Restaurant fads you're tired of?

A dessert trend I will probably not ever tire of--Chocolate lava cake (unless it's served with carrot ice cream or something equally silly.)

And here I am, just the reverse: I'm at the point where chocolate lava cake is no more than an adult Ring Ding, but I am eager to go have that celery sorbet again!

Different strokes!

P.S. I love ring dings.

[Jenise]

Similarly, they ask you as you leave if everything was alright. I do often respond and tell them and detail any flaws (the chicken was dried out, the steak was overdone, etc.) and they seem surprised that I don't just respond in the affirmative and walk out. I get the impression that they ask as a habit, not really expecting any response other than "Fine, thanks"

Of course they're surprised. Just like the clerk at the grocery store who asks if you found everything is surprised--and does nothing about it--if you actually say no, you wanted mustard in a jar instead of a squeeze tube. They're instead trying to nudge you into creating a positive affirmation based on the presumption that you had a reasonably good experience and most people do--it's a positive imprint that the industry believes you'll remember.

[Jenise]

A lot of things have been mentions, but one thing really drives me nuts these days:

the near complete lack of properly prepared vegetables on most dinner plates.

Am I weird? Does nobody else want some well-prepped veggies with their dinner? Usually it's one nearly raw hunk of broccoli or a half-cup of overcooked zucchini, or even nothing!

Argh!

David, I couldn't agree with you more. If I never see another "vegetable medley" I will be a very happy woman. I want real vegetables and I want them thoughtfully prepared and matched with the rest of what's on my plate.

David, I couldn't agree with you more. If I never see another "vegetable medley" I will be a very happy woman. I want real vegetables and I want them thoughtfully prepared and matched with the rest of what's on my plate.

I don't know, I'd think that everything except the obligatory sprig of parsley would take up valuable territory on the plate that could be otherwise occupied by a nice chunk of protein.....

[Jenise]

David, I couldn't agree with you more. If I never see another "vegetable medley" I will be a very happy woman. I want real vegetables and I want them thoughtfully prepared and matched with the rest of what's on my plate.

I don't know, I'd think that everything except the obligatory sprig of parsley would take up valuable territory on the plate that could be otherwise occupied by a nice chunk of protein.....

Having dined with you many times, I can vouch for the fact that you're not actually joking. Which reminds me, did I remember to tell you that next Tuesday's dinner is going to be vegetarian?

[David M. Bueker]

I love protein, but (as I think I may have said previously) something mysterious happened a few months ago & I now crave good veggies/fruit. Even if I eat a lot of them I want more.

Which reminds me, did I remember to tell you that next Tuesday's dinner is going to be vegetarian?

Vegetarian?????

[Jenise]

Which reminds me, did I remember to tell you that next Tuesday's dinner is going to be vegetarian?

Vegetarian?????

)))))))))))

1. Wait staff that bring the dish and then go into a long diatribe of every ingredient, cooking method and AOC of the items on the plate. "here we have your Fraser Valley free range chicken breast, cooked sous vide with a little bit of balsamic gastrique, finished with organic butter and your Pemberton Valley potato, summer truffle buttered gnocchi. " Enjoy. Is there anything else. Yeah F off and let me at my now cold food!

2. Signature dishes. "Yes it's our Signature dish."

3. A little bit. "It's served with a little bit of red wine reduction."

4. All BC winelists.

[Jenise]

1. Wait staff that bring the dish and then go into a long diatribe of every ingredient, cooking method and AOC of the items on the plate. "here we have your Fraser Valley free range chicken breast, cooked sous vide with a little bit of balsamic gastrique, finished with organic butter and your Pemberton Valley potato, summer truffle buttered gnocchi. " Enjoy. Is there anything else. Yeah F off and let me at my now cold food!

2. Signature dishes. "Yes it's our Signature dish."

3. A little bit. "It's served with a little bit of red wine reduction."

4. All BC winelists.

Judging by the way your new job is keeping you away from important recreatiional opportunities with your buddies, the above haven't been much of an annoyance lately, have they? Or are you cooking less at home as a result?

Applies to equally to bars and restaurants:

Calling every new cocktail mix something-tini or somethingmartini.
If mixing vodka with cranberry juice is called a Cosmopolitan or vodka and orange juice a Screwdriver, then make up new names for some of these drinks made with vodka or some other alcohol. Otherwise I foresee a transformation of martini into something that it historically is not. (See my post on the metamorphosis of goulash). If this trend continues, I can imagine the following dialogue:

Patron: I'll have a Martini, please.
Bartender: Sure. Here you go.
Patron: (taking a sip) Yuk, what is that?
Bartender: What you ordered; a Martini.
Patron: This tastes like beer mixed with jalapeño jelly and a a slice of turnip. Ok, how about this. I will have some vodka or gin with some dry vermouth with an olive.
Bartender: Hum,sounds tasty. What do you call it?
Patron: A Martini.

Applies to equally to bars and restaurants:

Calling every new cocktail mix something-tini or somethingmartini.
If mixing vodka with cranberry juice is called a Cosmopolitan or vodka and orange juice a Screwdriver, then make up new names for some of these drinks made with vodka or some other alcohol. Otherwise I foresee a transformation of martini into something that it historically is not. (See my post on the metamorphosis of goulash). If this trend continues, I can imagine the following dialogue:

Patron: I'll have a Martini, please.
Bartender: Sure. Here you go.
Patron: (taking a sip) Yuk, what is that?
Bartender: What you ordered; a Martini.
Patron: This tastes like beer mixed with jalapeño jelly and a a slice of turnip. Ok, how about this. I will have some vodka or gin with some dry vermouth with an olive.
Bartender: Hum,sounds tasty. What do you call it?
Patron: A Martini.

Amen to that, Eric. This whole "lemon-apple-basil-with-a-scoop-of-ice-cream-tini" business has gotten way out of hand.

I totally agree Eric. I keep telling people, just because it's in the glass, doesn't make it a martini.

The more I have learned to cook, the less I go to restaurants. -RP

If there was a private hell, mine would have celery sorbet.

What about celery puree as a sauce around honey ice cream and walnut Napoleans?



Walt

Foam. Foam is not a garnish or a food item. Foam is a contraceptive. Let's leave foam off the plate.

rwj

Well said, Robert! Couldn't agree more.

[Jenise]

Well said, Robert! Couldn't agree more.

Me, too. Except for the crema on my cappucino, associations with foam are pretty negative. Foams are what we skim off of simmering meats, wipe off the chins of our cats, clean from an infected wound when peroxide is poured onto it, or are a pretty clear indication that one shouldn't go into the water. Why would we want to see that on our food?

Portions meant for a 300 pound gorilla and too many fried things.....

Not that we have that many restaurants here worth the time !!

[David M. Bueker]

Portions meant for a 300 pound gorilla and too many fried things.....

Amen to that, though I did have some deep fried prosciutto a few months ago...mmm...deep fried pork...mmm

Portions meant for a 300 pound gorilla and too many fried things.....

Not that we have that many restaurants here worth the time !!

I think this may be somewhat of a geographic thing. I have always noticed much bigger portions in the US than most other places. Maybe Americans eat a lot or maybe everyone else is penurious, who knows?

On the other end of the scale, I don't have much time for a tasting menu that gives you in total about enough to sustain a hummingbird as long as it doesn't fly around too much. These places usually charge more for less as well.

Has probably been mentioned before..but hey..there are 3 pages here.

Foams... I despise foams. Not a sauce...so what is it for? Looks like spit on a plate. No thanks.

Richard

A fusion restaurant in these parts is advertising a sake-tini!