Hugh J.
Yelp
The problem with Southy's and the rating they currently have on this website is not a representation of the food they serve, but more a representation of an ill-informed, entitled populace who has no idea what its like to cook food for people professionally.
As someone who has formerly worked years in the restaurant industry, I've cursed off yelp and vowed to never participate in the "my opinion matters" mindset that so many pedestrians with an internet connection subscribe to, wielding misinformed opinions like daggers to the heart of every mom and pop joint that attempts to make a name for themselves with tasty food. However as I was eating a calzone from Southy's recently, I decided to look up their ratings here and see what people were saying.
Disappointment would be an understatement, and not on the part of the restaurant, but on the part of the reviewer. One claimed it was "the best pizza" she has had since moving back to the area, and that it was "to die for" yet still gave a 1 star review (perhaps she is a member of the elderly community and is technologically illiterate, I assumed) . Another reviewer was annoyed that her food was not ready when she arrived, despite showing up early, on what would be safe to assume was a busy dinner rush. She was "grossed out" by the appearance of employees (grow up) and grossed out by the fact that an employee used gloves while handling food. Perhaps now you're beginning to see what I am getting at.
The meal I had, for a little over $10, was a calzone, large enough to get two servings, for me at least, filled with chicken, spinach, and onion, and topped with garlic butter. The crust was soft, pillowy along the perimeter where the two halves overlapped, and perfectly chewy, not tough and not doughy. The cheese ratio of mozz to ricotta was spot on creating a beautifully homogenized mixture of stretchy mozz, to creamy, flavorful ricotta. Calzones I've had from other places sometimes can be runny or watery from too much ricotta, but not this calzone. The toppings were not skimped on at all, getting plenty of spinach, onion and chicken inside. And the chicken, perhaps the catalyst that compelled me to sit down and write this ridiculous review, was amazing. For a $10 calzone at a pizza shop I was expecting mediocre, rubbery, almost gray, chicken like substance, that could suffice when stuffed into a calzone and smothered with plenty of other mediocre ingredients. This is not what I got at all. Instead the chicken that I got was size-able pieces of juicy, white breast meat, ripe with flavor from the grill. The chicken was probably good enough to eat by itself, outside any calzone or sandwhich, and served on a plate as a singular breast. I have paid much more, for much worse.
Perhaps had I read these reviews before ordering I would have been scared away, and had a much less enjoyable meal. But I didnt read these reviews, until after I had my own experience, and I'm glad for that. And to any yelp reviewers out there who may have made it this far, I implore you to think carefully before you write your next review. Is your order being 5 minutes late worth lashing out behind a keyboard at a local small business? Or are you just a little stressed out lately? Don't take your shit out on other people. Have you no empathy for the employees making near minimum wage, trying to put themselves through school, or feed their own family, whilst they are 20 tickets deep on a Friday night? Think with your head and your heart, not your keyboard and thumbs. And to my fellow patrons, lovers of all things delicious and worth living for, think for yourself. Dont be afraid to give restaurants with poor online ratings a shot, form your own opinion. The best meals of your life could be hiding behind hateful people who get off on giving out 1 star reviews. And finally to all restaurant owners and employees out there, past and present, thank you for all you do. Bless up.
