Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 3: How to write a review
• Method 2 of 3: Noticing important details
• Method 3 of 3: How to properly evaluate a dish
• Tips
• Warnings

A food critic's job is to accurately describe the taste, texture, smell, and presentation of food in a restaurant. It is necessary to evaluate not only the dishes, but also the atmosphere, attentiveness and awareness of the staff, speed of service, general impressions of the institution. A competent culinary review allows the reader to feel at the same table with you and decide whether to visit this restaurant.

Steps

Method 1 of 3: How to write a review

1. 1 Explore more information. Once you've finished eating and taking notes, take some time to familiarize yourself with the history of the establishment. Such details will make your review outstanding. For example, it may turn out that the chef had an internship in France or previously worked in another popular establishment. Details like these will interest the reader and convince them to visit this restaurant.
   • Explore the restaurant's website. Find out the name of the owner and the chef to get an idea of ​​the qualifications, style and prior experience of key employees.
2. 2 Start off with exciting detail. The first sentence should interest your readers to read the rest of the text. Your goal is not only to provide compelling reasons why a person is encouraged to spend money and visit this place or look for a more suitable restaurant, but also to arouse interest in your article. Use the following tips and tricks:
   • Promise an interesting story or surprise: "Not right away, but I still managed to find the best paella on this planet." Don't forget to keep your promise!
   • Indicate an intriguing indirect detail: "Chef Zinovyeva has been cooking for only two years, but during this time she has grown to the level of the best new establishment in our city."
   • Describe the most memorable or unique aspect of the setting, be it a great view from the windows or a strange smell from the kitchen.
3. 3 Describe 3-5 meals ordered, not the entire menu. No one will be interested in the endless list of dishes, so focus only on the ones that made the greatest impression on you (positive or negative). It is not enough to give a "good" or "bad" rating. Provide all the reasons for such an assessment and the shades of taste for each particular dish. Any culinary review should include information on the following three aspects:
   • Presentation: What does the dish look like when it is served and what feelings does it evoke in the visitor? Excitement? Hunger? Do you feel like a king? As if you returned to childhood in your mom's kitchen?
   • Taste: the most obvious and most important aspect of evaluating a dish. Use descriptive vocabulary, metaphors, and comparisons to convey your taste experiences to the reader. Try to name the aromas and spices that you can make out.
   • Texture: this aspect also covers the cooking method. Does the food just melt in your mouth? Was it still hot when it was served? Is the product juicy and soft or hard and dry? Does this dish combine multiple textures (delicate filling and crisp)? How successful is this combination?
4. 4 Use bright and colorful adjectives. It is important to remember that you are describing not only the food, but also the general feeling of going to the restaurant. Do not be shy about the poetry of the language in the article and choose 1-2 apt adjectives that will allow the reader to form a very clear idea of ​​the institution. Imagine writing a short story based on your last trip - include details and details that make the restaurant stand out from the rest of the establishments.
   • Consider the atmosphere, location, interior. The more specific the details, the better. Highlight the key points of each aspect of the restaurant's interaction or level of perception.
5. 5 Describe the goals and positioning of the restaurant, not just your personal preferences. A good review helps readers choose the right place, rather than communicating the likes and dislikes of the author of the text. For example, when describing a restaurant in an American retro style, the emphasis on hamburgers and fries and the lack of seafood on the menu should not be considered a disadvantage. Any seasoned food critic should remain as objective as possible and evaluate a restaurant as the sum of its constituent aspects.
   • What kind of atmosphere does the theme of the restaurant provide? Has it been successfully implemented?
   • How does the menu match your preferences? If you do not like seafood, but the institution specializes in just such dishes, then try to soften your opinion about grilled salmon or immediately warn readers that you are far from a connoisseur of fish dishes.
6. 6 Write down the merits and demerits. If the institution is not the best or worst of all that you have ever visited, then your review should not be purely positive or negative. Try to convey the fullness of the picture. The reader should make a decision based on your advice and tips, so it is logical to indicate all the identified advantages and disadvantages of the restaurant.
   • "The waiters turned out to be incredibly polite and helpful, but that doesn't negate the fact that the main course was brought cold."
   • "The chef of the restaurant has put together an extremely successful menu, so it's a shame that there are only ten tables in the restaurant."
7. 7 Provide recommendations. Ultimately, readers want to know your verdict. The visitor chooses dishes and establishments depending on his mood. Recommend certain items on the menu, warn about the specialties of the dessert, or indicate that the place is great for romantic dates. Your review should be interesting and helpful.
   • If the institution does not deserve praise, and you are firmly convinced that it is better to bypass the restaurant, then write a negative review. Usually, in such cases, you should visit the institution again and make sure that the first time you did not make a mistake with the choice of the dish or were not in a bad mood.
8. 8 Please include important details at the beginning or end of the review. Give your average bill, table reservation details and address. If you wish, you can rate the institution on your own scale. Many critics include such information in a separate paragraph at the very end of the review, but others prefer to provide important information at the beginning, in a separate sidebar, or in one of the first paragraphs.

