After more than 30 years as a food critic, all it took was one review of the local Olive Garden to turn Marilyn Hagerty into an online celebrity.

An earnest assessment of the new chain restaurant in town by the 85-year-old reviewer at the Grand Forks (N.D.) Herald is the latest viral sensation. But Hagerty fails to see what all the fuss is about.

A 30-year veteran at The Grand Forks Herald, Hagerty reviewed the new local eatery March 7 in her regular Eatbeat column. Calling it “impressive,’’ she described the Olive Garden’s “Tuscan farmhouse style’’ and ordered the chicken alfredo.

Her column sent food snobs into a frenzy. It has received nearly 700,000 pageviews after making its way around the Internet, generating headlines like Fark.com’s “Old Broad Goes Viral.’’

It also generated support against the backlash. Celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain tweeted to his nearly 800,000 followers: “Very much enjoying watching Internet sensation Marilyn Hagerty triumph over the snarkologists (myself included).’’

Hagerty had no idea at first that her review had gone viral. “I didn’t really know what that meant,’’ she told NBC’s Kevin Tibbles as the two dined at the now-famous Grand Forks Olive Garden. “Then the phone calls started. But I had to go to bridge club at 1 o’clock."

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“I feel like I’ve been out for a long night of drinking and don’t remember what happened,’’ she told The Grand Forks Herald about the whirlwind since her column went viral.