WaPo Ask Tom?

[TomSietsema]

Making three or more visits to places, unannounced and under a different name, certainly helps me evaluation service, as I get to be waited on by different servers and experience different parts of a restaurant. I also occasionally go in disguise to restaurants where I know I'm known, although it takes a considerable amount of time to look not like myself. Trusted friends also share service stories with me.

[Anonymous]

TomSietsema wrote:Making three or more visits to places, unannounced and under a different name, certainly helps me evaluation service, as I get to be waited on by different servers and experience different parts of a restaurant. I also occasionally go in disguise to restaurants where I know I'm known, although it takes a considerable amount of time to look not like myself. Trusted friends also share service stories with me.

What does this disguise involve?

[TomSietsema]

If I told you, I'd be telling the world. not gong there!

[Anonymous]

Do you pay with a credit card with your name on it?

[TomSietsema]

I tend to pay in cash or use a credit card with a name other than my own.

[Anonymous]

I find the critiques in this thread odd. Obviously there's going to be an element of subjectivity. How could you be totally objective as a food critic? But IMO Rasika, MiniBar, and other restaurants that Tom routinely recommends are special DC places. And readers can always voice an opinion or alternate suggestion in the chat, which is really cool.

[Anonymous]

And ALSO I love that Tom is hugely positive about DC!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In the chat Sietsema asked for a documented instance where he has shown bias in his review.

Here's one about ten years ago, where Sietsema eventually apologized for his review entitled: "At Commissary, Cheap Eats Don't Come Good":

"Note to readers: I should have recused myself from reviewing Commissary. I had a personal relationship with one of the principals a couple of years ago and in retrospect, I can see how that could create a misimpression that it compromised my objectivity."

This means you won't see any Sietsema reviews of EatWell DC's array of restaurants.

Columbia Journalism Review also covered this episode.

I found this episode rather compelling. I’m guessing there’s a gag order preventing Sietsema from commenting.

What this means, though, is that Sietsema chooses carefully which questions to answer in the course of his public outreach.

[TomSietsema]

Actually, I address a mix of reader questions and comments in my weekly chat -- including from readers who don't agree with me. I think it's only fair. If you follow me with any regularity, you'll see that although there are a lot of "Where should I go for my 30th birthday?" type questions, i intersperse those with travel, etiquette and other dining advice.

The incident regarding Commissary was a long time ago. You seem stuck on it for some reason. Why the curiosity? I briefly dated someone who had a stake in it, we ended the brief relationship amicably, but another party chose to turn the issue into something it was not. We all make mistakes. I apologized. Life goes on!

[Anonymous]

TomSietsema wrote:I tend to pay in cash or use a credit card with a name other than my own.

I always thought this was called "credit card fraud"?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

TomSietsema wrote:I tend to pay in cash or use a credit card with a name other than my own.

I always thought this was called "credit card fraud"?

Wait, really? For years I thought it was OK when my wife handed me her card to slip in the bill holder and now you tell me I've been filthy criminal scum the whole time?!

(Hint: restaurant critics rarely dine alone as it would be a major tipoff)

[Anonymous]

I always find it so odd when people put down ethnic restaurants because it's not 100% authentic and expat approved, like even if the food tastes good it's not even worth going if it's not cooked by a grandma from the old country.

No Chinese person would recognize anything on the menu at a typical Chinese restaurant, and that's OK, it doesn't make deep fried sugar chicken any less delicious. No Indian person would recognize Chicken Tikka (invented in England) but that's not going to stop me from ordering it when I have a hankering for chicken in tomato cream sauce.

There are plenty of places that serve more authentic Indian food than Rasika, but frankly a lot of the inauthentic stuff Rasika just flat out tastes better to many Americans than the authentic stuff, and there's nothing wrong with that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I always find it so odd when people put down ethnic restaurants because it's not 100% authentic and expat approved, like even if the food tastes good it's not even worth going if it's not cooked by a grandma from the old country.

No Chinese person would recognize anything on the menu at a typical Chinese restaurant, and that's OK, it doesn't make deep fried sugar chicken any less delicious. No Indian person would recognize Chicken Tikka (invented in England) but that's not going to stop me from ordering it when I have a hankering for chicken in tomato cream sauce.

There are plenty of places that serve more authentic Indian food than Rasika, but frankly a lot of the inauthentic stuff Rasika just flat out tastes better to many Americans than the authentic stuff, and there's nothing wrong with that.

I totally agree.
Guess what? I like Italian American cooking better than real Italian. Gasp!
I've eaten all over China for work, and I like Americanized Chinese better. The horror!

[Anonymous]

Tom, I think your reviews are solid. I moved to a new city a few years ago and miss your columns, our “critic” is more of a local booster for businesses...just the good, even when there is precious little good about a place. Worthless.

[Anonymous]

I am Indian-American and love Rasika!

Tom, I love your reviews although would like less on ambience and more on food. But much respect to you for popping into the lion’s den of DCUM to address your anonymous critics. Have a great day!