AGREED!
AGREED!
Janice Okun is an old bag who is biased against any of the new hip scene restaurants. She loves old world, wood, brass type establishments. Get her the heck out and bring in someone young and fresh, Okun is in her 70's
Ralph- What, do tastebuds have a shelf life? She doesn't like what you do and therefore she does not qualify as a critic? You actually read her stuff? The one thing I find interesting is the complete and utter lack of alternative reviews. Where are the vegan, hispanic, sushi, Thai reviews? Of course they aren't old world brass type establishments. Or chinese. There are always Chinese reviews.
I think the problem Okun has had for several years now is drawing a firm line between 2 and three stars. There are, in my opinion. far too many 3-plus star reviews that are not deserving.
Overall food quality and related presentation should account for the lion's share of the score--but service and ambiance should also be incorporated into the same. Service is where many places miss the mark in a big way. And let's not forget the wine list--something that Okun never incorporates into her reviews. This is an important component she's never delivered on--as food and wine pairings are a huge part of select cuisines and/or higher caliber restaurants.
Dining out should incorporate an overall 'experience' for the paying cutomer. I would agree that Okun also falls way short on exploring more diverse cuisines. Thankfully, there are other resources people are looking to to learn more about our local establishments--and I'm hopeful BRO loooks to deliver a 'qualified' reviewer.
Oh, you've really hit the nail on the head with this one. As a good friend has pointed out..."If Janice Okun describes a piece of steak as having "good beefy flavor" one more time, I'm going to kill myself. There is no critique in her critique and does little to paint a picture of her dining experience. Her writing is flat and so are her taste buds. Can we start a critique right here on BRO???
I would read it faithfully. THis is where I found out about Vegetarian friendly places in Buffalo. What kind of flavor would she expect from steak???
The problem with the food writing in Buffalo, which surely is of low quality both in The News and Artvoice, just reflects a bigger systemic problem in area newspaper writing overall: middlebrow writing that is complacent at best. I think some of this, at least in the case of The News, comes from their strategy to appeal to the suburban reader. Sorry for the generalization, but it's hard to deny that The News has acquired a kind of "soccer mom" tone in all of its lifestyle writing.
There are some exceptions: George Sax is by far the best writer at Artvoice and a much more refined stylist than Jeff Simon. There is some occasionally sharp Sports writing in the news. But we regularly have to suffer through the likes of Mary Kunz Goldman's or Donn Esmonde's painfully familiar bromides and chunky formulas about Buffalo, its people, and its culture. The city deserves better.
Careful of what you ask for - I think sincere, well educated, reviews like those of Michael Bauer of the SF Chronicle would destroy the independent food scene here. You see, the reality is the restaurants are just not that good in Buffalo, at least no where near as good as people told me before I "repatriated" last April. I really don't think the market here has a real clue as to what good food really is.
And let's not even talk about wine lists. The worst I've ever seen, in any city. Is there a law not to offer wine that retails for more than 15/bottle in Buffalo?
Buff is not ready for objectivity in its food scene; let the sleeping dog lie.
From personal experience, most of what gets reviewed here qualifies as an endorsement. My friends and i have visited almost every new restaurant reviewed and can usually find reason to return.
The practice of allotting stars turns me off, I'd rather have a comprehensive report on the atmosphere, service, food quality and relative value.
Restaurants having lots of selection, generally excel at only a few presentations. Restaurants killer busy, usually are fun but not excellent experiences, too rushed. Restaurants with knockout location or architecture are usually overpriced. We prefer small, owner operated, off time dining, more attention is given to great recipes.
The best reviews come from listening to people who dine out frequently with diverse ethnic, location and pricing practice. Find out what their favorite places are depending on their mood.
Brian, Maybe you are thinking of Buffalo, Wyoming...I grew up in Los Angeles, worked in 5 star restaurants in both Philly, and New York City. Being biased by the fact that I also have a fine dining establishment in buffalo, Buffalo has great restaurants. As per wine lists, I have 100+ Bottles, I know Hutch has great lists at both hutch's and tempo. Not to Mention Henry Gorino at Oliver's, that list rivals some of the best I have seen in any New York or San Fran restaurant. There is a major difference in markets with new york, la, san fran, philly, and buffalo. But let me say this I am proud to be part of the buffalo independent restaurant scene, and to you my friend brian, if you don't think we are "as good" as we think we are....move back to san fran and get overcharged for the same food and wine you can get right here.
As for not being ready for a serious critic....I welcome it....I am confident in my product as are many of my counterparts.
Hey - let's start this here.... Why not let readers write about the restaurants they visit and see if we can find the next great food critic right here in Buffalo?
