These are time sensitive. You do not receive credit if you write them after the deadline each week.
First, there's a blog entry (about 250 words) which will have you respond to a hopefully thought-provoking question. Each week, you must do the blog entry with enough time left in the week to be able to enter into dialogue online with your classmates. Write, reply, write more, reply more, and then write and reply more.
Second, there's a reading. There’s no blog entry associated with this. Just read.
Third, there's a written response to the reading. Your reading and writing on the blog must be completed by the SATURDAY (by midnight) of the week in which the reading falls. This entry should be a long paragraph. YOU DO NOT NEED TO RESPOND TO OTHER STUDENTS' PART THREE EACH WEEK.
Sunday, September 20, 2015
WEEK TWO WRITING ABOUT WHAT YOU READ
(just a reminder, write your entry--but you do NOT need to respond to others here)
What was the single best line of the restaurant review of
Patina? Why was that line so appealing?
While reading this review the line that was really appealing to me was when it states “Close your eyes…” This line was really appealing to me, because it had given me an image of how everything looked. Reading that line gave me a greater understanding on the type of restaurant he was currently sitting at. The type of food he was approaching. This individual persuaded me to want to read further into his story. This line didn’t make me bored, it made me imagine what it was like. I could actually taste and smell the food by reading this line. By the author writing in such few words it made it so interesting. Also the grammar he was using what great! Overall, the Patina restaurant was well represented with this review and it actually got me to want to visit and experience it myself.
While reading this restaurant review the line that stood out to me the most was “With an unfaltering sense of color and proportion — and taste — the chef has composed a cityscape of vegetables in a coral-red pool of their cooking juices”. This was one of the lines that stood out to me the most because it was one of her first descriptions. It was very appealing to me because while I was reading her review I could actually see and smell the food in my head. She really managed to not only write a review, but take the reader on an experience. From the moment she starts she gives plenty of background information on the restaurant. She even talks about the current chefs and their experience. As she walks into the restaurant she makes you feel as if you are there too. She perfectly describes the atmosphere, down to even the sounds you hear when walking in. Her review only gets better when she starts to describe the food. As she describes some of her first dishes you can really picture the plate’s presentation in your mind. She describes each dish intricately, using descriptions such as “geometric precision”, “whimsical dish”, and “brilliant scarlet”. What I really loved about her review was that she used all of her senses to describe the restaurant. She appeals to sight by explaining in great detail the food’s presentation. For sound she explains what the restaurant sounded like while you walked in and while you were eating. Taste and smell are also described in great detail when she receives the food. While tasting the food she also compares it to the previous times she’s ordered it. For touch she explains the texture of the food in detail as well. With all of the attention to details she gave in her review it was easy to want to taste the food for myself.
The single best line of the restaurant review was in paragraph four when she started describing the glazed vegetable mosaic. She wrote, “the chef has composed a cityscape of vegetables in a coral-red pool of their cooking juices. . . there’s celeryroot, carrot, a spear of asparagus, turnip, a bull’s eye of crimson and white Chioggia beet drizzled with lemon-scented oil”. This line captured my attention because of how descriptive she was with her plate. In my mind, I pictured a plate full of vegetables with vibrant colors such as red, orange, purple, and green. I tasted and smelled the lemon-scented oil that she described. Her restaurant review of Patina had a great amount of detail that made me feel as if I was there. She began by describing how it feels to enter a restaurant. She wrote, “The figures of the hostess, manager, bartender, server and sommelier awake from their enchantment”. The moment you open the door, every employee’s eyes are on you. I have noticed this in many restaurants that I go to. Employees are always in their own little world, especially when they aren’t doing much, but as soon as someone walks in the restaurant, they awaken from their fascination. Overall, her restaurant review of Patina was great written with descriptive information that made me feel as if I was there tasting the delicious dishes she described.
To be completely honest, this critic knows 100 times more than I am going to know about any chef or restaurant here in town. The critic explains everything in a very rich, deep, intriguing way. I believe one of the best lines in the reading was "It's the time to slow down, to savor the food and the company. A moment outside of the everyday, and a rare indulgence." I believe that we can all take eating in general for granted especially going out to dinner and having the food made for us. Yes, we pay for the service, but we are lucky that we have the option to choose what food we want, where we want to go, when we want to eat and so forth. I do believe that we need to slow down and appreciate the time we do have because for some of us eating out is a rare indulgence. To me this line also meant that it is a rare indulgence to eat things we don't normally eat. When we do go out to dinner, we should savor the food, the experience, and the memories that we are making. We should all take the time to take a risk, but at the same time savor each moment because we do not know if it could be our last. Why spend the time and money if it is just another day to you? I also believe the line “The chef certainly has a talent for creating beautiful compositions, marshaling ingredients into geometric precision. Every note he hits rings true.” These lines appealed to me as well because I do think that if the food on your plate doesn’t look tasty, you are probably not going to be as excited about eating it. First impression is everything. When you walk into a restaurant, if a waitress greets you with a smile on her face you are more than likely going to enjoy your evening more than if she is just going through the motions. When a plate is presented in front of you, that is the chef’s piece of art. Everything placed on a plate is there to look nice but together it is supposed to taste amazing.
My favorite line of the passage was when she said, "With an unfaltering sense of color and proportion — and taste — the chef has composed a cityscape of vegetables in a coral-red pool of their cooking juices." I thought this line was funny because she takes something that is so fancy and compares it to a city and then states that they are sitting in a pool of their own juices. While reading this I felt that though this was a serious commentary some of the things that she wrote about had a sense of humor to it. She was very good at creating a sense of imagery in the food descriptions. I could definitely visualize the dishes that she was describing and felt that she had a good amount of experience when referencing the different cooks. Somehow she knew all of their previous experience and what each of their specific job titles was. She described how some of the cooks were just there to make desserts and others were there to make full coursed meals. I believe her detailed descriptions of the food definitely helped with the first impression of the restaurant. I believe most people choose a place to eat at based on what they have heard from trustworthy friends. If you feel they are experienced in the subject matter, you will trust them. I would account for this critics writings and think of them if I ever felt inclined to go and eat at this restaurant. The next most important thing to me is the way that the food is served. If someone acts like I am totally inconveniencing them by eating there, then I do not care how good the food is. But if the server is nice and welcoming then you have the ability to appreciate how good the food is.
