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The Interim Eric Asimov Thread


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If Sifton, Bruni (or Restaurant Girl!) had written:

 

"It feels as if it’s melting in my mouth" or "it sends shivers down my spine" or "For a moment nothing exists but me and the sushi."

 

 

Really? Was this a Yelp review? Cause that's what it reads like. Asimov can't write. And now you know why he could never be the critic. In long form he's awful. That was shitty writing folks. And because it's not Sifton you're giving him a pass. (I agree with the content of the review of course.)

 

 

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If Sifton, Bruni (or Restaurant Girl!) had written:

 

"It feels as if it’s melting in my mouth" or "it sends shivers down my spine" or "For a moment nothing exists but me and the sushi."

 

 

Really? Was this a Yelp review? Cause that's what it reads like. Asimov can't write. And now you know why he could never be the critic. In long form he's awful. That was shitty writing folks. And because it's not Sifton you're giving him a pass. (I agree with the content of the review of course.)

 

 

Is that your opinion masquerading as fact again? :rolleyes:

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Asimov can't write. And now you know why he could never be the critic. In long form he's awful. That was shitty writing folks. And because it's not Sifton you're giving him a pass. (I agree with the content of the review of course.)

Asimov has a track record. A long one. Of course he can write. And it's not merely that he's better than Sifton. He would have been better than Bruni, too. He's been with the paper for something like 20 years, and I don't recall any significant complaints about his work.

 

It's well known that he has turned down the critic job, so of course he could be the critic. He prefers the wine gig, where he writes pieces as "long" as restaurant reviews, but with a lot more flexibility as to the content.

 

Bruni, I would agree, is a better writer qua writer than Asimov. But your first job is to get the restaurant right and to know the subject you're talking about, and there Bruni (too often) failed.

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Look again at the quotes I posted. All from the same review. There's no way that would have gotten more than a B in an undergraduate writing class.

 

I can't believe you're even contesting this.

That is why I pointed out that Asimov has a track record. He has been writing for The Times for something like 20 years. I can point out Sifton reviews that were phoned in. I vaguely recall one, where he used "terrific" three times in the same two-sentence paragraph. Even the beloved Bruni had bad days.

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If Sifton, Bruni (or Restaurant Girl!) had written:

 

"It feels as if it’s melting in my mouth" or "it sends shivers down my spine" or "For a moment nothing exists but me and the sushi."

 

 

Really? Was this a Yelp review? Cause that's what it reads like. Asimov can't write. And now you know why he could never be the critic. In long form he's awful. That was shitty writing folks. And because it's not Sifton you're giving him a pass. (I agree with the content of the review of course.)

 

 

Is that your opinion masquerading as fact again? :rolleyes:

No. It's two cliches and one hyperbole.

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Interesting. Another premature review?

 

I don't remember anything significant about the bathroom. This is why I am not a newspaper critic. (It's not "unisex" so much as just a bathroom, which is pretty much the norm for small to medium restaurants. To me, "unisex" suggests men and women using it at the same time.)

 

Looks like the prix fixe format has been dropped.

 

If you read only the comments about the dishes, one star seems harsh (to me, it's a two star).

 

I was not moved by a plate of daikon, seaweed and horseradish

 

It's the one icky thing they serve. I wonder why likes it?

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I am not objecting to the quality of the review. It's well-written and informative. Doesn't the food read better than the rating though?

 

Of course, I didn't get my ears blasted in the bathroom and was luckier with the menu changing.

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