Lots of flap around town lately concerning New York Times reporter Amanda Hesser’s restaurant reviews. Eurotrash has condemned her reviews two weeks in a row, leading others to speculate on her style and rationale.
Nearly lost within the hubbub are two facts: one, Hesser is a temp, holding the position of house critic until the Times picks a permanent replacement (which is good, because Hesser is a good writer, but plainly not cut out for reviews); and two, even if she’s only fair at the gig, she’s a lot better than Marian Burros, who held the position for a few weeks after William Grimes’s departure.
Still, while she has some fair excuses, Hesser is not doing a great job with her seat. And the news that her three-star review of Spice Market scratched the back of a chef who heaped glowing praise on the dust jacket of her last book is pretty damned uncomfortable.