Some Ba-a-a-d Feelings About Jacobson’s Black Sheep Bistro Review

The power of a restaurant critic to affect the livelihood of a restaurateur is enormous. To be effective, the critic must recognize this power and seek to report in an accurate and unbiased manner. Power abused is power wasted. Max Jacobson’s review of the Black Sheep Bistro (“Ambiance Is Warm but the Food Needs Some Help,” Calendar, Aug. 26) is a clear example of power abused.

As a regular patron of the Bistro, I could not help but wonder whether the article described the same restaurant. The meals I have enjoyed at the Bistro have always met or exceeded the delightful ambiance of the establishment.

The article is also flagrantly incorrect. Tables are not draped in pink linen and never have been. The linen is robin-egg blue. There are numerous appetizers on the menu. There are also four specialty appetizers, which vary daily. I have enjoyed the smoked fish, tender and moist, in a presentation that simply cannot be described as “slabs,” and reusable shells have never been used serving escargot. Indeed, Mr. Jacobson’s comment that the Scotch egg was good, but out of place, suggest a deliberate effort to find fault.

Further inaccuracies abound. Mr. Jacobson expressed distaste for the “broiled” white fish. The restaurant does not own a broiler. All fish dishes are sauteed. Last, responding to Mr. Jacobson’s snub of the paella, I gave it a try. A tad more broth than normal is utilized. I found that this brings out the flavor in a hearty fashion. The flavors and textures were robust and well-balanced. Interestingly, clams are not used in the paella--mussels are. I inquired whether clams had ever been utilized and learned that they had not. Perhaps Mr. Jacobson cannot tell the difference.

ALEXANDER S. POLSKY

Tustin

Max Jacobson responds: I regret the possibility of an error with regard to the color of the tablecloth. However, I stand by the other things I said. Anything can be a broiler. If a restaurant has an oven, it has a broiler. My fish was broiled to the plate. The shells used in the escargots were not natural shells. The fact that the restaurant does not reuse them is commendable. I am paid to know the difference between clams and mussels. I suspect that the management of the Black Sheep Bistro is not.