Nightlife columnist Tom Horgen takes a brief break from pounding shots of rail tequila to pen a passionate apologia for the Lyndale Tap House, calling out the “just bloggers” who went after it. His theory: a few weeks post-opening is too early for snarky remarks. How about this as a proposal, Tom Horgen: As food critics, we collectively suspend judgment on any place not yet charging people money for food. After that, if you overcook your chicken to the consistency of leather, it’s fair game for commentary. You can’t demand a place to be perfect when it opens — but you can expect a focused concept and competent execution of basic tasks. Moreover, a lot of restaurants open smoothly to general acclaim — if Bar La Grassa and Anchor Fish and Chips (and probably a dozen other new restaurants in 2009) can stand an early assessment, so can a well-funded venture like the Lyndale.
Horgen’s Lyndale Love Letter
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Huzzah! Well said
100% agree with you on early reviews. if you are accepting folks’ money, you ought to be prepared to accept their opinion as well. Used to be that one dollar = one vote. But now one dollar = 1000s of potential votes.
However, your snarky assessment of Horgen’s life/work style (eg “takes a brief break from pounding rail tequila”) comes off as petty jealousy of his status as a mass media restaurant/nightlife reporter and chick (er, guy?) magnet. If you want to be the snarky “just blogger” that you’ve inferred Horgen is calling you, then fine. But if you want to be a respectable journalist, it wouldn’t hurt to act like one. Now, I’ll be the first to admit that I’m all about petty amateurish snark…but I have no stake in creating a serious foodie repository on the web like you do.
Good grief, Norton! What is your issue with 1) The Lyndale Tap House and 2) anyone who doesn’t agree with you??? This has gotten ridiculous. And your problem yesterday with people complimenting Judd Spicer’s review of Barrio in St. Paul was almost embarrassing. Seriously. Pure jealousy. You clearly don’t have the temperament to be a food writer. Or, perhahp, a writer at all. You certainly don’t want criticisim. And you’re the Editor here?? Wow!
Well, you see…Tom doesn’t have to worry about money. He just lives gratis off expense accounts and comped meals, tickets, drinks etc. So what does he care about real people problems like, for instance, value?