Read with great sorrow in yesterdays Merc about the death of an ex-editor of the Merc, and former restaurant reviewer, Jim Burns, aka Dave Macquarie.
This guy was one tough cookie, but you had to admire him all the same. He was true to his own convictions. His scorching restaurant reviews in the now long defunct SEM (Saturday Evening Mercury, for those too young to remember this august Saturday night publication!) are experiences all you pussies out there in restaurant-land today just can't imagine! There'd be law suits galore round town if he wrote reviews now like he did then!
If you were on the receiving end of one of Dave's OTT slammings, you knew with certainty your till takings would be at least a year in recovery mode!
If he deemed the meal he had at your establishment fabulous - you were home and hosed! You were laughing all the way to the bank. You were fully booked for the next 2 months, every night!
He always booked into a restaurant under a pseudonym but the minute you saw him arrive, you moved heaven and earth to ensure as smooth an evening as was humanly possible. Maybe that happens today when Graeme Phillips enters a restaurant - I don't know.
What I DO know is that I worked at 2 separate places for 3 separate reviews from Dave, and have never had a more stressful time than those times he ate there!
But - I begrudgingly had to respect him, and his reviews. They really were worth buying the paper for!
Thursday 10 January 2008
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13 comments:
We could probably do with someone like him now, Rita.
But with the lawsuit at the drop of a hat mentality nowadays, maybe it isn't possible.
Stuart Diwell of the Sunday Tasmanian movie reviews used to do restaurant reviews once upon a time.
I heard he got chucked out of the Ball and Chain.
It seems the owner didn't like the previous review of a friends place.
Caused quite a stir.
It's all a bit chummy and placid these days with reviewers in the papers. Here anyway.
I must say, I would love to see someone do those kinds of reviews now! It would SO put the cat amongst the pigeons!
BTW - are you sure that was Diwell, and not Dave? I seem to remember something like that about Dave.
Sure it was Diwell. But we should ask the Ball and Chain gang. Maybe some of them read this.
I'm sure there are lots of good stories about reviewers around Oz, Rita.
Would be fun to hear about them from your readership.
Funny, Stephen and I have always said taht we would love to do anon reviews of places for the newspaper. Advertorials are boring.
Sir G - agreed, there would be some really funny stories from the perspective of the restuarant reviewer, wouldn't there? And it WOULD be good to hear about some.
Zelda - I too used to think that - then I started blogging!
Vale, Dave ! I am also old enough to well rmember his uncompromising jottings.
Most reviewers are wanky types though! Plenty of opinions but can't DO anything themselves!
Had a wonderful lunch at Divinge yesterday, despite the heat. I had lovely five spice chicken with shittake mushrooms. Others said Thai beef salad and open beef pie were equally wonderful. Nice chilled bottle of BYO semillon and very good coffee set off a memorable meal. Danie and Peter certainly know what they're doing.
Anon2
Hi Anon2 - Re reviewers - Do you mean, like playing a musical instrument or something like that?
Glad you ate like royalty at Divinge again. It seems like they're winning plenty of hearts with their food now, which I'm really glad to hear!
I agree about the Thai beef salad and open beef pie, having sampled both. They are gorgeous. In fact I feel like some pie now!
BTW - did you read the MIV exchange below, and were you at all interested in coming along to a dinner at MIV?
Righto - its http://hobartfood.blogspot.com/
Nothing really there yet but gimme time!!!
Anon 10.32.
Your words:
"Most reviewers are wanky types though! Plenty of opinions but can't DO anything themselves!"
Yes, they know the path but cannot lead. They are critics.
This begs the question; 'Does someone need to be an expert in a field in order to offer an opinion?'
My answer is no.
We all do it, right here on this blog even, just that some critics get their opinion published.
Yor logic suggests that Rita is a 'wanky type' because she offers her critique? It also suggests then that she cant do it.
If you knew her you'd know that both of these points are wrong.
So we cant criticize the critics for doing exactly what we are doing here right now.
Make sense?
Sure does make sense, anonymous!
Rita a 'wanky type' ? Never.
Just watch out for movie and music critics. Now they're real wankers.
Anon2
Hey Anon2 - I was just about to defend your honour - but you've beaten me to the punch!
Yes - I know a few HUGE wanker-type music critics! And I have to say I've never seen them pick up a musical instrument!
BUT - I have seen them eat!
Thanks for sticking up for me, Anon 1.39, though. Your defence is appreciated. And yes, that's exactly what this blog site is all about - all of us being able to get the chance to be critics, wankers or not!
If anyone wants to read a good book on restaurant reviewers (and a very healthy dose of kitchen life reality) then Matthew Evans' book 'Never Order Chicken on a Monday' should suffice. It may even get a smile out of you Sir G.
Interestingly Mr. Evans was seen working on Nick Haddow's cheese stall at the Trough of Tassie. He does not review anymore.
Of course you can easily get a smile out of me, HRV.
I like Stephen Downes, so Evans might be fun if in the same vein.
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