Critic Kicked Out of L.A. Restaurant

At L.A.’s Red Medicine, it’s soup or salad—unless you’re a restaurant critic, in which case, you can take your things and leave. Los Angeles Times longtime restaurant critic S. Irene Virbila was kicked out of a trendy new eatery, after the managing director took her photo without her permission. Noah Ellis posted Virbila’s photo on the Red Medicine’s Tumblr account, saying he wanted to “make everyone aware that she was unable to dine here.” Restaurant critics’ identities are kept strictly confidential, so Ellis’ posting gained immediate attention—food blogs struggled to take sides in the dispute. The Times food editor called the incident “humiliating” and Virbila said she felt “violated” by it—but the paper plans to stand by her, although they will still try to review Red Medicine.