WaPo Ask Tom?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Tom discusses DCUM in his recent chat:

Q: Comments from "DC Urban Moms"
Hi Tom - I'm not a regular poster in this chat, but that link to the DC Urban Moms chatroom really bothered me: http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/699666.page. First off, Rasika is amazing - what are you supposed to say when a chatter asks you to recommend a great Indian restaurant in DC? Somehow name a better one? ...I'll wait. Secondly, for all of those questioning your credibility after naming Timber Pizza Company as one of your Top 10, I'd like to present you with Exhibit A: https://www.bonappetit.com/story/best-pizza-2017...or is Bon Appetit also considered not a credible source either?? Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, just make sure you do your homework to avoid making empty accusations. I mean come on, how more "credible" can you get as someone with 17+ years of experience as a food critic for a nationally acclaimed news source in one of the greatest food cities in the nation? Once again...I'll wait.

A: Tom Sietsema
I have no problems with anyone disagreeing with me, but I think it's important to know the experience of some of my anonymous critics. Regarding Rasika, have they ever been to India? When did they last eat at the establishment? And how many times? Also -- and I may catch heat for this -- just because someone is from India doesn't make them an expert or especially discerning. They may just like what they like, or what they grew up with.

I don't understand his answer. He asks if Rasika critics have been to India, like that's a prerequisite to write about the restaurant. But at the same time, he criticizes Indians for not having discerning palates. That's obnoxious. I don't know what part of Europe he descends from, but when he criticizes a Western restaurant, I doubt people complain that he makes criticisms based on his desire for "home cooking."

[Anonymous]

PP above, can you read? He doesn’t say Indians don’t have discerning palates. He says just because someone is Indian doesn’t mean they will automatically be able to identify excellent Indian food, and of course that must be right. Some Indians will but simply saying “my Indian friend doesn’t like Rasika” doesn’t really tell us anything about Rasika, unless we know a bit more about your friend and her likes/dislikes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think Sietsema is great. If you don't like him stick with the other reviewers in the Post. Or the Washingtonian.

He is friends with Jose Andres and constantly over-hypes Jaleo and MiniBar. Hint to Tom: when the owner brings you a gratis cheese plate "that rocked my world" you're getting special treatment.

He thinks Bombay Club is something special when it's really just a faux Raj experience for the expense account set, and God help you if you're in a party of Tamils. There are better albeit small Indian restaurants in DC.

Haha!! Can you please, please say more about this? My in-laws are Tamil. The last time I ate at Bombay Club was years ago, when the Malabar Lobster I ordered was RUBBERY AS HELL and completely inedible. We had brought friends from out of town there, and I was actually embarrassed by the food.

Jaleo is fnothing special. Same for Rasika except the fried spinach, which you can now find at other places. Le Diplomat was ordinary, though I enjoyed the French-y atmosphere. Agree with the PPs shout-out to Estadio.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PP above, can you read? He doesn’t say Indians don’t have discerning palates. He says just because someone is Indian doesn’t mean they will automatically be able to identify excellent Indian food, and of course that must be right. Some Indians will but simply saying “my Indian friend doesn’t like Rasika” doesn’t really tell us anything about Rasika, unless we know a bit more about your friend and her likes/dislikes.

Yes, I can read. I can even write. Which is why I don’t understand the contradiction in why he asks whether someone has been to India as part of validating their beliefs on Rasika and then complains about Indian posters being attached to home cooking. He doesn’t complain that Spanish people are bashing Jaleo due to their love of home cooking even though plenty of people have complained about his supposed bias towards Jaleo.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PP above, can you read? He doesn’t say Indians don’t have discerning palates. He says just because someone is Indian doesn’t mean they will automatically be able to identify excellent Indian food, and of course that must be right. Some Indians will but simply saying “my Indian friend doesn’t like Rasika” doesn’t really tell us anything about Rasika, unless we know a bit more about your friend and her likes/dislikes.