I was very impressed right off the bat from the author’s descriptive restaurant review. She not only talks about the food but also paints a picture about her experience. I can tell that the author appreciates fine dining through her review. She draws you into the whole “fine dining” experience. To be honest I wasn’t sure about some food choices that she talked about but she did leave me wanting to try them. Something that amazed me was the way that she described the main dishes. The main dished were described so descriptive that you could imagine the dish in your mind as you read it. I am usually am horrible with describing food. I usually say it was “good” or “crunchy” or “sweet.” The author describes ravioli with a “nubbin of emerald baby zucchini…” One must have amazing imagination to be painting such a descriptive review. The single most amazing line from the author was “Sometimes it feels as if the entire restaurant has been put into a state of suspended animation by an evil witch called the economy.” This line made me laugh but in a very good and pleased way. I could tell that the author is very good at what she does and has fun with it too. Overall I thought the review was very good and I would give the restaurant four stars based on the review. If I ever do go to the restaurant in the future I will make sure to keep tabs with the waiter so that I don’t get charged $22 for water.
The single best line of the restaurant review of Patina was “With an unfaltering sense of color and proportion — and taste — the chef has composed a cityscape of vegetables in a coral-red pool of their cooking juices.” This was one of the best lines in the review because it was so descriptive and detailed. While I was reading the line I could imagine what the food or plate looked like. I could even picture myself being there at the moment. This is because of the power of the great details she offered to us. The description was so vivid, helpful to understand, and helped us imagine what she was writing about. I could imagine the plate having so much food just like a monsters dinner. The plate was full of vegetables and seemed to look just amazing something I would eat. This line was so appealing because it made me wish for that amazing vegetable plate. The plate seems to be just perfect with the vivid image, smell, and taste. Maybe the proportion of the plate seems to be a little too much but there is a solution to that. Either it all gets eaten, you save it for later, or you give up and not eat it all. I can imagine myself sitting at this restaurant and getting my plate just as described here. I would have a shocked and amazed face. I would try and eat everything on the plate which I think I would finish and enjoy very much. The details within a story, essay, or a book makes everything much more interesting and provocative to read.
The single line that I found most appealing from the restaurant review is where Irene says “close your eyes.” Although it’s short and to the point, it prepares the reader for what they are about to experience not only by reading, but by their imagination. Irene’s review of the restaurant Patina is so descriptive that it almost places the reader in her seat. Irene spends most of the review giving in depth descriptions of the food but leaves the audience guessing what the restaurant looks like with little description. With the exact detail of the food placed in front of her and giving a good clear description of what the dish looks like, one could almost see and taste what she’s describing with your imagination. When she wants the readers to further use their imaginations she gives exactly what a dish looks like by describing it using household things like a deck of cards, explaining “carrot and turnip stacked and laid on their side like gambling chips,” giving the reader a very vivid description of the food. Irene also uses readers imaginations when she describes the fish dish, explaining the “Barramundi comes just this side of rare with a fresh presentation of pastel beets and hearts of palm,” giving the reader the exact preparation of the dish creating more imagination involvement by the reader. Irene’s in depth descriptions of Patina’s food goes all the way down to the care the chefs put into each dish and the pictures that each chef paints onto the plate with their talents. This line is most appealing because without Irene telling the reader to close their eyes, some might forget to use their imagination and place themselves in her shoes.
The single line that I found most appealing from the restaurant review is where Irene says “close your eyes.” Although it’s short and to the point, it prepares the reader for what they are about to experience not only by reading, but by their imagination. Irene’s review of the restaurant Patina is so descriptive that it almost places the reader in her seat. Irene spends most of the review giving in depth descriptions of the food but leaves the audience guessing what the restaurant looks like with little description. With the exact detail of the food placed in front of her and giving a good clear description of what the dish looks like, one could almost see and taste what she’s describing with your imagination. When she wants the readers to further use their imaginations she gives exactly what a dish looks like by describing it using household things like a deck of cards, explaining “carrot and turnip stacked and laid on their side like gambling chips,” giving the reader a very vivid description of the food. Irene also uses readers imaginations when she describes the fish dish, explaining the “Barramundi comes just this side of rare with a fresh presentation of pastel beets and hearts of palm,” giving the reader the exact preparation of the dish creating more imagination involvement by the reader. Irene’s in depth descriptions of Patina’s food goes all the way down to the care the chefs put into each dish and the pictures that each chef paints onto the plate with their talents. This line is most appealing because without Irene telling the reader to close their eyes, some might forget to use their imagination and place themselves in her shoes.
After reading this well thought-out restaurant review, what struck me the most was the descriptive words used and how Patina created this visual picture by using them. The overall restaurant review should very well aid someone who is trying to find a restaurant to dine at in the Los Angeles Area. However, the single best line of the restaurant review by Patina is where she says, “What a breathtaking dish. With an unfaltering sense of color and proportion — and taste — the chef has composed a cityscape of vegetables in a coral-red pool of their cooking juices.” This line incorporates the different senses such as sight and taste which lets the reader visualize what the dish looks like and tastes like. This is excellent for knowing what certain dishes in this restaurant look and taste the best. Another excellent use of description is how Patina creates a landscape of what the dish has with the different vegetables and their tasty juices. This line created a picture of the dish and appealed to me in a very interesting way. Another line I found appealing is when Patina says, “The chef certainly has a talent for creating beautiful compositions, marshalling ingredients into geometric precision.” This line describes more than just the food but how the chef creates the food in such a way that he shapes them using a certain geometry. This too created a picture in my mind as I was reading and I got interested in going to dine at that restaurant. She continues to precisely describe the geometric precision with the different shapes of the food on the plate. This is a very interesting restaurant review that should appeal to anyone who reads it.
