Restaurants that get reviewed everywhere.

[Andy Lynes]

There is a noticiable trend, in the UK press at least, for certain newly opened restaurants to get reviewed by every major critic in a very short space of time. The latest example of this is "Fino" in Charlotte Street London, a sort of upscale tapas bar. In the last few weeks, it has been reviewed by the Guardian, The Observer, The Independent, The Times, Evening Standard and Metro to my knowledge, there may be others.

This is understandable when a big name like Gordon Ramsay is involved, but in this case we are talkng about first time restauranteurs (albeit from an established family of hoteliers and restauranteurs). Reviews have been favourable, but not ecstatic. So why the critical stampede for some places and not others?

[Jon Tseng]

Surely restauarant PRs? Don't that all have one nowadays

I'm sure Jay can enlighten us on his mailbox

J

[Andy Lynes]

But surely all London restaurant's employ PR's? It seems to me that not all of them get the sort of blanket coverage that somewhere like "Fino" has.

[Lord Michael Lewis]

It depends on two factors: Firstly who is doing the PR (publicity like this is not cheap, and there are only two PR people that I know of who specialize in this kind of blanket coverage) . And secondly, the central London location; thus not necessitating complex travel plans for 'busy' reviewers.

[Steve Plotnicki]

(albeit from an established family of hoteliers and restauranteurs)

Didn't you answer your own question? More experience at getting press, and the press has an easier time choosing a known quantity.

[IrishCream]

How many restaurants are opening every week?

[Tonyfinch]

Why would they not? Film reviewers review largely the same films each week don't they? Art critics review the same exhibitions. Why should restaurants be any different?

[Andy Lynes]

My point is that this only happens from time to time and only with certain restaurants, the criteria for which is unclear, to me at least.

I'm not sure how many restaurants are opening a week, but enough for someone like Fay Maschler to be eating out 6 days a week, sometimes twice a day either at new places, places she wants to visit a second or third time and those that she missed out on first time around.

[Steve Plotnicki]

How come all the same books get reviewed? Or how come all the radio stations play the same songs? There are loads of examples like this where a single thing picks up momentum in the press and a buzz occurs.

[jayrayner]

Don't take me as representative of the herd but for what it's worth.

THere was nothing special about Fino PR wise. A big company, yes, but a lot of them use big companies. I did get a press release but nobody did a number on me because they know there's no point doing so. Or you can try, but I'll only be polite if I'm not too busy.

In a restaurant market dominated by surprisingly similar openings: modern French, say, or gastro pub etc Fino was a different enough proposition to get my attention. Smart tapas? Hadn't seen that before in London. Plus, for various reasons Iberia has been reasonably hip for the past couple of years. So Fino looks like good copy. And off we all go...

Two things, though. As far as I'm aware none of us just do new openings. The number of multiple reviews like Fino is actually pretty small. It was the only one of my last ten to get that sort of treatement. the rest were one-offs of my choosing for a whole bunch of reasons. (For the record of the previous ten there were two - Chez Max and Sketch - which got big coverage). THen again, as Tony says why should we be any different to film reviewers?

A quick tip: the next one to recieve a lot of attetnion is likely to be Brian Turner's new place in Mayfair.

[Andy Lynes]

A quick tip: the next one to recieve a lot of attetnion is likely to be Brian Turner's new place in Mayfair.

I've been waiting with baited breath for that one to open I must say.

I think Jay's reply does illustrate my point to some degree, restaurant reviewers are different from theatre or cinema critics because they can choose to review established restaurants as well as new places, those outside the capital as well as within (true for theatre as well to a certain extent but limited to a few places like Sheffield where they are producing new work).

[Craig Camp]

Critics of various publications compete with each other for readership. No one wants to look like they are not on top of the latest happenings. One goes - they all have to go.

Restaurant criticism is a cut-throat, vicious and potentially dangerous business - you always have to watch your back.

[fresh_a]

Free Food!

[Tonyfinch]

Restaurant criticism is a cut-throat, vicious and potentially dangerous business - you always have to watch your back.

