Problem: What would be an example of an positive review?

Answer: Honestly I would say 4.5 stars since there are a few things that need improvement (discussed later) but I'm rounding up to make up for all the 1-2 star peeps who clearly have skewed expectations, bad attitudes, or both. I've eaten at Harvest twice in the last two months: December was a lavish dinner in all respects. I also ate here with 5 friends during restaurant week 2010. Thus I think I can provide some unique insights. The constants for me during both dinners were: impeccable service, great wine list (which incidentally had been revamped with many new budget friendly bottles when I came for restaurant week), and simple, clean flavors. Yes, during restaurant week, the menu evolved to accommodate the throngs of diners at the $25 price they demand. I enjoyed my short ribs immensely. Tender, slow braised (sorry Gina S., but this preparation takes way over 30min by any means known to man), full of flavor. Roasted beets were delicious although I could have used more of the mascarpone. Apple crisp was drizzled in delicious creamy goodness and a was a nice ending. Portions were ample. If you want to pig-out, go to friggin Taco Hell where you can most assuredly get 25 "new!!" bean and cheese burritos. If you want the full experience though, you have to pay the full price (i.e. save some scrillah and go at a time not equal to restaurant week). In December it went like this: Bomb scallops, steamed clams as good as I've had on the coast, arctic char cooked to perfection, creative cocktails, slammin $90 amarone, absinthe served the right way, chocolate cake, caramel ice-cream...la la la. Makes me fat and happy just reminiscing. Finally, my gripes: 1. The cocktails are good for the average joe, but generally too sweet for the afficionado. 2. My steak. By all accounts a testament to what beef should be - grass-fed, cooked perfectly, sauce yummy, but salt....salt it could have used a bit more of. Also, I think it was $42 that evening and I feel that's a bit lofty. Having dined temples of beef around the nation, it's certainly at the upper end of the spectrum. Moral of the story: enjoy your $25 restaurant week meal for what it is - a tasty 3 course dinner at a rock bottom price. Then go back sometime and sample the bounty, the service, and all the fine wines when you've got cash to burn. Else, burrito.

Problem: What would be an example of an positive review?

Answer: Jennifer of Lush Floral is a complete God-send. She is amazingly talented. The flowers she did for our wedding were SPECTACULAR. During our first meeting, I showed her pictures of floral arrangements I liked. She took those ideas and made them into some of the most beautiful arrangements I have ever seen. She was one of my most favorite people to work with. She was very prompt in returning my emails/phone calls. On the day of the wedding, she came by and said "hi" and to see how things were going. That really impressed the socks off me. She was really a great vendor. Highly, highly, highly recommended!

Problem: What would be an example of an positive review?

Answer:
"There is a good tradition of love and hate; stayin' by the fireside.." Hey Tanita Tikaram, your lyrics just about sum up my experience of The Bridge Inn. Well, hate is a rather strong word in this instance, but otherwise, these lyrics are perfect! Our first visit was true love - we didn't want a big lunch (although it was Sunday, and the Roast Pork was tempting the SR); so settled for a couple of cheeky lemonades and a snack. For the boy, this was a mightily packed chicken and bacon sandwich with shoestring fries; for me it was (what I thought was a salad) roast vegetables, ciabatta and beetroot hummous. Well, the sandwich paled into insignificance to my vegetable sharing platter (not a salad, as it turned out) - a pile of warm, grilled vegetables, sliced and toasted mini ciabatta and a pot of the purpl-iest hummous I have ever seen. Melt in the mouth too, the beetroot serving as a gently earthy undertone to the traditional chickpea and garlic mix. I had assumed I would just snack a little bit on the hummous... when in reality, I wolfed every single bit down. Having had such a good meal, we returned with my parents a few weeks later. I had, at my first visit, noted that there wasn't a massive non-meat selection, but had forgotton this in my post-hummous comedown (2 of said options contained egg, which I'm not a fan of, so narrowed my options further). When we got to the restaurant and saw the menu, I remembered. While my parents and the SR tucked into steak pie of gigantic proportions, and my mother into a beautifully presented trio of lamb, I had a rather more forlorn looking bowl of chickpea curry, with not even a garnish to cheer it up. To say, it tasted of disappointment and I secretly wished I'd ordered the vegetable platter again. One side note: the restaurant is popular, and as a result, can be extremely loud - we struggled to hear each other talk, making the Silent Reviewer even more silent than he normally is. I left a comment card at the end, as I felt so disappointed and it seemed to me that there was a significant difference in the meat and non meat based options, in presentation and flavour. The owners called my mother back (I'd left her name, rather than mine, as I know she would return for the roast) and followed up on my criticisms. And that, my friends, is how you get a 4th star - food is good, but customer service can create memories for far longer. If we return, I hope that feedback turns into action.