Friday Tidbits

By kgeorge
May 1, 2009, 10:14 AM
5 Comments

Photo courtesy @devon

What’s the deal Kickass Cupcakes’ Yelp-induced animosity? Or is this is a case of tongue firmly ensconced in cheek? Someone please enlighten us….

The Valley Springs Wild Leeks
“Wild leeks, which are super garlicky tasting, are growing within 100 miles of where you’re sitting or standing reading this right now.”

Seafood out West
Boston Restaurant Talk snaps some pics of The Brewery building in JP, Bella Luna/Milky Way Lounge’s spacious new digs.

Community Supported Fishery
Boston Localvores implores fish-lovers to sign up for Cape Ann Fresh Catch, a “collaboration of shore-side residents and the local fishing community.”

Get That Hot Butter Ready
Chefs and shuckers assemble this Sunday at B&G Oysters for the day-long all-day Oyster Invitational.

Cereal Filler
Time for large “bowl of stove top oats with all of your favorite fixings…” Carrots ‘N’ Cake’s fixings include: wheat bran, flaxseed meal, vanilla hemp milk and Macadamia-cashew nut butter.

Sayonara Kotobukiya
Chowder morns the loss of Kotobukiya Japanese Market in Cambridge. The “one-stop shop in Cambridge for raw fish, sticky rice and imported wasabi will be converted into a new Lesley University bookstore.”

From the Kitchen to the Field
Rhode Island farm tour gives chefs at taste of what “the farmer does every day to produce the crops.”

Cape Culinary
Foodie “fundraisers and general fun begin to sprout” on the Cape. A listing of events here.

Chive Talkin’
Cooking the Seasons already has a “big clump of chives” sprouting in here garden. Perfect for a marinade or Greek salad.

And You Thought Wine-Tasting was an Art
The apple, it would seem, is a far more a complex fruit then generally credited. Apple connoisseur Adam notes the colorful flavors playing off the tongue: ginger, pepper, cinnamon, lilac, and yes, even cream soda.

Smorgasboards:

“Glad to See Kickass Cupcakes Likes Yelp”
Click here to read talk related to photo above…

Talking Mittapheap
Dinning at the Cambodian restaurant in Lynn.

News, randomness, happenings, discussions, murmurings from around New England. Served up fresh daily. Past Servings
Got a tip for a tidbit? Tweet: @pubradiokitchen or email: prk@wbur.org

Previously On Public Radio Kitchen…

« Stalking the Wild Rhubarb

Your Comments

Thanks folks for helping crack this conundrum.

Like Lance, I applaud KAC’s chuckling in the face of negative reviews. I have to try them, so it is hard for me to assess the accuracy of the Yelp reviews.

Got a date with a cupcake.

And Chris, thanks for the UH link.

Posted by @kengeorge on May 5, 2009, at 10:09 AM
Kudos to them for being good natured about negative reviews. The cupcakes are certainly not “out of a Betty Crocker bag” spongy sugar-bombs but the place is packed out regularly and I have a hard time walking by without picking up the current special edition so they must be doing something right.

They also have been generous in supporting many local events and causes, which is worth noting.

And… you know… all publicity is good publicity!

Posted by Lance on May 1, 2009, at 2:53 PM
When one reads the Yelp reviews of Kickass Cupcakes, some common threads run through the negative ones:
*Bad customer service (the employees act like they’re doing you a favor by serving you)
*Very dry cupcakes

Yet rather than do something to fix these problems – some customer service training, perhaps… or maybe tweaking of their cupcake recipes to ensure that they stay moist at least until closing time – Kickass Cupcakes seems to be kicking sand in the face of anyone who would *dare* to give them constructive feedback.

I’ll admit I’m a customer who had those same experiences – though I spared them a scathing online review and just let it go. Now that I know how much the value the opinions of their customers, I don’t think I’ll be giving them a second chance.

Posted by Lawrence on May 1, 2009, at 12:50 PM
Re: Kickass Cupcakes question:

If you look at the reviews of the place, they’re definitely less than stellar.

I have to admit, I was pretty let down when I finally went there; the cupcakes are dry/lacking flavor and way too expensive for the quality.

Posted by Stephanie on May 1, 2009, at 12:01 PM
Yelp has been getting a lot of pushback like this recently, cf. Universal Hub: Yelp now removing Boston reviews?.

I don’t know if it’s happening around here, but in the SF Bay Area, Yelp seems to be contacting owners of businesses that got bad reviews, suggesting that for a “reasonable fee” they can take care of those bad reviews for them.

It doesn’t surprise me at this point that at least some local businesses are rejecting Yelp, whether or not the feedback Yelp’s site offers is good or bad. It’s not trustworthy, and people are starting to realize that.

Posted by Chris Devers on May 1, 2009, at 11:14 AM

Have something to say?

Please stay on topic, be civil, and be brief. These comments are moderated by WBUR, but you are solely responsible for the content of your comments. By commenting, you agree to our Community Discussion Rules.