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1. •  
     CommentAuthorTim G (CommentTimeJan 7th 2009)

    
   I think it would be useful for those seasoned reviewers to share their tips on writing reviews from their wealth of experience!
   
   For example, what should you look out for? Take photos, what lighting? Run out of vocab?
   
   Do you take notes? Or just remember? How long after the meal before the review is written? How long should it be? How detailed? etc etc
   
   Think this will be helpful for newbie reviewers and people who struggle writing reviews (like myself.. and hence the abysmal small number of reviews actually written), it will also improve the standard of reviews on HGW!

   Fazli Mansor
2. •  
     CommentAuthorRatatouille (CommentTimeJan 7th 2009)

    
   I think writing reviews reflect the personality behind the reviewer, apart from detailing the food, the place, the ambience and so on. Some takes a lot of pride in taking good photos, some to be the first reviewer of a new establishment, while some are attention to details to the miniscule. I had seen some people taking like 10 shots of a plate of food, writing notes down quickly after having a taste or even chatting up the proprietors.
   
   I will personally suggest to write in one's own style that best reflect your personality. Sometimes it's not information overload (too many ppl writing about the same place or food) but the presentation of different perspectives that makes reading enjoyable.

   starzdevil, His Food Blog, Tim G, Gaz
3. •  
     CommentAuthorECYM (CommentTimeJan 7th 2009)

    
   I believe as you begin to write more reviews you will more and less have your style of writing. By then you will want readers to know what you have been experiencing at the place...
   
   Run out of vocab? You can always refer to Thesaurus kekeke
4. •  
     CommentAuthorcloudgal (CommentTimeJan 7th 2009 edited)

    
   I agree with rata on the personality reflection via the reviews. Although, I admit that my writing has evolved as I write more.
   There is no hard and fast rule in how to write a review as its primarily a reflection of your own dining experience from your own perspective and benchmark.
   
   But I don't mind sharing my own personal experience (cheh, as tho very seasoned, like real):
   To me, the mood to write is kinda important. When the inspiration and mood is there, the words flow easily for me. However, when I do not have that inspiration nor mood, nothing flows and I can be staring at the screen without being able to pen a single word.
   
   I don't advocate super duper detailed review with bombastic words or flowery slangs or terms or have to be funny, etc. 'Cos not everyone will have that knack. But rather, I would try to substantiate with appropriate description in simple english. 'Cos just saying its good/great/wonderful/etc doesnt really help as we all hardly know each other's benchmark of good/great/wonderful/etc.
   
   I don't take notes 'cos I make it a point to remember. And I take photos of the menu if I know I prob can't rem the names, esp for exotic cuisines. Also, I would like to try to be as objective as best as I can. After all, an aspect that is bad doesn't necesary mean that all other aspects are just as bad. It just means the dining experience is marred. So I would like to try to give credit where it is due despite the marred dining experience as the dining experience may be different for other ppl patronzing at a different time.
   
   As for how long after, this is pretty subjective but I think try not to delay too long? After all, anything can change in a food establishment in a matter of months.
   
   In terms of photos, do use the upload function. Very blurred photos that occupy the half the monitor screen really give me a huge headache. As for food photo-taking, its difficult to dictate. So bottomline, just keep the photos clear, at least relatively. The rule of thumb of not using flash for food photos does help altho it will work against most ppl when in dim environments. Personally, I like photo-taking in general so food photography for me is just another aspect for me to experiment. :)
   
   Oh one thing I noticed, there is the Close function hyperlink together with the Edit link to notify the HGW moderators that the outlet is already closed. No need to waste bandwidth/database space that the outlet is closed lah.
   And do pen the review under the relevant branch outlet, otherwise it can get confusing for ppl reading the reviews. If that particular branch outlet is not found on HGW, just submit the details.

   starzdevil, Tim G, Gaz
5. •  
     CommentAuthorcontrarian (CommentTimeJan 7th 2009)

    
   I'd suggest the more something inspires you, the more you would have something to write. If something is worth the effort, I'd spend more time on it. On the other hand, saying little also sends the appropriate message.
   
   I prefer Sir Ernest Gowers' approach in the Complete Plain Words:
   Use no more words than are necessary to express your meaning, for if you use more you are likely to obscure it and to tire your reader. In particular do not use superfluous adjectives and adverbs and do not use roundabout phrases where single words would serve.
   
