It's time for another edition of Adventures in Shilling, in which we fight shilling the best way we can, by shaming tasteless, unscrupulous shills into submission. Well, that's the plan, at least. Fight shills yourself by dropping offensive links to tips@eater.com
Welcome back to Adventures in Shilling, a special new restaurant edition. Today we've got 11 day-old Almond, Soho's Via Dei Mille, Bloomingdale Road, and Midtown's Vero wine Bar. Let's go to the least suspicious first:
The following comment on Bloomingdale Road could be coming from an honest-to-goodness fan...or it could be a shill: "Bloomingdale Road is on the right track. The food keeps getting better and better. I had been there during the first week (always chancey) but a return trip assured I will be back many times. The seasonal changes on the menu are fantastic. I had some wonderful scallops with a side of the new addition ,wild mushrooms. These were exceptional! I can't wait to go back."
Shill Probability: 53%
This Menupages review, which we were originally thinking about including in Good News/Bad News, skews more shilly than genuine: "High energy. Diverse menu and busy bar scene. Best duck confit in NYC. Perfect oysters from the raw bar. Supurb value for Manhattan. Generous drinks. My instant #1 bistro."
Shill Probability: 74%When we put new Midtown wine bar Vero in the Opening Report and a commenter reported it was over a month old, this person suspiciously corrects them and follows up with a rave: "I went to their "soft opening" a few weeks ago but they OFFICIALLY opened just recently. Great food and wine list, great scene, great music! Love this place. Def a great addition to the neighboorhood filled with dirty bars and drunk college boys. It was a great place to meet with the girls for drinks and I was pleasantly suprised by the food and level of service. Would say you should check out for sure!"
Shill Probability: 88%A reader shares the following shill alert: "I just got a mass text from a restaurant consultant/owner/investor type who I have worked with in the past to check out his new place at 357 W. B'way. Since he didn't give the name I googled the address and found it was Via dei Mille." That led him, and us to the following incredible Citysearch shill: "They told me( we r not open yet but welcome and tast our food).Via dei mille is going to be a great place for chick people to have fun in Soho,perfect music italian food and the GIRLS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The place is a star in the sky i will take all my friends there and i want all of u to see this place .I am POSITIVE you'lllove it."
Shill Probability: 98%For more stories from Eater, go to eater.com.