The author did an amazing job of describing her experiences. The way she described the restaurant's atmosphere, the dishes, and the staff gave me a lot of insight about the restaurant. What I found most interesting about her review was the sentences about savoring the experience. "It's the time to slow down, to savor the food and the company. A moment outside the everyday, and a rare indulgence." This is so true and especially true of today's society. We are so caught up in our work and technology that we sometimes forget to take the time to enjoy the entire experience. Instead of spending time talking to one another, many people resort to using their phones. And I am speaking from personal experience. I have gone to restaurants before, and have seen several cases in which at least one person or everyone at the table have their phones out. How is this adding to the experience? Also, another problem that some of us face is not taking the time to savor the food. Because of the little time given to us for our lunch breaks, we have to adapt and eat quicker in order to eat well. Therefore, over time, it becomes a habit every time we eat which means we do not savor our food as we should. Going out to eat should be a time to enjoy the company of other and appreciate the food we eat.
After reading the article I realized that there is more than just going to eat at a restaurant with family for a special occasion. I realized that you go to these “Favorite” restaurants because you want to have a great food experience not only the food being severed, but the service as well. You can have various experiences from your favorite or new restaurant. The line that I understood the most was “ And on the last night, I ordered the rack for two just to see if it was as good as I remembered. It definitely is”. I like this line specifically, because before I think about going to a restaurant I always imagine eating their food to see if I did like it, that is also because I like eating the same types of foods everywhere I go I don’t really like choosing new dishes unless it’s a new place.
The best line of the reading says “The chef certainly has a talent for creating beautiful compositions, marshalling ingredients into geometric precision”. This line makes me think of the dedication and precision that is put into making all the dishes. From my perspective the above line sets the guideline of why every dish is described with detail and exact precision. For example “beautiful compositions” remind me of enjoyable music, therefore the descriptions paint an image of enjoyable food. In addition “marshaling ingredients into geometric precision” describes perfection. This is because mathematical problems are ether correct or incorrect and the food being described is always exact. While reading the review I realized how every word matters and changes the perception the reader is taking. I was impressed of how much detail can be brought up from one experience. It made me want to have a taste of the food being described. This is important because it shows how the author does an amazing job sinking in the reader. In the reading there was another line that concurred with this one. It mentions that the chefs resume wouldn’t matter if they couldn’t demonstrate their talent in their dishes. I thought this was important as well because it sets high standards and makes the reader understand that the dishes being described are really good. Both lines speak about talent in the kitchen and appeal because they asses the same thing but in a different manner. Over all this reading is descriptive and makes me want to eat some of the food.
When i read this article i realized how much of an expertise the writer was when it came to describing these dishes. Of course i would expect this type of critique from someone who works for the LA times. Her descriptions was so lavish and vivid and although i have never been exposed to half of the dishes that she has had, she made it sound so appetizing. Aside from describing the dishes she also took the time to acknowledge the chef creating these wonderful dishes, the servers and her surroundings. The writing consisted of all of her five senses in the process of doing so. She utilized her eyes for sight, smell, hearing, taste and touch. My favorite line that the critique writes is “The chef certainly has a talent for creating a beautiful composition.” When she writes this I can see her describing the chef as an artist and the plates are his canvases were he lays down his art. For example the writer describes the glazed vegetable mosaic and you can imagine the colors like different shades of greens, oranges and yellows floating in a pool of red color. The way the writer played with her words made the reading so intriguing and most likely convinced some of us to want to try Patina out. The writer unlike some of us appreciates her food. When some of us get the opportunity to go out for fine dining we just order, eat and snap a picture of it for social medias and we don't take the time to appreciate it. We don't acknowledge the flavors, the time and all the effort the chef takes to prepare the dish for us.
The line that stood out most in the restaurant review of Patina was “A starter of hamachi (yellowtail) presents a rectangle of the marinated raw fish garnished with razor-thin slices of geoduck clam on one side of the plate with pieces of avocado, crunchy crostini and a green-apple mustard forming vertical lines on the other side”. This stood out to me so much because of the descriptive language given to each ingredient. This is showcased by the symbolism of razor thin slices of geoduck clam. This is very interesting to me as my longest and current job is a chef. It takes incredible skill and practice to be able to slice geoduck razor thin. To my current knowledge the only way to get a geoduck to this level of thinness would be to use a mandolin. It is also a nice visual to have vertical lines form on a plate. Eating is in my opinion just as much visual as taste. This I believe S. Irene Virbila was able to deduce by her particular language in writing this review. Hamachi is an ingredient I have never worked with before but is known to be a stubborn fish to work with. Most westerners have a hard time because of the thickness of the skin so this I estimate was the reason the use of a rectangle was used instead of the traditional thick slice. This also showed to me that the Hamachi was the least desirable food on the plate and that the garnishes stole the limelight.
The line that got me the most excited was, "With an unfaltering sense of color and proportion- and taste- the chef has composed a cityscape of vegetables in a coral-red pool of their cooking juices". The reason this certain line got me so excited about the review is that just describing the vegetables the author goes into depth so you can see it in your head. If the author makes the sides look so good you get excited about thinking about what the main dish is going to look like and how the author is going to describe it and how you're going to see it in your own head.