   Use familiar words rather than the far-fetched, if they express your meaning equally well; for the familiar are more likely to be readily understood.

   Gaz
6. • CommentAuthorRichard Heng (CommentTimeJan 9th 2009)

    
   I am very new to this site, till date, only 5 reviews.
   
   However, I notice that since I started the 1st review, its began to "grow" inside me.
   It's make me more "want" to share my experience, of cos, all reviews are subjective, that make review interesting.
   
   Defintely, I am not qualified to provide tips on writing review.
   However, my thumb of rule, write what you really taken and what is yr mind.
   
   Cheers!

   Chicken Rice Man, Christine Yap
7. •  
     CommentAuthorTaster (CommentTimeJan 9th 2009)

    
   Readers of reviews like me just want to know about the good and bad of the food, service and ambiance at a particular place.
   
   So you just tell them the good and bad objectively. Refrain from hiding either one of these 2 qualities.
   
   When tasting different types of food, remember to wash away the taste in your mouth in between.
   
   Convey the taste of the food with as many word descriptions as you can, and your feelings after tasting the food.
   
   You don't even have to try to make your food pictures look good. Just snap the way the food is presented to you with natural light. Trying to make a dish look good by yourself is to tell a lie.
   
   People are not here to appreciate photography skills or art that is actually the distortion of reality, they just want to know about the taste of foods with most truth and minimal distortion.
   
   Don't distort and be fake. Readers like me do appreciate the truthful objectivity and absence of ego. It will cut down the reading of multiple opinionated reviews for a particular place. I'm sure people don't want to waste time reading multiple 'stories'.
8. •  
     CommentAuthorTim G (CommentTimeJan 9th 2009 edited)

    
   I think what else I would like to see more in reviews are:
   
   * singling people out for praise for exceptional service, or chef for creativity, etc. i.e. giving praise where it is due;
   
   * tips! so that other people can be in the know - eg. things which are not on the menu, things to look out for, etc; and
   
   * nuggets of information! I like how some of the more seasoned reviewers display their depth of knowledge in relation to the food they review, using cooking terminology, food preparation styles, ingredients, etc. Always good to learn something new!
   
   On a separate note, I think it would be helpful to see who votes Yes/No for the "agree with reviews" - makes it much harder to rig.
9. •  
     CommentAuthorlost cause (CommentTimeJan 9th 2009)

    
   I think that this thread in itself is a real good way to "inform" the new people, like myself, how to write reviews on places on places that we have been to. And what TimG said is true, I think that improving the standard of HGW is a good thing as I noticed many places quoting HGW and many people turning to HGW for help.
   
   I personally feel that TimG, Rat, CG, Pan, Con and a few others write really good reviews of the places they go to eat and I always look forward to reading their reviews. Their reviews are probably the ones that new reviewers should frequent to get an idea of what to write. But as mentioned earlier, the review at the end is still a reflection of each person's personality. I think the best is to get the rough idea from the pros, then go ahead.
   
   I actually feel that pictures are very a essential part of the review. As they say "a picture speaks a thousand words". Pictures help those who cannot visualize to get a better picture of the place or food and thus they can see if they will like the place before even going down.
   
   Well, since I'm pretty "noob" at this and only have 12 reviews under my belt I shan't say much, don't want to ????. Just enjoy the writing cause I sure do. =)

   Chicken Rice Man
10. •  
      CommentAuthorGaz (CommentTimeJan 10th 2009)

     

    Posted By: Tim G
    On a separate note, I think it would be helpful to see who votes Yes/No for the "agree with reviews" - makes it much harder to rig.

    
    
    I was actually thinking about this... and as much as I agree with you, I don't wish HGW to go into gang wars of sorts...
    
    A peeve of mine is seeing an establishment embellished with perfect 10s or close to perfect 10s (even more so if the review's brief). I guess it’s an occupational hazard, but to me, almost nothing is perfect.
    
