As one comment had it, “Marilynsanity” continues.
Marilyn Hagerty landed in New York City today and the “media circus” is in full gear. After her down-home Olive Garden review, Marilyn has taken the nation, and the Internet, by storm.
Marilyn in New York
Crews from both CNN and The Today Show were in Grand Forks on Monday and Tuesday to talk with her. The Today Show even did a live shot outside of the Olive Garden. On Piers Morgan Tonight on Monday, guest host Jane Lynch conducted an extremely awkward interview that Marilyn later said “wasn’t much fun.”
But the huge amount of attention Marilyn is getting has started to get old for some. Robert Sietsema at the Village Voice said he’s “so over” the Hagerty Phenomenon. He writes, “The so-called critic… prominently pastes her picture at the top of every column, makes a single non-anonymous visit to a restaurant, eats only one dish with no beverages, then writes at length about it in the flattest declarative prose imaginable, making the landscape of her native plains state seem mountainous by comparison.”
That’s pretty harsh.
Sietsema does have a point though that Marilyn should really try some great New York institutions like Gray’s Papaya and a pastrami sandwich at Katz’s Deli. She at least got a dirty-water hot dog while a New York Times reporter, photographer and videographer were in tow. She asked the purveyor what he recommended. He said “two hot dogs.” She got one.
But Marilyn and her entourage have a few, higher-scale places in mind.
Tonight, she dined at Dovetail NYC, a Michelin-starred eatery headed by chef John Fraser. Ryan Babb with Forum Communications has been tweeting every step of their journey and shot some great photos of the food.
Black truffle, mushroom and onion soup
The food looks great. I can’t wait to see what she thinks.
Next up is Le Bernardin on Wednesday and the Times Square Olive Garden on Thursday.
By the way, you can even get a Marilyn t-shirt or an e-book of the Best of the Eatbeat.