The best line of Patina's restaurant review is, “With an unfaltering sense of color and proportion — and taste — the chef has composed a cityscape of vegetables in a coral-red pool of their cooking juices.” This is my favorite line of the review, because it's making my mouth water. The reason it's making my mouth water is because I can taste it. This is how you know you've done a good job writing about an experience when the reader feels like they are experiencing it, or in this case tasting it. Specifically, I really envy the part of the sentence that describes the vegetables in a, “coral-red pool of their cooking juices.” I like this, because it's taking food and language, and turning it into a form of asthetically apealing art. I'm also bias towards vegetables, I love the way they taste, and the thought of them. This line is also poetic with its descriptions for example: coral-red. I've noticed when I write, sometimes I forget to put in details. I usually just use the word red, thinking that's enough of a description, but I forget I can describe the shades, or tiny details that go along with the original description. I also enjoyed that she pair coral-red with pool. It has an almost horror film vibe to it. A pool of blood...“coral-red pool of their cooking juices.” I appreciate when something is made into art. In this case she transformed an experience and language into an art form, to match the chef's meal, and the restaurant's atmosphere. I also enjoyed how she compared the vegetables presentation to a cityscape. This gives the reader an idea of how much thought and effort went into making such an asthetically appealing and delightful tasting dish.
The single best line of Patina's restaurant review is, “With an unfaltering sense of color and proportion — and taste — the chef has composed a cityscape of vegetables in a coral-red pool of their cooking juices.” I believe this is the best line because of the way it is described and detailed. I can't help but picture it in my head and actually want to taste it for myself. The author knew what they were doing to captivate their reader's imagination and attention to these descriptive lines. It's more than just going out to eat at a restaurant; it's about the whole experience as well. I like this because it really captivates all of your attention.
The best line that caught my attention is, "It's the time to slow down, to savor the food and the company--- A moment outside of the everyday, and a rare indulgence". As soon as I read that line I put myself in the moment and I could picture every detail the author was saying. It also caught my attention because it's something I do when I eat. I like to savor every bite instead of gulping everything down and not knowing how truly delicious it was. The author used a wonderful amount of descriptive details in order to engage their audience. Throughout the whole review I could picture these dishes in front of me.
As I was reading this restaurant review, I could not help but feel in awe with all the descriptive details the author listed. I felt as though I was actually in Patina. From the appearance of the location to the food itself, everything was spot on. While I had many lines that captured my attention throughout my reading, I really enjoyed a line in paragraph seven the most. I really enjoyed this paragraph itself because it truly made me feel as though I was eating the glazed vegetable mosaic dish because the the attention to details the author presented. The line that describes the dish to be "in a coral-red pool of their cooking juices" allowed me to imagine the plate to be hot with a rich flavor! What is even more captivating is that the line itself did not say that the plate was hot. Rather, her description allowed me to use context clues to figure it out. That to me, is what a true writer is capable of doing. Furthermore, the last line in this paragraph also left me wanting more: "Every bite delivers the essence of this or that vegetable in this whimsical dish". It left me wanting to know why this dish was so magnificent, and that is what a true author should do: leave the reader wanting more. It is as though she wanted to persuade me into taking a road trip to visit this restaurant just to try this dish!
While reading Patina’s restaurant review, the single best line that caught my attention was “Close your eyes. Pay attention to the first bite of the amuse.” Reading that reminded me of this week’s blog entry. When exploring different cultures and/or foods, if people are actually interested in wanting to try or enjoy a new dish, I believe they would have to be able to feel the food flow through their bodies. By that, I mean either the warmth, the chills, or either the amount of comfort the food brings to them when they taste something new. The reason why this caught my attention, I had also mentioned this to a fellow classmate for our blog entry, in order for me to try something new I would rather know what I ate after I’ve already eaten it. If I know beforehand, I know I’m just going to be so negative about it and not want to try it. The quote explains exactly why I wouldn’t want to know what I’m about to try. I want to be able to take my time to appreciate the amount of flavor, the texture, and consistency of a new dish. I know as of right now, I probably wouldn’t do that in casual diners, but if it were a fancy restaurant I could already picture myself melting within the food itself. Which reminds me of when my friend brought lunch. I knew the dish wasn’t regular meat, but it did smell appetizing. I absolutely love food and since my other friend enjoyed what he had brought us, I was willing to give it a try even though I didn’t know what it was. So I connected the aroma with the bite I was about to take, and I do not regret not knowing what it was! The dish was amazing and of course, I did my little happy dance! Till this day I still don’t know what I ate.
"Round, plump ravioli are filled with finely minced zucchini and cheese and are as beguiling as any I've encountered. Each wears a nubbin of emerald baby zucchini and at the center is a gossamer veil of goat cheese "foam" crowned with the bright gold zucchini blossoms."
I really liked this part of the review for a few reasons. First I liked it because it sounds delicious and I love ravioli. The next thing that stands out to me is how descriptive it is. The whole review is very descriptive and gives a good idea of Patina's environment and feel without having to be there. You can imagine everything, how the food tastes to the amount of people to the wait staff that are employed. I am not much of a food enthusiast, I don't take time to savor often, but this writing really made me want to reconsider the thought I put into food I eat, and the food I cook.
I was very impressed by the way Patina was able to review a restaurant and its food so well. I never thought you could narrate a restaurant experience like you would a novel. The line that impressed me the most was the line: “Now just look at his glazed vegetable mosaic. What a breathtaking dish. With an unfaltering sense of color and proportion — and taste — the chef has composed a cityscape of vegetables in a coral-red pool of their cooking juices.” In particular, I liked the way she described a simple side of vegetables as though she was describing a fabulous piece of art. The phrases “vegetable mosaic” and “unfaltering sense of color and proportion” definitely made me feel like this was no other ordinary plate of vegetables—it must have been some kind of special type of vegetables. I liked that she said “coral-red” instead of just “red” because coral-red paints a brighter picture of how the plate of vegetables looked like. She also mentioned that the vegetables’ color was “unfaltering”, which to me meant that the chef did not give her a sad plate of overly steamed vegetables. He probably gave her a plate of fresh, crisp, and hearty vegetables as though they were just picked yesterday. Overall, she made them seem exquisite, when in reality, they were probably just like any other plate of vegetables. Any other reviewer would have said “…and it came with a side of vegetables.” However, somehow she made a plate of vegetables seem desirable without sounding cheesy. That’s very admirable.