    I guess when writing reviews... what Contrarian said is true. If something inspires you, you'd have more to write about and you'd spend more time on it. Then, it all depends on writing style and skill. When it comes to putting down the 4 ratings for Food, Ambience / Setting, Value and Service, I do hope people will think about it more before sliding perfect 10s (or 0.1 in cases of blatant attacks)... unless of course in rare cases such extremity may be necessary...
11. •  
      CommentAuthorcontrarian (CommentTimeJan 10th 2009)

     
    Indeed perfection is an elusive standard that's rarely achieved, if at all. Most people realise that if they show moderation most of the time, they're more likely to be believed when they say something is exceptional.
    
    For the same reason, I think it's important to recognise that reviews also cannot be perfect. Like exams and work situations, given unlimited time and resources, a writer could have written better reviews. On the other hand, journalists work within deadlines, so they must submit the article for print before time's up. They learn very fast to produce their best effort within the time frame given, without lamenting that they could have done it better on hindsight.
    
    While we have the benefit of "edit" here, learning to accept imperfections - of ourselves and of others - as the norm would also be useful.
12. •  
      CommentAuthorblargh (CommentTimeJan 10th 2009)

     
    useless, self serving reviews are a waste of time.
    
    i just want to read about the food! and the experience! so anything that doesnt cover these two things fail as a review. and honestly thats a really easy test to pass to begin with.
13. •  
      CommentAuthorcloudgal (CommentTimeJan 10th 2009)

     

    Posted By: lost cause
    I personally feel that TimG, Rat, CG, Pan, Con and a few others write really good reviews of the places they go to eat and I always look forward to reading their reviews. Their reviews are probably the ones that new reviewers should frequent to get an idea of what to write. But as mentioned earlier, the review at the end is still a reflection of each person's personality. I think the best is to get the rough idea from the pros, then go ahead.
    

    
    
    I ain't any pro, just sharing. Feeling so paiseh now. *blushing* But thanks for the compliments.
14. •  
      CommentAuthorIan Lau (CommentTimeJan 16th 2009 edited)

     
    I have to agree, with blargh, especially regarding reviews obviously plugging establishments, or redirecting you to personal sites without giving any information on the meal at all. Those really annoy me.
    
    I believe one shouldn't aspire to write like others to the extent that you might find it unnatural. Everyone has their own style, but if you are unable to provide the "value added" information that Tim G suggests, the minimum benchmark I always appreciate are
    
    1) Specific dishes that are good, and of course dishes to avoid. It might help if you can provide a contrast against places most people are likely to have dined at, for instance how a particular place's pizza stacks up against one from say Pizza Hut (example only la, I don't like pizza hut).
    
    2) Anything that stands out, good or bad, about the place, such as location, hygiene or service.
    
    3) Price, value and any special offers which might swing the deal!
    
    These are what I personally find to be the basic requirements of an adequate review.
15. •  
      CommentAuthorTim G (CommentTimeJan 16th 2009)

     
    Haha, there are certain nuances which tend to irk me a little. Besides those listed out by blargh / Ian above, some styles which can rub you the wrong way are, for example,
    
    (i) when people speak of themselves in third person (this is highly bemusing);
    (ii) when pictures are of themselves only (well, at least most of the time we can discern they are somewhat happy);
    (iii) bad grammar (when I say bad grammar I mean really really really bad grammar - no need queen's english, but at least some semblance of grammar please!); and
    (iv) those really short reviews which are not informative (eg. this is good. try it.),
    
    but to each his own I suppose.
    
    I think it's interesting to see all the various view points, and there are experts amongst us (those with the more cultured tastebuds), or even if you just happen to be from a particular dialect group/ race and can point out the variation from the original. Even the age divide (from young students to working adults) provides different angles and perspectives which makes HGW so much more fun to read. =)
16. •  
      CommentAuthorIan Lau (CommentTimeJan 16th 2009)

     
    (ii) when pictures are of themselves only (well, at least most of the time we can discern they are somewhat happy)
    
    I laughed. Sniggered, really. Fortunately we don't see too much of this on HGW - which makes the rare occurrence stand out even more! *snigger
17. •  
      CommentAuthorcloudgal (CommentTimeJan 16th 2009)

     
    Tim G: muahahaha! So I am possibly guilty as charged for point (iii). :P
18. •  
      CommentAuthors_jaina (CommentTimeJan 16th 2009)

     

    Posted By: cloudgalTim G: muahahaha! So I am possibly guilty as charged for point (iii). :P

    
    
    lol same here...bad grammar and sometimes spelling also off...haha
19. •  
      CommentAuthorGaz (CommentTimeJan 16th 2009)

     
    if last time i take 'o'-lebel in SG, my england shure E8 one...
    so prrease bear wif me bad grammar... bad tenses... bad spelling...
    
