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Bloggers love to share thoughts, shots of their eating experiences
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
BY KEVIN JOY
With a digital camera and a hefty appetite, Jim Ellison is ready for action. Seated in a booth at Ohio Deli & Restaurant, a comfort-food outlet on the South Side, he quietly takes eight pictures of his Dagwood sandwich. It will soon become fodder for CMH Gourmand — his Web log, or blog — through which he chronicles his culinary adventures in Columbus and beyond.
“I think I appeal to the average person,” said Becke Boyer, who started her blog, Columbus Foodie, in 2005 as a way to record her meals while following Weight Watchers. “I’m not one of those people who put my finger on trends. I just like to eat.”
Central Ohio food bloggers, many of whom also post reviews on larger, more general-interest Web sites such as Columbusunderground.com, consider themselves an increasingly popular medium for advice, entertainment and, on occasion, influence.
Heather Popio began her food blog, Sopressata, in March. When she visited the newly opened Pistacia Vera bakery in German Village, she wasn’t happy to discover that the new place has no seating. Popio soon received a posted comment from Anne Fletcher, Pistachia Vera’s co-founder, stating: “Thanks for the feedback! We are listening.” (Seating will be available in January.)
Lisa Dillman, 32, whose Restaurant Widow blog gets roughly 1,500 hits a day, has drawn readers from California to Singapore, some of whom have asked the server for dining tips before traveling to central Ohio. The Clintonville resident would like to add podcasts or video to the site.
Comments
- leftovers: It seems odd that people are so polarized by another record store moving in
- farmerhaley: While I am not a big fan of several parts of the farm bill I understand the
- Timeone: htt
- chadshepherd: So this place will be a boutique, basically?? Barely a mention of music in
- leftovers: That is a killer name.
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Bloggers love to share their eating experiences
By: Walker
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You go on with your bad self, Columbus foodies. I would have probably seen this article faster if it was on your blogs rather than the Columbus Dispatch. Well, I guess that is an additional perk of CU. Still haven’t seen any blog love of Creole Kitchen or Sher-E-Punjab (sit down).
Yeahhhhh! Heather Popio! Just goes to show you know somebody for five years and then one day open the dispatch to find them on the cover of the food section and see a whole other side of them…
Thanks to Walker… CU supports our food blogs and thanks to all of you that read them.
Sher N Punjab is my favorite Indian Buffet – I just have not been able to get a semi decent shot of the buffet line.
amen to that!
Now we can move into Food Blogging 2.0 where “bloggers” threaten to write bad things unless they get special treatment in restaurants.
Yes, it has happened elsewhere.
A.
Yes, it has happened elsewhere.
A.
Not me – that’s part of the reason that I wanted my face to be partially obscured in the pic – so I can maintain anonymity. The last thing I want is special treatment. When I do a review, I like to see how the restaurant treats your “average Joe”. Part of the problem with the current set of mainstream restaurant reviewers in Columbus is that they are recognizable, and *do* get special treatment.
As a matter of fact, I try very hard not to be negative in my reviews – when I write a bad review, it’s either the result of food or service so horrible that I can’t see paying good money to give it a second try, or that I’ve gone more than once and it’s been consistently bad both times. A lot of people seem to have the same experiences I do in the restaurants I review, and I use that as a benchmark to keep myself in check in a way – i.e if I go somewhere and hate it, but it’s universally loved here, I might give it another try just in case it was a bad night or I ordered a dish that isn’t one of their good ones.
I third the sentiments shared by Heather and Jim above. Thanks, Walker – and to everyone else who reads my blog regularly.
No problem! I love what you all do and just want to share what I love with everyone else! :wink:
Yes, it has happened elsewhere.
A.
Not me – that’s part of the reason that I wanted my face to be partially obscured in the pic – so I can maintain anonymity. The last thing I want is special treatment. When I do a review, I like to see how the restaurant treats your “average Joe”. Part of the problem with the current set of mainstream restaurant reviewers in Columbus is that they are recognizable, and *do* get special treatment.
.
My comment was somewhat tongue in cheek and I should have made it clearer that I wasn’t referring to anyone in particular, especially those featured in the article.
There have been situations of people essentially attempting to shakedown restaurants based on their power as a ‘blogger.’ These have not been long-term, dedicated bloggers, from what I know, but rather jane-come-latelies attempting to capitalize on restaurant’s fear of bad publicity.
My comment was intended to poke fun at and also make aware that the Dispatch article makes this type of ‘blogger’ show up.
A.
I think there are many different perspectives on restaurant reviews. I have always cringed when someone says restaurant critic. Some people are…critical. I have approached most posts as food writing – writing about places I like and figuring people can figure out the bad places on their own. I also try to do some informative things – links and quirky food things that get missed in the mainstream. With so many places in town and so many different tastes – there is plenty to go around for anyone that wants to blog about food.
I did like the Dispatch article. Kevin Joy started it about the same time that the WOSU / COSI Social Media Cafe launched….. these two events may mark the beginning of Columbus Food Blogging 2.0 – I think we all nudge each other to grow our blogs and keep the content fresh. And – we are a supportive group so if any of you want to start you own – go for it. And the Columbus Underground is a great forum to hone your skills.
Great to see “Columbusunderground.com” in large print across the top of the dispatch!
I can’t understand why bloggers would demand special treatment in a restaurant. Any time I receive special treatment in a restaurant, it is usually a direct result of Husband’s presence, and not me. I got some flack for having my picture unobscured in the article, but the truth is, I am blessed with having a seemingly unremarkable and forgettable face. I can’t even begin to count the number of times when an aquaintance of Husband’s, who has met me numerous time, greets me with a completely blank stare, unable to remember who I might be.
sometimes I do receive special treatment because I am very nice to service people, and that usually makes them like me. They have no idea who I am. Even when I go to a restaurant, take pictures, and return again a week later, they have no idea, and I don’t think they care, which makes blogging a perfect medium for restaurant reviews. My youngish, frumpy forgetableness makes me meld in to the background. Just like Jon Christensen’s old rich white guy fussiness make him stand out like a sore thumb.
I actually waited on a table of four people who had the “Where I Eat” article on the table with my picture staring up at me for their entire meal, and they never put the 2 together. See? There’s my point, proven.
I also have aquaintances who read my website and don’t know I write it, which I think is super funny.