Very Popular Restaurant Dishes That Tick You Off

[divalasvegas]

I must say that this has been a real bone (pun intended )of contention for me for some time. I'm not saying that I want to ban certain dishes................. okay, if I had the power I would. But there are extremely popular restaurant dishes that I just don't get.

The main one that irritates me the most is baby back ribs. Why? How the Hell did this become so overwhelmingly popular? I've ordered them out because often when a restaurant says ribs they mean baby backs. They're okay. But they're just not spareribs. The texture, lip smacking fat content (umami?) and depth of flavor is just not even close to spareribs. Also, the fact that a lot of places charge more for them than spareribs leaves me somewhat perplexed.

I know what totally ruined them for me were comments made by David Rosengarten on his show Taste many years ago. God, how I miss that show. Always so informative and entertaining too. Not like a lot of the truly horrendus Food Network "cooking" shows are today. But, I digress. As I recall he was giving his usual excellent overview of various types of ribs--baby backs, country style, spareribs, should they be called ribs, what part of the pig they come from and so forth. When he began discussing where baby back ribs were found on the pig's carcass, I was already wondering and had been for quite sometime "what the Hell are baby back ribs?" Are they from baby pigs or what? Well, my wonderful David said "ladies and gentlemen, baby back ribs are really .............................pork chop bones. WTF? I knew it. I knew they didn't taste right. I knew that they just didn't have the whatever--the right stuff, the right texture, the right taste like real spareribs. And for some bizarre reason Americans fell in love with these damn things. Part of it I think was because they have been touted as a "leaner" type of rib. Once and for all, if you want to eat lean meat please just go out and buy a truckload of boneless, skinless, tasteless chicken breasts and call it a day. Actually, it's real genius on the part of restauranteurs that they could take freaking pork chop bones, rename them baby backs, and get rich in the process.

So my friends, do you have any culinary objections of your own?

[ditsydine]

As far as the baby back ribs I think one of the things you pointed out about them being PORK CHOPS (I feel so had!), I would think is that they'd be cheaper (I don't buy a lot of meat for myself, so if I am wrong, do tell)and possibly previously thrown away. Secondly, I think their popularity has come from the bottom up via chain joints like Chili's which advertises their baby backs heavily. So all said, I guess the "ribs" are about as real as the fingers chickens never had.

What drives me nuts is when a dish or ingredient gets so popular and/or common it gets dumbed down to the point its not recognizable, or so far from its point of origin. Chipotles seem to be the ingredient to bastardize this year, upsurping dried tomatoes and pesto (and I know I've skipped a decade)

[dockhl]

I know what totally ruined them for me were comments made by David Rosengarten on his show Taste many years ago.  God, how I miss that show.  Always so informative and entertaining too.  Not like a lot of the truly horrendus Food Network "cooking" shows are today.  But, I digress.  As I recall he was giving his usual excellent overview of various types of ribs--baby backs, country style, spareribs, should they be called ribs, what part of the pig they come from and so forth.  When he began discussing where baby back ribs were found on the pig's carcass, I was already wondering and had been for quite sometime "what the Hell are baby back ribs?"  Are they from baby pigs or what?  Well, my wonderful David said "ladies and gentlemen, baby back ribs are really .............................pork chop bones. WTF?  I knew it.  I knew they didn't taste right.  I knew that they just didn't have the whatever--the right stuff, the right texture, the right taste like real spareribs.  And for some bizarre reason Americans fell in love with these damn things.  Part of it I think was because they have been touted as a "leaner" type of rib.  Once and for all, if you want to eat lean meat please just go out and buy a truckload of boneless, skinless, tasteless chicken breasts and call it a day.  Actually, it's real genius on the part of restauranteurs that they could take freaking pork chop bones, rename them baby backs, and get rich in the process.

So my friends, do you have any culinary objections of your own?

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OMG...........I miss 'Taste" so much ! David was right on about so many things. I NEVER watch Food TV anymore, not even (?) Alton Brown (who looks closest to someone I WOULD watch) and I used to watch it ALL the time when it first aired. (Not much of a TV person)

BUT........BB Ribs? I am WITH you!! There is no 'there' there......

All bone with a few shreds of boring meat? GIVE ME MEAT !!!!!

