This is What the Food Critic of the NY Times Thinks of The Magic Castle

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Richard Kaufman
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This is What the Food Critic of the NY Times Thinks of The Magic Castle

Postby Richard Kaufman » July 22nd, 2019, 12:38 pm

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Re: This is What the Food Critic of the NY Times Thinks of The Magic Castle

Postby erdnasephile » July 22nd, 2019, 4:31 pm

Thanks for the article--it's always fascinating to read an outsider's view of the Castle experience. (It was interesting the writer interpreted four coins appearing under cards as "he had hidden coins under each of the four cards without our noticing.")

However, I was a little surprised about the relatively low level of detail regarding the menu since this was written by a food critic.

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Re: This is What the Food Critic of the NY Times Thinks of The Magic Castle

Postby Curtis Kam » July 22nd, 2019, 4:48 pm

And since his description of the food he eat is as inaccurate and un-insightful as his description of the magic he saw, one wonders if he hadn’t been drinking heavily throughout the evening.


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Bob Farmer
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Re: This is What the Food Critic of the NY Times Thinks of The Magic Castle

Postby Bob Farmer » July 23rd, 2019, 10:40 am

"... without our noticing," is a new version of the all-purpose laymen explanation, "it's up his sleeve." Stephen Leacock, a sort of Canadian Mark Twain, has examined this phenomenon:

http://www.online-literature.com/stephe ... lapses/20/

Leacock was no stranger to obnoxious close-up workers:

http://www.online-literature.com/stephe ... lapses/35/

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Re: This is What the Food Critic of the NY Times Thinks of The Magic Castle

Postby JFox » July 24th, 2019, 2:08 pm

Under (reader's) "Comments" - the second posting ("TexasBee") details a performance at the Magic Castle of KRESKIN, circa early 1970's.

I find that hard to be believe. More likely the performer was Glen Falkenstein, Gene Marvin, or any one of several Mentalists of the day.

Kreskin would have been way too busy filming his Canadian TV series, and/or touring the world, during the height of his success...than to play the Castle.

I'll research this, and if I'm mistaken - I'll mention it here.

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Re: This is What the Food Critic of the NY Times Thinks of The Magic Castle

Postby Bill Marquardt » July 24th, 2019, 2:46 pm

Really, that was absolutely no critique of the meal or cuisine at all. What was the writer's point?

The toughest critic I know is my wife, and she was extremely pleased with the meal, (beef Wellington I believe,) that we shared at the castle. Believe me, that means something. She is not easy to please.

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Re: This is What the Food Critic of the NY Times Thinks of The Magic Castle

Postby Jonathan Townsend » July 24th, 2019, 5:18 pm

How does his review compare to his other reviews?
Mundus vult decipi -per Caleb Carr's story Killing Time

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Re: This is What the Food Critic of the NY Times Thinks of The Magic Castle

Postby McKitterick » July 24th, 2019, 7:34 pm

Jonathan Townsend wrote:How does his review compare to his other reviews?


Indeed, Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?

https://www.nytimes.com/by/tejal-rao

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corrected - thanks

Postby Jonathan Townsend » July 24th, 2019, 7:46 pm


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Dustin Stinett
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Re: This is What the Food Critic of the NY Times Thinks of The Magic Castle

Postby Dustin Stinett » July 24th, 2019, 8:27 pm

My issue with this "review," and a couple others I have recently read, is that they imply that the food at the Castle was not good until the new chef came along. That's just plain untrue. Chef Jason Sperber turned the Castle's food quality around when he arrived just about five years ago (August of 2014). The food during his tenure was fantastic. I would be happier if these writers would do a little research and say that Chef Jason Fullilove--the new chef--had big shoes to fill when he came aboard and he is, in fact, pulling it off. There simply is no reason to belittle Chef Sperber.

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Re: This is What the Food Critic of the NY Times Thinks of The Magic Castle

Postby Richard Kaufman » July 24th, 2019, 9:30 pm

I would say that's far from the least intelligent thing about this review.
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Re: This is What the Food Critic of the NY Times Thinks of The Magic Castle

Postby Peter Ross » July 25th, 2019, 1:11 pm

A much more satisfying review in the LA Times:

https://www.latimes.com/food/story/2019 ... d-new-chef

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Re: This is What the Food Critic of the NY Times Thinks of The Magic Castle

Postby Jon Pendragon » August 21st, 2019, 9:50 pm

Its boiler plate "can't be impressed with magic and most certainly not with anything coming out of meal not made in New York" Even the opening salvo sounds contrived, as if it had been written after searching their notes for cliches.


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