Question: You thought the service and food at a restaurant was much better than I did. You must get special treatment because you're the restaurant critic.

        Answer: It's much more likely that the service and food really wasn't as good when you went. A restaurant is not a movie; every night is a little different. We also may just disagree about what's good.

        I try hard to avoid getting special treatment from restaurants. I stay as anonymous as I can. I don't tell the restaurant ahead of time that I'm coming, I make reservations in the name of whomever I'm eating with, and I have credit cards in several names. My picture only has appeared in the Enquirer in a disguised form, and I do most of my interviewing and reporting by telephone. I've never worked in the restaurant business in Cincinnati and personally know only a few restaurant people.

        But I've been doing this for five years, and, of course, there have been security leaks. I'm sure that there are maitre d's, owners and servers around town who know who I am. They never say so; that would be excruciatingly embarrassing for both of us.

        The point of being anonymous is to be able to report on an experience that is close to the experience a reader might have. If I'm recognized, does that change my experience? It probably does to some extent. But it can't change certain fundamentals: how well-trained the servers are, and what their idea of good service is. They can't suddenly enjoy being servers, or change how comfortable the chairs are or how loud the dining room is. And those are the things that matter most, not whether the forks are in the right order, or the server clears from the left or right.

        What's surprising is how often I'm pretty sure I've been recognized and still get lousy service.

        The food is even harder to change at a moment's notice, and after two visits somewhere, with samplings of at least six entrees and several salads, appetizers and desserts, I feel confident I have a good idea of the overall quality of the food.

        It is inevitable that you will disagree with me from time to time. If you have a drastically different experience, feel free to let me know. I am not likely to go back to a restaurant right away, but it would be interesting to know for other reasons.

        Contact Polly Campbell by fax: 768-8330; e-mail: pcampbell@enquirer.com.

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