Ruth Reichl's Garlic and Sapphires, an account of her years as restaurant critic of the New York Times, is simultaneously hilarious, refresing and poignant, altogether a great read.

The hilarity comes from Reichl's penchant for donning elaborate disguises, the better to assure anonymity in assessing New York's most prominent eateries. These incognita excursions allow Reichl to skewer the pretensions and omissions of such well-known restaurants as Le Cirque and Tavern on the Green.

Most important, Garlic and Sapphires provides a poignant look at what it is like to be too old, too unfashionable, or too poor to fully take part in the glories of the Big Apple. Reichl's disguises frequently place her in one or more these overlooked groups, and she provides a sensitive picture of what it is like to be marginalized-- not only by headwaiters at four-star dining establishments, but by society. One hopes that Reichl's tenure as Times restaurant critic made top restaurants more likely to treat all of their patrons with dignity and respect.

Picked up at the meet-up.

A quick, enjoyable read.

The lengths Ruth had to go to be unrecognised when she wanted to review a restaurant were amazing. The different ways she was treated when she went in disguise to when she went as herself shows how much better treated the famous are than us ordinary people.

I loved the desciptions of some of the food she ate, not only at the 4 star restaurants, but at the small, hidden places. It has made me want to go to New York (a place I've never been interested in visiting) just to explore some of the small neighbourhood restaurants.

RELEASE NOTES:

Selected from the VBB. Enjoy!

Just received this one in the mail from another Oz VBB user :) Have started reading it already. Easy to read, looking forward to finding out about Ruth and her career as a NY Times food critic. :)

CAUGHT IN SHELLHARBOUR NSW AUSTRALIA

Arrived safely, thanks! Looking forward to reading this one.

Heading to Bali tomorrow and have no idea where I will leave this book, perhaps outside a restaurtant. I started this book but gave up pretty quickly as I was on a diet and couldn't handle reading about food!