The average restaurant critic has a pretty cushy job, we think. Get paid to swan around beautiful neighborhoods in major cities, on the hunt for the tastiest dishes? You poor thing, we say to the critic, how you suffer. You even burned your tongue last week! But what do you say to someone who writes compendious reviews about her own little town, on her own limited time? You say, as we say now to our Traveler of the Week, that she’s a testament to the power of citizen journalists everywhere. Hats off to you, fizzytom.
Writing about restaurants in your own backyard gives you a chance to reflect on your experiences in a way that wouldn’t be possible after a one-off visit. For fizzytom, this meant she had a special perspective on restaurants in Newcastyle-upon-Tyne. Of a Turkish restaurant, Red Mezze, she writes: “Although I had really enjoyed the lunches I had at Red Mezze, it had taken a long time to get round to having an evening meal there and it was actually a Groupon offer that prompted me to go back; the voucher cost me £6, which then entitled me to £20 of food, with some restrictions although these turned out to be fairly minor ones and I did not feel like I was missing out at all.”
In a tapas place, El Torrero, she couched her thumbs-up in a long list of numerical details: “The menu consists mainly of tapas dishes but there are also three types of paella available. You must either order paella in advance or be prepared to wait around 50 minutes and order a few tapas dishes while you wait. If you do this, however, be warned that the dish of paella, designed for two to share, is enormous, so leave room for it and don't overdo the tapas.” Residents of Newcastle with busy schedules, take note.
To paraphrase from fizzytom, her reviews are a long-standing favorite on IgoUgo. Foodies and Anglophiles -- not to mention fans of comprehensive writing -- should check out her outstanding journal.
More UK Adventures on IgoUgo
Where to Eat in Oxford
Things to Do in Edinburgh
Photos of London
Posted by tdbeckwith (Thomas Beckwith)