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The Dispatch wrote
Columbus dining: The Top 20 restaurants
Friday, September 26, 2008
BY JON CHRISTENSEN
The “Top 10″ restaurants represent the best in Columbus. The second 10 — called “the Next Tier” — also are deserving of mention. Both lists are presented alphabetically. Like any other restaurant rating, this list is subjective. The primary criterion is quality of the food. Value, the surroundings and the level of service also are taken into consideration — as are other factors, such as the willingness to take reservations, noise level, menu variety and attention to details (quality of the bread, olive oil and butter, for example).
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Oh, snap. I’m not sure risotto has the same cult following as grilled cheese, but I think you may have stepped in it, John Ross.
Yes, please!
Dude. Seriously. You have to be kidding. Is Christensen your golf buddy or something? (if so – full disclosure! :lol: )
Well, at any rate, I heard the same rumor. And, horror of horrors, I repeated it!
Any ‘journalist’ should recognize that the implication of this statement doesn’t pass the test for factual accuracy with respect to the diversity of her menu.
Also, it’s completely irrelevant – what does what any given person wants to eat ‘every day’ have to do with a restaurant that most would feel lucky to eat in monthly?
Aren’t there rules, John Ross? RUUUULES!!!! :lol: :lol: :lol:
Bono Togo
Cafe Bella
Where do you hear these rumors? There are specific rules for using anonymous sources, and you’re not following any of them.
Well I’ve heard them from a few different people, mostly restaurant people (cooks and other owners). As for who I’ve heard them from or specifics to what they said, I’m not saying.. this isn’t a news paper and I’m not a reporter. Hell, I’m not even a blogger, so I feel no compulsion to follow these sourcing rules you talk of (rules for a post on a message board? what kinda’ of happy horseshit is that?)…
Oddly enough I’ve never had the risotto there.. (though I’ve tried bites of dinner companions, and it is quite good). I find plenty to eat there otherwise… Is your statement that you are unable to find anything other than risotto to eat at Alana’s based on the 20 or so times you’ve been there or are you just making conjecture based on looking at a menu a few times? I mean, if you wanna talk rules, we can talk rules :-)
Edit: whoops, Drew said the same thing funnier and earlier
I’ve heard rumors that Alana’s and the Dispatch are on the outs. I don’t know why.
But this article makes the Dispatch look pretty absurd, in my opinion. I mean, you can argue about where exactly Alana’s belongs among Columbus restaurants, but not putting it in a top 20 list just makes it seem like the reviewer doesn’t know his own city (or isn’t competent to judge its restaurants).
Where do you hear these rumors? There are specific rules for using anonymous sources, and you’re not following any of them.
Also, why is this list absurd? Because it doesn’t follow your taste? I don’t think Alana’s should be in the top 20. I mean, who wants to eat a different type of risotto every day?
I’m a big Alana’s fan, but I’m not calling out “conspiracy!” because it’s off his list.
Frankly, I trust Christianson for honest opinions much more than many here on CU. Christianson doesn’t get free meals, cash kickbacks, advertising dollars, etc for positive reviews like CU “reviewers”/shills.
Where do you hear these rumors? There are specific rules for using anonymous sources, and you’re not following any of them.
Well I’ve heard them from a few different people, mostly restaurant people (cooks and other owners). As for who I’ve heard them from or specifics to what they said, I’m not saying.. this isn’t a news paper and I’m not a reporter. Hell, I’m not even a blogger, so I feel no compulsion to follow these sourcing rules you talk of (rules for a post on a message board? what kinda’ of happy horseshit is that?)…
Oddly enough I’ve never had the risotto there.. (though I’ve tried bites of dinner companions, and it is quite good). I find plenty to eat there otherwise… Is your statement that you are unable to find anything other than risotto to eat at Alana’s based on the 20 or so times you’ve been there or are you just making conjecture based on looking at a menu a few times? I mean, if you wanna talk rules, we can talk rules :-)
Edit: whoops, Drew said the same thing funnier and earlier
Umm, yeah, I was just kidding about the source rules.
