Bittman on London's Indian food, French hot dogs, food and memory in Afghanistan, the gift of good salumi

I've encountered so many terrific food and travel pieces in the New York Times lately I just had to share.

From the Sunday travel section, my beloved Mark Bittman reviews affordable Indian restaurants in London.

From yesterday's Dining section:

A French Chef's take on the hot dog

Sips of Home, Bites of Memory: In a war-torn land, a correspondent finds solace in food

Would you try offal in a hot dog form? My grandmother always said hot dogs were made of "lips and a**holes" anyway. . . .

And what do you think of Rubin's ruminations on being a war correspondent in Kabul and the importance of comfort food to feeling safe?

Last but not least, here's A Map of Your Taste Buds Shaped Like Italy, a three-star review of a NYC Italian restaurant. Note how little he writes about ambiance and how much he writes about the food. So many of your reviews look so much the same in terms of structure. What would it look like for each of you to focus on a particular thing and allow that to drive your reviews?

Din dins

I don't know about you, but some of the reading for class makes me really hungry.

Is it wrong that for dinner last night I made this?

I put a lot of thought into what category of (culinary) tourist it made me and more or less eschewed any thoughts of authenticity. . . .

Your next assignment--in three parts

Your restaurant review assignment has three parts.

1. The expectation and anticipation: 500 words

Choose a restaurant to review. Choose a restaurant that serves food that represents a “vivid entryway into another culture” for you (Long 1), and that may be a kind of travel or border crossing for you personally. Write a blog post of 500 words or more evaluating your expectations of and assumptions about the experience. What personal experiences or baggage from the past influence what you think will happen in terms of the dining experience? What are your worries or concerns, hopes and desires for the meal? Reference any pertinent readings (including CYOA, classmates’ blog posts, more formal readings for the course, etc.) and conversations (in class or online via blogs) in this informal, conversational essay. Post to your blog BEFORE you go to the restaurant. The audience for this piece is, indeed, this class. (Also, rather than post a list of restaurants in the area, I'm going to let you do a little reporting on that, and we can brainstorm in class as well.)

2. The review: 1000 words

Using the restaurant reviews we're reading for Tuesday as a model, write a well-reasoned and –argued, structurally sound, utterly readable if not downright entertaining review of the restaurant you chose.

In terms of PROCESS, do background research on the restaurant and the cuisine, take notes (and maybe photos) during the meal, think long and hard about what you have to say about the experience (both the food and the place/ambiance), find a place (aka “The Butt”) on the pan-to-rave continuum where you stand, start to develop the thesis, the main points you’ll argue to support “The Butt.”

With regard to ORGANIZING/WRITING, make sure your piece has clear elements: thesis, point of view, an effective lead, evidence to support your claims, a conclusion that leaves a lasting impression, etc.). Also, provide perspective/context/background/research and analysis. Build your case and do it as artfully and appropriately for your intended audience as you can. (We'll talk more about the elements of a good review in class next week.)

Choose an intended publication and state it before the lead of your piece.

3. The evaluation

I will give you this part of the assignment after workshop. Don’t worry about it. It will be pleasant and informal and written for the class on your blog, much as the first part of the assignment.

Assignment for 6th week Thursday, as promised

A review from today's New York Times by Pete Wells, the paper's current restaurant critic.
 Even though his stint was short as the food critic for the New York Times, we're going to take a look at some of Sam Sifton's work:
 Because the Fat Lady has to Eat
Osteria Morini
Il Matto
Kenmare, which gets zero stars
Sifton on how to eat for a living and stay healthy doing it
Sifton's My Life in Food
Round One Q&A
Round Two
Round Three
Round Four
and just for fun, To Catch a Critic

And a little from the West Coast, Los Angeles, to be exact:

Jonathan Gold takes on a food court
Jonathan Gold swoons for this joint
A different kind of review from the L.A. Times

How about from a European food critic?

Advice to a 10-year-old aspiring food critic

And just for kicks, let's let Twitter (and HuffPo) show us who's important in the world of restaurant criticism

Enjoy, meander, play around and discover what piques your interest. Make sure to read for craft--pick apart what each critic is up to in his/her reviews and how they go about achieving their effects for better or for worse. Learn from them. We'll discuss what makes a review a review and what separates a bad review from a mediocre review from a fantastic review.

Above all, enjoy!