Jan 20 2009
ChowHound Reviewed!
I told the padre, I like it here, get to do what you want, nobody fucks with you, the only thing you have to worry about is dying, and if that happens it won’t matter anyway…
—Bunny (Kevin Dylan) from Platoon
The Internet is a funny place. You can find information about anything and everything 24/7. Go to places that are real and imaginary. Ask people questions and tell people answers, find/lose people, solve/create problems… The people that set up soapboxes make rules for their spot, but for the most part it’s the Wild West.
Anybody can put up information and anybody can say what they want and no one really knows anything—mostly opinions. People either agree or disagree, the information for the most part is free flowing, we’re not like China—not yet!
This blog posts information that is opinion based on: different personalities, different sources of information, different experiences, different days of the week—the variables are vast and ever changing. The content is controlled here—people can’t post whatever they want, whether that’s the authors of posts or those commenting. I don’t let people use my soapbox to spread spam, inappropriate, or hateful content. I make the rules here, but sometimes people try to break those rules and maintenance can be a job in itself.
Now, when you go to other places they make the rules.
Where I come from you need to stand up for yourself because its been my experience that no one is going to do that for you. And, if you don’t stand up for yourself you’re not going to survive.
So, one of the subjects we write about here is restaurant reviews. We actually go to restaurants with the intent to review them and share our results with the rest of the world. The people we choose for these assignments have decades of experience including University, real world training and dining.
Besides posting here we share our posts with other review websites. They all have different sets of rules, audiences, and people commenting. Today we will be reviewing ChowHound.com a pretty popular site dedicated to those who love to eat.
Now, remember there are people who post articles and people that post comments—both can post and or comment.
Let’s just say there are some miserable people in the world that have nothing good to say, pic nits, pee in Cheerios—you get the point! People who have nothing better to do in fact. They can sit behind their computer and poke holes in anything and hide behind their damn computer and anonymity.
So, I re-post on ChowHound about this orgasmic pizza experience at this wonderful pizzeria Portofino in New York. (Portofino Dreaming) The comments on my article on Chowhound have since been deleted and even the post was pulled down twice, but it’s back up and stands alone…
Excerpt from my post Portofino Dreaming (the reason I give why I think their pizza is the best):
First, they make a slice that’s as big a small child and when in a whole pie it measures at least a yard from end to end. (probably an exaggeration, but close!)
Second, the sauce is perfectly seasoned with the right amount of cheese per any size bite.
Thirdly, we can talk about toppings, but I’m going to talk about one topping—broccoli rabe sauteed in garlic and olive oil. I’m still not ready to talk about how unbelievable this combination is—O M G! No, I’m just not ready yet…
Lastly, and I saved it for last because it is in fact the foundation—literally. The crust is thin, not paper, not notebook, but I’m going to call it the Goldilocks Crust—just right! But it’s not just right it’s just perfect!
Obviously size does matter and their perfect pizza crust is thin yet supportive, 1/8 inch of crispy, crunchy, able-to-support-the-sauce-and-cheese (and broccoli rabe in my case) perfect!
I will now post some of the back and forth to show the ridiculousness of some people—I’ve changed the usernames to protect their identity…
Comments:
DillHole: Large pizza slice size doesn’t make it good just because its big… I hate when people say something is good because of large portion size. If you want good pizza read the other threads for really good pizza places in the Tristate area. Go to Pepe’s.
Obvious shill for another pizza place, obviously they didn’t even read the article and they are promoting Pepe’s in Yonkers. I’m feeling a little acidic and decide not to let it go and strongly respond!
IrascibleChef: I’m sorry that some of you have problems with reading comprehension… I go on and on about what I thought was good about the pizza and some of you focus on your experience “somewhere” with large slice size. you’re not even making sense.
It’s apparent that you didn’t read my article at all, seems you just want to hear yourself talk…
I mention the crust, the sauce, the toppings, if you disagree because you ate there and had a bad experience then speak up, but really!
As for your advice (DillHole) “Read the other threads for really good pizza places in the Tristate area.”
My advice to you is just “read!”—IrascibleChef
JugWineHo: DillHole- I dooooooooooo agree. Whenever we take food recs from anyone, if their definition of good food is big food or large portions, we dont’ go!! As for Portofino – I live a mile away and I never go there. Big lousy pizza is still bad – just bigger! One of my favorite pizza places – long gone – was in the city. It was called Rocky Lee’s and it was a restaurant that served wonderful, thin crust, small slice pies. Can’t wait for Pepe’s in Yonkers!