Why is it? Are you saying it makes a difference to circulation?

[Paul Bell]

Critics of various publications compete with each other for readership. No one wants to look like they are not on top of the latest happenings. One goes - they all have to go.

Restaurant criticism is a cut-throat, vicious and potentially dangerous business - you always have to watch your back

That makes it sound rather glamorous, rather than fat blokes eating food and doing a bit of writing, but anyway.

I am not certain that it is too surprising that the critics review the same places, particularly when they open. When Locatelli opened several of us ate there so why not the critics, the same with Sketch (oh bugger no-one's been there) but I am sure my hypothesis is still correct I think we can all see certain restaurant openings as being more significant than others. Although it is a little irritating (if understandable) that the reports all seem to be at the same time.

It is a bit concerning that the next 'serious' opening will be Brian Turner's restaurant in the Millenium Mayfair hotel, why???

I would have though the next one would be Tom Aikens new restaurant in Chelsea.

Paul

[Craig Camp]

Restaurant criticism is a cut-throat, vicious and potentially dangerous business - you always have to watch your back.

Why is it? Are you saying it makes a difference to circulation?

Well that was mostly tongue-in-cheek, but yes both circulation and advertising. A popular restaurant critic means more ads in your dining section.

Edited April 8, 2003 by Craig Camp (log)

[Andy Lynes]

It is a bit concerning that the next 'serious' opening will be Brian Turner's restaurant in the Millenium Mayfair hotel, why???

I would have though the next one would be Tom Aikens new restaurant in Chelsea.

Very good point. I'm sure wild horses will not keep the critics away from that one. As an aside, I read that Aikens has lined up Pierre Gagnaire's ex-sommelier to work for him.

[jayrayner]

A popular restaurant critic means more ads in your dining section.

For the record not in Britain. Save for Fay Maschler's column in the London Evening Standard the British nationals don't sell ad space to restaurants. We're too expensive.

Re Aitkens/Turner - as turner opens Monday I'm pretty sure he gets in ahead of aitkens.

But what do I know. i'm just a fat bloke who eats out a lot, and writes a bit.

[circeplum]

i can only talk for my paper's editorial policy (london metro. andy insisted i 'out' myself. bapi, i can't apologise enough). and it's review new restaurants. in no uncertain terms.

i don’t rely purely on pr (i’ve never been to a pr party, launch, freebie bash or whatever in the three years i’ve been doing the gig, though I could paper my walls with the invites.) press releases often tell us what we already know about. we find our information everywhere – one we did recently, we unearthed in the pages of ok magazine!

my remit is london only as, with a few ‘away fay’ type exceptions, is the standard. and even here there are not squads of new openings every week, especially in these dodgy restauranting times. so there’s bound to be repetition.

but, since every reviewer has a different outlook and different hot buttons, every one will read differently. I guess you just find one whose tastes you identify with and follow their recs.

sadly, i'm not in a position to choose to revisit old faves unless, like in the recent sonny's review, they have a new chef who used to be head chef at la tante claire and is finnish & female - hence story.

i also, like tony and steve, think the new films, new books, new plays analogy is fair. after all, our brief in newspapers is to provide, erm, news.

m

p.s. in addition to the other 2 london openings you’ll be bored to tears reading about, watch out for benares (atul kochhar who won tamarind's michelin star).

[Bux]

get my attention

I suppose it's been said, one way or another, but the ones that get attention by one reviewer are the ones that also get attention from most reviewers and a good part of the reason is the expectation that these are the ones that already have the readers' attention.

[Andy Lynes]

i can only talk for my paper's editorial policy (london metro.  andy insisted i 'out' myself.  bapi, i can't apologise enough).

There, now doesn't that feel better!

[circeplum]

nope.

[Vanessa]

Circeplum, it is very nice to know that you are here. I look forward to reading you every week.

v

[circeplum]

thanks, vanessa. now do i get to know your secret?

[macrosan]

thanks, vanessa.  now do i get to know your secret? 

Circe, I think you're getting Vanessa confused with Victoria