Chef, You seem to validate my point - the minute somebody doubts the scene you can't resist saying things like "move back to SF".
There are some great restarurants here, no doubt. I support them all, enthusiastically. But I get annoyed with the uber-proud sentimentality that crowds out rational conversation about the details of the food.
Here is my inability to resist....Please name me more than a few restaurants that don't dumb down their food to meet the market....It aint Hutch's, it aint Nektar, It aint Tempo. Those menus are for fat Dad's, the super-hungry. Great, they have some trophy bottles on the list and some off-vintage Burgandy. Where are the market-makers? Where is the leader of an identity to this town's food scene? Would love to hear the list.
PS - the same food costs less in SF, and that's a fact. The same 22-26 dollar entrees in this town are 18-22 in SF as far as I can tell (but I'm sure you'll tell me I'm wrong)....maybe it's the cost of the butter/fat or starch you make your goopey lip-smacking sauces with.
Enlighten me....
Brian--too much sarcasm spoils the appetite. I've lived in four major cities and after a while, you see the same food everywhere. San Francisco's food scene is just that: a "scene." No thanks, I'll pass on "scenes." It's not especially imaginative and what I found was pretty much indistinguishable from the above average restaurant here. The exception is Asian cusine, which has an advantage on the West Coast. Most food everywhere is overrated, including in Buffalo. Don't take it so seriously.
I'm all for great tasting, fill you up, rib sticking dining. Some of the best meals ever eaten have been outside. Comparing restaurants is like comparing apples and oranges unless the accommodations and menu are the same. People go to restaurants for different reasons, the food, the atmosphere, relationships and connivence. If everyone had the same criteria there could be a few food factories instead of the diversity it's nice to have.
Brian obviously hasn't been to The Coda or O'Connell's. La Tee Da has done some interesting stuff as well. The ethnic scene (if one is willing to visit neighborhoods outside of their comfort zones) can be spectacular. I could probably think of a few more given some time.
Brian obviously hasn't been to The Coda or O'Connell's. La Tee Da has done some interesting stuff as well. The ethnic scene (if one is willing to visit neighborhoods outside of their comfort zones) can be spectacular. I could probably think of a few more given some time.
Brian obviously hasn't been to The Coda or O'Connell's. La Tee Da has done some interesting stuff as well. The ethnic scene (if one is willing to visit neighborhoods outside of their comfort zones) can be spectacular. I could probably think of a few more given some time.
Brian, I did not tell you to go back to S.F. because I have doubts in my ability. you posted in your second post that Buffalo has great restaurants, yet in your first you stated that we don't. As someone that moved back to Buffalo, and reopened a storied fine dining establishment, I feel slighted by this comment. I believe that we serve first class food, and give first class service. I am not so pompus to say we are the best because we are not, but I have worked in major markets, with great chefs and I bring those expierences home and provide them in my restaurant. I believe in Buffalo, and let me tell you it is hard, because of the "This is only Buffalo" mentality. I work very hard to provide Buffalo with a dining Table that is comparable to major markets. Kobe Beef, Foie Gras, Imported Fresh Seafood, and a wine list that is comprised of great California varietals, as well as international stars. This is my misson to convince Buffalo that we have great food just like S.F. , Boston, New York..etc. Come in and try the product if you still think that we are inferior, then I will step aside and say you are correct about us Buffalo Chef's...we are just hacks trying to make a living in a town that won't let us be creative. I don't see that happening though.
By NYC standards there isn't even a 3 star place in all of Buffalo!
First time visitor here to the blog, thank you all for the enlightenment regarding the Buffalo dining scene. For those of you that think you're doing your best, thank you! For those of you who think you can do better-great! I live in a suburb of Buff and I must tell you that in order for my wife and I to get a meal that even remotely resembles big city eats, we need to travel to 25-30 miles to find it. Though it may not seem that far, when you throw a bottle of wine on top of it, or perhaps a cocktail hour before, mileage and time can be a killer. We've been to many of the more formal/hip/upscale establishments in buffalo (by Buffalo standards), had good, had bad, had phenomenal. We'll always give one a second shot. We're a bit biased when we dine for reasons I won't discuss, but here's some light I can shed on dining in Buffalo based on the people that live here: Social class examines food different ways. Lower class looks at "how much can I get?" Middle class looks at "what is the quality?" and upper class examines "how was it presented?" Seeing as the fact that WNY is predominately middle class, it stands to reason that the greater majority of restaurants here focus on quality. As diners we've encountered great presentation, and we admire it along with the quality of food AND service received. Let me toss this question into the mix...is it possible that restaurants far and wide in Buffalo haven't stepped it up a notch because they're catering the "way things have always been?" Is it possible that Buffalonians could LEARN to appreciate upscale dining? This was written in haste, my apologies for errors and sentence fragments!
