Folks,
Here’s a question I struggle with. Let’s say there’s a restaurant that’s been open a long time, it’s popular, it’s a traditional favorite. And I’ve been there twice, only to find it insanely overpriced, serving poor food at best, and limping along on reputation — or some other mysterious force.
Now, in some respects, and for some people, this is an easy question. For example, a restaurant critic would simply trash the place. For an example of this, go over to PortlandFoodandDrink.com and see what the Food Dude wrote about Acadia.
If I were more of a shrill, I’d simply write something like “This place is so popular for their (insert signature dish here) and their (insert usual adjectives) feel, Portlanders just can’t get enough!”
But here’s the thing: I am neither a critic nor a shrill. My goal with Breakfast in Bridgetown is to describe how and where Portland eats breakfast. To do this, I mix in some history, some location, some food, some personal anecdotes, hopefully some charm and entertainment.
With each particular place, I want to describe it as I see it, but also as Portland sees it — how the place fits in the Portland Breakfast Pantheon, as it were. Some places serve really basic food and go for the down-home vibe. Some offer fine cuisine. Some have a niche like local, organic ingredients. Some specialize in vegetarian or vegan.
Now, I have my tastes and preferences, but I don’t think the reader cares too much what I think. You give me $15 and a morning to eat, and I bring to that decision a host of feelings and preferences that you might not share. So why should I say, “I hate this place,” or “This place is the best,” or (this really makes me cringe), “This place makes the best breakfast in the world!”
Maybe you don’t like the kind of place I like, but I think I can still describe a place in a manner that is accurate, fair, and entertaining, and a way that lets you make your own decision if you’d like to eat there.
So I think I’m answering my own question here. If I’m writing about a place that I see as going mainly on reputation and location, and a place that many people I speak to agree is wildly overpriced — even people who like eating there — I guess I just say something like, “I don’t get this place, but I think it’s tradition and location, so God bless ‘em for getting $9 for a waffle.”
What do you think?
PS: Anybody want to venture a guess which place I have in mind here?