While reading this review the line that was really appealing to me was when it states “Close your eyes…” This line was really appealing to me, because it had given me an image of how everything looked. Reading that line gave me a greater understanding on the type of restaurant he was currently sitting at. The type of food he was approaching. This individual persuaded me to want to read further into his story. This line didn’t make me bored, it made me imagine what it was like. I could actually taste and smell the food by reading this line. By the author writing in such few words it made it so interesting. Also the grammar he was using what great! Overall, the Patina restaurant was well represented with this review and it actually got me to want to visit and experience it myself.
ReplyDeleteWhile reading this restaurant review the line that stood out to me the most was “With an unfaltering sense of color and proportion — and taste — the chef has composed a cityscape of vegetables in a coral-red pool of their cooking juices”. This was one of the lines that stood out to me the most because it was one of her first descriptions. It was very appealing to me because while I was reading her review I could actually see and smell the food in my head. She really managed to not only write a review, but take the reader on an experience. From the moment she starts she gives plenty of background information on the restaurant. She even talks about the current chefs and their experience. As she walks into the restaurant she makes you feel as if you are there too. She perfectly describes the atmosphere, down to even the sounds you hear when walking in. Her review only gets better when she starts to describe the food. As she describes some of her first dishes you can really picture the plate’s presentation in your mind. She describes each dish intricately, using descriptions such as “geometric precision”, “whimsical dish”, and “brilliant scarlet”. What I really loved about her review was that she used all of her senses to describe the restaurant. She appeals to sight by explaining in great detail the food’s presentation. For sound she explains what the restaurant sounded like while you walked in and while you were eating. Taste and smell are also described in great detail when she receives the food. While tasting the food she also compares it to the previous times she’s ordered it. For touch she explains the texture of the food in detail as well. With all of the attention to details she gave in her review it was easy to want to taste the food for myself.
ReplyDeleteThe single best line of the restaurant review was in paragraph four when she started describing the glazed vegetable mosaic. She wrote, “the chef has composed a cityscape of vegetables in a coral-red pool of their cooking juices. . . there’s celeryroot, carrot, a spear of asparagus, turnip, a bull’s eye of crimson and white Chioggia beet drizzled with lemon-scented oil”. This line captured my attention because of how descriptive she was with her plate. In my mind, I pictured a plate full of vegetables with vibrant colors such as red, orange, purple, and green. I tasted and smelled the lemon-scented oil that she described. Her restaurant review of Patina had a great amount of detail that made me feel as if I was there. She began by describing how it feels to enter a restaurant. She wrote, “The figures of the hostess, manager, bartender, server and sommelier awake from their enchantment”. The moment you open the door, every employee’s eyes are on you. I have noticed this in many restaurants that I go to. Employees are always in their own little world, especially when they aren’t doing much, but as soon as someone walks in the restaurant, they awaken from their fascination. Overall, her restaurant review of Patina was great written with descriptive information that made me feel as if I was there tasting the delicious dishes she described.
ReplyDeleteTo be completely honest, this critic knows 100 times more than I am going to know about any chef or restaurant here in town. The critic explains everything in a very rich, deep, intriguing way. I believe one of the best lines in the reading was "It's the time to slow down, to savor the food and the company. A moment outside of the everyday, and a rare indulgence." I believe that we can all take eating in general for granted especially going out to dinner and having the food made for us. Yes, we pay for the service, but we are lucky that we have the option to choose what food we want, where we want to go, when we want to eat and so forth. I do believe that we need to slow down and appreciate the time we do have because for some of us eating out is a rare indulgence. To me this line also meant that it is a rare indulgence to eat things we don't normally eat. When we do go out to dinner, we should savor the food, the experience, and the memories that we are making. We should all take the time to take a risk, but at the same time savor each moment because we do not know if it could be our last. Why spend the time and money if it is just another day to you?
ReplyDeleteI also believe the line “The chef certainly has a talent for creating beautiful compositions, marshaling ingredients into geometric precision. Every note he hits rings true.” These lines appealed to me as well because I do think that if the food on your plate doesn’t look tasty, you are probably not going to be as excited about eating it. First impression is everything. When you walk into a restaurant, if a waitress greets you with a smile on her face you are more than likely going to enjoy your evening more than if she is just going through the motions. When a plate is presented in front of you, that is the chef’s piece of art. Everything placed on a plate is there to look nice but together it is supposed to taste amazing.
My favorite line of the passage was when she said, "With an unfaltering sense of color and proportion — and taste — the chef has composed a cityscape of vegetables in a coral-red pool of their cooking juices." I thought this line was funny because she takes something that is so fancy and compares it to a city and then states that they are sitting in a pool of their own juices. While reading this I felt that though this was a serious commentary some of the things that she wrote about had a sense of humor to it. She was very good at creating a sense of imagery in the food descriptions. I could definitely visualize the dishes that she was describing and felt that she had a good amount of experience when referencing the different cooks. Somehow she knew all of their previous experience and what each of their specific job titles was. She described how some of the cooks were just there to make desserts and others were there to make full coursed meals.
ReplyDeleteI believe her detailed descriptions of the food definitely helped with the first impression of the restaurant. I believe most people choose a place to eat at based on what they have heard from trustworthy friends. If you feel they are experienced in the subject matter, you will trust them. I would account for this critics writings and think of them if I ever felt inclined to go and eat at this restaurant. The next most important thing to me is the way that the food is served. If someone acts like I am totally inconveniencing them by eating there, then I do not care how good the food is. But if the server is nice and welcoming then you have the ability to appreciate how good the food is.
