--- On Thu, 13/5/10, Thaths <tha...@gmail.com> wrote:
> From: Thaths <tha...@gmail.com> > Subject: Re: [silk] Writing with the pack > To: silklist@lists.hserus.net > Date: Thursday, 13 May, 2010, 22:39 > On Thu, May 13, 2010 at 9:43 AM, > Pranesh Prakash > <the.solips...@gmail.com> > wrote: > > On Thursday 13 May 2010 09:43 PM, Thaths wrote: > >> http://beta.thehindu.com/life-and-style/metroplus/article428165.ece > >> Would you call that a fair/unbiased review of a > restaurant? I can list > >> many such infractions in reviews of shopping > malls, theaters, > >> restaurants, jewelery stores, etc. > > > > A fair/unbiased review of that restaurant? Why not? > Not every beat > > reporter has high standards and a press release > forming the major part > > of a report is not unheard of. > > 1. What makes you suspect unfairness/bias? > > Because, according to the review, there was not one thing > that the > reviewer did not like about the restaurant. > > > 2. Point out *any* newspaper *anywhere* in the world > with a > > city-focussed supplement, and I will point out at > least one such article > > in that supplement. > > I was tempted to pull a couple of reviews from the NYT. But > knowing > that that would open me up for allegations of elitism and > "yes... but > what about *ordinary* newspapers", I picked > > http://www.mountainview.net/dining/petit.html > > "The wine list is one sticking point: The bistro could use > a better > selection, with a couple of more moderately priced > California > vintages." > > ... > > "The latter, a hefty slab of smooth and musky pâté, was > haloed in > crushed pistachios and napped on a bed of butter lettuce > among cabbage > pillows and crunchy gherkins. It was good, but, alas, > pistachio proved > to be a two-edged blade: A little is divine, a lot is > disastrous. > Needless to say, the pistachio oil overpowered the duck > liver." > > > It is not 'biased' but (perhaps) shoddy. There is a > world of a > > difference. And why would you expect > though-provoking food criticism > > from any city supplement? > > Perhaps it is shoddy rather than biased. My problem is that > there is > not even a semblance of objectivity. > > Thaths > -- > "Lisa, Vampires are make-believe, like > elves, gremlins, and Eskimos." > > -- Homer J. Simpson > Sudhakar Chandra > > Slacker Without Borders > With the utmost respect, this is crap. The review in question may be bad, but I have gone along with my daughter in her The Hindu Supplement days in Bangalore, when she went food- and restaurant-reviewing; my role being the apocryphal 'my companion' who makes all the fortunate choices to counterpoint the reporter's series of crucifixions at the hands of various incompetent chefs. Actually, as she was a vegetarian, and not (at that time) a huge wine drinker, she used me to check the non-vegetarian parts and the wine list. Commenting on the quality of the review is meaningless; I am so biased that it would be laughable. The Hindu never ever interfered. My wife, too, used to do pieces for the same Supplement (not when my daughter was working with them; the two women were squeaky clean in avoiding such situations). She, who also took me in tow on some occasions, has had the same freedom. I don't know if it is radically different in Chennai; I doubt it; but at Bangalore, most certainly what you describe was never present. Never ever. And The Hindu correspondent was conspicuously the one who never picked up the PR goodies. House policy, not to be trifled with. I feel that your criticism is unfair and misplaced. If I didn't respect you through your writings and what is revealed through them, I might have added 'supercilious and condescending'.
