editors who handled Reigler's work, however, and many of the issues I comment on relate more to editing and editorial judgement than Marty's criticism.

In any case, please show me what I said that's "snide." As the portal for Louisville restaurant news and information, I think it's entirely reasonable that this site/forum be open for critical reviews of critical reviews. Given that Marty had an unusual amount of space this week, I thought it would have made a good review better if he had used some of that space to discuss background information - as you did in your Food & Dining piece about NYC pizza - rather than merely describing the atmosphere and pizzas at Bearno's. What's snide about that?

Note that I also post my own reviews and am happy to receive constructive criticism from the gang about them. I often get it.

I think Marty is doing an excellent job taking over a position that the C-J has mismanaged for years. I feel bad that every week there is something snide said about him on this site when his new review comes out. I thought that type of "criticism" was warranted with Riegler because she was just not good, but I am not sure why Marty is receiving it too.

I totally agree that Marty is a breath of fresh air after his predecessor.

He's still being edited by the same Gannett editors who handled Reigler's work, however, and many of the issues I comment on relate more to editing and editorial judgement than Marty's criticism.

In any case, please show me what I said that's "snide." As the portal for Louisville restaurant news and information, I think it's entirely reasonable that this site/forum be open for critical reviews of critical reviews. Given that Marty had an unusual amount of space this week, I thought it would have made a good review better if he had used some of that space to discuss background information - as you did in your Food & Dining piece about NYC pizza - rather than merely describing the atmosphere and pizzas at Bearno's. What's snide about that?

Note that I also post my own reviews and am happy to receive constructive criticism from the gang about them. I often get it.

I just think that Marty doesn't deserve lines like this:

and he uses the space to tell us about ... Bearno's? Whatever.

Bearno's is a major player in the sit-down pizza restaurant category in this town. It should be reviewed. I know you hate Gannett, but Marty is just doing his job, and I think he is doing it very well. Just my .02 on the topic.

They should check the one on Westport Road...That is some bad pizza...lucky to get one star.....The good stuff...FastBreak in Crestwood and Steve O's in Buckner....

I just think that Marty doesn't deserve lines like this:

and he uses the space to tell us about ... Bearno's? Whatever.

Bearno's is a major player in the sit-down pizza restaurant category in this town. It should be reviewed. I know you hate Gannett, but Marty is just doing his job, and I think he is doing it very well. Just my .02 on the topic.[/quote]

I agree with Ron. I felt the same thing when I read the "whatever" line. Bearno's has not been on our pizza list for years. I read the article to see if anything had changed and warranted a new visit. For us, our favorite is Clifton's.

[Robin Garr]

I agree with Ron. I felt the same thing when I read the "whatever" line. Bearno's has not been on our pizza list for years. I read the article to see if anything had changed and warranted a new visit. For us, our favorite is Clifton's.

I won't spend a lot of time defending myself except to say that "Whatever" was really just a throwaway, not intended as a slap at Marty personally.

I'll stand by my original contention, though: Given that the bean counters at Gannett usually keep tight rein on the length of the weekly Scene review, and that Marty has been limited to as few as 500 words to review some major players, it just struck me a bit odd that the longest review in some time went to Bearno's ... and then didn't take advantage of this largesse to go much beyond a general description of the food and style of a couple of the Bearno's eateries.

I've made this point before in other contexts: When you're limited to tight space in an inflexible print medium, it pays to use that space as efficiently as possible. I just thought that Marty could have done more with this week's space.

I've made this point before in other contexts: When you're limited to tight space in an inflexible print medium, it pays to use that space as efficiently as possible. I just thought that Marty could have done more with this week's space.

So, does Marty know in advance how much space he has, or does the editor determine the space based on how the layout looks at the last minute? I wonder if the editors didn't give Marty extra space because they liked the idea of reviewing pizza vs. a white table cloth place ... just speculating.

o GOD Robin...It is just a fricken review....let it go...There are other people in this town that do that for a loving......I am sure none as PERFECT as you are all of the time...Let it go...

[Robin Garr]

o GOD Robin...It is just a fricken review....let it go...There are other people in this town that do that for a loving......I am sure none as PERFECT as you are all of the time...Let it go...

Trying for Strike Three, Robert?

[quote="Dan Thomas"]2 and a 1/2 stars for the most consistently salty pizza on the planet....

But it is what it is... I get a hankering for it once or twice a year because it really has its own "distinct" flavor.

Not to be compared with my other all time fave...A Southern Indiana Tradition Since 1958...The one and only PIZZA KING
[img]http://www.wineloverspage.com/forum/hotbytes/userpix/9_PizzaKing003_1.jpg[/img][/quote]

Pizza King rocks! Ask for it welldone, but never ever get extra cheese, it'll ruin it.