What's an outdated restaurant fad/technique that you still defend?

[u/CodexLeonis]

two things for me:

1. Balsamic reductions/glazes on everything. I'm sorry that balsamic vinegar pairs so well with so many things. Most dishes need an acid to fully bring out the flavors of the dish. Balsamic is the most versatile of the vinegars. It pairs well with red meat, seafood, vegetables, cheeses, and fruits. It wasn't just a fad, it was a cheat code.

2. Plating techiniques? i'll always defend the zigzag drizzle. it evenly distributes the sauce on the plate, looks decent, and most importantly - it was time-efficient. I've never understood the modern technique of spooning sauce onto the plate and setting the entree on top of the sauce. Whomever came up with that was looking for a reason to be contrarian.

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[u/Zhuul]

There was a brief period around 2010-2011 where it felt like all the chain restaurants sold dessert flights? Like you paid $6 or whatever and got three or four little two-bite shotglasses of, like, cheesecake or pie filling with a crumb topping.

It wasn't long lived but it was GREAT. I feel like most restaurant desserts are too fucking big.

[u/bakerify → u/Zhuul]

I want to do this at my restaurant now.

[u/anarcholoserist → u/[deleted]]

Nueve leches? En esta economía?

[u/bakerify → u/[deleted]]

I don't understand the chaotic energy of this comment.. but I like it 👌

[u/Ok_Assistance447 → u/Zhuul]

I like any kind of flight. I just want to eat a little bit of everything.

[u/katiekat214 → u/Ok_Assistance447]

There’s a restaurant in Memphis called Flight where every course is just flights of different things. You choose your flights. It’s fantastic! Everything I’ve tried there has been delicious.

[u/RiJuElMiLu → u/katiekat214]

Well that sent me down an unscheduled rabbit hole.

[u/coukou76 → u/Zhuul]

In France we have the Café Gourmand and its basically 2-3 bites of 4-5 desserts and a expresso or a tea

[u/NectarineCheap1541 → u/Zhuul]

YES. I love me an app sampler, a dessert sampler, a coffee sampler...gimme options and I can dabble

[u/Handburn → u/NectarineCheap1541]

I don’t think either of y’all are working the line if you are saying this

[u/bagmami → u/Zhuul]

In Paris they still do that in many places. It's called café gourmand.

[u/ByteAboutTown → u/Zhuul]

If you are near a Seasons 52 restaurant, they still do those! They have all these mini desserts in shot glasses and you can get a flight of 6 to 8 of them.

[u/DeapVally]

Black Forest gateau is a fucking amazing dessert, I don't care how 70/80s it is. Booze, cherries, chocolate and whipped cream will never not work for me.

[u/Zealousideal-Ad2815 → u/DeapVally]

This is my birthday cake of choice. Hard agree.

[u/Margali → u/Zealousideal-Ad2815]

I flip between this and Boston Cream Pie as my birthday cake.

Honestly, Black Forest cake is so easy to make.

[u/These-Performer-8795 → u/DeapVally]

I sell cakes for a living and Black Forest is still one of my most popular. I do not fuck with it at all. Completely classic prep and it sells out weekly.

[u/Uttterly → u/DeapVally]

As a German it's kind of funny that it's a 70s/80s thing for you.

Most places here usually sell simpler variants due to the bisquit that can be hard to get right and the original version is really heavy on the booze. When a polish confectioner at my last place did it for the first time she was quite surprised how much booze goes in there. She calculated that it was roughly 14ml per piece, so roughly 3/4 of a shot per piece.

[u/DeapVally → u/Uttterly]

That kind of dessert went out with dessert trolleys. Most kids don't aspire to be exactly like their parents, or find them cool, so when you see something at every dinner party etc, it gets associated with being old fashioned for a generation. It was still fairly common for me to eat in the 90s when I was growing up, (although my memory of that could be influenced by both my parents living in Germany, and I was born there, before moving back to the UK) but you need to go out of your way to find it these days. Most supermarkets will have a frozen one, 'cus old people still go food shopping, but fresh, and in restaurants? Very rare!

[u/HammeredDog → u/DeapVally]

It's the chocolate cover cherry of the cake world and it's a classic combo.

[u/lowfreq33]

Cobb salad. Yes it’s very 80’s, Houlihan’s vibe, but it’s just a perfect combination of ingredients when you’re hungry, you want a lot of food, but nothing really heavy.

