Olive Garden Critic’s Tips on How to Review a Restaurant

[geardaddy]

http://shine.yahoo.com/shine-food/olive-garden-critic-8217-tips-review-restaurant-194300195.html

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What Marilyn does know, better than most, is how to review a local restaurant. She doesn't give out Michelin stars, and she doesn't follow the latest trends in molecular gastronomy. She goes to the places that open up in her town, you know, like the rest of us. Then she writes about them. Here are some of her tips for doing it yourself.

Pay attention to ambiance: One of the first things Marilyn notices in any restaurant is the design touches. Dinner service lighting should be "dark but not too dark." Last week, a page from her reporter's notebook charted the "crystal chandeliers and mahogany woodwork" at The Bay House in Naples—Florida, that is. "I had brunch there a week ago while I was on a trip and that was an elegant experience," Marilyn tells Shine.

Napkins should be thick: " I don't like those flimsy ones that look like toilet paper," says Marilyn. She uses her napkin a lot, which is why she's partial to cloth. "But you don't always find those, so if it's paper I like something that's substantial."

Bathrooms are the window to a restaurant's soul: The first place Marilyn inspects is the last place you'd think. "I always check the restrooms," she says. "I think it says a lot about a restaurant if there's paper all over the floor or if the sink is dirty." It makes perfect sense: if a restaurant doesn't keep its bathroom clean, there's a good chance the kitchen isn't sparkling either.

Watch what you drink: If you're going to weigh in on a restaurant, you need a clear head and a clear palate. "I don't drink much before a meal," she says. She'll have a glass of wine with her main course, or start with a shot of Crown Royal, but never the over-powering house cocktail. "I don't like to have mixed drinks because it ruins a meal."
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[HopeHoops]

1. I thought the star rating was on how many hot MILFS you saw breastfeeding.

The food sucks (pun intended).

On Edit: I'll stick with my MILF. She's been my girl since 84.