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Source: ONE News -
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A food critic being sued for defamation over a bad review says most restaurants in Australia serve "crap" food.
Under cross-examination in the NSW Supreme Court, Matthew Evans also said while he believed a bad review could have some impact on a restaurant, it was not enough to cause its demise.
Evans and John Fairfax, publishers of The Sydney Morning Herald, are being sued by Aleksandra Gacic, her sister Ljiljana Gacic, and Branislav Ciric, owners of the now defunct restaurant Coco Roco at Sydney's King Street Wharf.
In September 2003, the paper published a review referring to "unpalatable" dishes, describing the restaurant's overall value as "a shocker" and scoring it 9/20 - in the "stay home" category.
The restaurant went into administration in March 2004.
Under questioning on Monday from Clive Evatt, barrister for the owners, Mr Evans said while he tried to be objective, his opinions - by definition - were subjective.
"You have very high standards in judging restaurants?," Evatt asked.
"I think, I guess, I try to be discerning," Evans, a former chef, replied.
Evatt asked whether Evans still held the opinion he wrote in his 2007 book which said "most restaurants in this country still serve crap food".
Evans stood by that opinion, adding that he was "not too happy" with most food he was served in restaurants.
Evatt referred him to a December 2003 review of Coco Roco by Ray Chesterton, who "thought everything was great".
"He says he never met a meal he didn't like," the barrister also noted.
Justice Ian Harrison then quipped: "That emerges from the photograph."
Evans accepted that other Coco Roco reviewers, including Chesterton, could have opinions different than his.
The Herald article has already been found to convey three defamatory meanings.
The judge is now conducting a hearing into defences - including truth and comment - put forward by Fairfax and on the issue of damages.
Evans' cross-examination is continuing.
