A lot of you had a lot to say about about the Bilello's review. We were unable to print it all, but here it is. We're always willing and ready to hear what you have to say.

Regarding your visit to Billelo’s Cafe.  I have eaten there quite a few times and my experience has been completely different. 
Let me begin by saying I like the atmosphere, it is not “like” a locals place it is a locals place.  The locals go there because the food and atmosphere are good.
I have not had the gumbo.  But if you like different gumbos then you know that some have okra and some don’t.  You said it your self, great flavor & well seasoned.  Not a bad combination in my book.
Have you ever had the hamburger steak?  Wonderful.   How about an order of onion rings?  Wonderful.  Ever had the club sandwich?  Wonderful.  If it is as bad as you proclaim no locals would be there and yet amazingly the place is full of locals.
All that being said I found your review over-the-top.  You railed on and on to the point that you must have something against the owners.  Billelo’s doesn’t claim to be white linen or have a “Commanders Palace” menu, it does claim to have good food in a casual environment.  What about the fried chicken on Saturday, ever had that.  Quite good I believe, and I have eaten it on more that one occasion so I can attest that it was not an accident that it was good. 

Terrell Wright

After reading your review of Bilello’s Restaurant in Downtown Houma I began to wonder if I had just visited the same restaurant.  My dining experience there was fine, the wait staff eager and helpful, and the food delicious, as they all have been in my three previous visits. While I understand the need for a restaurant critic to remain annonymous in order to preserve objectivity, the critic must be fair in his or her assessment.  I think it quite unfair to Bilello’s to publish what amounts to a hatchet job on the basis of one visit.  Any one, including a restaurant, can have a bad day; many things can, and often do, go wrong.  Your critic should have visited Bilello’s twice, possibly three times before publishing such an unflattering assessment.  Had this been the case, I’m sure the review would have been entirely different and positive.   
 
Mart J. Black

I read your article in the Young Entrepreneurs magazine about Bilello’s cafe.  I agree the wait stall is young and somewhat unpolished at times, but they must learn somewhere.  I have seen worse, way worse!   I am a salesman who eats out with customers basically seven days a week.  I have not yet tried the item’s you tried, but have tried several others with great delight.   My favorite is the fried chicken strip dinner with a cup of melted cheese on the side.   The side salad is the freshest in town.  Their chicken strips are fried a light (golden) brown unlike any restaurant in town, not just sometime but every time.   It has an unbeatable taste as well.  Every customer I have turned on to this place now brings their family regularly and request we eat there on our business meetings.  You need try Belello’s again!  Please reply after you return and let me know what you think.
 
Thanks
Lance Hemphill

I read the review of Bilello’s Cafe in a recent edition of PoV.  To say that I find it childishly written and infantile is an understatement.  There is more to being a food or restaurant critic than simply trying on out and letting the readership know your likes and dislikes.  Do you really think I care that you can’t stomach gumbo without okra?  I personally prefer not to have okra in my gumbo, but that would not and should not enter into a supposed professional review of a restaurant.  Certainly, the one comment that makes me question the validity of this review is the author’s complaint about the way the shrimp was prepared.  I have frequently eaten at this restaurant and the shrimp is always perfectly prepared.
If this magazine wants to retain readership, I suggest that it monitor the quality of the copy much better.
 
Rene Williams

This e-mail is in regards to the review of Bilello’s. The person writing this article must have caught the restaurant on a bad night (or maybe they were intoxicated because they did say stumbled in), because I have found Bilello’s to be one of Houma’s better places to eat. The selection on the menu is good, there is something to meet everyone’s taste buds, the atmosphere is pleasant, you can go formal or casual, the deserts are homemade (and some of the best around), and although the waitress staff maybe young they are dedicated to their work. I frequent this restaurant often and have seen everyone from parish officails, law enforcement, and business owners there on most occasions. The writer talks of the many things he or she tried and it seems alot of food for one person, so I find it hard to believe this review. I feel perhaps this person should visit Bilello’s again but this time with someone from a cooking school that can explain some of the dishes and the way they are supposed to taste. I would give them another try, remember everyone has a bad day, I have eaten there during the holidays when they where busy and somethings ordered by the group was lacking a bit but there was no reason to give them a bad review, and I continue to go back.