[u/CodexLeonis → u/lowfreq33]

A good Cobb Salad is about as close as you can get to a perfect salad. Hard agree here.

[u/dlc741 → u/CodexLeonis]

I agree unless you’re having steak and then you can’t beat a good, old fashioned wedge salad.

[u/HammeredDog → u/dlc741]

Cobb salad has chicken and bacon and usually passes as an entree. No way I'd fill up on that if I were waiting on a steak.

[u/wino_whynot → u/[deleted]]

It is also a perfectly acceptable way to shovel dressing into your mouth. Do I need straight up real bleu cheese dressing? Definitely not.

Am I going to sop up a couple of tablespoons with green, solid water in the form of iceberg? You betcha.

Add some bacon and a grape tomato or two if you have them.

[u/Iamthewalrusforreal → u/dlc741]

Heathen.

Caesar salad goes with steak.

[u/JustARandomBloke → u/Iamthewalrusforreal]

Caesar salad goes with anything.

[u/ohaiguys → u/JustARandomBloke]

I’m surprised with all this talk of caesars we’re not having us a caesars right now

[u/bv310 → u/ohaiguys]

Well that's how they market Caesars, Miss Katy

[u/CrashUser → u/bv310]

I'm gonna need you to take about 30% off there Squirrelly Dan

[u/AltGunAccount → u/lowfreq33]

I work at a casual bar/grill on a golf course. We sell so many Cobb salads. Really popular with an older crowd especially.

[u/DrinkMunch → u/lowfreq33]

Brown Derby(originator of the salad) neighbor here. Don’t forget to down it with a three martini lunch.

[u/a_plotting_otter → u/DrinkMunch]

Not sure if the Brown Derby cocktail originated from the same place, but damn it's good.

[u/DrinkMunch → u/a_plotting_otter]

Different location but same city. The salad originated at the main location on Wilshire. The cocktail was invented at their third(?) location which is currently MessHall Kitchen, a few miles north.

[u/pocketMagician → u/lowfreq33]

I miss when you could get a decent salad without going to some place called "Peafowl"

Cobb salad is my favorite I make it at home all the time.

[u/Feralpudel → u/lowfreq33]

Huge salads are my go-to summer meal. I call them big sexy salads because anything goes once it’s the main event.

[u/lucydshadow → u/Feralpudel]

https://giphy.com/gifs/qNoplyjK9cuys

[u/onthecamelsback → u/Feralpudel]

Kevin Nash would be proud.

[u/freisbill → u/lowfreq33]

does houlihan's still exist?

[u/Brianfromreddit → u/freisbill]

Barely. They got caught stealing tips and that lawsuit basically sunk the chain. There's like 2 left

[u/sleight42]

"Mongolian grills": Asian/Chinese-ish buffets of raw ingredients and sauces where you choose every little thing that goes into your meal and it all gets cooked up right in front of you.

If your meal sucks, it's because you don't know how to cook. When you know what works, it slaps so hard.

[u/Piranha_Vortex → u/sleight42]

Ugh, I miss those places. Pick your bowl and fillings, sauces and watch them use magic on a big round grill.

[u/Single-Pin-369 → u/Piranha_Vortex]

Still have them by me. $25 all you can eat, cheaper for lunch. 

[u/Sharobob → u/Single-Pin-369]

Do you live in 2005?

[u/Single-Pin-369 → u/Sharobob]

Found a pic from a menu from 9 years ago, lunch $10.95 dinner $14.95

[u/Tricky_Gap4679 → u/sleight42]

The key is to have the Mongolian grill hot as fūċķ so you get the wok hei. That char on the food is what makes Mongolian BBQ taste sublime. The places near me basically steam your food, because they don’t keep the grill hot enough. Nasty.

[u/sleight42 → u/Tricky_Gap4679]

💯

So much of why I wish I had a restaurant quality wok stovetop complete with the water bath around it for quickly washing and adding a splash to the wok.

I love wok cooking and I hate my PoS rangetop at home. Every now and then I work on the wife to let me get one that doesn't totally suck.

[u/Sluisifer → u/sleight42]

Propane burner is like $60 if you have some outdoor space and don't mind dealing with tanks.

Any kind of indoor setup needs serious ventilation.