    
20. •  
      CommentAuthorcontrarian (CommentTimeJan 16th 2009)

     
    I find that very important tools in communication can be basic:
    -breaking up complex sentences into simple ones
    -breaking up long paragraphs
21. •  
      CommentAuthorpicky gourmet (CommentTimeJan 20th 2009)

     
    Write only when you feel like writing - writing cannot be forced it has to flow...not sure if it makes sense...
    
    Write what you feel and cast aside all "repercussions" at least that works for me cos I don't really give a damn if people agree or disagree, find my review useful or not..... However, if you like people to find your review "useful" be a female writer OR write positively - there is a correlation to "useful" ratings and positive reviews as wells as cute looking female picture and "useful" ratings. =)
    
    Keep the receipt so you remember what you ate and can write more accurately (if you like to take your time).
    
    Be fair, set your standards and just follow it. EG. if you decide that "edible" or average is 5/10 then it should always be so...don't suddenly decide that 7/10 is your new passing mark.... Like some people feel that I rate poorly but if you follow my ratings long enough my passing is actually around 4/10 and i hardly use anything more than 8/10 so my 5/10 ain't exactly bad it may be another person's 7/10??? there are no hard and fast rules so make your own and stick with it.
    
    Good or bad SAY WHY !!! some people just like to put "not nice" - WHY not nice? too salty for you? too sweet? "not nice" is NOT HELPFUL. Say something constructive or you might as well not bother to write.
    
    so much for now bed time...

    starzdevil, cloudgal, contrarian, ice
22. •  
      CommentAuthorcloudgal (CommentTimeJan 20th 2009)

     
    mm i like the bit on hecking it whether ppl agree/disagree or useful or not....'cos i dun give a damn too...

    contrarian
23. •  
      CommentAuthors_jaina (CommentTimeJan 20th 2009)

     
    ditto CG,
    
    my sole purpose of writing reviews is to share my experiences be it good or bad. if a person were to not have the same experience that iv had and were to disagree with me then so be it. im not going to throw a fit if i someone disagrees with my review as others have their own opinion too. not everyone is going to like what i say so i dont let it get to me at all.
    
    i tend to write reviews when the mood strikes. at times i'll only write a review a few weeks after eating @ a place and sumtymz just a day after that. while i dont write down what i ate i tend to take pictures of it/ or the menu so that it is easier to recall. i also like to check out websites (especially those with the menu) before i head sumwhere so that i know what to expect. and its best to emphasise the reason why you like or dont like a certain dish for ultimately it is your point of view and maybe someone else might enjoy what you dont.
    
    i tend to be a wee bit nice in my reviews as to me foodwise, can change due to ingredients used to chef cooking the item or other factors but if something that really ruins the dining experience were to happen then i would be slightly harsh.

    starzdevil, White Fairy
24. •  
      CommentAuthorgirlgirl17 (CommentTimeJan 20th 2009)

     
    many excellent pointers have been dished out by the 'old birds', maybe we can collate and dedicate a spot on the main webbie for these? will be helpful to newbies and even act as an inspiration for all when the writing juice runs dry
25. •  
      CommentAuthorcontrarian (CommentTimeJan 21st 2009)

     

    Posted By: macadamia^nmy sole purpose of writing reviews is to share my experiences be it good or bad. if a person were to not have the same experience that iv had and were to disagree with me then so be it. im not going to throw a fit if i someone disagrees with my review as others have their own opinion too. not everyone is going to like what i say so i dont let it get to me at all.