Yes, I can read. I can even write. Which is why I don’t understand the contradiction in why he asks whether someone has been to India as part of validating their beliefs on Rasika and then complains about Indian posters being attached to home cooking. He doesn’t complain that Spanish people are bashing Jaleo due to their love of home cooking even though plenty of people have complained about his supposed bias towards Jaleo.

I'm sure Tom can answer for himself if he wants to, but what I understood from his comment is that there are two separate points: (1) addressing the comment that Rasika is not "authentic" Indian food, he asks whether someone has been to India so that they would be able to make a valid comparison between the food they ate in India, which is presumably "authentic", and the food served in Rasika; and (2) addressing the comments that people's Indian friends or Indian posters here don't think Rasika is very good, he comments that Indians are not automatically qualified to determine whether food in an Indian restaurant is good or not.

[Anonymous]

So which restaurants did he recommend in his chat this week? Same ones he always does?

[Anonymous]

Anyone read his fall dining guide? Same old same old.

[Anonymous]

Who are you that keeps digging up old zombie threads?! Start a new one!!!

[Anonymous]

Omg. I know this is ancient but when he actually showed up in the thread I cracked the heck up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think Sietsema is great. If you don't like him stick with the other reviewers in the Post. Or the Washingtonian.

He is friends with Jose Andres and constantly over-hypes Jaleo and MiniBar. Hint to Tom: when the owner brings you a gratis cheese plate "that rocked my world" you're getting special treatment.

He thinks Bombay Club is something special when it's really just a faux Raj experience for the expense account set, and God help you if you're in a party of Tamils. There are better albeit small Indian restaurants in DC.

Haha!! Can you please, please say more about this? My in-laws are Tamil. The last time I ate at Bombay Club was years ago, when the Malabar Lobster I ordered was RUBBERY AS HELL and completely inedible. We had brought friends from out of town there, and I was actually embarrassed by the food.

Jaleo is fnothing special. Same for Rasika except the fried spinach, which you can now find at other places. Le Diplomat was ordinary, though I enjoyed the French-y atmosphere. Agree with the PPs shout-out to Estadio.

Another Bombay Club hater here. I love Indian food, and the last time I had the Sunday brunch buffet, nothing was good. There was barely any meat included and a lot of potato dishes.

[Anonymous]

I haven't liked the last 2 recommendations from Tom, so I look elsewhere for advice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think Sietsema is great. If you don't like him stick with the other reviewers in the Post. Or the Washingtonian.

He is friends with Jose Andres and constantly over-hypes Jaleo and MiniBar. Hint to Tom: when the owner brings you a gratis cheese plate "that rocked my world" you're getting special treatment.

He thinks Bombay Club is something special when it's really just a faux Raj experience for the expense account set, and God help you if you're in a party of Tamils. There are better albeit small Indian restaurants in DC.

Haha!! Can you please, please say more about this? My in-laws are Tamil. The last time I ate at Bombay Club was years ago, when the Malabar Lobster I ordered was RUBBERY AS HELL and completely inedible. We had brought friends from out of town there, and I was actually embarrassed by the food.

Jaleo is fnothing special. Same for Rasika except the fried spinach, which you can now find at other places. Le Diplomat was ordinary, though I enjoyed the French-y atmosphere. Agree with the PPs shout-out to Estadio.

Another Bombay Club hater here. I love Indian food, and the last time I had the Sunday brunch buffet, nothing was good. There was barely any meat included and a lot of potato dishes.

10 years ago I took some important visitors to Bombay Club for the weekend champagne brunch and it was an embarrassment. I've never been back.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Also, he never stops gushing about Le diplomate. Even after the Washington outed he was getting special treatment. I’ve been to 4 star restaurants, all over the world, Le Diplomate is pedestrian French food and some of the worst service I’ve ever had. And when people have called him out on this his answer is basically, well, Your wrong.

Documented special treatment, meaning what?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Who are you that keeps digging up old zombie threads?! Start a new one!!!

Someone with a gripe?