Rating: 
Summary: One of the best books ever written about the restaurant biz.
Review: "Finally, the best insider's view of our business for the discerning restaurant goer. Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page do a wonderful job of exploring the 'behind-the-scenes' side of professional cooking. As New York Times restaurant critic Ruth Reichl would say, 'Four stars!'" --DANIEL BOULUD, RESTAURANT DANIEL"Dining Out is an intriguing foray into the secret and powerful world of restaurant criticism. Michael Donnelly's photographs confer an element of high style and high drama to this intelligent and absorbing book." --NANCY NOVOGROD, TRAVEL & LEISURE "Dining Out is a fascinating story, one that absolutely needed to be written. I found this book to be a compelling, revealing, and utterly entertaining look at what the critics, and those they criticize, had to say." --MICHAEL ROMANO, UNION SQUARE CAFE "This is no fair -- it took me a lifetime to learn all these insights into the restaurant business! Well done!" --ELLA BRENNAN, COMMANDER'S PALACE "Dining Out is both entertaining and educational, and can make your restaurant experience the same. The sommeliers' comments add to the pleasure." --ROBERT MONDAVI, ROBERT MONDAVI WINERY "Not unlike theater, restaurants have been made or destroyed by the words of a critic. Dining Out goes beyond the words to explore the underlying logic of the restaurant critic. It is an invaluable addition to the library of those who like to dine out." --LEONARD SCHLESINGER, HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL "Don't start this book if you're hungry -- the guide to leading critics' favorite restaurants across the country is a challenge to start one's own food odyssey and eat at least one meal in all of them!" --JEANETTE WAGNER, THE ESTEE LAUDER COMPANIES INC. "Michael Donnelly's photographs of restaurant life shimmer with elan, bursting on the page in glints and daubs of light and shade. If you are a connoisseur of fine cuisine and artful photography, you will delight in these pictures." --WILLIAM WEGMAN, ARTIST AND PHOTOGRAPHER
Rating:
Summary: The pages buzz with surprising tension, humor and emotion.
Review: "Anybody who has ever dreamed of joining a restaurant critic's inner circle will thoroughly enjoy this gossipy, insider's view by the 1996 winners of the James Beard Award for Best Writing on Food (BECOMING A CHEF). Interviews with leading critics and restaurateurs are a major part of the authors' investigation into the methods employed by critics and the effect they have on restaurateurs' culinary ideals. It's a (relatively) serious topic, but one Dornenburg and Page address in a vibrant, conversational tone. Thanks to the unexpectedly dramatic lives of the characters involved, the pages buzz with often surprising tension, humor and emotion. Readers hear from restaurateurs who have staked fortunes on a creative vision, only to find that success often rests in the hands of a single, highly opinionated, sometimes unpredictable writer. The critics, meanwhile (most notably The New York Times' Ruth Reichl, teasingly shown on the cover wearing a face-obscuring hat), don wigs to maintain anonymity, fend off attacks from knife-wielding chefs, and eat such dubious delicacies as braised goat penis and worms fried in lard. After being regaled with so many tart and entertaining observations, the final 100 service-oriented pages (Internet review sites, critics favorite restaurants in selected cities) are somewhat anticlimactic. But just treat them like the after-dinner mint and the rest of the meal will get high marks for its appealing presentation, spice and color." --PW
Rating:
Summary: Illuminating and entertaining, with more drama than opera!
Review: "Finally, the best insider's view of our business for the discerning restaurant goer. Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page do a wonderful job of exploring the 'behind-the-scenes' side of professional cooking. As New York Times restaurant critic Ruth Reichl would say, 'Four stars!'" --DANIEL BOULUD, RESTAURANT DANIEL "Dining Out is an intriguing foray into the secret and powerful world of restaurant criticism. Michael Donnelly's photographs confer an element of high style and high drama to this intelligent and absorbing book." --NANCY NOVOGROD, TRAVEL & LEISURE "Dining Out is a fascinating story, one that absolutely needed to be written. I found this book to be a compelling, revealing, and utterly entertaining look at what the critics, and those they criticize, had to say." --MICHAEL ROMANO, UNION SQUARE CAFE "This is no fair -- it took me a lifetime to learn all these insights into the restaurant business! Well done!" --ELLA BRENNAN, COMMANDER'S PALACE "Dining Out is both entertaining and educational, and can make your restaurant experience the same. The sommeliers' comments add to the pleasure." --ROBERT MONDAVI, ROBERT MONDAVI WINERY "Not unlike theater, restaurants have been made or destroyed by the words of a critic. Dining Out goes beyond the words to explore the underlying logic of the restaurant critic. It is an invaluable addition to the library of those who like to dine out." --LEONARD SCHLESINGER, HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL "Don't start this book if you're hungry -- the guide to leading critics' favorite restaurants across the country is a challenge to start one's own food odyssey and eat at least one meal in all of them!" --JEANETTE WAGNER, THE ESTEE LAUDER COMPANIES INC. "Michael Donnelly's photographs of restaurant life shimmer with elan, bursting on the page in glints and daubs of light and shade. If you are a connoisseur of fine cuisine and artful photography, you will delight in these pictures." --WILLIAM WEGMAN, ARTIST AND PHOTOGRAPHER
Rating:
Summary: The best insider's view for the discerning restaurant goer.
Review: "Finally, the best insider's view of our business for the discerning restaurant goer. Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page do a wonderful job of exploring the 'behind the scenes' side of professional cooking -- from how critics work to how chefs think. Their style is chatty, and interspersed with interesting quotes and interviews, which makes for a very enjoyable read. As New York Times restaurant critic Ruth Reichl would say, 'Four stars!'"
