Note: 1/2016 – This restaurant has been sold, and I am hearing much better things about it. Take this review with a grain of salt.
When I was growing up, my mother used to make jambalaya on a regular basis. It was one of my favorite dishes, and I still make it now and then using her old recipe from the 40’s. With fond memories of that dish and New Orleans cuisine in general, I was excited to be reviewing Acadia. Though I hadn’t been for several years, the cooking at this little restaurant held good memories and had been on my recommended list for some time.
People frequently ask me what the difference is between Cajun and Creole. While it used to be quite pronounced, the cuisines have blended together so much, it is hard to define it anymore. A quick bit of history will make this clearer.
Acadians are descendants of 300 French immigrants who settled in the Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island areas of Canada. They arrived in Acadia and made their homes in the area of Port Royal. In 1710, Acadia was passed from France to England, and in 1755 the Acadians were expelled under an act known as Le Grand Derangement (the Great Disturbance). Many of the refugees settled in the French colony of Louisiana, where they became homogenized with other ethnic groups. Creoles, on the other hand, were descendants of early French and Spanish settlers in the Gulf States. The word comes from the Spanish criollo, a “child born in the colony”.
These two groups and others left their mark on the cuisine and culture. The Spanish gave Creole food spices and paella, the forefather of jambalaya. African slaves brought “gumbo” and okra, and the French added charcuterie, leading to the famous andouille and other sausages, and bouillabaisse, which also played a part in the creation of gumbo. American Indians added corn, crushed sassafras (also known as filé powder), and bay leaves to the mix. Creole, then, is a mélange of cooking from different cultures around the world.
As you can see, both groups were greatly influenced by their roots, yet in many ways blended with each other, which makes it difficult today to define clear lines of what is Creole and what is Cajun. Though Acadia Restaurant, by name should be Cajun food, the menu is truly a blend of dishes from both cuisines.
Enough history, let’s get on with the review. Acadia is quite pleasant and homey with lots of earth tones, complimentary artwork, and subdued lighting; I’d say they seat about 40. Additional tables are available on the sidewalk out front. The restaurant can be rather intimate on slow nights, though a bit loud on busy nights. The dining room includes a comfortable bar area, where one can drink or have a meal alone, without feeling awkward. All of the staff is quite friendly, and on every occasion, I have felt welcome.
The wine list begins with an omission that drives me crazy: no vineyard designations. These days, wineries may put out quite a few bottlings, some of which are much better than others. Other than that, the list is fine, albeit not terribly exciting. Unfortunately, it is difficult to calculate markup without more information. They have a selection of specialty cocktails including the traditional tourist drink, the hurricane and some martinis that don’t seem particularly Southern. I ignored most of them and tried a Pimm’s cup which was terribly out of balance with too much cucumber and a bare hint of soda and a sazerac which was overly sweet.
Let’s start with some of the better options. They are famous for their New Orleans style barbecue shrimp. You get a large bowl of buttery, peppery broth, ringed by plump head-on shrimp. The shrimp are tender and properly cooked, with crusty French bread on the side for soaking up the leftover sauce. This is a great start, and I’d have no problem making a meal out of them. Next, I tried the pâté, which is accompanied by excellent house pickles, really good Creole mustard, and crisp little toasts. No problems here, a classic dish that was just fine. Oyster shooters are a typical New Orleans tourist dish. I’ve never quite understood why they are so popular. To me they are more a frat house “look at me, I’m shooting an oyster” than something to be taken seriously. For the most part, you can’t taste the bivalve, so what’s the point. Anyway, the Acadia version is better than most. Picture a shot glass with a single oyster, a splash of house-infused jalapeno vodka, and a bit of cocktail sauce.
This is where things begin to go downhill. I’ve tried two of three salads, an uninspired house version of mixed greens in dull vinaigrette with crumbled egg, and an unremarkable Caesar that was a waste of good lettuce. Of the two, I’d go for the house.
