Flash in the Pan

On Tuesday I mentioned the piece that journalist and blogger Kevin Allman ran about the potential ethical issues of Eric Asimov writing about Paley's in Portland, Ore. Allman has been keeping up with the subject. First, he did hear back from Asimov (nephew of the late Isaac Asimov, apparently), who basically emailed: a) the fact that the restaurant owner's mother teaches piano to my son is irrelevant (otherwise known as mind your own business), and b) "in retrospect" he probably shouldn't have participated in the event at Paley's that had the owner calling him a good friend. Asimov didn't answer Allman's questions. Allman sent a few additional specific questions in an email and wants to hear back from Asimov before approaching the reviewer's editor at the New York Times. And then a correction appeared. Some solid food journalism rising above appreciating a restaurant's decor or the crispness of a Cabernet.

Labels: conflict of interest, Eric Asimov, Kevin Allman, New York Times, Paley's Place, reviewer