Trey Popp, Philadelphia Magazine's New Food Critic

Philadelphia Magazine has a new food critic: Trey Popp. Most recently, Mr. Popp was the restaurant reviewer for the Philadelphia City Paper and he has written for Slate and the San Francisco Chronicle. In an introductory interview he offered his perspective on restaurant critic anonymity:

I'm glad no one knows what I look like. [ed: We looked and looked and couldn't find photos of the guy!] It’s true that a mediocre kitchen can’t exactly wave a magic wand over its food the minute a recognized critic walks in, but it’s easier to alter other parts of the experience: the pacing of a meal, the responsiveness of the service, the volume of the music, all those kinds of things that come together to form a place’s atmosphere... I think the best way to get a truthful impression of a restaurant is by visiting under the same conditions as everybody else.

Other things we learn from the interview: He has a "weakness" for restaurants that "give you complementary sparkling water," is not a fan of "one-price-fits-all-cocktails," and does not like "chocolate desserts where all you can taste is sugar."

· And Our New Food Critic Is ? [Philly Mag]