First time visitor here to the blog, thank you all for the enlightenment regarding the Buffalo dining scene. For those of you that think you're doing your best, thank you! For those of you who think you can do better-great! I live in a suburb of Buff and I must tell you that in order for my wife and I to get a meal that even remotely resembles big city eats, we need to travel to 25-30 miles to find it. Though it may not seem that far, when you throw a bottle of wine on top of it, or perhaps a cocktail hour before, mileage and time can be a killer. We've been to many of the more formal/hip/upscale establishments in buffalo (by Buffalo standards), had good, had bad, had phenomenal. We'll always give one a second shot. We're a bit biased when we dine for reasons I won't discuss, but here's some light I can shed on dining in Buffalo based on the people that live here: Social class examines food different ways. Lower class looks at "how much can I get?" Middle class looks at "what is the quality?" and upper class examines "how was it presented?" Seeing as the fact that WNY is predominately middle class, it stands to reason that the greater majority of restaurants here focus on quality. As diners we've encountered great presentation, and we admire it along with the quality of food AND service received. Let me toss this question into the mix...is it possible that restaurants far and wide in Buffalo haven't stepped it up a notch because they're catering the "way things have always been?" Is it possible that Buffalonians could LEARN to appreciate upscale dining? This was written in haste, my apologies for errors and sentence fragments!
All of this conjecture is well and good, but the argument for a 'real' food critic is a good one. When I was the chef at The Circle, I was reviewed and given two and a half stars. Janice Okuns' complaint was that I was using too much fennel, and she didn't like it. The next week she reviewed the Glen Park Tavern and gave it three stars for it's deep fried appetizer plate and the burger. It was a good lesson in what the public wants. There were other issues at that space, and thank god it closed. That restaurant was hampered by the philosophy in Buffalo that you have to appeal to all people. Burgers and chicken sandwiches share space on the menu with wings and chili-fries above the entrees that included Salmon with Northern Caponata and Fennel Slaw and an 18oz. NY Strip. I am much happier with my small dining space and limited menu at The Coda. We have had many times when people come into the restaurant, sit down, look at the menu, say "Isn't there anything else?" and get up an leave. I don't find it insulting, I find it sad. There is no reason for a restaurant to have a six page menu with dozens of offerings, as a chef I won't go to those places, precisely because I have worked in those places. In order to offer that many choices, the quality of the food has to be rock bottom as in frozen or processed in order to maintain some level of edibility while it sits around waiting to be ordered. I was working around the clock to maintain standards at The Circle, and my staff usually ended up eating the steaks because I couldn't bear to throw them out. In order to survive in a town with a 'real' food critic, the majority of restaurants would have to scale down their menus and concentrate on what they could do well. If that means cutting your entrees from twenty to seven, and your appetizers from fifteen to six, then I think that the dining public would benefit. Rather than have the kitchen scrambling to try and execute fifteen menu items poorly, wouldn't it be better to execute six things perfectly? The number of regulars that I have in my dining room who sit there and trash other establishments in this city is amazing! I get reports back from my floor staff all the time that Table 42 is comparing my place with another Buffalo establishment. It's interesting to me only in the regularity with which it happens, which implies that these people go to this place that they are trashing for a repeat performance. Why? If I have a bad experience with a place, I don't go back for six months. If it's a really bad experience, I don't go back.....ever. There are a lot of places in Buffalo that are on the Never Go Back List, for a variety of reasons. The biggest determiner is the food. I don't care if the service is slow or sloppy, I don't care if the wine list hasn't been updated and we have to play a little vintage roulette, I don't care if the decor is a little haphazard or uninspired...it all comes down to the food. If it isn't treated with respect why am I spending my money on it? I have very little free time and with my own business, the extra money is sometimes hard to come by, so if I am going to invest in a dining experience I want it to be at least interesting. If a 'real' critic could raise the bar in Buffalo and ensure that more places were worth that experience, then I am all for it.
To Chef Roo:
Indeed Buffalo could use a real food critic, and Arthur Page spoke highly of your restaurant on many levels. However to simply go into a restaurant and critique food does the reader a disservice. You state that:
"The biggest determiner is the food. I don't care if the service is slow or sloppy, I don't care if the wine list hasn't been updated and we have to play a little vintage roulette, I don't care if the decor is a little haphazard or uninspired...it all comes down to the food. If it isn't treated with respect why am I spending my money on it?
