Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
How, then, do we go about presenting the best possible dining coverage? What
is the best way to get it right? We at the Unofficial Guides have elected to begin with
highly qualified culinary experts and then balance their opinions with those of our
readers.
The expert opinion is essential because it's important to be able to differentiate
what the restaurant really serves from what it purports to serve. Many years ago in
Lexington, Kentucky, by way of example, there was only one Chinese restaurant. It
was wildly successful even though it was Chinese in name only. Still, its specialty
dishes, essentially American vegetable casseroles smothered in cornstarch, were hap-
pily consumed by patrons who had never been exposed to real Chinese cooking. The
food wasn't bad, mind you, but it wasn't Chinese either. Visitors from out of town,
inquiring about a good local Chinese restaurant, were often directed to this place. As
you would expect, they were routinely horrified by the fare.
Inthisguide,wethinkthat youdeserve toknowwhether ornotyou'regetting the
real thing. If we recommend, say, the
pommes frites
with Cajun rémoulade (seasoned
french fries served with cheese and a mayonnaise-based sauce with chopped onion,
Creole mustard, and paprika) at Café Orléans, it's pretty essential that our dining crit-
ics know what rémoulade is, how it should be prepared, how it should be served, and
how it should taste. In our opinion, it's almost impossible to publish a creditable res-
taurant review without the help of a knowledgeable, professional dining critic.
The ultimate test of success for a restaurant, however, is not the authenticity of
its dishes but the satisfaction of its patrons. If diners have a bad experience and don't
come back, the restaurant will fail. Thus, we regard our experts' opinions and our
readers' feedback as two halves of a whole: both are necessary to inform your dining
decisions.
Our experts are knowledgeable, seasoned professionals who have studied culin-
ary arts around the world and who have written cookbooks or columns. They are well
versed in ethnic dishes and have no prejudice about high or low cuisine. Our experts
also conduct their reviews anonymously and always pay full menu prices for their
meals. Additionally, many of our experts spent years working in the industry; they
empathize with the operators and recognize how difficult it is to prove themselves
worthy with every plate many times over every day.
Weencourage youtofilloutthediningsurveyon
touringplans.com
.
Ifyouwant
to share your dining experience in depth, write to us at the address listed, or send us
an e-mail at
unofficialguides@menasharidge.com.
DISNEY DINING 101
