Bruni and Beyond: NYC Reviewing (2005)

[chefbrendis]

You can also think about it this way: if a quarter of the dishes coming out of the kitchen at ADNY were bad, there would be riots at the restaurant.

←

Now you need to contextualize your statement. What constitutes bad in a restaurant with such high aspirations, prices and obvious commitment to posh and circumstance? I'm sure the veal was fine if a bit undercooked, but this is Ducasse, a hero to almost all chefs, the mere imposition of his will should ensure that little things like that do not occur. Christian Delouvrier is another culinary icon, is everything always perfect, no, no restaurant can be perfect all the time, but some restaurants have put themselves out there where scrutiny, justifiably so or not, is just that more intense. The other question, that of elaboration should probably be judged in terms of Bruni's previous reviews, is he generallly more forthcoming about flaws, or is this Ducasse thing more of a "vibe" issue. It is always hard to see a four star establishment taken down a peg, kind of seeing a sports hero finish a career in another city at a fraction of their previous ability, but maybe Bruni is merely holding Ducasse accountable for its perceived gaffes. I deeply admire Alain Ducasse and will not be dissuaded from dining there again because of this review, no person should, including Bruni...

[Pan]

[...]

Elsewhere I've expressed my dissatisfaction with this particular review. For too long I've felt the Times hasn't felt the need to have someone with either expertise or interest in food and dining hold the position of restaurnat review. Bruni's not the worst I've seen in this regard.

←

The inevitable question: Who was the worst you've seen? Without prejudice to the review under discussion (which I still haven't read), Bruni's been bad enough for me to lose interest and stop reading his reviews. I wish they had given the gig to Asimov, if he wanted it (and I suppose he didn't).

[milla]

I think Fat Guy is 100% correct in that a review of this magnitude should have far more specifics regarding the faults than it did. And the lack of specifics regarding the food, at THIS restaurant, is appalling, considering Alain Ducasse is in the discussion, if not at the forefront of the discussion, of the 10 best Chefs in the world today.

not forgetting Chef Delouvrier also...

[jogoode]

Today Bruni showed that he's not adept at describing Indian food: He took on Bombay Talkie in this week's Diner's Journal. I am often frustrated by Bruni, though I don't feel as strongly about him as many on this board seem to. I've been especially disappointed by his treatment of ethnic food.

Scotch eggs, made with a casing of lamb instead of pork, were accompanied by a rose water cashew sauce that tasted like an especially subtle curry.

He should have devoted more than 50 words to details about the food, however uninspiring, and a lot less to playful talk about cocktails. If he had, perhaps he would have done a better job describing rose water cashew sauce -- which tasted like a "curry." What a coincidence, I had wine the other day that tasted like an especially subtle drink.

I was also surprised that he didn't mention that Jehangir Mehta, of Aix, consulted on the menu.

Reviews and discussion of Bombay Talkie here.

[slkinsey]

What an odd thing for him to be writing about. I mean, it is even reasonable to assume that a food writer will be so well versed in every facet of the international culinary arts as to write a well informed review about a $350/person French restaurant on the Michelin Three Star model (which is presumably his main job) and also a $25/person Indian restaurant?

[Fat Guy]

It would be nice if he could write a well-informed review about either!

[SobaAddict70]

Scotch eggs, made with a casing of lamb instead of pork, were accompanied by a rose water cashew sauce that tasted like an especially subtle curry.

←

"an especially subtle curry"

What in blazes is that supposed to mean? In what way was it subtle?

Soba

[jogoode]

I mean, it is even reasonable to assume that a food writer will be so well versed in every facet of the international culinary arts as to write a well informed review about a $350/person French restaurant on the Michelin Three Star model (which is presumably his main job) and also a $25/person Indian restaurant?

←

I think so. If Michael Ruhlman can write books about subjects as diverse as wooden boats, French chefs, and surgical teams, then I'd expect Bruni to be able to do a better job within one subject. He doesn't even have to be an expert himself. If I had been in his position -- and it would have been be a sad day at the Times if I had been -- I would have brought Bux and Fat Guy to ADNY. Also, you don't have to be well versed in every facet of a cuisine to succeed in describing a sauce.