But, seriously, I wouldn’t put Alana’s on my list.
And, no, I don’t play golf with Jon. I would, though. He’s a nice guy.
There’s free food going out to CUers? Where, and who can give me the secret password, because it obviously is NOT “streetcar”!!!
I’m a big Alana’s fan, but I’m not calling out “conspiracy!” because it’s off his list.
Frankly, I trust Christianson for honest opinions much more than many here on CU. Christianson doesn’t get free meals, cash kickbacks, advertising dollars, etc for positive reviews like CU “reviewers”/shills.
Yeah, I wouldn’t either really…
I’m guessing the reasons are more prosaic.
As some of us may be aware, Alana can be.. “passionate” about things…
I have to wonder if there was a tangle at some point between Alana and Jon Christianson. I’ve never heard of any substantiated event, but I can just imagine.
People being people I can imagine that neither one of them would be willing to back down…
Just my thoughts here..
Also BCOZ: WRT the “shill” comment, I think you’re WAY out of line there… For my part no one pays me to like what I like.. I just do…
Good luck with that.
Good luck with that.
What do you mean, Cookie?
Good luck with that.
What do you mean, Cookie?
I mean good luck making that argument, as in, I suspect it’s bullshit, that BCOZ lacks evidence on which to base his claim, and that it must be time for him to whine about the “CU clique” again.
Good luck with that.
What do you mean, Cookie?
I mean good luck making that argument, as in, I suspect it’s bullshit, that BCOZ lacks evidence on which to base his claim, and that it must be time for him to whine about the “CU clique” again.
I have no idea how CU reviews work, though I trust Walker’s judgment. I can tell you that Dispatch reporters and freelancers are held to a code of conduct that doesn’t allow a reviewer to take free meals, kickbacks or advertising dollars for reviews, positive or negative.
You can suspect whatever you want, but I can tell you from experience that reporters get offered free stuff all the time — and they’d be fired if they took it.
Good luck with that.
What do you mean, Cookie?
I mean good luck making that argument, as in, I suspect it’s bullshit, that BCOZ lacks evidence on which to base his claim, and that it must be time for him to whine about the “CU clique” again.
I have no idea how CU reviews work, though I trust Walker’s judgment. I can tell you that Dispatch reporters and freelancers are held to a code of conduct that doesn’t allow a reviewer to take free meals, kickbacks or advertising dollars for reviews, positive or negative.
You can suspect whatever you want, but I can tell you from experience that reporters get offered free stuff all the time — and they’d be fired if they took it.
She’s not implying that the Dispatch reviewers get free goodies, she’s implying that the CU reviewers don’t, contrary to what BCOZ is saying.
I was talking about his allegations about CU reviewers.
Previous offer to buy you a beer to mock the term “Washington Beach” in the Alive officially withdrawn.
Also, why is this list absurd? Because it doesn’t follow your taste? I don’t think Alana’s should be in the top 20. I mean, who wants to eat a different type of risotto every day?
Sorry. I should have written, “Well-placed sources in the food industry who wish to remain anonymous have suggested to me” that such a rift exists… but I didn’t think anyone cared.
I didn’t write that the list was absurd. I wrote that excluding Alana’s made the Dispatch look absurd — not because I personally would put Alana’s in the top 20 but because I can’t believe that a good, unbiased restaurant reviewer wouldn’t.
This is news to me. But then again, I’m not in the restaurant industry, myself, so I’m not in the best position to know about free meals, cash kickbacks, etc., being given out for positive reviews.
Settle down you guys, before I turn this thread around and we go back home!
:lol:
No hostility here, just brevity — typing in a hurry
I was talking about his allegations about CU reviewers.
Previous offer to buy you a beer to mock the term “Washington Beach” in the Alive officially withdrawn.
How might I win it back? Come on, Cook…
Much as I’d love to be responsible for seeing Washington Beach roundly mocked in print, I’d hate to be responsible for you losing your job.