TASK CYCLE: 4. DINING IN NEW YORK...

You are going to visit The City this Easter. Here you have some reviews of a famous restaurant in New York. They have been written by their clients and published on the Internet. In pairs, read them to decide if you are going to go there for dinner or not.

1.   Identify the aspects that are considered in each of the reviews. What are they talking about?

-      Food

-      Service

-      Decoration

-      Location

-      Price

-      Cleanliness

-      Facilities

2.   Underline those words and expressions which qualify the restaurant or some of these aspects. Write some of them down, classifying then into:

Positive	Neutral	Negative

1.   Analyse which is the writer’s message in each of the review. Decide if they are:

-      Promoting the restaurant

-      Discrediting the restaurant

-      Expressing their reservations about the restaurant

2.   Decide with your partner if you finally go to the restaurant and justify your choice. Explain which has been the most convincing review and why.

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GROUP A: Eleven Madison Park Restaurant

elevenmadisonpark.com

11 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10010-3643

, Estados Unidos +1 212-889-0905 ‎

Source: http://newyork.citysearch.com/review/7100916?reviewId=182791691

·        Upscale Foodie Haven

by Laura21 at Citysearch

The food is delicious with well considered texture combinations.
My husband and I have had three 'date nights' here, delighted each time. We've found that the food is a highlight of the night, but the service and ambiance of the place also just lets us relax and we end up with great conversation.

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·        Average.....

by AaronFreeman at Citysearch

The food was very good, bordering on excellent. But....the atmosphere does not warrant the price. Very good service, not great though. When having a special experience like this over a couple/few hours and paying those prices I really don't want to hear all my neighbor's conversations. The menu is unique both in ingredients and in ordering style. Formal; check. Good food; check. Overpriced based upon service/atmosphere; check.

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·        Great service, so-so food

by amichelle23 at Citysearch

Attended on Valentine's Day with the prix-fixe menu. Food was nauseating but service was excellent. Been to many wonderful restaurants in NYC not sure why this is a 5 star restaurant. Maybe the full menu is better? Will never return. Wine was good, but not the food...

• Pros: Service
• Cons: Food

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·        Loved it

by leejuyun at Citysearch

I had a three course lunch with a glass of wine and it was beautiful. Everything is artistically presented with a perfect balance of flavors. It took about 10-15 minutes between courses but was so good that I can't complain. The portion is small compared to usual American sizes but after three courses, it felt just right.

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·        Impeccable service; superb food!

by aaa1aaaa at Citysearch

The service at this restaurant is effortlessly excellent. They don't try too hard and are not pretentious and patronizing either. They make you feel important & are friendly without being intrusive. The food is excellent---lots of attention to detail. I have been here twice for business dinners and once for a personal dinner and it was great each time. The crowd is not hip or happening but understated...some "foodies".

• Pros: Great food & service

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GROUP B: TACO BELL

Many locations around United States

Source : http://www99.epinions.com/review/rest-Chain_Restaurants-All-Taco_Bell/content_21933362820

·         Tired Of The Burgers?

Written: Jan 17 '03

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Full Review: Taco Bell Hungry? In a hurry? No time to spare? Need something fast and easy? Well do I have the place for you! Taco Bell®! It’s one of our favorites and there is something for everyone in the family. Well everyone except one of our daughters who does not like tacos, pizza, spaghetti and other foods along this line. Don’t ask me why for I do not know! She just doesn’t!
But my husband, son and I do like Taco Bell®. However, I have to admit that my husband and I eat there alone when we can, but we bring our son back. And yes we will stop and get our daughter as well. But, there are times when we just splurge ourselves without the kiddies. Hey we are entitled to do so from time to time. All parents are!
If you are dieting you can eat here, you just have to do the correct meat and/or cheese exchanges for your diet plan. You will need to refer to that plan for this information or check with your doctor.
But, if you just don’t care then go for it!

·        Taco Bell: Great Food With a Couple of Down Sides

Written: Jun 27 '02 (Updated Jun 27 '02)

I don't know if it is this way all over, but here Taco Bell doesn't accept checks. Now, for those people who deal only in cash this might not be an issue, but I pretty much always use my checkbook. I find that if I have cash in my purse my children always need things and the cash evaporates almost more quickly than I can put it in my purse in the first place.

I know they used to take checks, but last holiday season when the kids and I were out shopping and we went through the Taco Bell drive-thru I discovered that checks were not an option. Now, I will say that the Taco Bell staff was incredibly helpful. They wouldn't bend the policy and take a check, but they did give me my food with the promise I would go to a nearby cash machine and come back inside to pay. I was impressed with the high level of trust; and I have to admit they did seem surprised that I came back when I went inside to pay after zipping over to the cash machine.

·        In a few words... I am an addict

Written: Oct 20 '06

In a few words... I am an addict. I am the biggest Taco Bell addict to ever walk the earth. I'm sure that I'm not alone in my mission to tame my Fourth Meal hunger by chowing down on their delightful Mexican goodness. So it might not generally be prepared by Mexicans, sure it might not really be spicy, and might be completely Americanized... but there's something about it, some sort of taco consuming drug that forces me to indulge more... forces me to desire it at night, think about it during the day, and crave it at all times. It's not just my obsession, it's my taco reality.

The cleanliness of the restaurant is perfect to all of those that wear glasses, but can't find them. The bathrooms are general well cleaned, with little to no toilet paper laying around or clogged or backed up toilets. The walls are generally peppered with graffiti, but a lot of the graffiti is fairly inspiring to those that are looking for a date, because the phone number options are seemingly limitless. One could fill up their entire datebook with the vast selection with the walls of the bathroom.

Generally, I enjoy the speed of service. If they moved any faster, then I probably wouldn't be able to finish my thesis paper on hamster fertility treatments in Kuala Lampur. So for that consideration Taco Bell, I thank you.