    
    
    A very sensible approach!
    Put 6 people together for a dinner and you'll get 6 different opinions on the same food served. The facts are the same (e.g. the fish was steamed in lime and chilli), but the opinions are different (each one's rating for the fish). When others disagree, it is usually on opinion, not on the facts.

    s_jaina
26. •  
      CommentAuthorRatatouille (CommentTimeJan 22nd 2009 edited)

     
    <blockquote><cite>Posted By: contrarian A very sensible approach!
    Put 6 people together for a dinner and you'll get 6 different opinions on the same food served. The facts are the same (e.g. the fish was steamed in lime and chilli), but the opinions are different (each one's rating for the fish). When others disagree, it is usually on opinion, not on the facts.</blockquote>
    
    that is why a food tasting session is useful and beneficial.
27. •  
      CommentAuthorstarzdevil (CommentTimeJan 22nd 2009)

     
    hahaha. like MN. in a way i only write reviews when i'm in the mood. like either weeks later or on the day itself. coz otherwise i'm afraid i may be bias in writing as according to my mood. =D
    
    the reason i write reviews is to share my experiences coz since i can gain so much from reading others. i wanna share too. =) different people have different styles of writing and things to look out for. for me. i take pics of the food. the menu (if i'm scared i forget the names) and to keep the receipts so that i know what i've eaten. =) i will use the ratings of the service. ambience. price and food as a guide of what i must include in the review.
    
    using flowery vocab doesn't work for me. coz it doesn't bring out the essence of the food/ambience/service. sometimes i feel that the simpler the words the stronger the message comes across. =D
28. •  
      CommentAuthorcontrarian (CommentTimeJan 22nd 2009)

     

    Posted By: starzdevilusing flowery vocab doesn't work for me. coz it doesn't bring out the essence of the food/ambience/service. sometimes i feel that the simpler the words the stronger the message comes across. =D

    
    
    Indeed, such is the beauty of simplicity!
    Writing is an instrument for conveying ideas from one mind to another. The good communicator makes his reader understand his meaning readily and precisely. Even when the writer knows what he means, and says it in a way that is clear to him, is it always equally clear to his reader?
29. •  
      CommentAuthorTim G (CommentTimeJan 23rd 2009 edited)

     
    Not everyone is gifted in writing I guess and it would come more naturally to some than others - but I think most of us can grasp when someone has put in effort in writing the review, and that I think this is what we all apprecaite. Some tips I've come across which I found useful were:
    
    1) Ask yourself "what does the reader want to know" - eg. is this a good place to have a big party, or a good place to wind down after work, does this new joint have anything special that makes it unique, etc
    
    2) Edit - You've spent so much time writing the review, why not just take another look through. Most of the time you can find areas you want to improve or simplify - does it get your point across?
    
    3) As reiterated above, brevity is the soul of wit - be clear and concise without being overly verbose (I realise that this sentence is an irony but this is one of those I struggle with)
    
    4) Compare - Oftentimes comparisons make for good yardsticks. (eg. xiao long bao - everyone has eaten ding tai feng, but you just tried out this new joint. how does it stack up?)
    
    I guess all's that said and done, write what you want. Throw caution into the wind. Read all these "tips" with a pinch of salt, there are meant as guidelines, not rules. Don't let these things curb your style or inhibit your character! Happy writing all! =)

    starzdevil
30. •  
      CommentAuthorcaniggia (CommentTimeMar 12th 2009)

     
    i'm not a coneisuer, so i dun think my tongue is equipped enuf to break things down like a specification list for most gadgets. as to how i write my reviews, i try to make it comprehensible for layman, so i'd probably cover issues that compose the experience gathered while stuffing my face in the food.
    
    photo-taking, i must confess that i've gotten too carried away to dig-in once food is served & forgotten to archive the presentation of the food. then again, where food is concerned, its not only the sight of it, but the smell & taste is what matters most. i mean, for example, char kway teow will just look like a horrid pile of mess, but once it is savored, good of bad........... no matter how well written, 1 has to taste it to believe it.
31. •  
      CommentAuthorTaster (CommentTimeMar 20th 2009 edited)

     
    Foods should be compared with the same types of food found locally and overseas as much as possible(and be rated accordingly to this range, and not simply by how 'nice' it tastes to one) so that reviewers could discern the variation of tastes properly and have a sense of how the reviewed food tastes like. This is crucial especially when not much of the food's tastes can be properly described. But describing the tastes in detail is always preferred over comparison since not all readers would have tried different variations of a certain food. Do both if possible.
32. •  
      CommentAuthorcontrarian (CommentTimeMar 21st 2009)

     
    While some may prefer to look at pictures of the food, and may some prefer a detailed comparative description of taste, I find that the proof of the pudding is in the eating. Taste is a sense by itself and cannot be replicated or substituted by others.
33. •  
      CommentAuthorblargh (CommentTimeMar 23rd 2009)

     
    yes i agree. you've got to try it yourself - there is only so much you can get out of reviews and pictures.
34. •  
      CommentAuthorTaster (CommentTimeMar 23rd 2009)

     
    Getting a little out of point?
    
