flanted: restaurant

HAVE YOU ever want-
ed to get back at some
place that rudely served
you mediocre food at
huge cost? Ever wanted
to pass on news of a
good find to make sure
it stays in business?
Well, here’s your
chance.

By Kasey Wilson
Food Columnist

Zagat Survey invites you
to become a volunteer restau-
rant critic, contributing your
views on everything from the
cleanliness of the tablecloths
to the saltiness of the sauces.
Your feedback will be used
for the first Zagat (pro-
nounced zuh-GAT, like cat)

Vancouver, Vancouver Island
and Whistler Restaurant
Guide.

For those uafamitiar with
the slim burgundy paperback,
the guides rate restaurants by
relying on the folks who fre-
quent them most. Interested
foodies fill out surveys rating
their favorite places on decor,
value for money, and, of
course, the food.

For the past three years,
Vancouver restaurants were
included in the Pacific
Northwest Guide, but this year
the decision was made to spin

off a Vancouver book that
includes Vancouver Isfand and
Whistler.

Coordinated by West
Vancouver resident and
Vancouver Sun wine writer
Anthony Gismondi and edited
by. yours truly, the Zagat sur-

Photo submitted

“NORTH SHORE News food columnist Kasey Wilson

'* and West.Van wine critle Anthony Gismondl team up

’ to‘present Zagat’s restaurant guide for Vancouver.

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veys are the best-selling guide
of its kind in every city in
which it’s published.

“Each critic fills out a four-
page questionnaire that
Gismondi says is “deliberately
daunting” to flush out those
who don't take their dining
seriously. “The survey wasn't
created by marketing ¢xecu-
tives, publishers, chefs, restau-
rateurs, or food critics,” says
Gismondi.

ft was cooked up in [979
by two young lawyers, Tim
and Nina Zagat, who were
dining out frequently with
clients. Believing that a single
critic's review couldn’t tell the
whole story, they asked
friends and business acquain-
tances to rate restaurants on
their food, service and
ambiance. They compiled.a
survey and those who con-
tributed received a copy of the
one-page mimeographed
results.

When the cost of their
hobby totalled $10,000 for
one six-month period, not
including meals, Nina Zagat
came up with the idea of start-
ing a business so they could
claim income taxes.

Since then the Zagats have
involved over 50,000 people
rating thousands of restaurants
in 35 major cities including:
New York. Montreal, Boston,
Toronto, Hawaii and San
Francisco. The New York City
Guide remains the bestseller
of the series — 1996 has a
450.000 print run ~ but the
other city guides generate a
healthy profit.

With punchy one-para-
graph reviews that include as
much criticism as compli-
ment, Zagat places restaurants
in numerous categories
including winning wine lists .
and best bang for the buck.

While some reviews
appear critical, it is thought by
the industry to be an honor.
just to be included in the
guide.

“We hope it's a positive to
be in the book,” said

7 PPELIcloUs EO : Russet.

~ 696 i

Gismondi, who added that
with a province-wide book it's
easy to overlook readers’
favorites. “If a place (that is)
not on the ballot gets a lot of
write-in votes, we include it.
These are works in progress.”
The number ratings the
guides provide are sacrosanct,

and local editors provide fac-

tual information and cull out

subjective comments to com-
pile a composite commentary
that can reflect disagreement.

Because of the way the
questionnaires are construct-
ed, a Zagat Survey is actually
a huge numerical database
(which is why it sits so well
on the Internet — punch GO
ZAGAT on CompuServe to
access) with a smattering of
Opinions tagged on to every
set of scores.

Aspiring critics can pick
up a survey at the North Shore
News, 1139 Lonsdale Ave.,
and Ming Wo, Capilano Mail,
in North Van or at Tools &
Techniques, 250 W. 16th St. in

Fo Rie ue by

critics

West Van. Or send a business-
size, stamped, self-addressed
envelope to Zagat Survey,
Suite 560, 580 Hornby St.,
Vancouver, V6C 3B6.

EDGEMONT VILLAGE

A Ese SRLS Ld

You will receive a ques-
tionnaire detailing over 350
restaurants, Rate those you
know or have visited recently,
return the form before April
19 and you will receive a free
copy of the Zagat Vancouver,
Vancouver Island and
Whistler Survey when it’s
published later this year.

Corner of Edgemont Bivd. & Queens 983-9330

We reserve the right tp titnit quantitios. Pricas In effect Wod. Mar. 6, to Twes. Mar. 12, 1998

uy 6 fresh Hot Cross Buns at the regular
rice of $2.35 and receive 6 FREE.

Westiynn Bakery

LYNN VALLEY CENTRE 985-1622

1169 LYNN VALLEY RD., NORTH VAN

Offer valid Mar. 7-13/96. We reserve the right to limit quantities,

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