Amen, Asimov.

Future restaurant critics will decide for themselves just how much it matters, though, as far as I’m concerned, smart restaurateurs will always allow critics to come and go unacknowledged, whether recognized or not. Nothing changes the rhythm of a meal so much as sending out extra courses, which may spring from deeply generous impulses but nonetheless make the task of analysis more difficult.

No, I’m not kvetching about freebies. Never trust a restaurant critic who complains about how difficult the job is — if you love restaurants, have a big appetite and the metabolism to sustain the endless parade of rich foods, it’s the greatest job in the world. But while food is the most important thing a restaurant has to offer, it’s not, by a long shot, the only thing.