Ruth Reichl disappointed by her Chicago lunch

[ronnie_suburban]

In today's Chicago Sun-Times columnist Debra Pickett describes her recent experience of having to choose a lunch venue for herself and Ms. Reichl:

. . . It felt so terribly Midwestern, thinking I was on the cutting edge when, in fact, I was years behind. But Karyn -- that's chef Karyn Calabrese -- was, fortunately, way ahead of me. She'd just opened Karyn's Cooked on Wells Street, an airy, unpretentious-looking cafe that offered vegan fare, but without the whole rawness gimmick.

Desperate, I convinced myself it was the perfect spot.

And so Reichl, in her sensible black traveling clothes and with her unruly curls piled on her head, gamely shows up there less than an hour after landing at O'Hare.

"If it's good," she says, surveying the place and its menu full of innumerable varieties of tofu, "I'll be shocked and amazed." . . .

Sunday Lunch with Ruth Reichl

=R=

[Tess]

Thanks; that's a great read!

[Lady T]

Thank you too much, Ms. Pickett: thanks to you, yet another New Yorker leaves our town convinced that this is Flyover Country, a bloody culinary backwater that can't tell a shallot from a pencil eraser. You've guaranteed that Reichl's going to look down her famous nose at Chicago -- and probably write about it with that kind of condescension -- for a long time to come.

[emmapeel]

...  You've guaranteed that Reichl's going to look down her famous nose at Chicago -- and probably write about it with that kind of condescension -- for a long time to come.

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I think you're wrong, Chicago has great food, and lots of people know it.

[Lady T]

Ms. Peel, I would dearly love to be wrong. I'm Chicago-born, and I know and cherish the mind-blowing variety and quality of restaurant food here. I encounter far too much disdain, though, from people on the coasts (including some here at eGullet, occasionally) who assume they know more about our food scene than we Midwesterners do ourselves. Every now and then my temper erupts on the subject, and never more than for something like this: Ruth Reichl has every reason and right to expect that Ms. Pickett -- a journalist, after all! -- knows where to eat joyously in this town, and was instead taken to a neighborhood joint that doesn't even really represent well the standards of most neighborhood joints around the city (and yes, I've been to Karyn's Cooked, and have my own private list of favorite joints as well).

It would be wonderful to think that Ms. Reichl has been to Chicago before and has, in her own thinking, simply added Karyn's Cooked to her list of places-she's-been-in-that-genre without letting the experience drag down her opinion of the whole city's standards I hope that's so. In the meantime, however, I do feel that Ms. Pickett's let down the side, big time.

[Fresser]

I would have taken Ms. Reichel to the "Elegant Dining Room" at Mr. Beef.

[Tess]

I thought that the piece, while humorous, illustrated the problems you can have if you get too self-conscious about making a choice that's going to seem original or at least nonobvious. I think it's the kind of thing that could happen in any city and there wasn't much about it that was Chicago-specific.

That said, I felt a little sorry for the restaurant. The article started about being about the writer's dilemma, which was pretty funny, but then the restaurant became the butt of the joke. Anyone been there or seen a detailed review?

[ronnie_suburban]

I'm not as concerned about Ms. Reichl's opinion as I am any out-of-towners who might read this account. As the article states, Reichl herself suggested Alinea and moto as possible destinations, so I think she knows the Chicago scene fairly well. And, when it comes right down to it, I think most people who know food, know Chicago has a lot of terrific fare to offer; everything from high-end avant garde to ultra-cheap authentic street food. Our neigborhoods provide an authentic culinary diversity that few major cities can match.

The restaurant in question definitely gets slammed in the piece (albeit incidentally) although, I don't have any personal experience there so I cannot agree or disagree with it. On that note, one issue that pops up is "review via hearsay," since we're essentially getting Pickett's take on Reichl's thoughts. Still, there are a few direct quotes from Reichl which clearly lay out her opinion of the place.

And I can certainly relate to the "brainlock" experienced by Ms. Pickett. In spite of living here for almost my entire life, sometimes it's hard to come up with a quality pick when a special guest is coming into town. Of course, if she'd merely turned on her computer and visited us here, she could have saved herself a world of embarrassment. Instead, she decided to go it alone and brought great peril and shame upon herself.