    This thread is titled, "Tips for writing reviews".
35. •  
      CommentAuthorChef RayB (CommentTimeApr 18th 2009)

     
    There is no freedom speech so what's the point of having tips ?
36. •  
      CommentAuthorcontrarian (CommentTimeMay 6th 2009 edited)

     
    Check out the really good tips from a new reviewer, Clarence Lee, in his review of Golden Spoon:
    http://www.hungrygowhere.com/singapore/golden_spoon/
    A good the way to raise review standards, eh?
    We, the inconsistent, subjective, suspect, personal and incompetent reviewers should learn from his reviews, shouldn't we?
37. •  
      CommentAuthorblargh (CommentTimeMay 7th 2009)

     
    indeed we should!
38. •  
      CommentAuthorStopadoodledoo (CommentTimeSep 15th 2009)

     
    What's wrong with being inconsistent, subjective, personal and incompetent? Once you've read several reviews by one reviewer, you'll have a better idea of what their tastes are: I'd far rather read something that was executed with passion and verve for the subject, than just a dry listing of "I ate this. It was a pleasant example of tom yum soup. The waitress never spilt any drinks on me"
39. •  
      CommentAuthorSuraj Chew (CommentTimeDec 4th 2009)

     
    I see reviews as infotainment. They should convey information of course but should also convey the diner's experience in an entertaining way that makes it a joy or fun to read. That is what to aim for in a review for me.
40. •  
      CommentAuthornebulaenova (CommentTimeDec 9th 2009)

     
    I dunno about everyone else, but for me, writing from the heart helps (cheesy line, I know!). Rather than thinking so hard about what to write, or the words to use; just let it flow instead. The following points to note though, will help readers: -
    
    1. How do you feel when you step in the place? (will say a lot about the ambiance)
    2. How is the service?
    3. State what you have or your favorites
    4. The experience of the food e..g taste, texture...give comparisons.
    
    I love reading non-grammatically correct reviews or funny reviews. It really liven things up a bit. Let's not be so anal lah...it's all for fun mah!
    
    That's all! Happy writing!
41. • CommentAuthorGreg L (CommentTimeDec 20th 2009)

     
    I feel that all reviews should strive to stand-out.
    
    Personally, I believe in entertaining reviews in order to differentiate from the rest.
    
    Verbose and descriptive reviews, which are well intentioned on informing the reader, are not my cup of tea.
    
    To each his own though!
42. •  
      CommentAuthorpeace ... (CommentTimeFeb 18th 2010)

     
    Thank you very much for sharing :) Wonderful! And helpful for newies like me who just discover this haven.
43. • CommentAuthorjack Brosnan (CommentTimeFeb 19th 2010)

     
    thanks you forsharing such a important information...Thanks...
    ***************************
    Jack Brosnan
    The lemonade diet Cleanse
44. •  
      CommentAuthorX L Lee (CommentTimeMar 19th 2010)

     
    I think taste is subjective, so are our taste for reviews. What seemed like a good review to one might seemed like a poor one to the other. I am still new to HGW, and writing a review is not easy, not only one has to be able to clear (in English), it is also hard to find the words that could describe the food the way my mind is thinking about. Despite so, I still do reviews because I think like an visitor to HGW, we want to find a nice place to makan, and a reviewer can help them by sharing with them their experience and for the management, to gather feedback for their restaurant.
    
    For me, i think i prefer writing it in a way that is informative and yet personal, personal because the review is all about your experience at that restaurant. What is important, is not only that readers get something useful information out of it like (svc charge, gst, prices, promotions, Halal or not, vegetarian etc.) but the restaurants themselves get something fruitful out it such as knowing what is good or bad from that review and hopefully they pick these criticism, views up and use it as feedback.
    