Rating:
Summary: One of the best books ever written about the restaurant biz.
Review: "Finally, the best insider's view of our business for the discerning restaurant goer. Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page do a wonderful job of exploring the 'behind-the-scenes' side of professional cooking. As New York Times restaurant critic Ruth Reichl would say, 'Four stars!'" --DANIEL BOULUD, RESTAURANT DANIEL "Dining Out is an intriguing foray into the secret and powerful world of restaurant criticism. Michael Donnelly's photographs confer an element of high style and high drama to this intelligent and absorbing book." --NANCY NOVOGROD, TRAVEL & LEISURE "Dining Out is a fascinating story, one that absolutely needed to be written. I found this book to be a compelling, revealing, and utterly entertaining look at what the critics, and those they criticize, had to say." --MICHAEL ROMANO, UNION SQUARE CAFE "This is no fair -- it took me a lifetime to learn all these insights into the restaurant business! Well done!" --ELLA BRENNAN, COMMANDER'S PALACE "Dining Out is both entertaining and educational, and can make your restaurant experience the same. The sommeliers' comments add to the pleasure." --ROBERT MONDAVI, ROBERT MONDAVI WINERY "Not unlike theater, restaurants have been made or destroyed by the words of a critic. Dining Out goes beyond the words to explore the underlying logic of the restaurant critic. It is an invaluable addition to the library of those who like to dine out." --LEONARD SCHLESINGER, HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL "Don't start this book if you're hungry -- the guide to leading critics' favorite restaurants across the country is a challenge to start one's own food odyssey and eat at least one meal in all of them!" --JEANETTE WAGNER, THE ESTEE LAUDER COMPANIES INC. "Michael Donnelly's photographs of restaurant life shimmer with elan, bursting on the page in glints and daubs of light and shade. If you are a connoisseur of fine cuisine and artful photography, you will delight in these pictures." --WILLIAM WEGMAN, ARTIST AND PHOTOGRAPHER
Rating:
Summary: Fast-paced and fascinating.
Review: A fast-paced and fascinating study of the dining industry, with a primary focus on those who critique it -- people who, in some cases, have become nearly as famous as those who cook it.
Rating:
Summary: How well the authors capture the dining experience!
Review: Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page have done a great job of revealing the secrets of America's leading critics (they are truly the leaders), chefs (the best from across the country), and restaurateurs (our favorites!). In the special Dornenburg/Page style, I was held captive by this book from beginning to end. Keep it in mind when you dine. And if you want to know where the critics most love to eat, turn to this book (I've used it already). Finally, you should grab the authors other books (Becoming a Chef and Culinary Artistry) if you have not already done so!
Rating: 
Summary: PUBLISHERS WEEKLY, starred review
Review: Anybody who has ever dreamed of joining a restaurant critic's inner circle will thoroughly enjoy this insider's view by the 1996 winners of the James Beard Award for Best Writing on Food (BECOMING A CHEF). Interviews with leading critics and restaurateurs are a major part of the authors' investigation into the methods employed by critics and the effect they have on restaurateurs' culinary ideals. It's a (relatively) serious topic, but one Dornenburg and Page address in a vibrant, conversational tone. Thanks to the unexpectedly dramatic lives of the characters involved, the pages buzz with often surprising tension, humor and emotion. Readers hear from restaurateurs who have staked fortunes on a creative vision, only to find that success often lies in the hands of a single, highly opinionated writer. The critics, meanwhile (most notably The New York Times' Ruth Reichl, teasingly shown on the cover wearing a face-obscuring hat), don wigs to maintain anonymity, fend off attacks from knife-wielding chefs, and eat such dubious delicacies as braised goat penis and worms fried in lard....High marks for appealing presenation, spice and color.
Rating:
Summary: A great look at what Ruth Reichl and other top critics do!
Review: As a fan of both Tender at the Bone and Comfort Me With Apples, I've been looking forward to learning more about Ruth Reichl's life as one of America's most influential restaurant critics. This book was a fun look at what Ruth and other top critics do for a living: the secretiveness (and how she used disguises and credit cards with different names), the challenges (such as the weirdest things they've ever eaten, which range from fried worms to braised goat penis!), and the highlights (such as Ruth being told at Le Cirque, "The King of Spain is waiting in the bar, but your table is ready"). Dining Out is an enjoyable and informative read for any intelligent reader who loves the world of restaurants and the fascinating people who populate it!
Rating:
Summary: Illuminating and entertaining, with more drama than opera!
Review: As someone who follows the restaurant scene with the same level of enthusiasm that some teenagers follow Jessica Simpson, I got caught up with all the brouhaha around the debut of the new New York Times restaurant critic Frank Bruni. This got me curious about restaurant critics and their methods and whether anyone had ever studied the subject, which led me to the one-of-a-kind book Dining Out by Dornenburg and Page. I found it incredibly illuminating, not to mention entertaining. The authors dissect every detail of how reviews are written and stars awarded, based on interviews with leading food critics such as Tom Sietsema (now of The Washington Post), S. Irene Virbila (of The Los Angeles Times), and Dennis Ray Wheaton (of Chicago Magazine). They also interview leading chefs and restaurateurs about their views on critics and the power of the press. I've come to learn that there is as much or more drama in the world of restaurants as there is in opera! This book even breaks down what it took to get a four-star review when former restaurant reviewer Ruth Reichl was at the helm. Every discerning diner should read this book for an eye-opening look at the state of contemporary restaurant criticism, not to mention a tasty behind-the-scenes read about some of the country's best restaurants (including the rise and fall and rise again of New York's own Chanterelle restaurant, which just won Restaurant of the Year at this year's James Beard Foundation Awards).
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