| Unbearable review of Orso
OK, so Mikey doesn't like it! Orso's fabulous
dÈcor does not fit to everyone's tastes, but
those walls are not salmon colored (I have seen
more Salmon than anyone safely should). They are
more like a warm, burnt red. The look is actually
a nice, contemporary Euro-American style that is
not dissimilar from the restaurants that I have
been to in Italy. It's too bad that Mike had such
a lousy experience there. But maybe it was
because he had shellfish, which, in my book, is
suspect in any case. I was there last week and
enjoyed the wonderful, fresh bread with the spicy
bean and olive oil dip – very Italian. That
was followed by the Chicken Fettuccine with
killer garlic Alfredo sauce. And Mikey, honey,
you ordered the wrong dessert. Tira misu has its
place in some people's hearts, but I've never
liked it. THE dessert that makes any trip to Orso
worth it is their Molten Chocolate cake. A thick
chocolate cake about 6 inches across is topped
with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a nice
drizzle of chocolate sauce. For crunchy contrast,
chunks of burnt sugar brittle are artfully placed
along the edge of the plate. A moment is needed
to wipe away the drool, but when the cake is
pierced with a fork, molten chocolate oozes out.
It's better than sex.
Ellen Davis
UAA student
Orso review off
track
I
realize the Northern Light newspaper affords
journalism students an opportunity to
"practice" their craft. With that
consideration, I seldom protest articles.
However, I find it necessary to respond to the
restaurant review of Orso's because it was poorly
crafted, partly vulgar and just simply lacked
decorum. As a culinary educator, I am willing to
make time available to help Mr. McQuillan with
his next restaurant review.
I
could share with Mr. McQuillan some of the basic
rules to heed when reviewing a restaurant. It was
apparent from his article that he is unaware of
such simple rules as dining at an establishment
three times before drawing a conclusion. Also, on
those dine-outs, take a different guest with you
each time. I know it all seems tedious and
expensive, but it has everything to do with
objectivity, something that some readers expect
of the press (also, please note that poorly
crafted restaurant reviews, usually ones that
aren't very objective, have ended up in court and
restaurants have won). After the dining
experiences, and before writing, be sure to do
the research.
One
last comment. In reviewing a restaurant, one must
also consider the clientele and how busy the
establishment is. Orso is currently, by all
accounts, one happening place! I think that
obvious fact alone completely discounts Mr.
McQuillan's review.
Timothy W. Doebler, CCE
Good paper: bad
review
I
recently read Mike McQuillan's review of the
Ristorante Orso on 5th Avenue. While I respect
the right to an opinion and personal taste, I had
to laugh when I read the review. Mr. McQuillan's
criticism came across as unintelligent and purely
"hick" Alaskan.
Sourdough
is commonly eaten in Italy and the humus and
olive oil that is served with it is a special and
unique touch that you cannot find elsewhere in
Anchorage.
The
decor that he labeled as tacky is actually called
"modern antique" and is considered
classy. If Mike got out of Alaska once in a
while, he'd see that most new restaurants in
places such as Seattle, San Francisco and New
York are setting these trends. The owners of Orso
are trying to bring us upon the times and it's
working – they are doing a ton of business.
The
prices are nearly identical to those of down home
joints, such as the Sea Galley and Cattle Company
– not exactly the epitome of style and
elegance. Mike, if you want to be cheap, go to
the Mongolian B-B-Q all you can eat!
"I
settled on a dish that I couldn't
pronounce...." If Mike wants to really
impress his girlfriend, maybe he can learn how to
pronounce Italian. That way he'd be somewhat
suitable to give an opinion on Italian food.
I
am simply a fan of a great eatery and a
much-needed boost to our city's lack of culture
and modern style. We're always stuck with options
like "Lone Star," "Sourdough
Mining Company" and "Gwennies."
Finally we have a place that serves exclusive
wines and doesn't cost as much as “Marx
Brothers.”
In
closing, a food critic should know something
about food before he criticizes and he shouldn't
dock a great server's tip because he couldn't
pronounce the menu. That is a reflection of a
cynic reporter, not a good food critic. Mike's
review is a waste of space in an otherwise good
college newspaper.
David G. Taylor
|
