How "Real" Are Restaurant Reviews?

Posted on 24. Sep, 2009 by Michael Cohen in Business and Economics, Sandeep Junnarkar

The Staten Island Advance ran a glowing review of Ciro’s Pizza Cafe, but  a local restaurant critic can’t give you the inside dope of a former employee turned journalism student. Full disclosure, they fired me from my delivery job but I’m no bitter blogger. And I’m not going to write about all the customers who would shout at me with shock fueled disgust when I told them that the plain cheese pie costs $17.50 (including tax and the $2.50 delivery charge). Ciro’s has a paradoxical relationship with the South Shore, Staten Island community. Costumers frequently complain about prices yet they remain loyal. But let’s get back to the Advance’s review.

“[T]here are a few things about Ciro’s that might make it a worthy trip if you live outside the South Shore. For one thing, the kitchen bakes its own whole wheat and white loaves for the bread basket.”

Not always.  As a driver I was frequently sent to a bakery a few blocks away in Pleasant Plains to pick up bread. The bread sat in open cardboard boxes for the brief drive and crossed plenty of unwashed hands before reaching the bread basket.

“They came to the table warm in our experiences.”

Well, how many experiences has the Advance had?  I’ve got four years of appetite alleviating anecdotes. But like I said, I’m not trying to bash my former employer.

I’m just trying to raise this question; to what extent does a restaurant review reflect reality? Is a “review” journalism? If so, should the “reviewer,” engage in journalistic practices like interviewing people and see what the place is like on a bad day too?

To be fair, the Advance’s 550 word review did have did have nine scale balancing words.

“Alas, the Pizziaole’s very tough meat was a disappointment.”

Tags: journalism, Pizza, Restaurant and Dining, Staten Island