[divalasvegas]

As far as the baby back ribs I think one of the things you pointed out about them being PORK CHOPS (I feel so had!), I would think is that they'd be cheaper  (I don't buy a lot of meat for myself, so if I am wrong, do tell)and possibly  previously thrown away.  Secondly, I think their popularity has come from the bottom up via chain joints like Chili's which advertises their baby backs heavily. So all said, I guess the "ribs" are about as real as the fingers chickens never had.   

What drives me nuts is when a dish or ingredient gets so popular and/or common it gets dumbed down to the point its not recognizable, or so far from its point of origin. Chipotles seem to be the ingredient to bastardize this year, upsurping  dried tomatoes and pesto (and I know I've skipped a decade)

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Oh ditsydine I couldn't agree with you more. Great theory on why baby backs have become so ubiquitous. Yes indeed, they are pork chop bones. Instead of cutting them into pork chops, grocery stores and restaurants have figured out how to give us TWO cuts of low flavored pork: baby back ribs and boneless pork loin which is so lean these days that it gives boneless, skinless chicken breasts some real competition in the taste free department. Once they remove the loin, they have this "rack" of bones that used to be attached to the pork chop but now they call them "ribs." Aaack!!! In the supermarket I've noticed that they are often more expensive per pound than regular spareribs.

Well, I guess the supermarket gurus are right: you can sell Americans--except for my learned brethren/sistren (real word?) in eGullet-land--anything if you know how to market it.

[raxelita]

tired of seeing ceasar salads on every menu: challenge the customers a little I say.

[SuzySushi]

I'm with you on missing Taste!!!

I don't dine out all that much, so I miss being exposed to some of the current food fads in restaurants... but what's with the "woodburning oven pizza" on flat crusts that have the texture of a cardboard cracker??? Pizza is supposed to be made with bread dough, folks!

[ingridsf]

Avocado eggrolls. Kitchen sink quesadillas.

On Pork and the late, lamented program Taste:

Why does anyone buy pork loin? I just cooked a shoulder blade roast, bone in, and it was FABULOUS. And I did nothing to it -- slapped some salt/pepper on it cold, shoved it in a 325 F oven and went to sack out for a few hours. It was so tender, juicy, with a nice crust, falling off the bone. Pan juices for days. By contrast, my bud bought a boneless loin, had to brine, babysit the the thing in the oven, check the internal temp. For what? A comparatively flavorless, dry roast. For a lot more money.

I loved Taste. I had no idea the broth for won ton soup could be made with chicken feet, whole fish and Smithfield ham. Or what a pain in the ass ketchup would be to make. Or how delicious burgoo looks. David Rosengarten, Alton Brown -- I loves me some food geeks.

[Radio7]

1. the ubiquitous "wrap" sandwiches.

2. Chocolate desserts. You know, the ones where there's like 3 giant shards of chocolate in a tepee shape, with mousse and cake inside, then some swirl of chocolate sauce around the outside, with like, another gob of chocolate tossed in there somewhere for good measure?

Okay, I just find most choc.desserts boring as heck. But then I'm not much for desserts (aside from citrus)

3. The bastardization of 'seared ahi'. Only rarely have I ordered it and found it good. Usually they throw nine million other things in with it - often in a salad setting - and the delicacy of the meat is obliterated in a drunken mardi gras of flavors.

4. Overcooked calamari 'rings' with dip.

[MaxH]

What drives me nuts is when a dish or ingredient gets so popular and/or common it gets dumbed down to the point its not recognizable, or so far from its point of origin.

These aren't very recent, but that doesn't help:

Russian Dressing appeared often in the past, seemingly a condiment most US cooks would be expected to know -- especially in older cookbooks (say 1950 and earlier), to escort cold cooked shellfish or do other duties. (Reuben sandwiches, vegetable salads, Crab Louis ...)

The Guide Culinaire (1921, in Cracknell and Kaufmann's translation) describes (Recipe 204) a related "Russian Mayonnaise" with tarragon vinegar and horseradish; this is thickened with gelatin and "principally used for binding vegetable salads together for moulding." Morrison Wood (With a Jug of Wine, 1949, a famously flavor-intensive, fairly mainstream US cookbook that fought against blandness) has a similar recipe, and De Gouy (Revised Edition, 1948) lists three Russian Dressing recipes varying in the savory bits added. But -- ominously -- the latter two authors also list a "Thousand Island" Dressing that is a very bland Russian with lots of mayonnaise, and whipped cream added in case the bland flavors were still too assertive.

