You look at the newspaper and it is touting the wonders of some new, hot restaurant. However there are times when you see a restaurant review and wonder what the fancy terms really mean. A source of much pride to food critics, the lingo used often leaves the rest of us perplexed. Here is a humorous and helpful guide to help you translate what you read.
Food Terms
You will see a lot of words that just have no food context at all, under normal circumstances. Ethereal and sublime are generally utilized when you want to describe a dish that is extremely tasty or unusually light. A dish that is depicted as delicately plated generally means that little food was involved plus being substantive, ths dish unfortunately left the food critic feeling as if what they had eaten was a brick.
You want to know your sauces if you are going to understand a food’s description, especially at fancy restaurants. A béchamel is a white sauce; a béarnaise is made from eggs, butter, vinegar and herbs. Plus there is a veloute which is a white sauce that has been made on a stock base, also a espagnole which is a rich brown sauce made from stock. Finally there is the good old vinaigrette. Watch for those terms in recipe descriptions to know what you are likely to get.
Environmental Clues
There are truly wonderful restaurants that can be found in just about any location. In most cases you may discover an exceptional meal at a hole-in-the-wall restaurant, or on the other hand, you could also uncover a disastrous meal at a fancy establishment. Unfortunately there is no connection when it comes to the outside appearance of a restaurant and the quality of its food.
Yet when a food critic is in any doubt, they typically depict a positive picture. You might see the word “quaint” as part of the description – that means hole-in-the-wall or over decorated kitschy style. The world elegant can illustrate a restaurant that is overdone. While thematic could describe a restaurant that talks about a group of people who walk around in pirate hats. On the other hand that doesn’t mean the food can’t be appreciated. A Mexican restaurant that is a particular favorite to me is a hole-in-the-wall establishment that has a solarium that draws questions, however the hand made tortillas, the piquant but tasty green chili in addition to the home made horchata which can’t be beaten by other fancy restaurants.
To conclude, the best way to discover if a restaurant review fits your tastes is to first visit the establishments recommended. Sometimes that means heading into sections of town that are a bit shady after dark. Make plans for your self defense, even if you don’t expect to encounter a lick of trouble. Bring a stun gun flashlight, TASER or an additional type of non-lethal tool so that you can enjoy the food adventure.
Tags: Food and Drink, Restaurant Reviews, stun gun flashlight, TASER