Boston Restaurant Turns Tables On Bad Reviews

Chefs do not always take criticism well. Prolific restaurateur Jeffrey Chodorow notoriously took out a full-page ad in the New York Times to respond to Frank Bruni's takedown of Kobe Club. And the chef-antihero of the 2010 horror movie Bitter Feast responds to a mean-spirited review by brutally torturing its author.

Back Bay Social Club takes a different tack. The year-old Boston bistro regularly compiles choice complaints into punchy top-10 lists e-mailed out to advertise the restaurant. The lists deflate the griping through humor. The suggestion that their burgers are made of "unicorn meat and leprechaun tears," for example, is illustrated with drawings of a unicorn and a leprechaun hat. Take note, Sam Talbot, before you do anything rash to poor Sam Sifton! (Although these ten might have gone beyond the humor pale.)

Below, the top-10 e-mail:

Comments

[senor1pinot]

01:11 PM on 06/13/2011

EVERY BODY IS A CRITIC, YET VERY FEW EVER GET INTO THE KITCHEN AND TAKE ON THE TASK OF COOKING, WHY? I WAS A COOK IN THE SERVICE FOR 4YEARS FEEDING 16OO HUNGRY SAILORS 3X A DAY X365. NO ONE IS A BIGGER CRITIC OF FOOD THAN A HUNGRY SAILOR, NO ONE!
UNTILL YOU, THE CRITIC GET IN THAT KITCHEN AND SPEND A DAY PREPARING FOOD THAT CUSTOMERS ARE PAYING FOR, STUFF YOUR ARTICLE! READING A BOOK ABOUT FOOD IS NOT THE SAME AS PREPARING IT. GET IN THAT KITCHEN AND SWEAT AS THE CHEFS DO. WHEN YOU CAN SAY YOU WORKED IN THE KITCHEN, NOT YOUR'S THEN DONT CRITIZE, KEEP THY MOUTH SHUT!!

[tweetleatha]

03:11 PM on 06/13/2011

Perhaps you should take a drink of water and a few deep breaths.

[Mike Hertz]

12:07 PM on 06/13/2011

I have never read a more hillarious food comment/ critique in my LIFE!!!! I laughed for a good 2 minutes.... who ever thought of the "fried shoe" comment has a definate classic on their hands!!!
Thanks for sharing :)

[Namvet6871]

09:04 AM on 06/13/2011

Thats News Huff?

[gracewhalen]

12:59 PM on 06/13/2011

Compares to their politics, it is. Huffington only eats the left wings of chicken.

[ncinkman]

04:44 PM on 06/13/2011

At least it was fair and balanced, LOL

[marine1942]

08:04 AM on 06/13/2011

What does Roseanne Barr say ??

[topgearrt]

01:27 PM on 06/13/2011

MOOOOOO?Isnt that what she says?

[ncinkman]

04:46 PM on 06/13/2011

We aren't allowed to say what she says because of the censors. Well, you can say it but it won't get posted, lol

[Al Schrader]

07:00 AM on 06/13/2011

To PetPetDonna: Chef's are wussies ? Actually, food is a tough business. I've seen Special Forces people crumble at it. There is a staff of three prep-chefs who back me up by cutting veggies, dicing cuccumbers, pulling chicken, rolling beef rolades, etc. Once in awhile there is an issue and I have to go back there to discuss it. I'm always very nice. Why ? Because they could fillet me like a Halibut before I could blink. Yes, we have big ego's. Many times a recipe will call for salt and pepper. For example, chicken noodle soup requires salt and pepper. I suggest, don't order it. When you order your food, explain to the server that you request large portions.

[celestialmotion]

06:47 AM on 06/13/2011

Good Morning !!! It's going to be a beautiful day.
Taking the bad and turning it into something good can really annoy the people who wish you ill will.
Wishing everyone on the Internet today good health and much happiness !!!
Hoping you all have a great day !!!

[moguns]

07:50 AM on 06/13/2011

What a lovely and sweet comment! this is surely a rarity on ANY comment list.
You surely have a good outlook on life.....
and I thank you, for I will try hard to have a beautiful day!
and hopefully you will have one too!!!!
thanks for breath of fresh air!!!

[sadiemae1214]

07:58 AM on 06/13/2011

Give me a break ! Was it something you ate ?

[celestialmotion]

05:57 AM on 06/14/2011

Thank you for sharing.

[GaelMc]

08:38 AM on 06/13/2011

What are you smoking?

[anniee214]

09:11 AM on 06/13/2011

Whatever they're smoking, I want some!!

[cbaker2692]

06:02 AM on 06/13/2011

Raters and reviewers are like the so called "Big Stars". They open thier mouths and they think everybody just going to go gaga over what they saud. Trouble is most of the time its just plin garbage. Best way to review a resteraunt go there try it you don't lie it don't go back. If friends ask tell them what YOU think and go from there

[JLeamer]

03:50 AM on 06/13/2011

Critics and reviewers are SO over rated...the ONLY way to rate a restaurant and GO there, then go back or don't, simple as that. The rest is hype and puffed up balogna (EW!)

[ncinkman]

04:49 PM on 06/13/2011

We baloney lovers take issue with your opinion!