"Fettucine Alfredo," served routinely with cream. Why ??

[lizard]

Avocado eggrolls.  Kitchen sink quesadillas.

On Pork and the late, lamented program Taste:

Why does anyone buy pork loin?  I just cooked a shoulder blade roast, bone in, and it was FABULOUS.  And I did nothing to it -- slapped some salt/pepper on it cold, shoved it in a 325 F oven and went to sack out for a few hours.  It was so tender, juicy, with a nice crust, falling off the bone.  Pan juices for days.  By contrast, my bud bought a boneless loin, had to brine, babysit the the thing in the oven, check the internal temp.  For what?  A comparatively flavorless, dry roast.  For a lot more money.

I loved Taste.  I had no idea the broth for won ton soup could be made with chicken feet, whole fish and Smithfield ham.  Or what a pain in the ass ketchup would be to make.  Or how delicious burgoo looks.  David Rosengarten, Alton Brown -- I loves me some food geeks.

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HMMMM... I'm thinking we need a new thread: "why we miss David Rosengarten," as I am also a huge member of his fanclub. How else would I know how to brew that perfect cup of tea, or the difference between a highland and lowland Scotch? Did you know he still sends a regular email newsletter? You can sign up for "The Rosengarten Report" online: David Rosengarten's Website

Oh, and to keep it on topic, foams are really starting to piss me off. It was cool, strange and palate challenging when Adria did it, but now it's just downright annoying when the corner brewpub tops their risotto with a basil foam. It's just so 2003...

[divalasvegas]

Avocado eggrolls.  Kitchen sink quesadillas.

On Pork and the late, lamented program Taste:

Why does anyone buy pork loin?  I just cooked a shoulder blade roast, bone in, and it was FABULOUS.  And I did nothing to it -- slapped some salt/pepper on it cold, shoved it in a 325 F oven and went to sack out for a few hours.  It was so tender, juicy, with a nice crust, falling off the bone.  Pan juices for days.  By contrast, my bud bought a boneless loin, had to brine, babysit the the thing in the oven, check the internal temp.   For what?  A comparatively flavorless, dry roast.  For a lot more money.

I loved Taste.  I had no idea the broth for won ton soup could be made with chicken feet, whole fish and Smithfield ham.  Or what a pain in the ass ketchup would be to make.  Or how delicious burgoo looks.  David Rosengarten, Alton Brown -- I loves me some food geeks.

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First of all, ingridsf I'm drooling as I read your rendition of pork roast. Delicious! And you are so right: when it's a good piece of pork you don't have to do much with it. I admit to being a pork snob since a) my mom was a farm girl and they slaughtered their own pigs every year and did all kinds of wonderful things with it, not wasting one porky bit--hams, chitlin's, sausage, head cheese, pork pudding, and so on. b) my mom could cook the living shit--not overcooked to dryness--out of a good pork roast. Period. End of story. And that's when pork actually smelled and tasted like pork.

As you say, why indeed would ANYONE buy pork loin? Of course I'm not trying to back an actual Constitutional Amendment to prevent people from buying this product. Oh well, maybe I am. But it's such a horrible product that the most suggested way of cooking it is to prepare it medium or medium rare to make it palatable! Yes, I know that modern day pork is supposed to be free of those diseases of the past that required one to cook pork within an inch of its life (and taste), but I'm one of the lone "old school gals" that absolutely despises "pork tartare" or any of his/her modern day cousins.

On Taste glad to see I'm not alone in missing his show. As you and SusySushi have concurred, it is a show I miss a lot.

And for the love of God, as you say, PLEASE STOP WRAPPING UP EVERYTHING!!! When I order breakfast, I want my eggs, breakfast meat(s), hash browns on a plate, not folded into the hideously ubiquitous "breakfast burrito." Hey, while you're at it, why not fold in my toast, jelly, coffee and orange juice too.

Oh ditsydine I didn't remember about David Rosengarten's recipe for making won ton soup broth. If you or anyone else can point me to that recipe, it would be much appreciated.

