New Delhi, Aug. 31 -- The other day, a friend asked me how exactly I judge a restaurant. As a food writer, I get asked this often. While there's no easy answer, mine is: The whole experience of food, taste preferences and dining out is wholly subjective, but something I do use to judge a restaurant is its claim to an identity. Is that highly-awarded restaurant actually serving "modern Indian cuisine with an ingredient-forward approach?" Or is it PR fluff because the experience falls short? My friend nodded, and I couldn't tell if I gave her something to think about, or if the food that arrived at our table provided ample distraction.

The whole conversation got me thinking about the nature of a review, what purpose it serves and who reall...