Important Aspects of a Restaurant Review

I will briefly touch on the aspects I consider when going to a restaurant and eventually writing a review. I encourage you think about these things at your next dining visit.

“Bad food is made without pride, by cooks who have no pride, and no love. Bad food is made by chefs who are indifferent, or who are trying to be everything to everybody, who are trying to please everyone. Bad food is fake food, food that shows fear and lack of confidence in people's ability to discern or to make decisions about their lives” - Anthony Bourdain

Location/Setting

The first thing that most of us notice when arriving at our restaurant of choice is the location. This could simply be the city, street, or relative distance from a family or friend's home. However, there is a lot more to it than that. When analyzing a restuarant, understanding the setting and implied aduience as a result, it is essential to break it down because not all places are intended for the same thing. For example, if I drive up to a McDonalds, it taking a look at the surrounding area can give me a rough idea of the clientel and food that might be served. The location of a restaurant might not always indicate its quality, but it is still an important factor to take into account when reviewing a restaurant.

Company

The company you go with to a restaurant can make or break a meal. Just as a classroom full of studious students will make you want to work harder, a group of foodies will truly make a restaurant experience all the more delightful. Whether you go with a group of friends, your family, or alone, the restaurant experience is immensely shaped by the people you bring along with you. With regard to a group of people, the emphasis of the small details of the restaurant might not come to mind since you are focusing on your friends. However, going alone to a restaurant can give you the opportunity to really hone in on certain aspects of what the restaurant is doing well and what they could work on. In my case, I prefer going with my family because its rather boring to go just on your own, and I feel that going with friends is difficult because everyone likes a different cuisine.

Service

The server and how you were treated by your server at a restaurant is one of the key aspects of restaurant criticism. When you are having a bad day, a kind, engaging server can surely bring up your mood. However, an irritable server who is not patient with your many questions and barely stops by to check on how your table is doing can negatively affect the way you think about that restaurant in the future, even if the food was superb! Even though the responsibility of the interaction between you and the server should be put onto them, it is important for you as the customer to respect them just as much. A symbiotic treatment of you and your waiter is vital in increasing the chances of being treated better by them.

Ambience

Just as the outside location/setting of the restaurant is important, the inside is just as, if not more important. Now, the ambience could mean a lot of different thigns depending on the restaurant. For instance, some restaurants may have live entertainment like music or dancing while others do not. Some may place an importance on historical artificats placed around. Others could feature a unique lighting system that makes the experience feel more intimate for couples. Whatever the situation is, all restaurants have some sort of theme or specialty. When analyzing this component, I implore you to look at every tiny detail. From the comfort and quality of the chairs, to the style of decor. All of these aspects are an important part of the restaurant experience.

Food

With everything "boring" aside, let's talk about food! After all, that's why you've gone to a restaurant in the first place. Now, food can simply be just about taste. But we can get to the nitty gritty of it. First, consider the presentation of your selected dish. Perhaps there is a rose petal to the side of your item. Maybe even a garnish of cilantro to finish your Cavatelli e broccole. Before gulping down your meal, try to examine the visual aspects of the food. Taking a picture beforehand might help so that you have something refer to later on. The seemingly most important aspect of all restuarant critique is the taste. While taste is subjective, any and every part of a restaurant analysis is an opinion. There is no concrete persective, we must all consider the situation and draw our own conclusions. Your friend might love the Saumon citron, but you might think that the fish was a little overdone. Regardless of your experience, remember to not be influenced by your group and determine for yourself what you liked and disliked. Especially take into account the finer details about taste. Whether you felt a hint of spice or even experience a slight crunch to the texture.

No matter what kind of restaurant you go to next, I urge each and everyone of you to take all of these things into account. It will make your dining experience a lot more interesting and engaging. Make sure to post on the forums about any restuarant you went to and leave a review so that other people know where to go and which places to avoid. I wish you all well on your food critiquing endeavors!