Eric Asimov Universe Temporarily Expanding

[Sharon Bowman]

I just read some happy news from the New York Times. After the restaurant critic Sam Sifton left the job a week or two ago, they have chosen a man of talent to step in (interim style): Eric Asimov Is the Interim Restaurant Critic.

I am so jazzed. Not only does Eric have a great palate and write engagingly well, but he knows the sizzle, wine-wise!* May a thousand Juras open.

*Sifty was notoriously of the big bruiser school. Nothing reliable to draw from his appreciation of the lists at dining establishments he reviewed.

 

[Jeff Grossman]

To be blunt, I have not liked a one of Sifton's reviews. He always seemed to talk about things that don't matter and criticize things that do. Good riddance.

 

[Sharon Bowman]

Jeff, I agree. And I hated his prose. Over the top in a vomitous way. No more "a fist of cod." Blech! Bleach on him, bleach!

 

[Sharon Bowman]

I meant for this to be a yay-happy Eric Asimov thread and omitted Sifton reservations, but, well. There you are.

 

[Zachary Ross]

Well, since Sifton's not dead, we can speak ill of him freely.

 

[Ian Fitzsimmons]

As long as he (Eric) doesn't start wearing wigs.

 

[Keith Levenberg]

That's pretty great. Maybe next they can give him the California beat in the Wine Advocate. Congrats, Eric!

 

[SFJoe]

"The chief wine critic of The Times, Mr. Asimov will continue to write the tasting panels and his column, The Pour, while he moonlights as the restaurant critic."

I.e., "Dude will continue to perform one full time job while we dump another on him, at no additional pay."

Welcome to the modern economy for scribes.

 

[Jeff Grossman]

It's all plagiarized, anyway. No sweat.

 

[Florida Jim]

I liked Sifton.
What am I saying; I still like him.
Best of luck to Eric.
Best, Jim

 

[Oswaldo Costa]

All things must pass, but much ado about something interim.

 

[Rahsaan]

Since we're venting, I too found Sifton to be annoying. He tried to be way too cute with his writing and made all sorts of socialite references that were barely intelligible to most Nyc readers, let alone the folks checking in from around the world.

 

[Jay Miller]

Well, it may be more work for him but at least we'll get good restaurant reviews out of it! Selfishly yours, Jay (who still misses Ruth Reichl).

 

[MLipton]

originally posted by Jay Miller:
Well, it may be more work for him but at least we'll get good restaurant reviews out of it! Selfishly yours, Jay (who still misses Ruth Reichl).

I just spoke with her last week when she gave a lecture on campus. She gave a largely entertaining talk about the cultural history of food writing, coming to the conclusion that the present-day obsession with food and cooking is actually a return to the status quo. After her talk, I asked her whether she saw the erosion of authority of food critics and the decentralization of criticism with the growth of food blogs as a positive or negative, as a permanent situation or a transitory phenomenon. She came down on the side of a positive and permanent development and launched into a discussion about how the bar for restaurant critics has risen with the growing savvy of the eating public.

Mark Lipton

 

[Rahsaan]

RESTAURANT REVIEW
Salinas

Spain Without the Hocus-Pocus
By ERIC ASIMOV
Published: October 25, 2011

...One other criticism I can’t help making is of the wine list, which offers a preponderance of full-bodied, dense, powerfully fruity and oaky Spanish wines that don’t go very well with subtle foods.

 

[Yule Kim]

Eric for non-interim restaurant critic! (With a modest pay bump, of course).

 

[Levi Dalton]

Eric was also the first Times critic to review Mario Batali, at Po. And he reviewed L'Impero for the Times as well.

 

[John McIlwain]

originally posted by Jeff Grossman:
To be blunt, I have not liked a one of Sifton's reviews. He always seemed to talk about things that don't matter and criticize things that do. Good riddance.

Still, I'll take him over Bruni any day of the week.

 

[VS]

originally posted by Rahsaan:

...One other criticism I can’t help making is of the wine list, which offers a preponderance of full-bodied, dense, powerfully fruity and oaky Spanish wines that don’t go very well with subtle foods.

Let's face it, Rahsaan, tripe with chorizo Madrid-style is not subtle, and many other Spanish dishes are just as powerful, so sorry to say, but those wines are usually right with them. That said, I've just checked Salinas' wine list, and it's chock-full of very different wines, including some extremely fresh and delicate ones...

 

[Rahsaan]

originally posted by VS:

originally posted by Rahsaan:

...One other criticism I can’t help making is of the wine list, which offers a preponderance of full-bodied, dense, powerfully fruity and oaky Spanish wines that don’t go very well with subtle foods.

Let's face it, Rahsaan, tripe with chorizo Madrid-style is not subtle, and many other Spanish dishes are just as powerful, so sorry to say, but those wines are usually right with them. That said, I've just checked Salinas' wine list, and it's chock-full of very different wines, including some extremely fresh and delicate ones...

Those were Asimov's words that I was quoting. I don't have an opinion either way about the restaurant and its wine list. But interesting retort that you make to Eric's view.