This couldn’t be a Creole restaurant without seafood gumbo, and though Acadia makes an effort, for my taste, it falls flat. First of all, the dark roux has an odd, off-taste that doesn’t belong. While there is slight flavor from a shellfish stock, it was nearly impossible to find shellfish itself. This is gumbo; it should have plenty, yet in two different meals, we found one solitary shrimp, and another time something that looked like a clam. Maybe they are forgetting to stir it before serving, but the lack of seafood aside, the poor roux made the whole dish unacceptable.
Acadia redeems itself somewhat with the cayenne grilled drum fish, though there was no particular spice to the meat. It was properly cooked and the flavors fairly balanced, though as with almost everything else, it was so over salted it was almost like a crust. The same could be said about the shrimp Creola. Though it is nothing special, it has a decent shrimp flavor, and a reasonable tomato sauce served over rice.
At lunch, they serve a étouffée, a Cajun stew of crayfish and vegetables on white rice. The stew is usually cooked over a slow flame in a single pot, or, as the French say, a l’étouffée. In a restaurant, this can lead to problems, in this case, the crawfish was overcooked and mushy. Beyond this flaw, the sauce was so over laden with butter, there was nothing light about it. Add an abundance of salt, and it was another out of balance dish.
I decided I’d get away from seafood, and try something that is the pride of every Cajun restaurant – jambalaya. This version is rather spicy, with large pieces of andouille sausage which are somewhat unusual, because traditionally this sausage is used for seasoning and not added in such large pieces. From the start, this threw off the balance, but it didn’t really matter – I had this dish three times, and on each occasion, it was so over salted, it was all I could do to make a polite dent. About the only good thing I can say is the portion size is very large. Overall, this dish was just awful and left my mouth burning from the sodium ($9.95 at lunch).
I decided this over salting must be an aberration, that no restaurant could get away serving something food of this quality, so on another evening, I decided to try their “Cupa – Cupa – Cupa”, to get a sample of several of these items again. The three cups consist of more of the seafood gumbo (with the solitary bit of clam), more of the salt encrusted jambalaya, and a cup of red beans and rice, which were a mushy, salty, undistinguished mess. I was stunned and felt lousy for the next 24 hours.
Let’s get to the desserts. I’ve tried three: a bread pudding that I thought was ok, though others at my table felt it was too sweet. Per the menu, it is their “own recipe combining crème brûlée custard and bread pudding, with a white chocolate Frangelico sauce and toasted pecans”. I’d say that is a fair description; it really is like custard. They have a mixed berry crisp, which is only crisp in title, the filling flavorful but again a bit too sweet, and the fruit somewhat soggy. Finally, we had “Paula’s Gooey Butter Cake”, a recipe that starts with box cake mix. Picture a somewhat undercooked yellow cake, with an overly sweet cream cheese layer, sitting in an overly sweet lemon sauce, topped with sweetened whipped cream. Words defy me.
A few words about service. It is gracious, prompt, and the staff generally seem like nice people, though some servers have a problem remembering who ordered what. However, I have a huge issue. At all of my meals at Acadia, I’ve never finished more than half of what was on my plate, yet have never been asked if everything was ok. Instead, I’ve merely been offered a to-go box. With one of the cocktails, I took a couple of sips and that was it, yet again, it was removed at the end of the meal without comment. It is almost like they are afraid to ask for feedback.
When Acadia first opened, I met the owners and liked them very much. Going back a few years later, I expected the same good experience. Instead, this was one of the most painful series of meals I’ve endured since I began this site. Every time I’ve gone, my body felt lousy from the overuse of salt and lack of restraint in butter. Yes, I know this type of food is supposed to have lots of butter, but the chef here doesn’t seem to know anything about balance. I don’t know what has happened, but this is a chef who has lost his way. How some of these dishes made it out of the kitchen I can’t fathom. Why people are still going here I’m not sure. All I know is, I’m not likely to go back.