I was very impressed right off the bat from the author’s descriptive restaurant review. She not only talks about the food but also paints a picture about her experience. I can tell that the author appreciates fine dining through her review. She draws you into the whole “fine dining” experience. To be honest I wasn’t sure about some food choices that she talked about but she did leave me wanting to try them. Something that amazed me was the way that she described the main dishes. The main dished were described so descriptive that you could imagine the dish in your mind as you read it. I am usually am horrible with describing food. I usually say it was “good” or “crunchy” or “sweet.” The author describes ravioli with a “nubbin of emerald baby zucchini…” One must have amazing imagination to be painting such a descriptive review. The single most amazing line from the author was “Sometimes it feels as if the entire restaurant has been put into a state of suspended animation by an evil witch called the economy.” This line made me laugh but in a very good and pleased way. I could tell that the author is very good at what she does and has fun with it too. Overall I thought the review was very good and I would give the restaurant four stars based on the review. If I ever do go to the restaurant in the future I will make sure to keep tabs with the waiter so that I don’t get charged $22 for water.
ReplyDeleteThe single best line of the restaurant review of Patina was “With an unfaltering sense of color and proportion — and taste — the chef has composed a cityscape of vegetables in a coral-red pool of their cooking juices.” This was one of the best lines in the review because it was so descriptive and detailed. While I was reading the line I could imagine what the food or plate looked like. I could even picture myself being there at the moment. This is because of the power of the great details she offered to us. The description was so vivid, helpful to understand, and helped us imagine what she was writing about. I could imagine the plate having so much food just like a monsters dinner. The plate was full of vegetables and seemed to look just amazing something I would eat. This line was so appealing because it made me wish for that amazing vegetable plate. The plate seems to be just perfect with the vivid image, smell, and taste. Maybe the proportion of the plate seems to be a little too much but there is a solution to that. Either it all gets eaten, you save it for later, or you give up and not eat it all. I can imagine myself sitting at this restaurant and getting my plate just as described here. I would have a shocked and amazed face. I would try and eat everything on the plate which I think I would finish and enjoy very much. The details within a story, essay, or a book makes everything much more interesting and provocative to read.
ReplyDeleteThe single line that I found most appealing from the restaurant review is where Irene says “close your eyes.” Although it’s short and to the point, it prepares the reader for what they are about to experience not only by reading, but by their imagination. Irene’s review of the restaurant Patina is so descriptive that it almost places the reader in her seat. Irene spends most of the review giving in depth descriptions of the food but leaves the audience guessing what the restaurant looks like with little description. With the exact detail of the food placed in front of her and giving a good clear description of what the dish looks like, one could almost see and taste what she’s describing with your imagination. When she wants the readers to further use their imaginations she gives exactly what a dish looks like by describing it using household things like a deck of cards, explaining “carrot and turnip stacked and laid on their side like gambling chips,” giving the reader a very vivid description of the food. Irene also uses readers imaginations when she describes the fish dish, explaining the “Barramundi comes just this side of rare with a fresh presentation of pastel beets and hearts of palm,” giving the reader the exact preparation of the dish creating more imagination involvement by the reader. Irene’s in depth descriptions of Patina’s food goes all the way down to the care the chefs put into each dish and the pictures that each chef paints onto the plate with their talents. This line is most appealing because without Irene telling the reader to close their eyes, some might forget to use their imagination and place themselves in her shoes.
ReplyDeleteThe single line that I found most appealing from the restaurant review is where Irene says “close your eyes.” Although it’s short and to the point, it prepares the reader for what they are about to experience not only by reading, but by their imagination. Irene’s review of the restaurant Patina is so descriptive that it almost places the reader in her seat. Irene spends most of the review giving in depth descriptions of the food but leaves the audience guessing what the restaurant looks like with little description. With the exact detail of the food placed in front of her and giving a good clear description of what the dish looks like, one could almost see and taste what she’s describing with your imagination. When she wants the readers to further use their imaginations she gives exactly what a dish looks like by describing it using household things like a deck of cards, explaining “carrot and turnip stacked and laid on their side like gambling chips,” giving the reader a very vivid description of the food. Irene also uses readers imaginations when she describes the fish dish, explaining the “Barramundi comes just this side of rare with a fresh presentation of pastel beets and hearts of palm,” giving the reader the exact preparation of the dish creating more imagination involvement by the reader. Irene’s in depth descriptions of Patina’s food goes all the way down to the care the chefs put into each dish and the pictures that each chef paints onto the plate with their talents. This line is most appealing because without Irene telling the reader to close their eyes, some might forget to use their imagination and place themselves in her shoes.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading this well thought-out restaurant review, what struck me the most was the descriptive words used and how Patina created this visual picture by using them. The overall restaurant review should very well aid someone who is trying to find a restaurant to dine at in the Los Angeles Area. However, the single best line of the restaurant review by Patina is where she says, “What a breathtaking dish. With an unfaltering sense of color and proportion — and taste — the chef has composed a cityscape of vegetables in a coral-red pool of their cooking juices.” This line incorporates the different senses such as sight and taste which lets the reader visualize what the dish looks like and tastes like. This is excellent for knowing what certain dishes in this restaurant look and taste the best. Another excellent use of description is how Patina creates a landscape of what the dish has with the different vegetables and their tasty juices. This line created a picture of the dish and appealed to me in a very interesting way. Another line I found appealing is when Patina says, “The chef certainly has a talent for creating beautiful compositions, marshalling ingredients into geometric precision.” This line describes more than just the food but how the chef creates the food in such a way that he shapes them using a certain geometry. This too created a picture in my mind as I was reading and I got interested in going to dine at that restaurant. She continues to precisely describe the geometric precision with the different shapes of the food on the plate. This is a very interesting restaurant review that should appeal to anyone who reads it.