Though Mr. Page's review indicates otherwise, am I to assume that this is the approach that you take in your restaurant? I would hate to think so! Dining is an experience. A person's tab is being rung from the minute they walk through the door and so is their impression. If the service is sloppy, the meal appears sloppy. If four people pass us by before saying "hello," or letting us know that our table will be ready soon, what does that say about the service for the meal? If a host or hostess seats us and it takes five minutes to order a glass, we're tempted to leave. Why? Because a $30 entree is not priced as such based on the quality of the dish alone, but also on the service, the presentation, and the way people feel when they're in a restaurant. If the staff is in the weeds, what does that say about our meal? It's the experience from walking in to walking out that makes a $20 dish at one place $30 at another.
What are the bathrooms like? Sounds trivial, but sometimes there's an experience there as well. What attention is put into THAT room? Ask people in casual conversation about their feelings on it. After all, most often the staff uses the same place...
I'm sure you're familiar with restaurant managers in other markets. These people are paid A LOT to make sure that not just the meal tastes wonderful, but that every aspect of the experience will bring them back.
As far as uninspired decor, I highly doubt that a person will have a bad experience based on that, and opinions of style are even more subjective than the quality of the food. So with that, I see your point.
Wrapping up, I'll admit to having never been to Coda, but that I'm excited to try your place-simply based on what Mr. Page has written and also how you feel about preparing dishes. I trust that as the proprieter, you DO care about the service, the cleanliness, and way people feel when your staff is taking care of them. And I'm certain that you know that if there's a disconnect between the kitchen door and the floor, a restaurant has problems.
Perhaps I'm reading your comments too closely?
Getting back to the real issue: There should be more than one critic, they should be anonymous, and show up announced.
Make it a great day, everyone!
I think Buffalo needs more critics and writers in general. I guess were all to busy eating the great food to care. The daily news paper is becoming a joke. They don't write about art any more either. Anti-art. Thank god for BR.
i believe that too many people in this forum believe they know more than certified culinarians. Everyone is welcome to pass judgement on a dining experience whether it relates to food quality, service, presentation or condition of the rest rooms but just because you believe some of these things to be true doesn't make you an expert Because you know what a wine list reads in Napa Valley doesn't mean that Buffalo doesn't have an abundance of offerings. Buffalo has an identity all of it's own and that is the beauty of it. We are not trying to make Buffalo- San Francisco East. There are great restaurants in this town with very creative chefs and proprietors who care about all aspec ts of your dining experience. I do agree with one point though- Janice Okun is a dinosaur in a constantly changing environment. Janice Okun is a great symbolism of what is wrong with the City of Buffalo. Too many politics.
I find her reviews to be too short and obviously rushed. As a food writer, I think she is just going through the motions with her Wednesday articles and "commentary" on the state of the restaurant industry. (Among other things!) Besides, 75-80% of the restaurant workers in Buffalo know who she is, and everyone knows her "pattern". She comes in on a Tuesday night with her Husband, she drinks alot, and orders the plainest thing on the menu. She only gives four stars if the servers wear ties and the place has been open for 2,000 years. She's out of touch with food trends.
I think she is a snob, only giving the casual restaurants a 2 if they are lucky. She is only one persons opinion and again if the restaurant is not in the snotty part of town, forget it. Maybe she forgets who pays her salary. We could definitely use a pro.
Forward,
I was speaking as a customer who is also in the business. I know that things are very often not to the standards that I hold.
The point was that it can be all glitz and lights and every-frigging-vodka-ever-thought of behind the bar or it can be slightly down-and-out, the point was that if the food is no good, it's no good.
If it's half-assed, it's no good.
If it's overpriced and frozen to boot, it's no good.
If it's too busy with no clear identity, it's no good.
I have worked in the restaurant/hospitality industry for 19 years.
I could care less about lapses (I'll notice them) in service, or accuracy.
I eat most of my meals standing up at the end of a very long day and night, sometimes with my fingers, and more often than not over a garbage can so I don't drip on the cutting board.
I am most forgiving as a diner, as long as the dining is well-executed.
We hold high standards at The Coda, and we have a regular clientele who politely remind us when we are not at our best. Almost like having a table of critics on every night of service.
It doesn't happen often, but when it does it is mortifying.
As concerns the quest for a new critic, I am not hoping for a London style reviewer, who are hilarious and cruel at the same time, although with our own particular breed of Schadenfreude in Buffalo they might get the job done faster.
I just think that someone who would tell the truth, and not review every tavern by the same standards as they review a white tablecloth restaurant is needed. If it's awful, wait a month and go back, if it's still awful; say so or don't review it.
Report this