=R=

[russ parsons]

c'mon, you're telling me that in a city that has frontera, topolobampo, blackbird, charlie t, alinea, moto and who knows what else since the last time i was there, people are still so insecure they care about what a new yorker thinks? now THAT'S midwestern, in my book. everyone in the food world knows that chicago is one of the top food cities in teh us.

as far as people getting brainlock, i was a victim of this recently when i was visiting some non-foodie friends in austin. i wanted bbq so they took me to a place they thought i'd like because it was "different" (some good ideas--black sesame seeds in teh cole slaw--some not-so good--pureed pineapple in the sauce). what i really wanted was the the same old, but a great version of it. sometimes people don't appreciate what they know too well.

[rich]

Chicago? You mean it's open? I thought Billy Sunday shut in down in the late 30's? Who opened it up again, and when?

[jsolomon]

"Oh no," she says, smiling brightly. "It's been fun. Don't feel bad about it. People take me to great places all the time. But I hardly ever get a meal like this."

Y'know the best part about being considered a culinary backwater (deserved or not)?

Short lines.

[touaregsand]

Then I started doing some research. I learned, catching up on a lot of back issues of Gourmet magazine, which Reichl now edits, that the raw food trend -- who knew there was one? -- had pretty much played itself out.

It hasn't played itself in Santa Monica where I used to live.

I'm inclined to agree with Russ Parsons. When I went to Dallas all I really wanted to try was great bbq, but these people who were showing me around insisted on taking me to a French restaurant. I gently explained to them that I am married to a French chef, have been to France many times and have also cooked in French restaurants. They insisted, they wanted to show off 'gourmet' Dallas. I gagged on the steak au poivre that was slathered with...um...bbq sauce.

As for Midwesterners being so insecure they care what a New Yorker thinks... I've wondered why New Yorkers sometimes care what a French writer or critic thinks. But that's a whole other thread(s).

[emmapeel]

...I encounter far too much disdain, though, from people on the coasts (including some here at eGullet, occasionally) who assume they know more about our food scene than we Midwesterners do ourselves.  Every now and then my temper erupts on the subject, and never more than for something like this... In the meantime, however, I do feel that Ms. Pickett's let down the side, big time.

←

Lady T, I agree that Ms. Pickett may have let the city down, but sometimes, in a city like yours, there are so many great places that when faced with the task of picking something unique and challenging for a food critic such as Reichl, it can be overwhelming. Granted, I would have picked a tried and true restaurant, but Ms. Pickett overeached (and I'm guilty of such things as well, like the time when I took wealthy, gracious friends out for a reciprocal dinner, I selected my favorite highly-rated Japanese place, and we were chased out for table turning in a most discourteous manner. . I was horrified. ) Hopefully, Ms. Reichl is more familiar with Chicago's dining than Karyn's Cooked, and will visit your city again soon. When I fly over, I always stop in Chi-town just to eat and covet your architecture. As a native New Yorker, I've been known to say "Why is food better when you leave New York?" (I am not saying New York doesn't have great food, we absolutely do, it's just that your hole-in-the-wall places are often better than ours.)

Edited May 16, 2005 by emmapeel (log)

[Behemoth]

c'mon, you're telling me that in a city that has frontera, topolobampo, blackbird, charlie t, alinea, moto and who knows what else since the last time i was there, people are still so insecure they care about what a new yorker thinks? now THAT'S midwestern, in my book. everyone in the food world knows that chicago is one of the top food cities in teh us.

BINGO.

[Andrew Fenton]

I'm inclined to agree with Russ Parsons. When I went to Dallas all I really wanted to try was great bbq, but these people who were showing me around insisted on taking me to a French restaurant. I gently explained to them that I am married to a French chef, have been to France many times and have also cooked in French restaurants. They insisted, they wanted to show off 'gourmet' Dallas. I gagged on the steak au poivre that was slathered with...um...bbq sauce.

Cf. Calvin Trillin's comments about "Maison de la Casa House"...

[glossyp]

What I found curious about the lunch is that while RR isn't there to write a review of the restaurant, she nonetheless orders and dines that way. Her quote, "...we know the Buddha bowl [an assortment of vegetables and rice] will be good. So no one can get that.", indicates that she may have some issues with just enjoying food. Why not order something that would be good along with the other items? She may have earned the right to dine as herself as quoted by Ms. Pickett but it seems clear that RR is still at heart a die hard restaurant critic loathe to simply relax or perhaps incapable of doing so. As such, one wonders what would have pleased her and Ms. Pickett may have been correct to avoid any of her personally favored places for fear of the residual taint of RR's distain.

