How to Write a Food Dish Review
People review food dishes for various reasons. Sometimes the goal is to produce an article that will be published in a newspaper or magazine. Other times, people may want to share their opinions online in a blog or forum. Regardless of the reason, there are a few things you'll want to keep in mind when reviewing a dish, in order to write the most thorough review possible. Because you are reviewing a specific dish and not your entire dining experience, you may find this limiting. On the flip side, writing about one dish and not multiple menu options might allow you to hone your sense of taste and improve your ability to write with focus.
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Instructions
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Eat at the restaurant with the dish you're reviewing multiple times. Try to visit during different times; one visit can be during the lunch rush, another during dinner on the weekend, and another can be a mid-week afternoon. This will prove to you as the reviewer whether or not the food is consistent in preparation and quality.
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Consider eating at other restaurants which also serve the dish you're reviewing. This is a good way to compare the different ways the same thing is prepared. Sometimes you might be surprised to find that a less expensive version tastes better than a pricier one. Or you might discover that two dishes at two restaurants taste exactly the same. This kind of comparison can give you more insight into your meal.
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Focus on every aspect of the dish. Pay attention to presentation. Ask yourself if the taste can be improved upon by the addition or deletion of certain ingredients. Make note of whether or not the food was cooked to a certain level, and how that affects its texture and flavor. How long it takes to be prepared is not as important, but also something you should address if it seems like it was made too quickly or it took far too long.
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Ask the server or restaurant employees questions. Don't be obvious that you are reviewing a dish, but there is no harm in asking what ingredients are in the dish or where those ingredients come from. Many diners are concerned with eating locally grown or organic food, so question if the vegetables or meat in the dish come from a nearby garden or farm or from far away.
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Write as soon as you get home. Don't take a long time between eating the meal and writing your review. The fresher the experience is in your mind, the easier it will be to remember the dish and describe it properly. If you are blanking on an ingredient or the specific preparation of the dish, look at menu descriptions on the restaurant's website.
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Tips & Warnings
Be selective in your word choice. Don't use the same adjectives repeatedly. Avoid general words like "delicious" or "tasty." Instead, choose words that are more descriptive.
Know your audience. Don't choose to write about meat entrees if the review is for a vegetarian crowd. If there are options for the preparation of the dish (vegan, gluten-free) be certain to mention these if you think your audience might be interested, even if you don't opt for a variation of the meal.
If you want to review the dish without the bias of the entire dining experience and aren't worried about presentation, get it to go and eat it in the comfort of your own home. Just be certain to eat it soon after you pick it up, so it's not cold or soggy.
Take a picture of the meal, if you can. You might need to be sneaky about this, or use a camera phone, but many restaurants are accustomed to guests who take pictures of the food. You can use these pictures later to include with your food review.
Don't inform anyone at the restaurant that you're reviewing a dish, and be certain not to be conspicuous. This means you shouldn't take copious notes in the restaurant. If employees or the chef discover you're reviewing food, it might change the level of service or treatment, thus affecting the objectivity of your review.
References
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