[Todd36]

Scotch eggs, made with a casing of lamb instead of pork, were accompanied by a rose water cashew sauce that tasted like an especially subtle curry.

←

"an especially subtle curry"

What in blazes is that supposed to mean? In what way was it subtle?

Soba

←

It means "a very delicate typical Indian gravy." You can hammer Bruni, but in this case I have a pretty good idea what he meant. And if you want to know what delicate means, to me it means light and not full flavored. So if you prefer

"a light and not full flavored sauce with a flavor similar to that found in a typical Indian gravy"

This is like trying to parse wine reviews. I have a good idea as to what Bruni was saying. Try reading Wine Spectator or anything similar and then try the reviewed wine. Can you find all of the flavors they describe? Do you think their description is always accurate? We can scream all we want about Bruni's writing and his perceived lack of percision, but the real issue is that people don't like the way he assigns stars.

[Pan]

Todd, I don't think the way he assigns stars is anything like the only "real issue," and I think we agree that "an especially subtle curry" would presumably be one with very mild spicing, so that's not the point, either. My problem is that I don't find that his reviews -- the language of the reviews, not the star ratings -- inspire any confidence that I even fully understand the bases for his judgments, and I'm not even sure he always fully understands the basis of his own judgments (needless to say, I don't trust his judgments or find them very interesting). He has shown himself to be ignorant about various cuisines, and these parsing questions exist mainly because he isn't clear enough in describing dishes, which is presumably (as others have mentioned) why he resorts to describing former convict clients, falling lamps, and other incidental things that I usually couldn't care much less about. Yes, I know, there are people who go to restaurants mainly to look at clientele and at the room. However, that's not why I go out.

[jogoode]

This is like trying to parse wine reviews.  I have a good idea as to what Bruni was saying.  Try reading Wine Spectator or anything similar and then try the reviewed wine.  Can you find all of the flavors they describe?  Do you think their description is always accurate?  We can scream all we want about Bruni's writing and his perceived lack of percision, but the real issue is that people don't like the way he assigns stars.

←

I can't speak for anyone else, but my objection to his reviews -- and again I'm not as fervent an objector as others here -- is more about wince-worthy ignorance than stars.

And as for:

"a light and not full flavored sauce with a flavor similar to that found in a typical Indian gravy"

That is not what I expect from a Times food writer. This rose water and cashew sauce sounds strange to me, and I expect a description of it that goes beyond comparing it to an Indian gravy. India is one of the most diverse countries where cuisine is concerned. It has something like five distinct vegetarian cuisines alone! (Probably more, but now I'm demonstrating my ignorance.) I can see why, after that discussion of the semantics of the ADNY review, we'd be tired of picking apart language, but that's not at all what I'm intending to do.

Remember when Bruni expressed surprise at Donguri's never having had sushi during any of his visits? That's frustrating ignorance and has nothing to do with stars.

[Todd36]

Remember when Bruni expressed surprise at Donguri's never having had sushi during any of his visits? That's frustrating ignorance and has nothing to do with stars.

←

His Donguri review was shocking for a lack of knowledge about Japanese food, which makes me wonder about his Masa review. I am debating now about having dinner at Masa, in which case I will give my own view. If anyone else wants to join a sushi fest, send me an email. I'll bring along my Japanese dining friend who knows their sushi.

[oakapple]

Yes, I know, there are people who go to restaurants mainly to look at clientele and at the room. However, that's not why I go out.

←

I agree with all that Pan wrote, but would add two further comments.

First, the reviews aren't very long. If Bruni had unlimited space, it might not matter that he devoted some of it to extraneous comments about ex-convicts, wobbly lamps, broken toilets, and heart disease. As it is, one can't help feeling that every paragraph devoted to these matters is borrowing from the precious little space available for what really counts—the restaurant itself.