    A review also has a role as an alarm in a negative or positive way. I have seen some review who would give 1 or a 0/6 (even thought the ratings are say 3, 3, 1, 1, without even pointing out why they gave it that low or whats wrong with the photo. In the perspective of the freedom of expression, there is nothing wrong with it, the reviewer made a strong statement of their negative experience there. However, as a review, it did not provide useful information for both the readers and restaurants themselves.
    
    When a review is positive, it is a compliment for the management and maybe even a magnet for patrons. There are reviews that give a perfect 10 for all scores, because the reviewer is very impressed and happy with their meal, rather than being lenient.
    
    Inevitably, the scores we give, high or low, will build a kind of expectation from the patronizers of the restaurant. For the people who trust HGW, it affects the readers and restaurants alike.
    
    These are just some thoughts I have with regards to reviews.

    peace ...
45. •  
      CommentAuthorpeace ... (CommentTimeMar 25th 2010)

     
    As newies in writing food reviews, I do find it very tough.
    
    Sharing Vegetarian Food review here, is because there aren't much reviews on veg*n cuisines for local vegetarians or Tourists (vegetarian or not), semi vegetarian, organic lover, health conscious or green conscious diners ... so on ...
    
    There is a "broken link" - not all vegetarians know all the vegetarian eateries or veg-friendly eateries.
    
    Food reviews (directly or indirectly) maybe should also reflect the food culture, food scene here, what's happening, what the society and food-crazed people wants and another channel for raising the culinary standards.
    
    Tastes and Experiences in any food establishment is very subjective, depending on many conditions/factors (the mood, the weather, the people, the food, the timing, the degree of hungryness, likes and dislikes of certain food, local and global dining experiences, our own standard/measurements/environment/brought up/culture/knowledge/... etc).
    
    Whatever food reviews post is always in the "PAST" and will the food/experiences remains the same? Depends ... Depending on what type of conditions presented, it could change the whole taste or experiences ...
46. •  
      CommentAuthorAaron Wong (CommentTimeMay 2nd 2010)

     
    Hi, I'm new here. How do you rate things with decimals points e.g. 7.7? Mine are all whole numbers!
47. •  
      CommentAuthorcaniggia (CommentTimeDec 7th 2010)

     

    Posted By: Aaron WongHi, I'm new here. How do you rate things with decimals points e.g. 7.7? Mine are all whole numbers!

    those decimals were 'once upon a time'. whole integers came to light after the face lift
48. •  
      CommentAuthorcaniggia (CommentTimeDec 7th 2010)

     
    all in all, i dont know if there's truly a benchmark as to how a review should/must be written. different viewers have different threshold & competencies for vocab. i dont think anyone here is innocent of grammatical & spelling errors as well.
    
    i believe the ratings & scores r some of the better indications of the reviewers thoughts of how he/she approved/disapproved of the experience. as for the write-up, they may choose to elaborate further, or make special mention of what they liked or disliked about the venue.
    
    at the end of the day, 1 man's meat is another's poison... or vice versa.
49. • CommentAuthordonaven ng j (CommentTimeDec 11th 2010)

     
    i believe a review is only important in transmitting truthful opinions of what one has regarding an issue. it does not necessarily needs to be very well-written as long as the message can be conveyed.
    indeed, sometimes, one's review tend to hurt others but i guess this is the reality.
50. •  
      CommentAuthorreverber8 (CommentTimeDec 12th 2010)

     
    I agree that there isn't such a thing as a "perfect" review, or one particular ideal that we should be aiming for. In the end, the wonderful thing about food is that everyone has a different view, even of the same experience, and it would be meaningless to argue whose view is "better". To each their own I say.
    
    However, I do believe that if you take the trouble to write a review (as opposed to giving scores, which is fine too), it means that you have something to say. How you say it, with pictures, purple or minimal prose, or scorecards, is down to your own temperament. But you should have something useful or enlightening about your experience to share.
    
    For myself, I tend to look for reviews which are both informative and which describe a unique dining experience. After all, if you've eaten at many restaurants (and I guess the majority of us do), merely saying, "It was delicious, the place is nice," isn't going to give me a better idea of the place or the food.
    
    So, say it with flowers or without, but do present your unique point of view, in your own unique way.
    
    And above all, have fun!