Garlic and Sapphires: The Secret Life of a Critic In Disguise :: Ruth Reichl

"New York is the centre of the American restaurant world." And a job at the New York Times as its new restaurant critic could potentially make nervous wrecks of anyone, never mind the new upstart from California, home of veggie burgers and tofu salads. But New York throws out the welcome mat. Even before Ruth Reichl arrives, there are "wanted" posters of her in nearly every restaurant in the city, as well as substantial "bounties" for spotting her. So much for anonymity! Now how is "the most important restaurant critic in the world" to get her job done?

With the help of wigs, makeup and vintage clothes, Reichl morphs into Molly, Miriam, Chloe, Brenda, Betty and Emily, fooling every sharp-eyed waiter and restaurateur in the city. Her personas are hilariously funny even as her reviews are mouth-wateringly delicious. Unlike the previous critic Bryan Miller with his penchant for French, Italian and Continental establishments, Reichl is an equal opportunity critic - dining and reviewing even Asian, Indian and Latino restaurants, leading her readers into hitherto unknown territory of the city's culinary map.

I admit to being a fan after reading her earlier novel Comfort Me With Apples. And I thoroughly enjoyed this book which not only has some of her best restaurant reviews and recipes from her own kitchen but also anecdotes of her life in New York and her time at the paper. Highly recommended indeed.

Now reading: Walter Moer's City of Dreaming Books. I'll be posting another review in a couple of days, of Gregory Maguire's Mirror Mirror. Two books read in January!

Labels: Books, Bookshelf