Grade: C
- Phone: (503) 249-5001
- Address: 1303 NE Fremont St, Portland, OR 97212
- Website: AcadiaPDX.com
Sean Keener says
Wow Mr. Food Dude. Very strong words and I am sorry that you have had such an experience at Acadia.
I live in the neighborhood for the past 5 years and have been to Acadia around 100 times to eat in that time. My experience is the complete opposite of yours.
Everything I have eaten and had to drink there has been perfect/near perfect.
I’ve had about 25 Pork Chops and taken dozens of others and they have loved it.
You seem pretty sophisticated Food Dude. I am not as sophisticated but I like the food and I have not met a person who agrees with your assessment. So for all the common folk out there, as awesome a reviewer as Food Dude is – take it with a grain of salt. You’ll enjoy the food at Acadia. :)
Food Dude – you said, “this was one of the most painful series of meals I’ve endured since I began this site”. It saddens me that this is your experience because I am so passionate about the food here. But, this is a huge world with lots of different palates and experiences. So thanks for sharing and I’m sure Acadia’s chef will read this and maybe someday you’ll give it another chance and leave satisfied. :) I know he cares deeply about his food and will be disappointed to hear you had this experience.
Mika says
Wow… I for one appreciate the depth of your review although I can’t say that I’ve experienced anything near what you’re describing in my 20 visits here. I have raved about this to my friends and family – a group of 6 went just last night for their first time and all of them absolutely LOVED it. Unfortunately for me, I couldn’t attend.
While it sounds like you have quite a good handle on what traditional Creole dishes should be in your opinion, I’d like to remind you that everyone serving things exactly the same way makes for a dull experience and restaurants like Acadia offer a unique approach to traditional dishes.
I feel bad for you since you didn’t enjoy your visit, as everyone I know who’s been there raves about it. But if everyone liked Acadia as much as I do then I would never get in the door, so I’m glad that you won’t be coming back as it just leaves more room for me.
PS – You can’t honestly expect a plate of mixed greens to be thrilling anywhere, can you?
Food Dude says
Sean, thanks for the restraint in use of flamethrower;)
If you haven’t been in the last two months, you might have a different meal now than you expect. I’ll be interested to hear what you think. I went here with quite a few different folks who had a good opinion of the restaurant, and every single one was shocked at the change.
It should also be noted that Adam (owner), invited me to come in for a review, though it took me close to a year before I worked it into my schedule. I respect any chef that invites a reviewer.
Sean Keener says
No worries Food Dude. I didn’t even have to restrain. I’m naturally not throwing them flames. Let’s talk, not troll. :) We probably think the same way on that.
I have been to Acadia two times in the past 2 months and I left with a smile and a full belly both times. Excellent as it always has been for me and the folks that came with. Next time I go I’ll pay particular attention to the things you said.
If you ever want to give them another chance in the future, I’d be happy to go with you. It might be fun to see 2 opposite opinions collide at the restaurant. Or maybe we’ll learn something from each other.
Either way Food Dude, you run a great site here and I know lotsa people look to you as a respected voice in PDX food and drink. Well done.
Hunter says
awwww meat, isn’t that a bit much, even for you?
apollo says
Wow, I’m glad that I didn’t take an ex-girlfriends advice and eat there. I am speechless after looking at the porkchop. Wow.
amoureuse says
Food Dude,
Thanks for the review. I have never been to Acadia, and quite frankly after that picture I would be afraid to go. I can see how opinions may vary, tastes differ, but that prok chop never should have made it to your table that way! Blame goes to the cook who ccoked it to death, and the server who brought it to you. WOW!
ramekin says
I don’t know what to say. I like Acadia. I’ve been there and had great meals. Based on that experience I’ll go back again. I know the owners work there and I’m sure they have read this. I would think that they are working on the problem and wouldnt be surprised at all if things are not fixed and better than before toot sweet!
Matt Davis says
rajun cajun says
Hey, at least they accented with that cute sprig of mint (or whatever green that is); it makes it so much more palatable…
A couple more minutes on the flame and a little pressure, that piece of charcoal could have ended up a diamond, then who would be laughing last?
