Rating & Grading System
We use a universal grading scheme that employs all 5 senses to give our reviews the most accurate, objective and fair representation of our experiences. This means that sometimes even our favorite spots may fall short because of the objective scale. With each visit, the rating is altered to reflect the new average experience we have had.
Our scale is set up so that it's universal and can be applied to anything edible, however sometimes we apply curves (we adjust the scores to raise the average grade by adding the same number of points to each item listed). The un-curved score can be used for comparisons globally whereas the curved score is strictly to local comparisons between restaurants of the same category.
Breakdown Of Ratings
Taste
This Comprises of the:
Flavour profile of the meal
(eg: savoriness, sweetness, etc) how do the different components of the meal complement each other? Is there enough acidity balancing out the sweetness? Is there some balance in the seasoning?
Textures
(eg: Consistency, crunch, warmth etc.) Do the textures work well together? Are things that are supposed to be soft, soft? Did you want something medium rare, but ended up with the toughest most well-done platter? Did a hot dish come out cold?
Presentation
(eg: Scent and aesthetic) Was any thought put into the final layout of the food or was it thrown haphazardly onto the plate? are the plates clean / fresh or worn out? Does the food smell good or slightly off and unfresh?
Feel
This Comprises of the:
Service
(eg staff competence, wait times etc) How attentive were the staff? Did you feel disrespected and did they apologize? Were your concerns and specifications heeded? Did you feel safe or were you worried about your belongings / vehicle?
Value
(Quality (Q) / Cost ($) + (satisfaction *0.05)). It may have been a fantastic meal but did it still feel overpriced / too expensive? How does it compare to other prices and quality you've had? Does it feel undervalued instead?
Variety
(eg diversity of options to pick from) Were you forced to select from a minute group? Did they have at least 4 options to pick from? Did the number of choices still feel insufficient? Did they have what you were looking for?
Ambience
This Comprises of the:
Sight
(Eg: Architecture, Interior & exterior decor, theme, performances, artwork, views etc) what do you see when you are there? how much thought and effort was put into the appearance of the venue and the furnishing? is there an intentional colour scheme or theme to appreciate. Is this truly the best decor youve seen or can some minute improvements be made?
Smell
(eg: the smell of the restaurant, the smell of the surrounding area) Does it smell pleasant? Are the gutters nearby ruining the experience? Are the toilets clean or are they tainting the environment?
Sound
(eg: background music, performances, area) Did you like what you heard? Did the music match the vibe? Is there loud shouting or screeching?