ReplyDeleteThe author did an amazing job of describing her experiences. The way she described the restaurant's atmosphere, the dishes, and the staff gave me a lot of insight about the restaurant. What I found most interesting about her review was the sentences about savoring the experience. "It's the time to slow down, to savor the food and the company. A moment outside the everyday, and a rare indulgence." This is so true and especially true of today's society. We are so caught up in our work and technology that we sometimes forget to take the time to enjoy the entire experience. Instead of spending time talking to one another, many people resort to using their phones. And I am speaking from personal experience. I have gone to restaurants before, and have seen several cases in which at least one person or everyone at the table have their phones out. How is this adding to the experience? Also, another problem that some of us face is not taking the time to savor the food. Because of the little time given to us for our lunch breaks, we have to adapt and eat quicker in order to eat well. Therefore, over time, it becomes a habit every time we eat which means we do not savor our food as we should. Going out to eat should be a time to enjoy the company of other and appreciate the food we eat.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading the article I realized that there is more than just going to eat at a restaurant with family for a special occasion. I realized that you go to these “Favorite” restaurants because you want to have a great food experience not only the food being severed, but the service as well. You can have various experiences from your favorite or new restaurant. The line that I understood the most was “ And on the last night, I ordered the rack for two just to see if it was as good as I remembered. It definitely is”. I like this line specifically, because before I think about going to a restaurant I always imagine eating their food to see if I did like it, that is also because I like eating the same types of foods everywhere I go I don’t really like choosing new dishes unless it’s a new place.
ReplyDeleteThe best line of the reading says “The chef certainly has a talent for creating beautiful compositions, marshalling ingredients into geometric precision”. This line makes me think of the dedication and precision that is put into making all the dishes. From my perspective the above line sets the guideline of why every dish is described with detail and exact precision. For example “beautiful compositions” remind me of enjoyable music, therefore the descriptions paint an image of enjoyable food. In addition “marshaling ingredients into geometric precision” describes perfection. This is because mathematical problems are ether correct or incorrect and the food being described is always exact. While reading the review I realized how every word matters and changes the perception the reader is taking. I was impressed of how much detail can be brought up from one experience. It made me want to have a taste of the food being described. This is important because it shows how the author does an amazing job sinking in the reader. In the reading there was another line that concurred with this one. It mentions that the chefs resume wouldn’t matter if they couldn’t demonstrate their talent in their dishes. I thought this was important as well because it sets high standards and makes the reader understand that the dishes being described are really good. Both lines speak about talent in the kitchen and appeal because they asses the same thing but in a different manner. Over all this reading is descriptive and makes me want to eat some of the food.
ReplyDeleteWhen i read this article i realized how much of an expertise the writer was when it came to describing these dishes. Of course i would expect this type of critique from someone who works for the LA times. Her descriptions was so lavish and vivid and although i have never been exposed to half of the dishes that she has had, she made it sound so appetizing. Aside from describing the dishes she also took the time to acknowledge the chef creating these wonderful dishes, the servers and her surroundings. The writing consisted of all of her five senses in the process of doing so. She utilized her eyes for sight, smell, hearing, taste and touch. My favorite line that the critique writes is “The chef certainly has a talent for creating a beautiful composition.” When she writes this I can see her describing the chef as an artist and the plates are his canvases were he lays down his art. For example the writer describes the glazed vegetable mosaic and you can imagine the colors like different shades of greens, oranges and yellows floating in a pool of red color. The way the writer played with her words made the reading so intriguing and most likely convinced some of us to want to try Patina out. The writer unlike some of us appreciates her food. When some of us get the opportunity to go out for fine dining we just order, eat and snap a picture of it for social medias and we don't take the time to appreciate it. We don't acknowledge the flavors, the time and all the effort the chef takes to prepare the dish for us.
ReplyDeleteThe line that stood out most in the restaurant review of Patina was “A starter of hamachi (yellowtail) presents a rectangle of the marinated raw fish garnished with razor-thin slices of geoduck clam on one side of the plate with pieces of avocado, crunchy crostini and a green-apple mustard forming vertical lines on the other side”. This stood out to me so much because of the descriptive language given to each ingredient. This is showcased by the symbolism of razor thin slices of geoduck clam. This is very interesting to me as my longest and current job is a chef. It takes incredible skill and practice to be able to slice geoduck razor thin. To my current knowledge the only way to get a geoduck to this level of thinness would be to use a mandolin. It is also a nice visual to have vertical lines form on a plate. Eating is in my opinion just as much visual as taste. This I believe S. Irene Virbila was able to deduce by her particular language in writing this review. Hamachi is an ingredient I have never worked with before but is known to be a stubborn fish to work with. Most westerners have a hard time because of the thickness of the skin so this I estimate was the reason the use of a rectangle was used instead of the traditional thick slice. This also showed to me that the Hamachi was the least desirable food on the plate and that the garnishes stole the limelight.
ReplyDeleteThe line that got me the most excited was, "With an unfaltering sense of color and proportion- and taste- the chef has composed a cityscape of vegetables in a coral-red pool of their cooking juices". The reason this certain line got me so excited about the review is that just describing the vegetables the author goes into depth so you can see it in your head. If the author makes the sides look so good you get excited about thinking about what the main dish is going to look like and how the author is going to describe it and how you're going to see it in your own head.
ReplyDeleteThe best line of Patina's restaurant review is, “With an unfaltering sense of color and proportion — and taste — the chef has composed a cityscape of vegetables in a coral-red pool of their cooking juices.” This is my favorite line of the review, because it's making my mouth water. The reason it's making my mouth water is because I can taste it. This is how you know you've done a good job writing about an experience when the reader feels like they are experiencing it, or in this case tasting it. Specifically, I really envy the part of the sentence that describes the vegetables in a, “coral-red pool of their cooking juices.” I like this, because it's taking food and language, and turning it into a form of asthetically apealing art. I'm also bias towards vegetables, I love the way they taste, and the thought of them. This line is also poetic with its descriptions for example: coral-red. I've noticed when I write, sometimes I forget to put in details. I usually just use the word red, thinking that's enough of a description, but I forget I can describe the shades, or tiny details that go along with the original description. I also enjoyed that she pair coral-red with pool. It has an almost horror film vibe to it. A pool of blood...“coral-red pool of their cooking juices.” I appreciate when something is made into art. In this case she transformed an experience and language into an art form, to match the chef's meal, and the restaurant's atmosphere. I also enjoyed how she compared the vegetables presentation to a cityscape. This gives the reader an idea of how much thought and effort went into making such an asthetically appealing and delightful tasting dish.
