Overused restaurant reviewer words & metaphors

[Liza]

Hitch up your beau for Champagne, roses and our annual aphrodisiac affair set to Cupid's divine beat.

It's getting the beau to stand still that can be a problem.

[hjshorter]

Has "buttery" been mentioned yet? Buttery, unctuous and silken get my votes.

[lk597]

has 'whimsical' been mentioned yet

[Lex]

"Amazing".

[Suzanne F]

Whether it has or not -- Yes! or rather, NO. Oh hell, I agree that it's a horrible term, and if I saw it in a review, I would avoid both the restaurant and the reviewer in future.

Welcome, lk597!

[pixelchef]

sublime. grrrr.

[maggiethecat]

TOOTHSOME! := (:gak: :barf: :bloody awful:)

A new one which I at first thought made-up, but after checking my Webster's New International (2nd ed, unabridged, 1952), found it listed, was:

PLENTEOUS! :toothsome:

Nick

Gack Barf Bloody awful!!!

(Especially because my mother uses it always to describe a hunk. "Your father looked particularly toothsome in his cashmere turtleneck last night. Or "Boy, is that Pincus Zucherman one toothsome conductor!"

Wonderful that however a child may be in her extremely late forties and a woman of the world, her mother can still make her blush.

[nerissa]

Last night I saw "beet carpaccio" on a restaurant menu. That just sounds so wrong.

Carmelita's? I've had their squash carpaccio and it was good. In the context of a vegetarian restaurant.

There was a recipe for beet carpacio in Gourmet 12/02.

Has cloyingly been mentioned yet? A certain NY Times food writer used a perfectly good word every damn Sunday.

[lk597]

Sure enough, "a whimsical creation" in a review I read today in Atlanta. This has to be Atlanta reviewers favourite adjective but its so wrong. Is anything really created on a whim in a restaurant kitchen? no! I mean who goes into a restaurant and says 'make me what you want and i'll eat it regardless.' Nobody i've ever met.

[nerissa]

Did anyone want to send Nigella Lawson a tranq after reading her column in today's (wed.) NY Times. Oh wait, probably, do you think if she was drugged up, her writing could possibly get more florid, or "greedy"?

[elizabethnathan]

"tuck into"...can someone explain this one?

[wannabake]

Reading this thread is giving me a headache (or maybe it is lack of caffeine). I love eGullet and this thread epitomizes why. I read the banter regarding Steve Klc and his most recent article and had to keep on reading. I started to search the site for more posts along the same lines and came across this one. I worship you guys your wit and moxy. It is a great combination that makes a good read for a neophyte, like me. I love reading reviews; the language, the cadence, the content; all the heady stuff that I sometimes don't get, but I love nonetheless. I long to think like that...to recognize all of the subtleties and be able to express them to others. But unfortunately that is not a talent of mine. I go to restaurants to eat, drink and hopefully feel satisfied by the experience. Friends know me, as a good "recommender." I can tell you a good spot to check out, with great parking that is amenable to a toddler-tag-along , but that is about it. So I just wanted to let you all know that your work (posts) is greatly appreciated and your talents recognized -- even if just by lil-ol me .

[elmorro]

Two of my favorites: "haunting aroma" and "ethereal"

[Al_Dente]

If I see any of the following in another restaurant review, I'm gonna explode...

yucky

oowy

bleck

loogyish

icky

[Basildog]

Don't take this wrong way Al Dente, but i seem to read alot.." the vegetables were cooked al dente, just the way they should...blah blah blah"

your name just kinda reminded me

[Fat Guy]

I am ashamed to admit I used an overused restaurant reviewer phrase in a recent piece. The phrase is: "hot spot"

I apologize.

http://www.elle.com/inthemag/articles/Marc...hi/sushi_01.asp

[theakston]

Reviewers who say anything is "to die for" should receive maximum assistance in acheiving this goal.

[Kim WB]

"stellar" and "associate taster"

[Simple]

This should be an easy list for people to contribute to:

1. "studded" - should be reserved for tires or S&M attire

2. "kissed with..." - do I have to qualify this?

3. "tantalizing" - Webster: "to tease or torment by or as if by presenting something desirable to the view but continually keeping it out of reach" so if it's out of reach how can anyone accurately review?

4. Rachel Ray - I know, not an adjective or adjectival phrase, but it ellicits the same emotion.

[tommy]

big list here.

[ludja]

"raft"

as in, 'a grilled scallop was perched on a raft of potatoes...'

[AuntieEm]

Not overused, but annoying..a Boulder reviewer once described a veal dish as "obdurate & recalcitrant", which I consider to be personality traits rather than food adjectives. I'm sure the veal was tough, but lay off the thesaurus!

[bilrus]

Tasty.

Yummy.

Interesting.

Delicious.

[Mayhaw Man]

Outside of egullet and the food press, the reviews that I am involved with most often involve the little Mayhaws. While both of them are very experienced diners and have a suprising amount of fine dining under their belt, their vocabularies involving food do not reflect their rediculously expensive schooling. Here are some of their favorite (mostly negative, because if they like stuff they are too busy eating to talk) terms:

yucky

gross

gooey

smooshed

grotty (grow-Dee)

goopy

not fresh (used for any leftovers, which they must be fooled into eating)

chunky (Mayhaw 1 likes smooth sauce, no chunks )

And the Ultimate description of Bad Food.....

Tastes Like Escargot

[Cusina]

I can't believe there were 5 pages in this thread and not one slash of

"It's a good thing" {insert plastic smile here}

Just awful. Even more painful when other reviewers attempt to recycle the phrase.