[jsolomon]

I don't necessarily look at that as having an issue with enjoying her food. I look at that as something more playful.

[FoodMan]

Honestly, I thought the whole article was kind of useless, a waste of space. I did not think it was particularly funny or insightful. It seems that the only reason this article was published was because it has RR name in it. Other than that it had no value at all.

Now, to my other point, I have three cities on my US culinary list, and one of them is Chicago. I guess I cannot understand why it is so hard to find a decent lunch spot other than a vegan tofu galore. Jeez, take her to get a nice Italian beef sandwich for crying out loud! If I was living in Chicago like Lady T, I would be pissed too.

Elie

[ronnie_suburban]

I didn't think that Ms. Pickett's voice in the piece was particularly amusing (not even sure it was intended as such) but a couple of those lines from Ruth Reichl (quoted upthread) really cracked me up.

=R=

Honestly, I thought the whole article was kind of useless, a waste of space. I did not think it was particularly funny or insightful. It seems that the only reason this article was published was because it has RR name in it. Other than that it had no value at all.

Now, to my other point, I have three cities on my US culinary list, and one of them is Chicago. I guess I cannot understand why it is so hard to find a decent lunch spot other than a vegan tofu galore. Jeez, take her to get a nice Italian beef sandwich for crying out loud! If I was living in Chicago like Lady T, I would be pissed too.

Elie

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[touaregsand]

I didn't think that Ms. Pickett's voice in the piece was particularly amusing (not even sure it was intended as such) but a couple of those lines from Ruth Reichl (quoted upthread) really cracked me up.

Like this..

"Oh no," she says, smiling brightly. "It's been fun. Don't feel bad about it. People take me to great places all the time. But I hardly ever get a meal like this.

I think Ms Pickett is setting herself up as a the straightman a bit. She sets the 'stage' for RR's punchlines in the piece.

[ronnie_suburban]

I didn't think that Ms. Pickett's voice in the piece was particularly amusing (not even sure it was intended as such) but a couple of those lines from Ruth Reichl (quoted upthread) really cracked me up.

Like this..

"Oh no," she says, smiling brightly. "It's been fun. Don't feel bad about it. People take me to great places all the time. But I hardly ever get a meal like this.

I think Ms Pickett is setting herself up as a the straightman a bit. She sets the 'stage' for RR's punchlines in the piece.

←

Exactly

=R=

[kjente2]

I don't know any midwesterner who would care about anything but making sure that their guest was well taken care of and with hospitality. Making the best choice for the situation over insecurity.

Shoot..at least she didn't say that it reminded her of home!

Edited May 17, 2005 by kjente2 (log)

[Tess]

Granted, I would have picked a tried and true restaurant, but Ms. Pickett overeached (and I'm guilty of such things as well, like the time when I took wealthy, gracious friends out for a reciprocal dinner, I selected my favorite highly-rated Japanese place, and we were chased out for table turning in a most discourteous manner. .  I was horrified.  )

What's table turning?

Anyway, I still think the article is funny as an account of how things can go if you over-think. It happens to me with cooking when I want to try to be different or original. I can wind up with the weirdest meals.

[gmi3804]

What's table turning?

It's seating a new party at a recenly-vacated table. Restaurants (and servers) try to turn their tables as often as possible, for obvious reasons.

[touaregsand]

I'm inclined to agree with Russ Parsons. When I went to Dallas all I really wanted to try was great bbq, but these people who were showing me around insisted on taking me to a French restaurant. I gently explained to them that I am married to a French chef, have been to France many times and have also cooked in French restaurants. They insisted, they wanted to show off 'gourmet' Dallas. I gagged on the steak au poivre that was slathered with...um...bbq sauce.

Cf. Calvin Trillin's comments about "Maison de la Casa House"...

←

Even stranger... When my dining companions noticed I was clearly surprised that the steak had bbq sauce on it they said, "What did you expect? This is Dallas." Duh on me.

The sauce was pretty tasty, would have been spectacular on some slow cooked ribs.