overrated foods/dishes

Originally Posted by Big Pun

Click to expand...

Foie gras.

I suck, Pio

FTFY. And btw, total fail.

I have to agree with lobster. While I like it when prepared well, it is the default dish poor people equate with affluence and class. This is why it's over rated.

Seafood in general. Not because I don't like seafood (nothing beats fish & chips @ the beach on a hot sunday), but because everyone is SO polarized. There is no "meh" when it comes to seafood. You either love it, or hate it.

When it comes to lobster, I don't understand the "fine dining" aspect. There is nothing fine about lobster. It is ugly, it doesn't taste particularily great (unless you drench it in butter), it is practically an ocean rat, and it is messy. I prefer my lobster like I prefer my hamburger. Eaten by hand, on the deck, with some friends. Never will I go out to a restaraunt and spend $20+ on a lobster.

I love good tomatoes. I grow my own and have control over all the **** I add so they come out sweet and tasty every time, good enough to eat by themselves. That said, most tomatoes that you can get at the grocery are ****. Often they are refridgerated (big no no), come from a hot house, and are mealy and flavorless.

Has anyone mentioned steak yet? Well... steak is at the apex of the overrated food spectrum

Whoever said Philly cheesesteaks... right on. Especially traditional style with "American" cheese. A pathetic mess of a sandwich with ingredients that taste subpar or simply artificial. Yuck.

I'll add clams. And I live in Boston.

Raw? Can't measure up to even a second-rate oyster. Fried whole-belly? Sorry, but cladding clams in greasy breading and topping with gobs of tartar sauce do not make them any better. Chowder? Admittedly, bacon, celery, cream and potatoes do lively up the lowly bivalve, but the flavor is only marginally clammy. Clamato? Don't think so. The minerally qualities just taste metallic.

One more Boston favorite (sorta) that leaves me baffled: Guinness beer. I'm much more of a wine drinker, but I do enjoy the occasional brew. Guinness certainly brings a tiny bit of malty flavor that the mass-market swill doesn't have, but the overall quality is what the wine world might call "flabby". Simply put, there's insufficient acid to balance it out. It's soft, structureless, with a bland mouth feel that doesn't invite another sip. And unless it's served at near room temp (which is advisable), there is almost no flavor whatsoever (vanishingly faint tastes of roasted coffee - at best - and just a touch of malty-ness on the nose). Tasted blind, I think I might mistake it for being flat. I'm more than willing to be schooled on this one.

Let me just add my surprise that truffles (real ones), foie gras, and tomatoes make this list! Really??? What's next... asparagus? Marrow? Butter? Fresh field peas? Bacon? Olive oil? Balsamico? Chocolate?

Originally Posted by Ricardo Malocchio

Click to expand...

Whoever said Philly cheesesteaks... right on. Especially traditional style with "American" cheese. A pathetic mess of a sandwich with ingredients that taste subpar or simply artificial. Yuck.

I'll add clams. And I live in Boston.

Raw? Can't measure up to even a second-rate oyster. Fried whole-belly? Sorry, but cladding clams in greasy breading and topping with gobs of tartar sauce do not make them any better. Chowder? Admittedly, bacon, celery, cream and potatoes do lively up the lowly bivalve, but the flavor is only marginally clammy. Clamato? Don't think so. The minerally qualities just taste metallic.

Truffles (real ones), foie gras, and tomatoes make this list? Really??? What's next... asparagus? Marrow? Butter? Fresh field peas? Bacon? Olive oil? Balsamico? Chocolate?
Tell us how you really feel.

Originally Posted by Ricardo Malocchio

Click to expand...

Whoever said Philly cheesesteaks... right on. Especially traditional style with "American" cheese. A pathetic mess of a sandwich with ingredients that taste subpar or simply artificial. Yuck.

I'll add clams. And I live in Boston.

Raw? Can't measure up to even a second-rate oyster. Fried whole-belly? Sorry, but cladding clams in greasy breading and topping with gobs of tartar sauce do not make them any better. Chowder? Admittedly, bacon, celery, cream and potatoes do lively up the lowly bivalve, but the flavor is only marginally clammy. Clamato? Don't think so. The minerally qualities just taste metallic.

Truffles (real ones), foie gras, and tomatoes make this list? Really??? What's next... asparagus? Marrow? Butter? Fresh field peas? Bacon? Olive oil? Balsamico? Chocolate?
I find a cheesesteak to be a solid replacement for a cheeseburger at a fancier restaraunt. Good comfort food.

Originally Posted by gdl203

Click to expand...

Has anyone mentioned steak yet? Well... steak is at the apex of the overrated food spectrum

yeah, I agree with you partyway - steak isn't my go to food for celebrations, I eat maybe 6 a year for work. I could be happy with 2 a year.

Originally Posted by Piobaire

Click to expand...

I have to agree with lobster. While I like it when prepared well, it is the default dish poor people equate with affluence and class. This is why it's over rated.

my daughters have become obsessed with eating at red lobster, I believe that they must have heard a story at pre-school or something. they keep talking about red lobster as a resteraunt that they want to go to. so, on a road trip last week, we went. first time for my wife, second time for me. it was intersting watching the people - basically very simple people on a special occasion out. I found it fascinating.

Originally Posted by imschatz

Click to expand...

I find a cheesesteak to be a solid replacement for a cheeseburger at a fancier restaraunt. Good comfort food.

Huh? What kind of "fancy" restaurants are you going to that replace cheeseburgers with cheesesteaks when they want to go upmarket?

I agree that truffles and truffle oil (no relation) are both overrated...but still delicious.

Allow me to add:

All Americanized Thai food
fresh pasta
shrimp tails (the heads are fantastic)
filet mignon
mahi-mahi (there is no more borig fish)
jamon serrano (jamon iberico is one of the best reasons to live)

bacon, pork belly
gourmet salts
wagyu
heirloom tomatoes
matsutake mushrooms

Originally Posted by gladhands

Click to expand...

shrimp tails (the heads are fantastic)

Originally Posted by gladhands

Click to expand...

I agree that truffles and truffle oil (no relation) are both overrated...but still delicious.

Allow me to add:

All Americanized Thai food
fresh pasta
shrimp tails (the heads are fantastic)
filet mignon
mahi-mahi (there is no more borig fish)
jamon serrano (jamon iberico is one of the best reasons to live)

Fresh pasta? Really?

Originally Posted by ama

Click to expand...

Fresh pasta? Really?

Aside from the stuffed pastas, i.e. ravioli and tortelini, I just don't think fresh pasta is all that better than dry.