Thermomix says
Before service, the chef should always see and taste every cook’s mise en place. First, that jambalaya should have been tasted by the chef before the douchebag cook put it into a bain for service. Second, that porkchop shouldn’t have been plated. Disappointing.
AdamHiggs says
Wow, Food Dude, that was painful to read! I feel kind of like that pork chop. ( That is not a good representation by the way) Clearly you had a negative experience at Acadia, and I apologize for that.I have donated back to you money in the amount I think you may have spent.
My wife and I are saddened that you had such a terrible time at our restaurant, and I always appreciate feedback, be it good or bad. I will not bother with excuses, or try and debate points of your review, but I will invite you back.
Thank you for your time.
Adam Higgs
Chef/Owner Acadia
reflexblue says
It’s easy to char on the grill when you have a sauce with a lot of sugar, but the black bone in that picture is amazing.
Thanks for an interesting review. I may try Acadia if I was invited, but not on my own after reading this.
kabe says
Just wanted to offer my complements to Chef Higgs for the gracious way in which he received this review. What a class act. I had a below average experience my only time dining there, but his attitude makes me want to give it another chance.
apollo says
Upon further thought I think you are having a gas at our expense. You had to have taken a blowtorch to that bone. There is no way in hell that and cook would ever plate something that charred. I refuse to believe that a restaurant would serve that.
That being said, if you aren’t laughing your ass off at what a funny joke you are playing on your loyal readers, this restaurant should fire the entire kitchen staff and start fresh. Come on. That thing looks like it was in a cremation chamber. Bring on the urn…
-s says
One other difference is that all the Cajuns I know from Acadiana dislike New Orleans and its food very much. But the Rice Palace in Crowley is apparently the bomb. Ahh living in Louisiana was fun.
pdxyogi says
Food Dude: It’s a silly accusation that your burned chop is a hoax. Of course it’s not. But why didn’t you send it back? I would.
Several times the servers not knowing who gets what food – I can’t stand that either. It’s ok at Denney’s but unacceptable at such a place as this.
Food Dude says
A couple of things. First of all, taking a pork chop home and altering like that to make a good story is absolutely unethical, and I would never stoop to such a thing. It literally made the person across the table wrinkle their nose from the burnt smell. Even without the chop, the review speaks for itself; there would be no reason to resort to such a thing.
If I was out dining for a purpose other than a review, I would not hesitate to send food back. However, I never do in these cases, because 1) in my experience most diners are hesitant to send things back, and I wanted to show what they would be dealing with, 2) I wanted to make the point that this should have NEVER made it out of the kitchen, past the waiter and to my table without someone stopping and saying, “Hey, this isn’t right”, and 3) when I am working on a review, I go out of my way not to do anything memorable. I don’t want them to know who I am, I don’t want to be remembered.
Things happen in kitchens; stuff gets burnt now and then, but it shouldn’t be served. What shocked me even more, is seeing a woman getting served a very burnt chicken a week later. This made me feel that we are not talking an isolated problem.
I would also like to add that I think the Adam’s response to the review was a class act. I have always liked him and his wife, and have had nothing but pleasant email exchanges with them.
Finally, I’d like to say, I don’t take a negative review like this lightly. I realize it may effect people’s lives in ways I cannot see. I went to the restaurant four times, hoping to find improvement. It would have been easy for me to save some money and say “nothing is good here” and leave it at that, but I know what they are capable of doing, and just as this review may be disappointing and cost them a bit of money, the same thing is probably happening to others that are dining at their restaurant. If a few months pass, and I am hearing that things are better, I will return and give them another chance.
Thermomix says
Look at that bone! Desecration to the pig! The horror. The horror. The way I would “pick up” the pig is baste it with the sauce when it’s almost done to the guest’s request, move the chop to a cooler part of the grill, and then baste it again. I would let it rest for a few minutes off the heat until plating time ( assuming that the chop was brined before service and foil was wrapped around the bone when “fired.”)
