Yes — there’s a reason I’m hiding behind a bunch of Swiss chard! Sometimes I write restaurant reviews for the paper. When I do, I make reservations under different names and attempt to remain incognito — wouldn’t want extra attentive service or an especially pretty garnish to skew the review! Is it possible to maintain anonymity in a small city like Burlington? Maybe not…but I’m going to give it a try.

A couple of questions for the masses:

1) Should restaurant critics be anonymous?
2) What do you think happens when they’re not?
3) Is this different in a place like Burlington vs. somewhere much larger — and with lots more restaurants — like New York City?

Comment away…

This article appears in Apr 18-24, 2007.

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Former contributor Suzanne Podhaizer is an award-winning food writer (and the first Seven Days food editor) as well as a chef, farmer, and food-systems consultant. She has given talks at the Stone Barns Center for Agriculture's "Poultry School" and its...