REVIEWS THAT DON'T DO IT.

I have noticed lots of reviews on things like restaurants that explain atmosphere and staff issues but not the food. Surely that's the most essential ingredient to a restaurant review. Same with food reviews that do not show taste. What do others think ?

I read one recently where the food was mentioned, that very little that was on the menu was available and the service was appalling. I'm sure they said they left after waiting absolutely ages to be served. It didn't need to rate the food itself to tell me to avoid going there.

That may have been an off day, but goodness me food certainly counts to me if I go to a restaurant.

I agree with you Rachel that food is an important part of a resteraunt review.However I do think there are certain times when food doesn't specifically have to matter like MUM52 said in her post, when somebody writes about extreme bad service that led them to walk out before the food arrived I don't think it matters what food was on the menu,I'd stay well clear! I know they may be having an off day but if you are dealing with public you have to be good all the time.Tough but that's the public industry!

I think the problem with reviewing food in a restaurant review is that since it is your opinion you can only review what you have eaten! Unless I go to the restaurant and order the exact same dish/es a review focusing on food would be of little use to me as the difference between one dish and another can be massive in terms of quality.

What is important to me in a restaurant review is the range of food available (mentioning the variety of the menu), whether they have special deals, the atmosphere and cleanliness of a place, the staff friendliness and the facilities. I think it is good if you mention that you think the food is great if you attend the restaurant regularly but other than a passing mention of food is enough. The only important things regarding the food I would expect to see is how long it took to arrive after ordering and whether it was delivered hot and according to my preferences.

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The only important things regarding the food I would expect to see is how long it took to arrive after ordering and whether it was delivered hot and according to my preferences

I disagree. Someone can tell you the quality and presentation of their food and how well cooked it was and that to me matters more than any other issue.

Admin wrote:

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The only important things regarding the food I would expect to see is how long it took to arrive after ordering and whether it was delivered hot and according to my preferences

I disagree. Someone can tell you the quality and presentation of their food and how well cooked it was and that to me matters more than any other issue.

True, in my experience in the catering industry if one dish is not prepared/presented to a satisfactory standard the chances are the rest of the menu will be of a similar standard.

Especially if, as with most English restaurants, they didn't actually cook the food in the first place, just warm up sous vide stuff they bought in. Even decent-looking restaurants in the UK do this.

I would expect passing mention of value/price/ambience and the bulk of the review to be on the food. Otherwise it would be useless to me. I'm fed up with going into restaurants only to find crap food.

I would also be interested to know if the provenance of what was being cooked was spoken about to the customers by the waiting staff as this is another sign of a quality restaurant - they're proud of their ingredients.

Maybe I don't eat out enough but for me if its hot, good value and served with a smile then thats what it important. I like to know the variety of food on offer of course especially for kids.

See, maybe I'm a snob (or spoiled by the choice in Glasgow) but I really want to know what the place feels like. Yes, the food has to be good, hell with the competition up here it has to be excellent. However, I take that as a given up here and if the food is bad then I would be a bit dissapointed however the way my complaint was dealt with would mean a lot more.

Everywhere has off days.

Maybe thats why my fav restaurant at the moment is one called Kublai Khan and is a Mongolian Restaruant. The idea is, you have all the raw ingredients set out in a row, you pick what veg, meat (from things like shark, zebra, springbok, kangaroo - the list goes on), put in the sauces and spices you want according to the suggested menu on the wall (or whatever combination you want!) and they then cook it in front of you.

That way, if I get a crap dish, its cause I made it up myself.

However, the people in there who serve are fantastic and are only too glad to help. We went there for my mates birthday just last week and they gave her a thone and full mongolian warrier get up for the occasion.

Anyway, my point is, the food is only a small part of the place for me. An important part, but still only a part. I want to go somewhere that I dont have shitty waiters making snide comments. I want to go somewhere where if the food is crap, then I can be confident that sommit will be done about it. Simply saying the food is crap and walking out doesnt give the whole picture opf a restaurant for me. If its cheap, then what do you expect? If its not, then the recourse you get from the staff makes or breaks it for me.

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the food is only a small part of the place for me

Point taken there and very well expressed. However, live over here for a year or two. Most restaurants are very similar in ambiance and its really the food that counts for me, plus service and helpfulness of staff. Just different people seeing things from their own perspective which is great. Otherwise the world would be a mess wouldn't it !

Love the sound of your restaurant. Great idea.

Admin wrote:

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the food is only a small part of the place for me

Point taken there and very well expressed. However, live over here for a year or two. Most restaurants are very similar in ambiance and its really the food that counts for me, plus service and helpfulness of staff. Just different people seeing things from their own perspective which is great. Otherwise the world would be a mess wouldn't it !

Love the sound of your restaurant. Great idea.

It is a fantastic place, if anyone is ever in Glasgow I suggest you pay a vist.

But talking about restaurants in France, and this in only my experience, the choice is just not there. Yes the french have a very strong opinion on food (even if it is put lots of garlic in it and it should be ok ) but where I hail from, we have restaurants from all over the world. The choice of food is fantastic. Thats why, I feel that the service given is more important.

But as I said, maybe I'm just spoiled.

thoroughly. The French are odd about restaurants in rural parts. Its a place for eating. Full stop. Nothing much more than that. There is one great place I eat which is a man's garage. He makes the most superb crepes and you bring what you want in them, but its a super place with super people.

Admin wrote:

There is one great place I eat which is a man's garage. He makes the most superb crepes and you bring what you want in them, but its a super place with super people.

That's a bit odd where you bring your own fillings but it also sounds like it would be a relaxing, sociable place to go where you can really get to know the people.Quite a good idea really!

yes it is. If I were to describe the decor then I am sure loads would not go, but the old guy is great and the idea is great and you soak in so much local atmosphere there.

I rate down ! It is the same with phone reviews..some people go into great detail about the phone but don't mention anything at all about making actual calls..they always get SH from me ! (they normally argue too)

My bugbear on phone reviews is buttons. I don't know why but some give me difficulty. Either not clear enough or not solid enough to know I have pressed them, or too close together.

Restaurant/Bar reviews seldom have info regarding disabled access and access in general if you have a wheelchair bodied person as well as clean and hygiene WC facilities.

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Restaurant/Bar reviews seldom have info regarding disabled access and access in general if you have a wheelchair bodied person as well as clean and hygiene WC facilities.

Yes I know. I add it, but really would an able bodied person have the appropriate experience to do that ? We can notice there are no steps, we can notice there are ramps, but unless we get in a wheelchair, how can we know from our own experience ? We can say we noticed something, but not say how user friendly it is from their point of view.