ReplyDeleteThe single best line of Patina's restaurant review is, “With an unfaltering sense of color and proportion — and taste — the chef has composed a cityscape of vegetables in a coral-red pool of their cooking juices.” I believe this is the best line because of the way it is described and detailed. I can't help but picture it in my head and actually want to taste it for myself. The author knew what they were doing to captivate their reader's imagination and attention to these descriptive lines. It's more than just going out to eat at a restaurant; it's about the whole experience as well. I like this because it really captivates all of your attention.
ReplyDeleteThe best line that caught my attention is, "It's the time to slow down, to savor the food and the company--- A moment outside of the everyday, and a rare indulgence". As soon as I read that line I put myself in the moment and I could picture every detail the author was saying. It also caught my attention because it's something I do when I eat. I like to savor every bite instead of gulping everything down and not knowing how truly delicious it was. The author used a wonderful amount of descriptive details in order to engage their audience. Throughout the whole review I could picture these dishes in front of me.
ReplyDeleteAs I was reading this restaurant review, I could not help but feel in awe with all the descriptive details the author listed. I felt as though I was actually in Patina. From the appearance of the location to the food itself, everything was spot on. While I had many lines that captured my attention throughout my reading, I really enjoyed a line in paragraph seven the most. I really enjoyed this paragraph itself because it truly made me feel as though I was eating the glazed vegetable mosaic dish because the the attention to details the author presented. The line that describes the dish to be "in a coral-red pool of their cooking juices" allowed me to imagine the plate to be hot with a rich flavor! What is even more captivating is that the line itself did not say that the plate was hot. Rather, her description allowed me to use context clues to figure it out. That to me, is what a true writer is capable of doing. Furthermore, the last line in this paragraph also left me wanting more: "Every bite delivers the essence of this or that vegetable in this whimsical dish". It left me wanting to know why this dish was so magnificent, and that is what a true author should do: leave the reader wanting more. It is as though she wanted to persuade me into taking a road trip to visit this restaurant just to try this dish!
ReplyDeleteWhile reading Patina’s restaurant review, the single best line that caught my attention was “Close your eyes. Pay attention to the first bite of the amuse.” Reading that reminded me of this week’s blog entry. When exploring different cultures and/or foods, if people are actually interested in wanting to try or enjoy a new dish, I believe they would have to be able to feel the food flow through their bodies. By that, I mean either the warmth, the chills, or either the amount of comfort the food brings to them when they taste something new. The reason why this caught my attention, I had also mentioned this to a fellow classmate for our blog entry, in order for me to try something new I would rather know what I ate after I’ve already eaten it. If I know beforehand, I know I’m just going to be so negative about it and not want to try it. The quote explains exactly why I wouldn’t want to know what I’m about to try. I want to be able to take my time to appreciate the amount of flavor, the texture, and consistency of a new dish. I know as of right now, I probably wouldn’t do that in casual diners, but if it were a fancy restaurant I could already picture myself melting within the food itself. Which reminds me of when my friend brought lunch. I knew the dish wasn’t regular meat, but it did smell appetizing. I absolutely love food and since my other friend enjoyed what he had brought us, I was willing to give it a try even though I didn’t know what it was. So I connected the aroma with the bite I was about to take, and I do not regret not knowing what it was! The dish was amazing and of course, I did my little happy dance! Till this day I still don’t know what I ate.
ReplyDelete"Round, plump ravioli are filled with finely minced zucchini and cheese and are as beguiling as any I've encountered. Each wears a nubbin of emerald baby zucchini and at the center is a gossamer veil of goat cheese "foam" crowned with the bright gold zucchini blossoms."
ReplyDeleteI really liked this part of the review for a few reasons. First I liked it because it sounds delicious and I love ravioli. The next thing that stands out to me is how descriptive it is. The whole review is very descriptive and gives a good idea of Patina's environment and feel without having to be there. You can imagine everything, how the food tastes to the amount of people to the wait staff that are employed. I am not much of a food enthusiast, I don't take time to savor often, but this writing really made me want to reconsider the thought I put into food I eat, and the food I cook.
I was very impressed by the way Patina was able to review a restaurant and its food so well. I never thought you could narrate a restaurant experience like you would a novel. The line that impressed me the most was the line: “Now just look at his glazed vegetable mosaic. What a breathtaking dish. With an unfaltering sense of color and proportion — and taste — the chef has composed a cityscape of vegetables in a coral-red pool of their cooking juices.” In particular, I liked the way she described a simple side of vegetables as though she was describing a fabulous piece of art. The phrases “vegetable mosaic” and “unfaltering sense of color and proportion” definitely made me feel like this was no other ordinary plate of vegetables—it must have been some kind of special type of vegetables. I liked that she said “coral-red” instead of just “red” because coral-red paints a brighter picture of how the plate of vegetables looked like. She also mentioned that the vegetables’ color was “unfaltering”, which to me meant that the chef did not give her a sad plate of overly steamed vegetables. He probably gave her a plate of fresh, crisp, and hearty vegetables as though they were just picked yesterday. Overall, she made them seem exquisite, when in reality, they were probably just like any other plate of vegetables. Any other reviewer would have said “…and it came with a side of vegetables.” However, somehow she made a plate of vegetables seem desirable without sounding cheesy. That’s very admirable.
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