Good Food Guide
January 30th, 2011 | by Mobile Data Group |What is it?
For 26 years the paperback version of Sydney Morning Herald’s Good Food Guide has been a holy grail for diners seeking the skinny on the city’s hot restaurants. Now the app lets you download the book and carry it on your mobile device. It is available on iPhone, BlackBerry and, in early 2011, Samsung Galaxy tablet and Android devices.
What does it do?
Allows you to make reservations (in real time) read and write your own reviews, upload them and rate restaurants. The “Food Around Me” filter provides good maps and locations of restaurants in your current location. But it will only find nearby restaurants worthy of a mention in the book not, say, a counter meal at a local pub.
Who would use it?
Foodies, as well as budding Matt Prestons eager to try out their restaurant reviewing skills. App users unhappy with the judgment of the guide’s reviewers who dish out the coveted chefs hats at the annual Good Food awards can vote with their thumbs to elect the people’s choice awards, which they did this year — electing Tetsuya’s, while the judges took away one of its chef’s hats.
Does it work?
Yes — but for $9.99, some question the value given there are free apps on the market doing a similar job. However, advocates of the Good Food Guide app argue that its rivals don’t boast the same calibre of reviewer. It is also a bargain when you consider it’s a third of the price of the book ($29.95). It can be a bit buggy — the search features seem a little inconsistent when, say, you are after a particular food type or when you are trying to search for something such as the 10 best hamburger joints. Incorrect restaurant opening times and prices are a hazard for any food guide, but the Stop Press section attempts to update any changes.