Besito, Restaurateur John Tunney's Huntington, NY-Based Mexican Chain at Suburban Square in Ardmore

[DonRocks]

Feb 14, 2016 - "Besito in Ardmore: Ideas, Ambition, but Execution is a Meal-Killer" by Craig LaBan on philly.com

Forget that Craig LaBan dinged Besito with zero bells, the writing is more important than the rating - Craig has specified the general problem of corporate pandering to the masses: try not to offend 90% of the population's unrefined palates, and the rest will take care of itself. This clause here is particularly grabbing:

"Unfortunately, I worry even the best intentions inevitably become distorted by the corporate restaurant machine, which can blandify anything with a soul - like a mole - once it trickles down the chain into the hands of 'culinary managers' who paint the menu by numbers to the least offensive flavor volume possible."

This is lovely prose, and important writing - not to single out Besito, but to highlight the more general, nationwide problem of corporate blandification: This review has implications far beyond one single restaurant.