Synopses & Reviews
Brutally honest, cheeky, and fiercely independent, the
Fearless Critic is the definitive restaurant guide to the Houston area. Acclaimed critic Robin Goldstein has teamed with a secret panel of local critics and undercover chefs to create a 528-page blockbuster of a book. The critics dine incognito, accepting no free meals and no ads from restaurants. Prepare to be shocked by the results: this is a new breed of food writing.
The book includes more than 400 brutally honest reviews, rigorous letter grades from A+ to D- (with no grade inflation), and helpful cross-referenced lists that cover every corner of Houston's vast dining scene, from the power steakhouses to the Tamale Man. It's an essential reference for anyone who eats out in the Houston area: River Oaks to the Woodlands, Downtown to Chinatown.
About the Author
Robin Goldstein is author of The Wine Trials and co-author of The Wine Trials 2010 and The Beer Trials. He is a contributor to the New York Times' Freakonomics blog, and has written for more than 30 Fodor's travel guides, from Italy to Argentina to Hong Kong. He has an A.B. in neuroscience and philosophy from Harvard University, a J.D. from the Yale Law School, a certificate in cooking from the French Culinary Institute in New York City, and a WSET advanced wine and spirits certificate.Ryan Hackney has written for the Let's Go travel guides to Britain, Ireland, and Ecuador, and has authored two nonfiction books on Irish history and culture. He is a graduate of Harvard University, and lives in Houston.Alexis Herschkowitsch is the coauthor of five Fearless Critic restaurant guides and a contributor to Fodor's travel guides. She is a graduate of the University of Texas and has a WSET advanced wine and spirits certificate.Shaun Duffy is a private chef in Houston. He has been sous-chef at Houston's Quattro, and has also cooked at Picasso in Las Vegas Bellagio hotel, and at Austin's Wink, Zoot, and Cafe at the Four Seasons. Shaun is a graduate of the School of Culinary Arts at the Arts Institute of Houston.Justin Yu currently cooks at one of Houston's top restaurants. He grew up in Houston, and has cooked with James Beard Award winner Shawn McClain at Chicago's Spring. Justin is a graduate of the University of Houston and of the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York.