Sending Food Back in a Restaurant  Brian P. asks: Do you ever
send food back in a restaurant?  Dear Brian: I'm glad you asked
that question. The short answer is -- never.  First off, the
critic's mode of operation at any restaurant should be to keep
everything on the down-low, not make any moves that call
attention to the reviewing table and its covert activities.
Sending a dish back is like turning on a beacon. It immediately
alerts the staff there's a problem party present.  I've had
diners at my table who thought they'd like to send a dish back
to the kitchen, but I nix it, and console them that it's usually
a futile gesture, and may result in the dish becoming even
worse. And then what are you going to do, send it back again?
Trying to get a bad restaurant to improve its food is more than
one person can do by himself; that's why I write a review.  A
dish comes out inedible for one of two reasons: Either the
kitchen is slammed, or so incompetent that it can't cook the
dish consistently or correctly. In eit