BTW, I love chicken feet.

Edited mainly to correct misspelling of SuzySushi's online name. Sorry Suzy!

Edited June 24, 2005 by divalasvegas (log)

[divalasvegas]

Avocado eggrolls.  Kitchen sink quesadillas.

On Pork and the late, lamented program Taste:

Why does anyone buy pork loin?  I just cooked a shoulder blade roast, bone in, and it was FABULOUS.  And I did nothing to it -- slapped some salt/pepper on it cold, shoved it in a 325 F oven and went to sack out for a few hours.  It was so tender, juicy, with a nice crust, falling off the bone.  Pan juices for days.  By contrast, my bud bought a boneless loin, had to brine, babysit the the thing in the oven, check the internal temp.   For what?  A comparatively flavorless, dry roast.  For a lot more money.

I loved Taste.  I had no idea the broth for won ton soup could be made with chicken feet, whole fish and Smithfield ham.  Or what a pain in the ass ketchup would be to make.  Or how delicious burgoo looks.  David Rosengarten, Alton Brown -- I loves me some food geeks.

←

HMMMM... I'm thinking we need a new thread: "why we miss David Rosengarten," as I am also a huge member of his fanclub. How else would I know how to brew that perfect cup of tea, or the difference between a highland and lowland Scotch? Did you know he still sends a regular email newsletter? You can sign up for "The Rosengarten Report" online: David Rosengarten's Website

Oh, and to keep it on topic, foams are really starting to piss me off. It was cool, strange and palate challenging when Adria did it, but now it's just downright annoying when the corner brewpub tops their risotto with a basil foam. It's just so 2003...

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Yo lizard I've already signed up for his online newsletter. And I think starting a "Why I Miss David Rosengarten" thread is brilliant. Will you?

[tommy]

my understanding is that baby back ribs are basically the end part of the rib. whether or not that could also be described as a "pork chop bone" i'm not too sure.

as far as people wanting to eat leaner meat and choosing baby back ribs over the obviously more fatty versions, i don't see why that's not reasonable. what's not reasonable to me is to suggest that people who want to cut back on fat eat only near-fatless foods, like skinless chicken breasts.

i'm never ticked off at what other people put in their mouths. maybe my expectations are too high when i expect the same from others.

[Okbrewer]

One item that I've seen on a lot of menus is Cedar Plank Salmon. Unless it is a restaurant in the Pacific NW, most places don't get it right.

[Poffertjes]

Rock on Tommy!

Please do not give me a weird look when I put something "odd, weird, different, or something you deem gross" in my mouth. I like it. I took the time to make it. I'm not making you eat it. Leave me alone.

If I have one more friend drag me to an "authentic" mexican eatery only to be confronted by a pile of melted cheese, jarred salsa, and something that looks like it belongs in a dog's dish I'm going to scream!

Up there with gummy pasta in sundried tomato pesto (best of both worlds)

And anything from a can than I'm paying 15 bucks for. Why o why can't you use something fresh?

[misstenacity]

tired of seeing ceasar salads on every menu: challenge the customers a little I say.

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Especially when the dressing comes out of a large container with the word "Sysco" on it, as a waitress admitted to me when I questioned her about the salad at a local bar whose food has sadly gone downhill....

Andrea

http://tenacity.net

[Shalmanese]

Rocket in everything. I honestly don't understand why. Sure, it goes will with a couple of things, but it indiscriminately clashes with so many flavours and it's strong taste drowns out any delicacy. Especially bad is rocket with raw fish.

[C_Ruark]

tired of seeing ceasar salads on every menu: challenge the customers a little I say.

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RaxElita,

Another one: French Onion Soup... mostly because about 1/100 restaurants can make this soup right. How can something so dead-simple get trashed so often?

IMHO, the recipe they teach at LCB is the best; wine, lots of onion - different types is a plus - and gruyere. Hit the top with a salamander or a torch and serve... Some of the stuff they sling has parmesan, swiss and provelone (or combinations thereof) on top of fresh (!) bread which just kills it. That is... if the over-the-top beef stock flavor hasn't already.

And what's with slapping an avocado on anything and adding "California" to the title?