Marshall Manning says
We’ve only been to Acadia once, but this sounds like a fairly recent problem, as I had the pork chop about 5-6 months ago, and it was thick, pink in the center and delicious.
The only reason we hadn’t been back is because Carolyn has celiac, and almost everything on the menu has gluten in it.
pollo elastico says
FD, you’re a class act. And this qualification extends to Mr. Higgs, as well.
WellSeasoned says
Haven’t been to Acadia in years, but Adam Higgs’ gracious response makes me want to go back, despite FD’s bad experiences. I’ll bet a lot of careful attention will be paid from now on to every detail of each dish, especially salting and grilling. I wish these guys the best of luck, and I hope that any fall-off in their business from FD’s review will be balanced by people like me who are interested to see the improvements they make as a result.
pdxyogi says
…and then, as reports of their improvements make the rounds, I would expect their business to be even better than before the review.
I read a few years ago an interesting study of hotel customer satisfaction. They compared those who had a highly satisfactory trouble-free stay with those who had complaints that were resolved to their high satisfaction. The latter group was more likely to return.
Erin says
I have to say, I love to get the barbecue shrimp, extra bread for the sauce, and a glass of wine for a meal. It’s well worth it, as even FD found when he had it as a “great start”.
I’m so happy with this dish I haven’t ordered anything else in a while, but I’m real surprised at the horrors FD was served. From the owner’s honest, humble comment, I feel sure things will be made right, right quick.
sidemeat says
We would send tourists here because? Oh! They might be from California! Well,, EXCUUUSSEE MOI! Do you mind if I park my Escalade
on this spotted owl? Here’s $20, buy yourself a potato or whatever it is you people eat. God honey, look at that view…can’t you just imagine town homes on that ridge? And wouldn’t that damp area make a nice food court? These people don’t know what they have….
pdxwineoh says
Am I the only one constantly annoyed by sidemeat? Every post, he comments in Haiku, then he rambles on like Hemingway or Salinger; like meat on the side, you are TOO much! Please, someone agree with me here..on second thought, I don’t care if anyone agrees with me!
To Mr. Higgs and Lovely wife: I have only ever had wonderful meals at your restaurant, and your reputation is well established as being reliable and credible. PDXyogi will lead you back to nirvana. Do what you love doing, and the critics will taste it.
themick says
pdxwino, you may not be the only one who is constantly annoyed by sidemeat. There are many humorless people on this earth that may agree with you.
In regard to this review I have to give kudos to Food Dude. He knew that Acadia is a favorite of many Portlanders. He was not afraid to “tell it like it is/was”. I must agree with others here that the owner’s reply was very classy and I’m sure that in time it will prove that even a bad review can have many positive repercussions. I wish all involved (Acadia, Food Dude and Sidemeat) a long, successful and illustrious future.
salty ham says
Are you sure that is a pork chop?
oh my god
james dean says
Wow, I am stunned by this review! I have had nothing but wonderful meals at Acadia. I have dined there probably 50 times and the experience has always been consistent. In fact, I was just there last week and everyone at the table had a fantastic meal. Two in our party ordered the pork chop and it was perfectly cooked. Based on this review, I hope others won’t be afraid to visit such a great restaurant. I was very impressed with the owners response and I will be dining at Acadia again very soon.
Nancy Rommelmann says
Fifty times…
bill says
If the food was that bad why would you go back 4 times? Maybe I’m a little slow but I can tell real quick if a place has “it” or not. My wife and I have never had a bad meal in the numerous visits we’ve had to Acadia. Salt? – As you know there are no salt shakers on the tables because the chef feels he knows how his food should be seasoned. I fact we surprised Chef Higgs when my wife asked for some salt so I don’t know where you are coming from on that point. Anyway, I hope folks reading your review will take it with a grain of “salt” and try Acadia themselves. Your review was too slanted to be anywhere close to fair. We will continue to go back!!
quietone says
Well, pdxwineoh, I don’t think you are humorless. I do also think sidemeat is too much. I’ve heard absence makes the heart grow fonder…
Also, I have hesitated to go there but I have to. “Words defy me.” I think they may fail you, but certainly they’re not so angry at you that they would go so far as to DEFY you.