Method 2 of 3: Noticing important details

1. 1 Don't tell staff that you are a food critic. It is important that you are treated like any other visitor. The restaurant staff will strive to please the critic, so your assessment of the establishment will be wrong. Don't reveal yourself, take a table and act like a regular visitor. It is also not recommended to come on the day of important events such as an opening or a festive evening, because at such moments the staff strives to show themselves and the institution from their best side.
   • If your name is on hearing, then book a table under a false name.
   • Don't forget to bring a notebook or small voice recorder for recording, although today you can get by with a smartphone. Be sure to take notes so you don't forget important details.
2. 2 Describe the level of the organization. Do you need to book a table in advance? How much in advance? In what area is the institution located? What about parking? These facts take only a few lines of text, but they are of great importance for potential visitors to the institution.
3. 3 Describe the atmosphere and first impressions. Share your feelings with your readers. Were you treated like a relative or an old friend? How important is the guest? Does the restaurant have a dress code? What atmosphere prevails in the establishment? Get creative, because a high-quality review takes into account not only the menu, but the whole complex of sensations.
   • Does the interior of the establishment complement the pleasant atmosphere?
   • Assess the layout of the halls. Are there wide tables in the restaurant for large companies or tables for two for heart-to-heart talks?
4. 4 Describe the level of service. No need to claim that the service was good or bad. The specifics are important. Don't be afraid to ask questions. Of course, you do not need to constantly pester every employee, but a first-class waiter will always advise you on which dish to choose, tell you about all the ingredients and the method of preparation. A good waiter is always on the alert. He knows when to top up wine, replace a dropped cutlery, or bring the next dish.
5. 5 Order dishes from several sections of the menu. Of course, it is impossible to taste every dish. In doing so, try to evaluate each section of the menu. Order a drink, cold appetizer, main course and dessert to get an idea of ​​all aspects of the establishment's cuisine. If possible, come with a company to order different food (beef and fish, soup and salads, fried and baked products) and to form an opinion about the chef's abilities.
   • Try to try as many dishes as possible to get the most complete picture of the restaurant's cuisine.
   • Your order will depend on personal preference, but also be sure to ask what the waiters have to recommend. So you will find out what dishes the institution is proud of. Usually, waiters try all the items on the menu under the guidance of the chef to help customers choose the dishes.

Method 3 of 3: How to properly evaluate a dish

1. 1 Pay attention to the presentation. When the food is on your table, pay attention to the appearance of the dish. Does the food look nice and tidy or messy and stale? It is important to describe all your experiences, not just the taste of the dish.
   • If not prohibited by the rules, then take a picture of the dish on your smartphone camera. Later, it will be easier for you to describe the appearance and not forget anything.
2. 2 Evaluate the first taste sensations. Try all the ordered dishes one by one and only then write down your thoughts. Enjoy your meal at a leisurely pace and take your time to jump to conclusions.
   • Every dish should be eaten correctly. Don't choose individual ingredients or foods.
3. 3 Write down first impressions with specific details. Use adjectives and unambiguous words. "I liked the presence of rosemary" would not be as appropriate as "the light crispy rosemary flavor perfectly complements the soft and delicate inner texture of the potatoes." Now you need to make notes, but you can edit the text and select vocabulary later.
   • State clearly why you liked or disliked a particular dish in order to draw the right conclusions later.
4. 4 Evaluate every aspect of the dish. Now is the time to move on to the important aspects of a competent culinary review. Try all the ingredients of the dish and appreciate the following aspects:
   • Texture: How does the dish feel in your mouth? Be as specific as possible, as any texture may or may not be appropriate in a particular dish.
   • Spices: does the dish have a rich spicy taste? What spices did you recognize?
   • Complexity: this aspect is not easy to describe, as the complexity is determined by the variety of flavors and aromas of the dish. A good cook is not limited to "lemon sourness" or "hot garlic and pepper", he creates a unique combination of flavors.Do the individual elements of the dish together create a new combination that tastes better than the sum of all the ingredients?
5. 5 Taste all the dishes on the table. If you come with a company, then try the dishes ordered by the others, and also take short notes. This is the easiest way to get a complete picture of the restaurant menu, the advantages and disadvantages of the institution.
   • Be sure to write down the exact name of each dish. The reader should know what exactly you ordered.
6. 6 Make specific notes while eating. Arm yourself with facts, because a good review is an article with real facts. Naturally, any assessment is subjective, but this does not mean that you should write only about your likes and dislikes. Consider the situation and take notes while eating or immediately after eating. It's impossible to remember everything, so don't rely on memory alone. The best critics always take notes.
7. 7 Voice any questions that arise. If you are interested in the composition of the sauce, the method of preparation or the country of production of the product (meat, expensive cheese), then ask such questions to the waiters. In a high-level establishment, the service staff must know all aspects of creating dishes, so the waiters will gladly satisfy your curiosity.

Tips

• Treat all ordered meals with an open mind.
• Do not use superlative adjectives like "best" or "worst", as such an assessment looks unconvincing and uninformative. Operate with facts, you do not need to impose your subjective opinion.

Warnings

• If you admit that you are a restaurant critic, then you may be served at the expense of the institution, but then you will not be able to form the correct opinion about the quality of food and service.