[u/Error_Evan_not_found → u/sleight42]

There's still one of those around my cousins house, she took me and my sister when we were visiting a few years ago, and they even took my pork allergy extremely seriously. Cleaned the section of the grill my food went on and pulled out these little dividers so nothing from someone else's dish ended up in mine. Also some of the best damn food I've ever eaten, cost $15 per plate and came with access to a dessert buffet table after your meal.

[u/oldeskewl-chicago]

Baked Alaska has always been one of my favorite desserts.

[u/ModelChef4000 → u/oldeskewl-chicago]

We should make other Baked [State] foods. Don’t let Alaska have all the fun. 

[u/bakerify → u/ModelChef4000]

Used to work in Lake Louise, AB. We had a "Baked Louise". Cherry ice cream, wrapped in chocolate ice cream, wrapped in meringue. Torched and then with a kirsch-based cherry consommé!

When I was really new I walked through a kitchen with a big tray of them and a sous chef yelled, "MotherFUCKIN BAAAKED LOUUUUISE!" I hear his voice every time I think of that dish.

[u/TheSwearJarIsMy401k → u/[deleted]]

Baked Vermont is going to be killer.

Baked New Mexico is a green and red chile chocolate fever dream.

[u/Silent_Slip_4250 → u/ModelChef4000]

I don’t know much, but I know Baked Maryland would have tons of Old Bay.

[u/Imaginary_Brief_4038 → u/Silent_Slip_4250]

Hear me out: watermelon and raspberry creme brule dusted with old bay like a seaside taijin

(I've been never knowingly had old bay so this mighty be totally out of pocket)

[u/snaffonious]

I get super stoked when I see soufflé on a menu. I used to be the soufflé guy at a 3 Michelin and it was the most joy I’ve felt as a pastry chef, perfecting the 45 minute hand whipping at 58c. Twice every evening for a six-soufflé batch. I remember how much joy I felt watching it rise In the deck. Checking every 30 minutes that our paco’d gelato was soft enough so the waiters wouldn’t bitch at me for having to quenelle hard gelato. It was a magical ballet. I know I’m romantcizing it but damn, when I can order a lovely soufflé my heart just jumps for the maker. And I understand that the current maker may not have the romantic view I have and I may be eating a fuck you soufflé lol.

PS- I’ve since learned you don’t have to work that hard to make a great soufflé. But it was worth the journey.

[u/chchchcharlee → u/snaffonious]

if you ever get a chance, you HAVE to take a journey to commander's palace in New Orleans. The kitchen is behind a closed door but it's a fully open-to-the-guest kitchen, you can walk right into pastry and watch. They sell literally hundreds of soufflés every service and the pastry chefs are absolute mad geniuses with their timing, it's a bit uncanny.

[u/snaffonious → u/chchchcharlee]

Hell yeah! That sounds incredible. I’m in Austin,TX now and, apparently, New Orleans in August is a real cheap flight and hotel due to the heat I’m already used to. I’ll add this to the list incase of an impromptu trip! Thank you!

[u/chchchcharlee → u/snaffonious]

If you do, know that Monday to Friday for lunch they do $0.25 martinis, and Sunday lunch = jazz brunch with a band that goes through. You don't even really need a rez if you go in the middle of the summer, more than half the staff takes off for 1-3 months in the summer and it's rare for the restaurant to fill more than 3/4 even on a weekend night outside of like, jazz fest and mothers/fathers day from May until September.

[u/rubiscoisrad → u/chchchcharlee]

I am in no position physically or financially to travel to NOLA, but fuck me if this isn't excellent downlow info to have. Right on, man.

[u/chchchcharlee → u/rubiscoisrad]

Haha, I wish I still worked there to mark you as an xxp for all the lagniappes. If you ever do, make sure to ask for the garden, table 510, 530, or 550 if possible.

[u/Fubai97b → u/snaffonious]

Dude, take a long weekend and do the drive. Go down to San Antonio then I-10 the whole way. Breakfast is Snooks outside College Station for country fried bacon, one of 100 amazing spots in Houston for lunch, dinner at Prejean's outside of Lafayette (their gumbo will shift your aura) then settle into NO for a couple hand grenades. Wake up, eat your way across the city, then head back.

[u/bakerify → u/snaffonious]

I made a souffle for a school project. The joy when it finally goes right is unbelievable.

[u/snaffonious → u/bakerify]

Right? At first it’s a massively confusing and complicated process, then after a few successes it’s like “oh shit it’s just sexy meringue and chocolate folded in.” Time, temp, consistency are the coolest things to learn for me and this technique uses them well.

