Comment Archives
Re: “Remembering Jamie Hahn, a positive force in a cynical time”
A gun would have been handy...
Re: “The week in music: May 1-8, 2013”
Read the Dylan review carefully. Heard him 3X in last 10 yrs. and his voice is unintelligble! He's completely overwhelmed by the volume of his band. Why is that? BTW-no bigger fan than me. 1st heard Blowin' in the Wind on a jukebox in Oct. '63, and have admired and appreciated him ever since. But pay $70. to not understand what song he's singing? Please.
Re: “At Saltbox Seafood Joint, if it were any fresher, it would move”
Great fish, great slaw, great chips.
Re: “Carolina RailHawks acquire Enzo Martinez on loan from Real Salt Lake, other player arrivals imminent”
Martinez looks to be a great addition. Wonder how much Rutkiewicz will offer?
Re: “Radius Pizzeria: An exciting menu that falls short on execution”
To those commenting and reading: As a Chef who has written reviews for a free weekly as a fill-in there are a few things you can find fault with in this review, but that's another topic. That said, I agree with everything said about the food and service in this article. Now before you are tempted to insult me, let me explain how I review and how I try new restaurants.
Having opened restaurants before I know from first-hand experience what the first few weeks are like. It's chaos. No one reviews a restaurant in the first two weeks for that reason. I visited Radius three times: Once the first week, once the second, and once the third. For a restaurant reviewer this is a great way to get a picture of where a new restaurant is headed, and by week three the should have the bugs worked out for the most part.
My first visit was horrible all around. I'm a wood-fired pizza aficionado so my hopes were high, and I looking for things to believe in. For the second visit it was adequate, but lacking. For the third it slid back to abysmal.
Each visit I had the EXACT same thing. Again, a great way to measure progress. Now, I won't go into the food details (since I'm attempting to make an overall point), but I will say the crust was the largest problem for them food-wise. The service however got worse each visit. On my third visit a waitress insisted reading us the desert menu even though we didn't ask, and on the second our waitress attempted to tell me that my pizza was properly cooked when the crust wasn't even blonde.
So that is what I would have written my review on. Afterwards, I went back for a fourth time just to try something different. I ordered a sandwich on an average lunch day. It arrived 40 minutes later barely warm, with cold limp fries accompanying it. My lunch partner fared no better with a soggy pizza. We made no comment, and decided to finish and head out since the food was "OK" overall, and we didn't have time to wait for more food.
As we finished our meal sitting at their beautiful bar another patron asked the bartender if she wanted to know if he liked his meal (she had what seemed to be a dismissive attitude towards all the customers at the bar and ignored them as much as possible). She replied "sure", and he proceeded to tell her that his meal took a very long time and came cold. What she said next floored me. She looked at him and said "Yeah, it seemed cold to me too", turned around, and walked away. My lunch partner both looked at each other and shook our heads in disbelief. I usually tip 20% out of respect and laziness (it's easier than doing the math), but this time I took out my phone and calculated exactly 15%, and fel too generous at that.
So, was it fair to write a review after one visit on Last Friday? Probably not, but this review nailed a summary of every experience I've had there, and like the reviewer we both believe it still has promise and look forward to a better meal there someday.
Re: “UNC-CH senior arrested at the General Assembly: "I cannot in good conscience stand idly by"”
Wow, she speaks well. I hope someone will tell her to NOT accept the prosecutors "deal" in exchange for a milder sentence. It's a gamble, but Zaina sounds like she's willing to go all the way with this. When I was arrested during Occupy Chapel Hill I refused to accept the deal. The judge listened to my plea and called my resistance to excessive power an action of civil disobedience. No sentence, no court charges. It does depend on the judge, but I felt more empowered speaking the truth instead of allowing my half-wit lawyer to finagle a deal for me. Best of luck to Zaina too.
Re: “Radius Pizzeria: An exciting menu that falls short on execution”
This review belongs on Yelp along with all the other amateur opinions, not the Indy. A seasoned food critic would never 1) try a place only once before ripping it; 2) write a revierw only weeks after a restaurant opens, while the kinks are being worked out; 3) go during one of the busiest nights of its existence, when the town is out on the streets in force for Last Friday (not "Last Fridays Art Walk," FYI) and the wait is an hour; and 4) bring five young kids to distract from the experience. I have been to Radius several times and enjoyed both the food and atmosphere, but the owners would be the first to tell you that there is still plenty of room for adjustments/improvements, and they are always appreciative of constructive feedback. This review was not at all constructive, but a self-indulgent exercise. The Indy should have higher standards.
Re: “Radius Pizzeria: An exciting menu that falls short on execution”
You're review says "outside New Haven, Conn. (the birthplace of pizza y'all, and I say that seriously)"
I thought the birthplace of pizza was was Italy/Greece/Mediterranean and found the pizza to much more like pizza we've had in Rome, but with a bit more in the way of generosity of toppings.
You're review says 'had a gooey foundation of cheese" Not what I'm looking for in a pizza, but that's just me. Not a true pizza to my experience, what you describe is an American version, to be found most anywhere. Glad to have an alternative option for pizza in Hillsborough to Domino's and Pizza Hut.
