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Nosh Mob report
by Martha Bayne on March 13th 2007 - 5:05 p.m.
Tags: Reader Restaurant Raters, Smoque, Smoque BBQ, Nosh Mob

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Last night 60 or so Reader Restaurant Raters and guests descended on Smoque BBQ for the Reader's latest Nosh Mob. Nosh Mobs are private parties open only to Raters, who get invites by e-mail just a few days ahead of time. We hadn't had one in a while, but reaction to this one was so enthusiastic that we're gonna get busy planning another, stat.

Smoque's been regularly jammed since it opened in December--but business has really exploded since Steve Dolinsky featured it in one of his ABC-7 Hungry Hound segments ten days ago. There are lines out the door and down the block every day, and for the last week or so the alderman's office has been sending a dude over to direct traffic and parking on Grace. They've even had to close early several times because they ran out of food. Co-owner Barry Sorkin says they're thinking about buying a bigger smoker, but are waiting a bit to see if things relax back to  pre-TV levels of business before making the investment.

Normally Smoque rests on Monday, and given the recent madness you'd think Sorkin and the rest of the crew would be protective of their day off. Instead, they opened up special for us (thanks!) and dished up pulled-pork and brisket sandwiches, quarter-slabs of baby back ribs, baked beans, fries, and green salad. Did I mention it was free?

Click the images link below for more pics of the crowd and the grub; to find out how to become a Rater, follow the link above.


Images:


 
Comments
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Jane
March 13th - 5:34 p.m.
Mmmm...wish I'd been there. You kids look like you're having fun. (And eating delicious BRISKET!)

Great job.
Mr. Smith
March 13th - 6:28 p.m.
So wait a sec...it's OK for Reader Raters to dine for free at Smoque and then show pretty pictures for a feature, but it's not OK for Chicagoist to do the same thing with Alinea? You were critical of that when they did it, but don't seem to have a problem with it now. Whether there's an an ethical issue at work in either case is debatable, but to criticize one site then turn right around and do essentially the same thing yourself is a bit hypocritical.

And argue the cost factor if you like, but I'd say feeding all the Reader Raters pictured just about equals the cost of preparing the food in the Chicagoist feature. Not that I'd argue that cost is the issue here, it's more the principle.

And full disclosure: I used to be a co-editor at Chicagoist, though I'm not now.
martha
March 14th - 1:09 p.m.
Nosh Mobs aren't events for the staff of the paper, writers, editors, or otherwise (though there were a few of us working the event). It's a perk the Reader provides as a thank you to its unpaid, volunteer Restaurant Raters. But the critical difference is that we weren't reviewing the free food. Our review of Smoque ran in January, way before this event was even planned.
Erin
March 14th - 1:27 p.m.
Funny. Chicagoist bloggers are all unpaid, too! They don't even get comped back by the -ist family for the meals they review.

Plus, Chicagoist never did a review of Alinea, your sour grapes on the subject notwithstanding, of course.
Erin
March 14th - 1:29 p.m.
Oh! And full disclosure - I, too, used to be a co-editor at Chicagoist.
Aaron
November 12th - 8:57 p.m.
The folks who endure the cumbersome Reader Rater form deserve every perk they can get.


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