Ask the Critic: S. Irene Virbila

Question: How many times do you visit a restaurant before you write a review?

Virbila: For the full reviews which appear in the Wednesday food section, I usually go three times, sometimes more, over a period of two or more months. I try to take in a variety of circumstances -- dinner with one other person, a quiet night, a busy night, etc. to get a broad sense of the restaurant and how consistent it is. I always reserve under another name, and, unlike some smaller publications, I always pay for my meals.

On one visit, I might just go and not be that analytical, but just try to get a sense of the place and the food. Over three visits, I may end up trying most of the menu. The review will be based on all my experiences at a restaurant, not just a single visit.

Critic’s Notebooks in the Calendar Weekend on Thursdays are different. They’re not reviews, but more of a first take on something new -- a new restaurant, a new chef or a change of format or menu. The notebooks are meant to be an impression or snapshot of one evening. The idea is to give a small taste of the experience. The full review won’t generally come out for several months -- and that’s only if I decide to do it. A lot can happen in that time frame.

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