Second, it is hard to escape the impression that everything stated in the review impacted the rating to some extent. Some of these comments may be mere dicta, as they say in the law, but we really don't know. The best way to avoid all doubt is to focus on the facts necessary and essential to the rating. Some of these comments just don't belong in the newspaper at all, or would find a better home somewhere else—the Diner's Journal, for instance, where the reviews are unrated.

[SobaAddict70]

He has shown himself to be ignorant about various cuisines, and these parsing questions exist mainly because he isn't clear enough in describing dishes

←

Precisely.

Without derailing this thread too much, I think we can all agree that subtlety in Indian cuisine encompasses several degrees of separation, so a phrase such as "an especially subtle curry" isn't really very descriptive. It's a piece of information that's not particularly informative. I'd never have thought that that was possible until now.

Soba

[Todd36]

He has shown himself to be ignorant about various cuisines, and these parsing questions exist mainly because he isn't clear enough in describing dishes

←

Precisely.

Without derailing this thread too much, I think we can all agree that subtlety in Indian cuisine encompasses several degrees of separation, so a phrase such as "an especially subtle curry" isn't really very descriptive. It's a piece of information that's not particularly informative. I'd never have thought that that was possible until now.

Soba

←

But I don't think food reviews ever really go that far in their descriptions. For example, here's my take on a good piece of Uni:

Rough on the outside when first put in the mouth, served at slightly below room tempature, quickly changing to a creamy and fatty texture that melts in your mouth but persists for several seconds, leaving a coating on the inside of your mouth, with a slight and pleasant taste of the sea with little iodine. The flavor should be subltle and not strong, with a richness that reminds me in some ways of citrus fruit.

Ever seen anything like that in a review? Have any idea what I like in Uni?

[jogoode]

But I don't think food reviews ever really go that far in their descriptions.  For example, here's my take on a good piece of Uni:

Rough on the outside when first put in the mouth, served at slightly below room tempature, quickly changing to a creamy and fatty texture that melts in your mouth but persists for several seconds, leaving a coating on the inside of your mouth, with a slight and pleasant taste of the sea with little iodine. The flavor should be subltle and not strong, with a richness that reminds me in some ways of citrus fruit.

Ever seen anything like that in a review?  Have any idea what I like in Uni?

←

That's not what I'm looking for in a review. But if I were writing for an audience that was perhaps unfamiliar with uni (or rose water-cashew sauce) I wouldn't say, "the uni buerre blanc in which braised eel waded was like a delicate sauce." Can I get an adjective? Or did the uni push or pull or Tkverb the flavor of the eel? (Sorry to imagine such a nasty dish .)

[SobaAddict70]

They don't have to, but speaking for myself, I derive satisfaction from a review if the reviewer manages to impart concrete, specific information. That doesn't seem to be the case with Bruni.

On another note, whereas Grimes focused on decor and design, and Reichl focused on the food and presentation, Bruni seems to focus on indicia that are irrelevant to the restaurant he's reviewing more than half of the time. Should falling lamps and broken toilets be mentioned? Seems like filler to me.

Soba

[jogoode]

But I don't think food reviews ever really go that far in their descriptions.  For example, here's my take on a good piece of Uni:

Rough on the outside when first put in the mouth, served at slightly below room tempature, quickly changing to a creamy and fatty texture that melts in your mouth but persists for several seconds, leaving a coating on the inside of your mouth, with a slight and pleasant taste of the sea with little iodine. The flavor should be subltle and not strong, with a richness that reminds me in some ways of citrus fruit.

Ever seen anything like that in a review?  Have any idea what I like in Uni?

←

That's not what I'm looking for in a review. But if I were writing for an audience that was perhaps unfamiliar with uni (or rose water-cashew sauce) I wouldn't say, "the uni buerre blanc in which braised eel waded was like a delicate sauce." Can I get an adjective? Or did the uni push or pull or Tkverb the flavor of the eel? (Sorry to imagine such a nasty dish .)