Shalamanese is spot on with the rocket (arugula) comment as well.

-CSR

Edited June 24, 2005 by C_Ruark (log)

[divalasvegas]

my understanding is that baby back ribs are basically the end part of the rib.  whether or not that could also be described as a "pork chop bone" i'm not too sure.

as far as people wanting to eat leaner meat and choosing baby back ribs over the obviously more fatty versions, i don't see why that's not reasonable.  what's not reasonable to me is to suggest that people who want to cut back on fat eat only near-fatless foods, like skinless chicken breasts. 

i'm never ticked off at what other people put in their mouths.  maybe my expectations are too high when i expect the same from others.

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Sorry that I wasn't more clear in what I object to. To clarify, I think it's fantastic that people have a choice. Eat what you will. It's just when, in order to accomodate their choices, my/others' choices are restricted do I have a problem. How about this? Why not have BOTH baby backs and regular spareribs on the menu at a BBQ joint? After years and years of going to BBQ restaurants and ordering ribs meant spareribs I now having to inquire in advance what type of ribs are on the menu are--more and more they are exclusively baby backs.

Also, When I said:

Part of it I think was because they have been touted as a "leaner" type of rib. Once and for all, if you want to eat lean meat please just go out and buy a truckload of boneless, skinless, tasteless chicken breasts and call it a day.

This was my obviously very confusing attempt at using a bit of humor to make my point. Sorry, Tommy. Next time I'll try to remember to insert a smilie face so there's no misunderstanding. Just to be excrutiatingly clear, I do not object to people having access to ultra lean pork products and am not "ticked off" as you say to what other people put in their mouths. What I do object to is, once again having my choices restricted since most of the pork available in markets in the U.S. is bred to be lean.

And, BTW, I am aware that there is delicious heritage pork out there to be ordered online. I did some research on this, looks delicious, but not everyone has $75.00-$80.00 to spend on one 10-12 lb. pork roast, plus shipping and handling. At least I don't. How about mass producing less lean pigs again as was the case several years ago, in addition to the ultra lean piggies, and have both types of pork available at the supermarket, for the same price per pound of course, just to be fair?

[canucklehead]

I think that there are many ingredients that are 'discovered' and then overused to the point that you never want to see them again. Or worse - become so tied to a time period - that they fall out of fashion and are shunned - which denies even the proper use of the ingredient in the first place.

For me - that ingredient right now is white truffle oil which seems to find it's place into EVERYTHING. Foie Gras runs a close second. What makes the overuse of these material particularly egregious is that they are wonderful if used sparingly - but now they have become cheapened and cliched.

Pesto, Sun Dried Tomatoes (OMG - I can't remember how to pluralize tomato), Balsamic Vinegar... the list goes on and on.

As for tired restaurant dishes - molten chocolate cake and 'fill in the blanks' eggrolls. Enough already!

[glossyp]

3. The bastardization of 'seared ahi'. Only rarely have I ordered it and found it good. Usually they throw nine million other things in with it - often in a salad setting - and the delicacy of the meat is obliterated in a drunken mardi gras of flavors.

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Amen. Acknowledging this is tantamount to sacrilege in Hawaii but the bastardization of it happens here as well. Crusted with multiple ingredients, plated and served with not one, not two but how about three or more dips/sauces? The list goes on but the phrase you used, "drunken mardi gras of flavors", is brilliantly descriptive!

[Tess]

I'm all in favor if the crust on the seared ahi! It stops the outer 2/3 of the fish from getting cooked. Nothing worse than the "seared" fish which is mostly cooked.

[shelora]

Tiramisu.

Please make it stop.

[MicBacchus]

Marinara sauce for calamari - have some imagination, folks

'Blackened' anything

'Buffalo' anything

Raspberry vinagrette

[glossyp]

I'm all in favor if the crust on the seared ahi! It stops the outer 2/3 of the fish from getting cooked. Nothing worse than the "seared" fish which is mostly cooked.

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I don't mind crusting seared ahi - it's the multiple ingredients used to crust (recent example seen locally - "sesame seeds, togarashi, black pepper, wasabi, cumin and furikake crusted seared ahi") and the overdressing of the dish itself that bothers me. Must be a market for it though so I may be in the minority. Wouldn't be the first time!