Keep on keepin’ on,
QO
Nancy Rommelmann says
It wasn’t the spelling, JD; it was the number. My dad worked in a Portuguese steakhouse in Greenwich Village in the early 60s. We knew the owner and the waiters; we went often when I was a kid, in 10 years, I’d say 60 times. It seemed like we were there all the time.
Acadia has been open six years. To have gone “probably 50 times” means eight times a year. That strikes me as a lot, but hey, maybe you live down the street, and have chosen not to avail yourself of the several hundred other restaurants that have opened in Portland during that time.
I haven’t been to Acadia and so cannot comment on the food. I can comment on whether a chef, after he’s read a bad review, can completely turn his kitchen around. How? If you don’t like the way I write, how do I change it overnight so you will? Where do I get that information? How will I have any way of knowing whether it’s better?
Also, why should he change, if you and others so rave about the food? So what if FD doesn’t like it? The larger point, of course, is that a chef can’t change the way he cooks overnight. He cooks the way he cooks because he’s spent years honing his craft; he’s surrounded himself with certain people and equipment and ideas. While he might overnight become a little more attentive to the state of the plate as it leaves the kitchen — we can all do our jobs better — he can’t just slap on a different sensibility. That’s crazy. How do we learn anything, whether it’s a sport or a language or how to make a perfect bernaise? Time, practice, mistakes, humility.
Papaki says
Idon’t think it would be at all unusual for someone who likes Acadia a lot — and, obviously, many people do — to dine there 50 or more times over the years. That’s less than once a month on average. My favorite new restaurant (Clyde Common) has only been open since May, and I’ve probably been there at least eight times already. And I can easily think of many Portland restaurants — Food Dude’s beloved Park Kitchen comes readily to mind, for one — that are always full of regulars who visit them over and over, with great frequency.
As for Acadia, I’ve only been there once, almost two years ago, but it was a great and memorable meal. I ordered the now-infamous pork chop that night, and it was so perfectly cooked that I can still remember it clearly after all this time.
james dean says
I happen to live within walking distance of Acadia and dine out often.
I don’t think eating at a favorite restaurant about once a month or so is that unusual. Now I remember why I usually don’t bother posting comments. Good grief.
Marshall Manning says
Okay, maybe it’s something about foodies, but it seems like lots of people on this site are overly pedantic. Who cares if someone’s been to a restaurant 43, 49, 50, or 53 times? If they are experienced enough to have a history with that restaurant then listen to what they have to say about it. If you don’t agree with them, fine, but at least they have some experience with the place instead of just hearsay.
JDG says
It’s obvious what happened here. The folks at Acadia mistook FD for someone else in town who’s opinionated about food and intentionally ruined his meals to try to drive him away…
Food Dude says
JDG: I have to laugh, because that possibility actually occurred to me!
Bill: Of course I went back 4 times. How can you possibly give a fair review to a restaurant after one visit?
Food Dude says
Okay, this is off topic and doesn’t really matter, so i’ve removed all the comments about salt, number of visits, etc. Who cares!
Food Dude says
Updated 9/12. I have received a generous donation from Acadia. It will be used for prizes on the site for our various contests. Adam and I have a cordial relationship. I appreciate that.
Oh, and another thing. I don’t expect any restaurant I review to try to repay me if I don’t like their food. However, when one specifically leaves a comment saying
and makes everyone go, oh… what a nice guy, he should follow through. For the record, no donations have been made to this site for the last week. If Chef Higgs would like me to go back and edit the donation part out of his comment, I’d be happy to do so.
Also, this chef may want to keep a more careful eye on his computer, as multiple people seem to be using it to post positive experiences about Acadia. At last count, comments on PFD have been made by seven different names from the same IP address of Chef Adam’s PC.
