My job as a restaurant critic is great fun, but there's a sad irony. I never become a regular customer. Budget and time limitations conspire: after a second or third visit I rarely have the opportunity to go back to a place I've written about. The job has the novelty of a one-night stand but none of the pleasures of commitment. I miss what most food lovers relish: to pick a favorite restaurant and develop a relationship; to get to know menu and staff through changes of... More >>>