[JLeamer]

10:21 PM on 06/13/2011

You mean it takes another person to tell you what good balogna tastes like? It takes someone else to tell you if you like the ambience of a place? You don't know good service when you get it?You must be a food critic...

[dalander]

01:55 AM on 06/13/2011

Far too many restaurants are paranoid about under cooked meat. I can't remember when I got a burger anywhere that wasn't nearly cremated.

[anniee214]

09:13 AM on 06/13/2011

I agree. Restaurants--know your suppliers. Then we customers can eat what we like--a good juicy burger that isn't cremated!!

[lita m]

01:26 AM on 06/13/2011

These reviews are so "clever" that they aren't really helpful to future patrons. Not a single one of these "reviews" were useful, with the possible exception of one. Keep the criticism relevant instead of trying to eliminate that pinhead, Gordon Ramsey. That, or audition to be a writer for David Letterman.

[Drew2U]

01:18 AM on 06/13/2011

No actual critic goes to a restaurant determined to hate the food. If a restaurant is getting enough bad reviews to warrant a "top ten" maybe they should look into what's going wrong rather than to advertise that the food didnt past muster with most of the critics. I've eaten at Back Bay and the food was disappointing, both times. I wish they would put their money into the FOOD and not clever advertising.

[petpetdonna]

12:07 AM on 06/13/2011

Chefs are big wussies anyway. They have egos the size of their food bills. I am sure this one is behind on his bills to his vendors anyway, Most restaurants are. They think they can work on other people's money in the hope of making a profit down the line. Most restaurants go out of business the first year. Food critics are wanna be chefs. Couldn't cut it in the kitchen so they figured they would write about restaurants. They NEVER do a follow up review. Critics are just as big a losers as chefs who think their food is fantastic. And by the way don't put salt or pepper on my food, I can do that at the table. YOU don't know how much salt or pepper I like anyway. Also keep your tiny servings and huge prices for someone who actually thinks that is food. When I go out to eat I want to be fed and not have to eat when I get home too.

[lita m]

01:16 AM on 06/13/2011

Just go to Domino's Pizza. And instead of a bottle of Coke, try drinking a little hemlock; that way, everyone's happy.

[cgert88888]

11:26 PM on 06/12/2011

What I don't get is how a restaurant (especially a chain) can keep a location going on a no longer deserved reputation. crom14 may be a vegitarian but I love a really good steak. After several great ones at Ruth's Chris' in Texas (maybe it was the company), I went to the one in Walnut Creek, CA (which was packed) and the steak was waaaaaay over-cooked. Thinking I may have just hit a bad night, I went back a few weeks later and had the same experience (packed house again). I have never gone back to that one or any other Ruth's Chris. If you are ever in the New Orleans area, Copeland's is fantastic; any of them, but my favorite is in Covington (get the garlic crab claws as an appetizer). I also like teh Texas Roadhouse chain. The steak is always great but it's a bit 'busy' with waiters singing happy birthday, line dancing in the aisles, etc.

[petpetdonna]

12:08 AM on 06/13/2011

Why would you go to a chain? When I travel I always ask where the locals eat. They know where to find great food. And it isn't at a chain.

[petpetdonna]

12:13 AM on 06/13/2011

I do agree with you though, If it is a steak house they should know the difference between medium, medium rare and rare, etc. But most chain restaurants hire ILLEGALS anyway and they can't speak English. If it is a seafood/fish restaurant, they better have fresh fish. It is Italian then the food needs to be Italian, not canned sauce and frozen pasta. You can fool a patron just once, and then they NEVER RETURN.

[fsutrill]

12:50 AM on 06/13/2011

read all of Anthony Bourdain's memoirs and you'll see that chains aren't the only ones hiring illegals. You know why? Americans won't take the kinds of jobs that the immigrants will take. He says they work like crazy and then, move up the chain from dishwasher to fry cook/line cook to sous chef and they are the best people he's got.

[kenowill]

07:07 PM on 06/13/2011

The chains DO NOT hire illegals as their chefs you idiot. Busboys,waiters,dishwashers perhaps.

[crom14]

02:58 PM on 06/11/2011

Here is mine..... " Dead Animal Burger. Blood, tissue, antibiotic and Steroids. Sad, sad, sad.

[btvs72]

12:22 AM on 06/13/2011

Why would you describe your butt?

[1frank]

12:35 AM on 06/13/2011

because He left his brain on the vanity . Pure and simple
Isn't it interesting all these peoples telling you what to eat , I thought the USA was a Free Country.

[ddddrgnfly]

01:14 AM on 06/13/2011

here is mine. There was a time when men hunted for food and women picked berries. Sometimes I guess the girlie men picked berries too, but the point is, humans are carnivorous creatures, we were designed that way and are at the top of the food chain. Animals were put here for consumption and is part of the reason they have litter(s). I'm always eating some kind of charred animal flesh, and it sure is gooooooooooooddddddddddd!!!

[GeorgiaVeteran]

05:20 PM on 06/10/2011

There is a pair of (radio) food critics here in Atlanta who only go to restaurants that will comp the entire meal. They've never aired a bad review!

Imagine that!

[1frank]

01:55 AM on 06/13/2011

Restaurants are stupids simply mail copy of the tab to thev IRS