←

And it's not a matter of description. You can't describe everything: It gets tiresome. But the examples that I'm taking issue with either betray ignorance or perpetrate inaccuracy -- like Steven's example in the ADNY review about the saddle of lamb. They represent times when description is necessary to avoid inaccuracy.

Edited February 4, 2005 by jogoode (log)

[jogoode]

Here's the thread on Peter Luger that includes a link to Bruni's latest Diner's Journal on Peter Luger's Burgers. I thought it was fun, and showed that Bruni is enthusiastic about food. I'd like to see more of this type of thing in the DJ.

[jogoode]

Here's an interesting piece about Craig LaBan, the food critic for the Philadelphia inquirer, that touches on many of the issues raised in this thread.

  One of the corollaries of the Two-Bell Problem is that because two bells is by far the largest category of restaurants LaBan has reviewed, a two-bell review doesn't set a restaurant apart from the mass. "You need to be at peace with the fact that there is no perfect rating system," LaBan says. "It's just an additional tool you give to readers. I don't think there's anything wrong as a critic with forcing yourself to give a bottom line on things."

He came into the waiting area wearing a box on his head, with two holes cut out for his eyes. He had come in the back door and insisted that the windows be papered over for his visit.

[rich]

Did anyone notice that the NY Times chief food critic made yet another cardiovascular reference in today's review? That's the 13th time since he took over. I think his sister/brother must be a heart specialist and he's trying to drum-up some extra business.

[mjr_inthegardens]

From a link off curbed:

A fairly hilarious blog "BruniDigest"

http://brunidigest.blogspot.com/

"In which I sit on a dirt mound somewhere in Brooklyn with my ears pricked, waiting for New York Times head restaurant critic Frank Bruni, who I imagine to be a Venetian count in a huge ruffled collar, to dole out stars from the inside breast pocket of his brocaded chamber robe. This blog is predicated on the suggestion that every Wednesday, in the Times Dining Out section, Frank lays a huge faberge egg of hilarity."

Sample from entry on Bistro du Vent:

Bistro du Vent: Meat n' Potatoes...in the form of a bra n' panties

I feel like for the past several weeks I have been gearing up for Wednesdays, excitedly slipping on my cat-ears headband, painting whiskers on my face, and ringing Frank's doorbell with an empty plastic pumpkin outstretched in my hands.

But before I can even yell “Trick or Treat??” Frank has stuffed a handful of Kashi in my mouth, spanked me with a pine plank and sent me home with a copy of “Little Women” tucked somewhere in my unitard.

Frank’s all humility and values these days. I want candy! Where are all the indulgent Butterfingers and Charleston Chews I will later throw up on a Jenga tower?? I’d love to see Frank, in his present fit of monasticism, review the Enchanted Chateau in Beauty and the Beast: “The thousand gilded dancing spoons inviting me to ‘be our guest, be our guest, put our service to the test’ were like specious diamonds on the bosom of a gigolo-mongering Bathsheeba, yet the giant ham hock spat out by a talking oven certainly failed to seduce me.”

[SobaAddict70]

Xing (Frank Bruni) (placeholder for this weekend's DIGEST)

Lobster with ginger and scallion was an insufficiently succulent betrayal of such fine flesh.

What exactly is this supposed to mean?!?

by the cosmetic panache of the theater and the veritably electric karma of the rapidly changing streets outside it.

Writing so painful it makes my teeth ache.

Soba

[Jinmyo]

If the Times had wanted a food critic they would have hired one instead of Frank. There's a sublime nonsense in the logic of Frank's prose.

Like a hothouse orchid, it must be protected and cherished.

[Curlz]

I've never been to Le Bernardin, but I'm curious...is it usually the 'policy' of the Times' (or Bruni's) to give four stars to a place when "...the dining room, which has all the sex appeal of a first-class airport lounge" ??? I realize that all of htis is subjective, but it seems to me that although (imo) the food is the star of the stars, decor is usually considered a factor as well, no?