Best Of MenuPages Reviews: Pasta Palazzo Goes Down

We may not do reviews at MenuPages, but our legions of users are all over that. Here are four of interest.

If you’re sick of shill detection, then, well, we are apologizing in advance. For we have made a discovery that has far-reaching ramifications, at least for Pasta Palazzo in Lincoln Park. We came across a review for it today entitled “Fabulous Pasta”, from “Lucy”, with ratings of 5 for food, value and service, and 4 for atmosphere:


Great pasta dishes freshly prepared in the open kitchen, and brought to you sizzling hot and delicious. Imaginative combinations. I was in Town for a weekend visit, and was very glad to find this place. Staff was very welcoming and helpful.


Incidentally, shillers often give a non-5 for atmosphere, maybe because they think we’ll be tricked by the non-perfect rating? Ha! We were immediately suspicious because of the use of adjectives like “sizzling” and “imaginative.” We checked the IP, since Lucy claimed to be from out of town, and it’s registered to AOL - no help there. So we took a look at the other three reviews for this restaurants, and what we discovered was disturbing.

First, all four of the reviews were left by users with uniform aliases: each a first name, with the first letter capitalized. Given the general illiteracy on the internet, that is extremely unlikely to happen at random. Then, we saw that not a single rating of the sixteen was below 4.5. And the language in the reviews were suspiciously like the first example:


The best pasta dishes in Lincoln Park, great prices and wonderful environment with friendly service. A hot spot for the young and trendy as well as the “experienced” and seasoned customer!


and


My husband and I have visited twice now and LOVED it. The Penne Con Salsicciea and Cavatappi Pollo are perfect! I can’t wait to eat the leftovers! Which, you WILL have because the helpings are HUGE. We love the crowded, bustling atmosphere and sound of the sizzling chefs! Great place!


This had some caps issues like one of the previous reviews, albeit not nearly as shilly in language. But the tide had turned against Palazzo, so we killed it.

Later, we had an attack of conscience: what if it wasn’t a shill after all? Sure enough, we checked the IP, and it’s registered to none other than the Chicago Reader! So we revalidated the review, in the hopes that we haven’t uncovered a shilling syndicate much more sinister than we care to imagine.


Every time I step into this restaurant the food is GREAT. The prices are very reasonable. I would eat here every day if my waistline would permit. Cozy atmosphere.


This had some caps issues like one of the previous reviews, albeit not nearly as shilly in language. But the tide had turned against Palazzo, so we killed it.

Later, we had an attack of conscience: what if it wasn’t a shill after all? Sure enough, we checked the IP, and it’s registered to none other than the Chicago Reader! So we revalidated the review, in the hopes that we haven’t uncovered a shilling syndicate much more sinister than we care to imagine.

Anyway, Palazzo, we’re on to you!

Pasta Palazzo [MenuPages]

[Photo: the only visual evidence we could find of Palazzo’s pasta, by sharonadoty/flickr]


N.B. It’s also possible that we’re totally wrong, and Pasta Palazzo is both innocent and wonderful. If so, sorry!

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Best Of MenuPages Reviews: Pasta Palazzo Goes Down