Gene & Linda
Re: “Radius Pizzeria: An exciting menu that falls short on execution”
Before reading this review, I had talked to several people who had tried Radius, and they all said the same thing: the food is delish, but the service is seriously lacking. For this reason, I have only ever gotten food to go, and I will agree-it's worthy. In response to the comments made above-anyone who frequents Hillsborough should know that the majority of the restaurants in town are geared towards an older crowd- not children. It was refreshing to see that a place was opening up that children could enjoy as much as adults. Let's be honest here-if anywhere would welcome a group with 4 children under 5, it should be a pizza place, although I do agree that Last Friday was probably not the best night to go. The service seems to be the missing link here. Bottom line: the owners of Radius seem to have a potentially great thing going here-keep it going by making sure you hire experienced, competant staff who will get orders right the first time around, because the quality of your cooks and servers should be equally important as the quality of someone's meal.
Re: “American Aquarium, Justin Jones”
Whoo, Hell yea man!!!! American Aquarium are my favorite damn band ever!!! Ole barhams a Po-et-ic wordsmith, and he's got a sweet as tits kitty tattoo!!! I'm going to drink bout a thousand natty lights with my brother rickum at that show, y'all all come out now!! -Jeffers f.
Re: “Blade running”
I'm embarrassed to say that when I replaced my defunct Gravely with my BCS mower/tiller/garden plow, I also bought the snow blade attachment. I grew up in western Massachusetts, just a snowstorm or two south of Middlebury. Johnny, would you like a second blade for your collection?
Norm Budnitz
Re: “UNC-CH senior arrested at the General Assembly: "I cannot in good conscience stand idly by"”
I admire Zaina for speaking out so passionately for public education. I daresay most of our legislators owe their success to the public education system. Their boilerplate, ALEC driven legislation is indicative a selfish, racially biased agenda which clearly wants to close opportunities these same legislators have enjoyed. shame on them.
Re: “13 documents you should read about the JFK assassination”
Note to Sour Peppers: Based on your recommendation, I am buying the book you recommend. Do you know anything that will verify or deny the role of Senator B. Everette Jordan, NC (deceased). Ben Bulla (dec) who wrote the false autobiography, told, me "Honz I found out some extremely negative stuff about Jordan. I don't know what to do about printing" About a year later, he denied conversation ever existed and became a different person...He did not appear to enjoy finishing the book....and the Jordan family seemed to be the prime editors....Two different attempts on Bulla life, burning of his buildings, disappearance of his brother James Bulla, who was reported "sent to Texas" to live. Ben Bulla and his sister Elizabeth died in Alamance County Hospital. I am curious that Blanche Moore, serial murdered, (Bulla's wife maiden name is June Moore in same county). Elizabeth Bulla died of cancer in the same hospital. Reverend Dwight Moore was in the hospital at the same time dying from Blanche Moore ant poison. However Rev. Moore was the only one that lived due to intervention by another hospital. When my wife and I visited Elizabeth Bulla she was dying of cancer with no obvious treatment plan at all. Ben Bulla died there. Could Alamance County Hospital be the "killing fields" to dispose of Senator Jordan's deeds? Never has understood the non-treatment of patients I saw in that hospital. Thanks you, Honz
Re: “The bleakly hilarious Cripple of Inishmaan at Deep Dish Theater”
Everything in your review makes me want to see for myself. From past experience Tom Marroitt's direction alone is reason enough to come.
Re: “Radius Pizzeria: An exciting menu that falls short on execution”
I have been several times and have yet to be disappointed. How in the world can anyone give an honest review with 4 kids under the age of 5 at the table? I know if I brought them to my job it would be impossible to get anything of any value done. Perhaps next time you spring for a babysitter, bring your husband and don't go on a last Friday! You set yourself up for the perfect storm with your choices! As for the server placing the pie close to your 7th month old... You had 6 people at a table, 4 of them under the age of 5 and 5 pizzas, where exactly should they have put it....the bathroom? Ridiculous!
Re: “Radius Pizzeria: An exciting menu that falls short on execution”
Having been several times I have not be disappointed. How can one write a serious review of a meal with 4 children under 5 in tow? If I brought them to my job I certainly wouldn't get anything of great value accomplished! The first last Friday of the season is not the night to try and capture the true abilities of any resteraunt in downtown Hillsborough! Next time spring for a sitter, take your husband and savor the experience! By the way, with 6 people at a table and 4 of them under 5 and 5 pizzas ordered. Where exactly should the server have placed the pizza.... In the rest room? Ridiculous!
Re: “The week in music: May 1-8, 2013”
Oh, and why is Rush not listed?
Re: “The week in music: May 1-8, 2013”
It's a travesty not to have Besnard Lakes show at Cat's Cradle tonight on this list.
Re: “The populist plea bargain of Rush”
He certainly needs to get busy with the facts.
Re: “The populist plea bargain of Rush”
You can only fixate a small mistake the rather than the context of the article.....Please, your pubescent comments does not make you of high intellect. Picking out negatives in order to self-glorify yourself…lame.