Well-organized by lists, The Fearless Critic divides the categories into “Most Delicious,” “Good Vibes,” “By Genre,” “By Location,” “By Special Feature,” “Vegetarian Friendly,” “Late Night Dining” and “Top Tastes,” offering the diner a wealth of information on restaurant options including a ranking of 100 Best for “Vibes” and separately for “Food.”
Recently the new DC Area dining guide “The Fearless Critic” arrived on my desk for review. It promises secret dining reviews and is not ad-sponsored in any way…that’s novel and desperately needed…and all the restaurants are listed alphabetically for quick reference.
Well-organized by lists, it divides the categories into “Most Delicious,” “Good Vibes,” “By Genre,” “By Location,” “By Special Feature,” “Vegetarian Friendly,” “Late Night Dining” and “Top Tastes,” offering the diner a wealth of information on restaurant options including a ranking of 100 Best for “Vibes” and separately for “Food.”
Robin Goldstein, author of the Fearless Critic.
That said, there are numerous questionable critiques.
For example, they give Teatro Goldoni in the sixes in “Food” and “Feel” categories. But wait!
This is a stunning and romantic restaurant, steaming with DC newsmakers and Hollywood royalty and a private chef’s table that will knock your Italian leather booties off, while Ben’s Chili Bowl ranks 8.1 in “Food” and 9.2 in “Feel.”
How does one compare veal carpaccio surrounded by coronets of chanterelles, poached cardoons, microgreens and a 30 month-old Parmesan, with chili-dogs in a greasy neon-lit luncheonette? Even if it is an Obama and Cosby-approved neighborhood fave, how can one justify such “apples and oranges” comparisons?
Consider that Georgetown’s Café Milano receives 6.5 in “Feel”… and is one the cities gloriously chic celeb hot spots…while Austin Grill rates 7.4 in the same category. Go figure. I couldn’t help but note that every laudatory review quoted in the guide was from out-of-towners.
There is no mention at all of the venerable and historic Occidental Grill, an absolute “must dine” for anyone visiting Washington, DC. But trendy, 2 Amys, the pizza parlor, is rated 9.6 for “Food” and 8.8 for “Feel” and is on a par with Eamonn’s, the fish-and-chips joint in Old Town, rated a close 8.7 and 8.0.
In Old Town, they list 20 restaurants and one supermarket, Whole Foods, but in this economy two of the restaurant have already closed and seven of the twenty are chain restaurants. In the rest of the city four are chain restaurants and one is the grocery store, Trader Joe’s.
“The Fearless Critic” promises secret dining reviews and is not ad-sponsored in any way…that’s novel and desperately needed…and all the restaurants are listed alphabetically for quick reference.
Mostly, however, these previously unknown and untested critics nail it. Let’s face it, it’s well-nigh impossible to draw a bead on so many dining spots. And, yes, they are “brutally honest,” as they claim.
But to what end? With nearly 500 pages it is not for the visiting backpacker. It’s your dining dime. You be the judge.
For questions and comments, or to weigh in on your favorite restaurants and why, contact [email protected]
Leave a Reply