Foodquest was  founded with a mission to seek out the best food available and make it known.  The "best", however, depends on whether people can actually get it.  Too often, food lovers have been burned by going to restaurants that have been glowingly reviewed in publications only to experience some of the worst food of their lives.  Likewise, the appearance of an entree can vary widely depending on who is ordering it.  Foodquest seeks to bring it to you like it actually is with a no holds barred approach that looks beyond the hype.  Here is how we do it...

Realistic depictions of the food - The difference between food designed to be photographed and the food we actually get on the plate can be startling.  Look in the newspapers and we see stunning foods that are perfectly poised, go to the restaurant and often what we get is a pale shadow of what we expect.  What happened to the crisp green lettuce or the freshly seared steak?  Why does the salad look like it's been sitting there for over a week?  Foodquest reveals to you what you will actually get when you order your entree.  The food is secretly photographed once it has been delivered to the table.  Extreme care is taken to not attract the attention of the staff or management.  Dishes are ordered as-is without modifications to the entree in order to provide the most accurate baseline possible.

Actual quality of the food - Ever wonder why the food you get at restaurants never seem to be as good as what the critics review them for?  Since foodquest reviewers go to restaurants incognito, they will be served and treated like any other customer.  Our group of reviewers evolve constantly in order to reduce the  likelihood of being identified by the restaurant.  As a result, the food will better reflect what you, the reader, will actually get rather than what is served for "special" guests.  The comment system on articles enable readers like you to contribute your own experiences.  If you feel that a restaurant has treated you badly or that you got a bad portion of food, definitely speak up!  It will not only help get the word out about what is going on, but hopefully will also improve the quality of food at that restaurant.  Each and every customer should be treated fairly.  Whether at high end restaurants or the simplest fast food joint, our money is as good as the person before us.  Restaurants that pick and choose the quality of their food based on their arbitrary whims and the particular customer will soon find themselves empty. Foodquest returns the power back to the people.

Multiple Visits - We are aware that some restaurants can be absolutely spectacular one day and completely abysmal the next.  It is with this in mind that we approach each review only after multiple visits to each restaurant.  In addition, we strive to also visit the restaurant using different sets of Foodquest reviewers in order to gauge reception and food quality.  This is in order to make the best effort to assess the quality of the food and whether that restaurant can deliver day in and day out.  We also pay periodic visits to restaurants that have been previously reviewed to see whether the quality is still up to the standards previously set.  If the restaurant has declined, an update will be made in the review.  Likewise, improvements will be noted and the restaurant will be updated to reflect the fact.

Category Specialists - Foodquest makes it a point to have educated palates for a particular genre of review.  If a restaurant claims to be representative of New Jersey, for instance, natives of the area will be tasked to investigate those claims.  Extensive research into each genre is initiated before each review in order to understand as much as possible.  If possible, time is spent in the countries that originate the cuisine in order to know how the food is served in its point of origin.  While there is nothing wrong with food evolving to fit regional tastes, a baseline of its original flavors can help clarify how it is prepared locally.  

Freedom from Advertising Pressures - How impartial can a publication be if the very restaurants it is reviewing also sponsors its advertisement?  It is common to see advertising revenue evaporate due to a bad review of a sponsor.  A publication needs to attract readers to gain sponsors, however, the publication also needs to make those sponsors happy in order to keep the advertising revenue flowing in.  An accurate review of a restaurant will benefit the readership of the publication, but if it is negative, how will it affect the sponsorship from that restaurant?  The result is often glowing reviews of sponsoring restaurants with the reviews of those restaurants being featured prominantly in the publication or site.  The readership is left more often than not with a review of questionable accuracy.  Instead of providing a service to its readership, the readership instead becomes something to sell to the advertisers.

Foodquest strives to keep itself free of advertising pressures through its use of only third party advertising systems like Google Ad-Words and Yahoo Publisher Network.  The third party systems allow Foodquest to be free of any direct restaurant funded sponsorship and pressure.  Minimal advertisement revenue helps in the upkeep and maintenance of the equipment and connectivity that powers the site.  However, at no time should it be at the cost of the integrity of information on Foodquest.  We consider ourselves first and foremost a service to the people of Austin and strive to empower the readership with as accurate and pertinant information as possible.  It is with this in mind that we ask you, the reader, to tell each other your experiences and insights.  The comments system beneath each article allows for immediate feedback by you that will be seen by everyone else who visits the article.  Let us know through the Tips system if you feel there is anything you need to know or would like to see.  Together, we can make Foodquest the definitive independent voice in Austin.

Editor,

slowdog

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