Just saying
Chambolle says
The Miracle. That Is. The Internet.
Mel says
I just wanted to maybe get back to the whole issue of whether or not this is a restaurant where I would continue to dine. The answer is absolutely!!! I have been for a few meals and while my favorite is brunch, I would encourage anyone to go, you will enjoy your meal and dining experience there!
One of the amazing things about Acadia is the service staff will kindly explain to those of us who are not very versed in southern cuisine, what is in each dish. Their servers are kind, polite and very knowledgeable about what is each dish and how it is prepared. This is important for those who want to try new dishes.
There are wonderful restaurants in Portland to chose from for a good meal. Food dude, while I appreciate your review, especially the history portion, I would encourage you try Acadia again. Maybe for brunch, you won’t be dissappointed! :)
Mika says
I know this area well, it could be because some neighboring establishments share the same internet connection, namely Cafe Destino & Co. Cork. So other people also posted from these places (or from across the street at Starbucks where you can sometimes still get a signal – they’d all have the same IP (as I probably have right now since I’m on that network…)
Kevin Allman says
OK, char my pork chop and call me Encyclopedia Brown, but I noticed something interesting:
Response 12’s opener:
Wow, Food Dude, that was painful to read! I feel kind of like that pork chop.
Response 29’s opener:
Wow, I am stunned by this review! I have had nothing but wonderful meals at Acadia.
They’re rather…similar. Or, should I say:
Wow, I am stunned at how similar they are to read!
themick says
My guess is that Mika is in fact one of those 7 (explanation/excuse or not). This is the problem with food blogs: they are so easily manipulated. It is like citysearch…….for example: who goes to Iorio? Yet on citysearch it has been voted top 5 in almost every single category. I know of many restaurateurs who pay or give incentives to employees to post positive comments about their place. Hats off to Food Dude for pointing out this chicanery.
Now we know why Mika has eaten at Acadia 20 times, Sean Keener has eaten there 100 times and James Dean 50 times…….2 words……………….STAFF MEAL!
SEKeener says
themick: So because my IP is the same as some of the other commenters, that means we are trying to “manipulate the blog”? Hello folks – you are chasing ghosts. Let’s arrange to have a Portland Food and Drink Meet-up. I’d love to see some of you say the things you say to my face and others that you ripped on. It is easy to have strong words from behind the keyboard.
When I am near Acadia – I am on the same IP address. So what.
As I said in the 1st comment on this post, I have a difference experience and love this place. I subscribed to the post and have watched how y’all get yourselves in an uproar and use the IP address indicator like you are investigative journalists like you just found the identity of Deep Throat.
Anyway, I am going back to Acadia in the next few days and will pay particular attention to Food Dude’s comments.
Nancy Rommelmann says
Re: I’d love to see some of you say the things you say to my face and others that you ripped on. It is easy to have strong words from behind the keyboard.
I have never posted under anything but my own name, and will always stand behind what I say, online and in person.
The idea of posting under many names has its allures and merits, if done creatively, for fun, for art; to further the conversation by provocation. But that’s not usually what we see, and certainly not what FD has seen time and again on this site. What we see is someone who feels hurt, and to prove that the pain he’s been caused is unjust, rallies the troops on his behalf, the troops often being, him. This seems an obvious and not particularly clever strategy, what with how simple it is to see where comments originate, and I don’t see how it helps any chef’s cause. Of course, the chef is welcome to do it, just as readers are to challenge the comments’ veracity.
Food Dude says
The comments are turned off for two reasons.
1. Because I’m tired of having to go through IP addresses and weed out the fake/duplicate posters. I’ll turn them back on later.
2. Because every time someone comments, it brings the review back to the front page, resulting in more and more first time visitors reading the review. I’m sure Adam would prefer this whole thing quietly fade away.
For the record, I did walk the entire area with both netstumbler and a hand held device. Starbucks is a closed network with a different IP. Same with Destino.