Annonymously curious, but reading this and several Bites posts in the past in which you proposed or announced visits to new restaurants on specific dates with specific and easily identified companions, and have been quite open about your identity and that of your companions, I am among a few other folks (who are quite unimportant but wish to remain annonymous thanks to industry ties) who have wondered if you do not subscribe to the traditional annonymity policy of most restaurant critics?

Good question. The simple answer is that I was dressed as Ruth Reichl, and Mr. Pink is invisible.

More later. Interesting topic, Anonymous....

Mr. Pink isn't pink?

No, just his invisibility cloak is pink.

Or his annonymity cloak.

Carrington subscribes to the Clark Kent (and more creepily, Andrew Cunanan) school of disguises:

Horned-Rimmed glasses.

Also, like Wonder Woman, I wear a magic girdle. It makes me look about 20 pounds heavier than I really am. And 6 inches shorter. It REALLY throws people off.

Try keeping a low profile when you're known to pretty much everyone in Nashville—especially if you're one of those Jodie Foster-style egghead hotties, or when you're a leggy blonde who resembles Kathleen Turner circa Body Heat. Mr. Pink, on the other hand, has found that anonymity is a snap when you look like George Wendt's disheveled double.

I always felt like if I wore disguises, a la Ruth Reichl, people would look at me and say, Kay what the hell are you doing? That would have been taking it a bit far, so I did the best I could to maintain annonymity as long as I could. I never went to openings or parties, would not meet the chef in person before reviewing, did not have my photo published in the Scene (except for the time my own publisher outed me Albie...), would not let anyone know I was coming before I got there, and had some tricks (probably pretty amatuer) for stealth entrances, but once my presence was detected, which it nearly always was, I would throw my best withering Kathleen Turner stare at any server or chef who dared to acknowledge that they knew who I was. I tip my hat and dark glasses to Jim Myers, who aside from his encyclopedic and experiential knowledge of Food, is better than anyone and abolutely uncompromising in maintaining his annonymity.
And Pink, despite your cloak of annonymity/invisibility, everyone who's anyone knows who you are, or wishes they did.

Once again, if I knew how to type emoticons, I'd type "I heart Mr. Pink."

Like Kay said, I generally try not to announce myself, but even when I think I've been stealthy--made reservations under a pseudonym, paid cash, worn a moustache--I'll call a chef to confirm a few facts before a review runs and he'll ask, "How did you like the tuna on Saturday?" Clearly I'm not cut out for the clandestine agencies.

(In the specific case of Crema, it's unlikely that I would ever write a full-fledged review of a coffee shop anyway. So when the natural thing to do was to introduce myself, I didn't go all Fletch on the owner.)

Being decidedly average-looking and using my married name for reservations and credit card helped me stay anonymous. I also stayed away from openings, wine tastings and industry events, which is hard in Carrington's position as reviewer, chef profiler and beat writer. But the larger point is that even if they figure out who you are, it's too late to do much besides pretty the plates and replace the stale bread.

Kay's just being modest -- looking like a movie star makes it hard to be anonymous. In my case, average middle-age anglo looks and reservations made in my married name helped keep me anonymous. I didn't attend openings, tastings, or industry events, which would be difficult in Carrington's position as beat writer and chef profiler as well as reviewer. The larger issue, though, is that even when they clocked me, it was too late for a major salvage job. The best they could do was pretty up the plates, boost the serving size and replace the stale bread in the basket.

Speaking of Jim Myers, I had no idea how jealously he guarded his identity. I love that guy and hardly ever see him anymore. When I ran into him late at night in a newish restaurant, I was pretty comprehensively refreshed, if you get my drift. I just hurled myself at him and slapped him on the back and shouted "Well Jim Myers as I live and breathe!" I didn't even think about his undercover status, but I wasn't too drunk to notice that his enthusiasm level was much lower. Kinda makes me cringe to think about it.

Ditto, Fluffernutter. I did the exact same thing to him at Judge Beans one day at, like, 2:30 in the afternoon, when he and I are were the only people in the place, with the exception of Aubrey Bean. If Jim had been concealing a firearm under his Tyrolean-chic boiled-wool jacket, he would have blasted my head off.

That's hilarious about your encounter with Myers. Though we are longtime friends and neighbors (though not for much longer, boo hoo) when he and I run into one another in restaurants, we don't even speak lest someone give someone away. In Nashville, as much as one tries to be annonymous, there will always be a server/bartender/manager that recognizes you and spills the beans. The moment of the bust is usually marked by an additional 5 servers at your table, which is quite annoying. There's little they can do about the quality of the food, and as obsessed as I am on portion control, increasing my serving size always called for a slap on the hand.

Wait a minute! Once again I'm utterly out of the loop -- who is moving? Kay or Jim? Or is the neighborhood being bought out for tony townhouses?

I hate to out the Myers, but I am thinking that the big 'Coming Soon' sign from Village Realty on their front lawn means something.....I'm not saying where they're going but it's out of their current zip code....
My house on the bad side of Belmont, as Christine Kreyling tongue-in-cheek called my street in print about 15 years ago, will be paid for this July...just in time to start making college tuition payments for my first born....time flies.

hey - can you imagine me being 'anonymous'? that is pretty funny. carrington, you think a wig and sunglasses would make a diff?

so i am off to nyc in 2 weeks to do my own version of a review on 'per se'. food performance art at its best. ruhlman was kind enough to make a res for me and i'm going with carol from 'french laundry at home'. also booked is 'BLT Market', 'A Voce' and 'Insieme'. There will be others...

life is good...

Hello Fox, Pink, West and Nutter.
(Sounds like a Hollywood law Firm)
Wow. Thanks for the kind words (and Carrington, thanks for recognizing my Barn Von Trapp attire and not calling it a Nehru jacket).

The anonymity thing is a good question that's widely debated in the food critic community. As you know, I think it's important to do everything you can to try to maintain your anonymity, because it makes for a significantly more realistic experience to write about. I guess I err on the consumer advocacy side of the equation.

If you are made, or well known, you're right that the food really can't be improved dramatically outside of presentation and portions (and like Kay, I'm pretty averse to massive portions and the overinflated notion of value on a plate).

What restaurants can do if they know you is up the service ante, and that's no small thing, given the generally abysmal level of service in the upscale category in this town. That's important, because bad service can usually trump good food.

It does get increasingly difficult to sneak around, though, especially in a town this size. I've been made at one place only to see the same waiter pulling shifts at another restaurant that I'm reviewing. In that case, though, our server was like a nervous puppy and completely ignored my wonderful wife, making for a very awkward meal.

As y'all can also attest, it's not exactly fun. I would love to spend more time with chefs and in the kitchen, attend more public functions, openings and tastings, but it just erodes objectivity and credibility.

Of course we could really freak people out and advertise our faces and then start reviewing together. That would be fun.

hi jim, our comments hit at the same time or i KNOW you woulda added me to the law firm. gotta have a token jew in there, right?

a reviewer should do, as you all have done and try and stay as anonymous as possible. but in this town? forget it. too small.

sure service matters, but i tell you. as a foodie kinda gal, i'd take an insult and a long wait if i could get a GREAT DISH. service to me is secondary. show me what the chef is made of... that's what i care about although i think i am in the minority. i have enough people who are nice to me. i just want a great dinner...

Jim -- If you'd like to hire my face for your "publicity" shots, I'd be happy to get the better service that would come with that gig...