Critics Name Their Biggest Grievences of 2015

In keeping with Eater tradition, our closeout of the year is a survey of friends, industry types and bloggers. In Minneapolis and St. Paul, Eater asked the group eight questions, ranging from the restaurants they frequent most to the biggest surprises of the year. Responses are in no particular order. Disagree? Agree? Who got it right? Take to the comments and let us know your pick!

Jess Fleming (Dining critic for the Pioneer Press):

I got in trouble for my answer to this one last year. How about I really stoke the flames and go with too much crudo.

Nancy Ngo (Food reporter for the Pioneer Press):

Skimping on the meat.

Mecca Bos (Food Blogger and Dining Critic for City Pages):

Too much crudo. I’m pretty sure I’m not cool or sophisticated enough for this trend, and when it comes to raw fish I’d still just as soon have sushi. I can’t imagine turing to my girlfriends and saying: “OMG you guys, I’m just craving crudo! Let’s go out and eat a hundred dollars worth of crudo, OK?”

It’ll never happen. I won’t say it.

Jason DeRusha (Co-Anchor WCCO This Morning, MidMorning, resident food reporter with DeRusha Eats and newly named critic for Minnesota Monthly):

Last year I complained about $14 cocktails, and this year Monello opened with perfect cocktails for $8. I've complained about the lack of quality service, and this year (overall) I've had better service than ever before.

My grievance this year is hard to solve: but our restaurants are very inconsistent right now. A great meal today, an awful meal tomorrow. Why? Not enough cooks, not enough servers, not enough managers. Is everyone underpaid? Maybe. Are we paying too little for our meals? Maybe. Are there too many restaurants for our size? Probably. I hope in 2016 that people will consider NOT opening that dream restaurant until the scene here gets right-sized.

Stephanie March (Senior Food Editor at Mpls./St. Paul Magazine)

Just, let’s decide what pop-ups are. If you open for a dinner on a Sunday in your own restaurant, it’s not a pop up. It’s just dinner.

Joy Summers (Eater Minneapolis Editor):

Just because you can serve it raw, doesn't mean you should.