Amanda Hesser's Final Restaurant Review

Hesser's review capule of Masa in the Times

Gothamist, fond of Amanda Hesser ever since we saw cook from her book, The Cook and the Gardener, at Fairway a few years ago, has to hand it to her. In her review of Masa, the swank $300 prix-fixe Japanese restaurant at the TimeWarner Center, she refuses to give it a rating...but not because it's bad:

Masa is my last review as the interim restaurant critic. After several visits, my impressions are firm: four stars when dining at the sushi bar and three stars at the tables. If forced, I could settle on one, but I would rather not. Instead, I will look forward to reading, in the future, what The Times's new permanent critic, Frank Bruni, thinks of it.

Oh, Gothamist, gets it, but, come on, in any other case, there would be "*** (restaurant)/**** (bar)" (read the review for more context). But, no, the last review is left mysterious, crazy, maybe a little beaten down. It is, in short, a "fuck you, fuck-o" review. Ah, Amanda, a couple months on the food critic beat will do that to you. Hopefully, Sam Sifton has a soybean farm in Nebraska for you to visit where you can recharge.

Eurotrash's slam and later parody of Hesser, Felix Salmon on Hessergate, and Amateur Gourmet's Moderate Defense of Amanda Hesser. Gothamist on Masa's chef, Masa Takayama, and his strict ways. And Gothamist on Amanda Hesser.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Chung in Food on June 2, 2004 8:52 AM

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R

which average joe/jane would pay such high prices for (admittedly, a special meal)?

glad she didn't give it any stars, glad grimes didn't write that review; now i don't have to feel pressured to eat there to be popular.

astrid

I totally agree that it was super-lame that she wouldn't give it stars. And if she's discredited herself as a reviewer... why did the NYTimes let her continue to write the reviews (and pay for her meals)?

Jen

astrid, I agree with you on what Hesser's power as a writer is. That said, I think this was a lame way to end her reviewing tenure. I mean, Alex Witchel has just as many connections, if not more, but she's not as young (hellow, Schadenfreude) and in the thick of things (although I think I do remember a dustup with her a while back...must go and research).

As for how expensive the meal was, and the Times policy for these things, I remember when William Grimes when to Alain Ducasse when it just opened in either late 1999 or early 2000, and it was a thousand dollar bill BUT HE DID NOT WRITE A REVIEW. It seriously steamed me.

Brian Van

Side note: I had to find something on Amazon.com today, so I hit the mainpage... today's "The Page You Made" - what they think I would like based on past clicks - was "Cooking for Mr. Latte." Great. I heard even the jacket blurbs are can't-miss.

yojimbot

go to sushi of gari...better sushi, $100 per. masters of zen!

Tim N.

And, after all, why should a writer for the Times focus on facts (right, Mr. Raines)?

Brian Van

So then we just assume four stars, and avoid the tables?

Oh, by the way, can someone lend me $300? Thanks.

astrid

I was a fan of Hesser's from the NYT Magazine days, and went to see her last month at Coliseum Books. When asked how much longer she would be reviewing restaurants at NYT, she said "I only have four more, thank goodness." She has definitely weathered quite a storm. I think her strengths as a writer are how she talks about food and relationships, not as a journalist focusing on facts.

Tim N.

My question is, who at the Times let her get away with this bird-flipping sign-off?

Mase

Thanks, Tim N., the Wine Spectator article helps one get a little perspective on Ms. Hesser. As good as some writers can be, especially considering the ongoing scandal at the NYTimes, her cavalier attitude was quite self-destructive.

jayKayEss

I have trouble feeling sorry for restaurant critics, even interim ones. Would that somebody paid me to eat!

Tim N.

Check out

http://www.winespectator.com/Wine/Daily/News/0,1145,2440,00.html

for more on Amanda. I think Drew Nieperont And Bobby DeNiro have taken out a contract on her.

And Amanda is not without resources. This expose by Wine Spectator resulted in the NY Times giving zero coverage to several WS events. Madamoiselle Hesser may be doing someone else besides Mr. Latte and Vong's Vong.