Thank you.
Nathan McGuirt

I recently read the january edition of th covert connoisseur. I’m sorry to say that your “connoisseur” happens to be dead wrong when it comes to Bilello’s. At first, I thought that he (she) might be speaking of a different place. As I read the article, many of the things that bothered your “connoisseur” happen to be the things that appeal to me (and I suppose many others who frequent the cafe).
The wait staff, although young, are some of the most polite & efficient wait staff in the area. My husband & I have always be waited on promptly with a yes Maam or yes Sir. We can honestly say that we would prefer politeness & eficiency to your “polished” version.
We yet to experience live music, so I cannot comment on that particular venue.
As far as the menu goes, we have tasted a large variety of the fare. As far as shrimp size goes, anyone knows that you keep larger shrimp for frying & a smaller size for gumbos & sauces. We check the menu & nowhere does it say that the gumbo has okra—did you bother to ask?? We have tested the flounder, which was good, not excellent but good.We have NEVER had overcooked pasta. (We have tried several of the pasta dishes.)
I recently returned to Bilello’s Cafe to see if things had changed. They had not. I arrived shortly after 11 am. The place had several cutomers present. As I said before, my server came promptly & accurately dilivered my fare. As I sat, I looked around to see if anyone else in the cafe was experiencing your disappointment. There were business men, retired couples, bikers, old high school friends, few others that were harder to describe. Plus in the 35 minutes that I was there, they served five to-go orders. I did not hear one complaint. Not even a small one.
Could it be that your “connoisseur” was just not in the mood to or does
not like this type of setting to begin with? could it be that he has something against Mr. Bilello? It sure sounds like it!
I have spoken to several differnt people about the demeaning article. The
people I spoke to were both first timers and those, like myself who have been there several times. We all agreed that both the atmosphere and the food at Bilello’s Cafe were worth a return visit. The ratings that they gave were between 4 and 5 (nowhere near your 1-1/2).
In the future, we would like to hear from someone who actually “loves
finding those restaurants that are hidden in plain sight and are mostly
frequnted by locals”. there are reasons that these locals FREQUENT a restaurant.
Could it be for good food & fun atmosphere. We think so!!
    
Thanks for letting me (us) comment.
Jan & George Cooke

Dear Covert Connoisseur,
  I am writing concerning your article regarding Bilello’s Cafe.  First of all I thought your article was very mean spirited.  I truly feel like you want to be controversial to draw attention to your magazine.  This type of journalism to me is not appropriate, and I will think twice of picking up your magazine again.  The people that own this restaurant, I have meet thru eating there.. are very warm, hard working,good people... perhaps you should take a lesson from them.  
 
H. Rene Rhodes

I disagree with you about Bilello’s Cafe, since we Travel a lot and are from out of state, we have found the restaurant to be very friendly and the food to be superb. Maybe you were just trying to eat too many different varieties of food items.  Their bread pudding is strickly fantastic also all the seafood we have eaten there. I don’t understand the comment you made about the restaurant unless you just want to give them a bad name, I will give them an extra fine rating.  We are from Warm Springs, AR.

Mildor

Dear Editor,
We were disappointed with the review of Bilello’s Cafe.  As regular customers we have always had good meals.  It’s very presumptous to order gumbo in a restaurant and assume it’s like your mother cooks it.  Gumbo is prepared differently in every restaurant.  We happen to like Danny Bilello’s gumbo.  It’s unfortunate that the reviewer did not have dessert at Bilello’s.  The cheesecakes are some of the best that we have ever eaten.  We hope one disappointing review doesn’t keep people from trying this local cafe because they will be missing out on good food, including desserts.
 
David and Mary LeBoeuf

I have never eaten at Bilello’s cafe, but I thought your review was an “epic failure.” I don’t know what would possess an anonymous writer to completely bash hard working people no matter how bad the dining experience was. It is not in New Orleans nor is it expensive, so I don’t know what the unknown writer compared it to, but it seems he had  unrealistic expectations. To compare food to seamonkeys, critique sweet potato fries, and criticize free live music is unfair. Would you publish an article that could ruin this unknown writer’s career and point out every flaw in their writing? What if I pointed out that they 
misspelled Muzak and their best attribute “was not half bad.”

Jonathan