Author Archives: chiefprick

Organic food is overpriced, often of dubious quality, and, as it turns out, potentially deadly as well: Despite what the organic industry may tell us, a quick review of the academic literature shows that E. coli is a serious problem … Continue reading →

So last night I’m riding home in a taxi from the pub in Surry Hills when what do I spy as we cruise down Devonshire Street but an honest-to-God food truck! It looked really popular, and for a moment I … Continue reading →

One upon a time, when the Prick was a young journalist, there was an imperative that practitioners of the craft try and get both sides of the story. Then, a few years ago, all that seemed to change: now all … Continue reading →

When you order a smoked salmon bagel, that kinda implies that you’re going to get both halves, doesn’t it? Not according to the folk at Caffe Cino in the Hilton downtown: You can imagine how crestfallen I was to open … Continue reading →

An interesting little factoid from the Sun-Herald‘s new “Loaded Dog” feature, which this week tackles the eternal and eternally vexed subject of racism: By international standards among major immigrant-receiving nations, Australians are pretty tolerant. About one in eight is avowedly … Continue reading →

Mr and Mrs Prick are off to Melbourne next weekend: We’ve got a table at Cutler & Co Saturday night, but that leaves a lot of other meals undecided. Where should we go? Readers with better knowledge of such things … Continue reading →

“You have enemies? Good. That means you’ve stood up for something, sometime in your life.” So said the ever-quotable Winston Churchill lo those many decades ago, and it remains a good principle today: Don’t be afraid to piss people off … Continue reading →

I’ve noted before the tendency of lazy Sydney journalists to deem anything east of Parramatta short of Central Station as “inner-west”, but I’d say this is worse: The Western suburbs have that bohemian élan, with the endless rows of charming … Continue reading →

No link available until next week, but if you’re in Australia, why not pick up a copy of the Spectator and check out the Prick’s piece on food blogging, “Happy Meals”, including a manifesto and plea for fellow bloggers to … Continue reading →

… is this new biography of pioneering New York Times restaurant critic Craig Claiborne: “He saw himself as a critic on a par with the paper’s critics of books, art, music and drama, and he was determined to bring to … Continue reading →