They never even go there! Playing the same shill game as DillHole.
IrascibleChef: Apparently, JugWineHo and DillHole, (or maybe they’re even the same person) don’t bother reading the articles and then just talk about nonsense. Not sure what your motivation is… They should be banned for taking the positive out of this website!
JugWineHo: I read your whole article and I simply disagree with you. I am not talking nonsense – I live near Portofnino and disagree with you. I believe that’s what makes the world go round.
IrascibleChef: You wrote this didn’t you: “Dillhole – I dooooooooooo agree. Whenever we take food recs from anyone, if their definition of good food is big food or large portions, we dont’ go!!”
My article mentions a million other reasons I said Portofino’s is good. I didn’t say it was good because of the large portions. Okay. So disagree, but stop misrepresenting other peoples opinions, and misrepresenting yourself as someone who is just agreeing to disagree—if you did you wouldn’t have opened your rebuttal with misrepresenting what I wrote…
DillHole: Do you own Portofino, irascible chef? You are quite vehement in defending bad pizza.
By the way, I can read just fine.
IrascibleChef: I mentioned it was comprehension you have a problem with… And the fact that you continue to misrepresent opinion stated above makes it quite apparent to everyone that you have difficulty with reading c o m p r e h e n s i o n, except you and JugWineHo, who has the same issue.
We then received this email from Chowhound:
Hi irascible chef, you’ve been sent the following by a Chowhound moderator:
Please consider this your only warning: personal attacks on other posters are strictly forbidden on Chowhound. If we see any further posts along these lines, we’ll have to ask you to find another food discussion forum.The Chowhound Team
Chowhound.com
For Those Who Live to Eat
Couple lessons to be learned here: Post articles—don’t get dragged into innane discussions with idiots. Just use sarcastic retorts and thank them—they won’t know what’s going on and it can be argued that it wasn’t meant to be a slam. Lastly, Chowhound didn’t protect my interests, integrity, or my opinion (which seems to be the whole point of their site,) and let others say what they wanted even if they misrepresented my article. I pointed out the obvious in a strong way and was reprimanded.
Second annoying encounter in two days when reposting to Chowhound. Another incident with commentors—let’s see if I learned anything at all…
This was in reference to my article Ace Wasabi Redux! I revisited Ace Wasabi Rock and Roll Sushi, one of my favorite restaurants in SF. I previously had horrible service and went back to see if there was improvement.
The headline was, “So How did Ace Wasabi Rock and Roll Sushi do on Thursday 1/18/09?”
Comments:
PussyCat: So How did Ace Wasabi Rock and Roll Sushi do on Thursday 1/8/09?
Please correct the day or date as today is Saturday the 17th.
— Jan 17, 2009 03:28PM
That was friendly…
IrascibleChef: Thank you for pointing out that huge typo / mistake! Very helpful—I appreciate it so much!
—Jan 17, 2009 03:55PM
I was angered, yet thanked them with sarcasm and it still could be read as thoughtful—and pointed… And I corrected the error the date should have been 1/8/09. For some unknown reason the post was taken down, so I reposted and apparently the copy I put up had the wrong date I originally put up.
PussyCat: So How did Ace Wasabi Rock and Roll Sushi do on Thursday 1/18/09?
The date is still wrong. Today is the 18th.
And your blog screws with my computer and has too much non food stuff and a shameless request for advertisers.
So, now it was time to play the Chowhound victim game and add a jab…
IrascibleChef: Yeah, typo—thanks! I thanked you yesterday for your astute observation and I made the change—it was a typo! What does my blog have to do with you and what does your opinion of my blog have to do with anything here on Chowhound?
I also reported their comments to Chowhound as personally attacking me, comments that had nothing to do with my article, and ruining the Chowhound experience for everyone—Whaaaaaah!
I learned their stupid rules and played their stupid game and Chowhound pulled their comments and all is fine. Except, I don’t know how much I respect Chowhound or those who participate. Again anyone is allowed to do it, and you get what you pay for and opinion is opinion…
As my friend Steve the Chef used to say, “opinions are like assholes—they all stink!”
They don’t call me irascible for nothing!
—iChef