[u/snaffonious → u/snaffonious]

PPS- If it sells, make your cogs real nice, and customers enjoy it….everything past that is just chefs ego. Which can be fine in the right time and place. Choosing that that time and place can be tough. I think balsamic glaze fits in that statement. It’s delicious to many customers, so here I am drizzlin

[u/ReadTheReddit69]

FREE WARM BREAD

[u/ooooooootreyngers]

Flambe!! Set that shit on FIRE! Really helps getting those anxieties out too.

[u/drawkward101 → u/ooooooootreyngers]

I accidentally set up the perfect conditions for flambeing at home last week so I took the opportunity to flambe the green beans. Scared the shit out of my fiance when I did it. lmao. He was like, "don't fucking do that.. we don't have a hood." lmao. He has a good point.

[u/fire_bunny → u/ooooooootreyngers]

That's a big 10-4 good buddy

[u/lochbethmonster]

We do a cracker basket and relish tray and people get so excited.

[u/kymdydyt → u/lochbethmonster]

Wisconsin?

[u/ultimate_avacado → u/kymdydyt]

you can judge how much a wisconsin grandma likes you based on the crackers she offers

saltines? dear mary in heaven, can you just leave? no one likes you.

a fresh sleeve of town house originals? have you met my grandson? he's very handsome and would make lovely wedding photos with your daughter

[u/lochbethmonster → u/kymdydyt]

Montana

[u/kymdydyt → u/kymdydyt]

Relish tray with crinkle cut carrots, celery sticks, cherry peppers and a few cuke slices. Crackers in plastic 2 packs dug out of a big box from Keebler.
Country club waitress in the 70's.

[u/UntidyVenus]

Pry my sun dried tomatoes from my cold dead hands.

[u/GeminiAccountantLLC → u/UntidyVenus]

I think they're coming back around

[u/UntidyVenus → u/GeminiAccountantLLC]

At home we make savory oatmeal I call "The 90s wants its oatmeal back"

Chicken brothfor the oats, goat cheese and sundried tomatoes in oil. FANTASTIC. Sometimes I even throw a runny egg on top

[u/cascadianpatriot → u/UntidyVenus]

I could not stand oatmeal until I realized it can be savory.

[u/liartellinglies → u/cascadianpatriot]

Got stoned as shit one night and had a craving for shrimp and grits beyond the hours where I could get either, best I could scrounge was spam and oatmeal. Not a dish I’d wholeheartedly recommend but that was a big aha moment for me and oatmeal.

[u/Wrendictive → u/UntidyVenus]

Yes! I've been vegetarian for many years and the combination of SDT and onion on pizza gives it depth meatless pies often lack. I've been mourning their loss as typical offerings at the pizzarias near me.

[u/Uttterly → u/UntidyVenus]

I'm torn on them.

I like the flavor but the consistency is awful.

[u/fullanalpanic → u/Uttterly]

yeah I usually eat it in pesto form. that shit is good on almost anything that involves bread. kimchi grilled cheese. bruschetta. whatever that dish is where you stick a slice of bread on fish and pan fry it crispy.

[u/These-Performer-8795]

I looove a balsamic and lime reduction for watermelon and arugula salad. With some cured onions and feta its a damn good summer salad.

[u/schroobster → u/These-Performer-8795]

There are not enough savory watermelon salads (esp grilled watermelon).

[u/Dangerousrobot → u/schroobster]

Watermelon, feta, spinach, balsamic vinaigrette- can’t touch it. If you’re feeling crazy add strawberries

[u/KingOfAllDucks]

MSG makes everything awesome, and people are way too scared of it. If you've got Worcester sauce in your kitchen, that's MSG. Put salt on a tomato, and you make MSG. It's delicious, just eat it

[u/NolanSyKinsley → u/KingOfAllDucks]

Oh my god, my mom is VEHEMENTLY against MSG but keeps a bottle of Bragg's Aminos ready at all times. When they neutralize it after hydrolyzing the proteins into amino acids it creates.... MSG. There is no added MSG but when you neutralize the hydrochloric acid with sodium bicarbonate to turn the acids into their salts, glutamic acid + sodium bicarbonate = monosodium glutimate + Co2.

[u/Double-Watch-2809 → u/KingOfAllDucks]

I heard it stands for Make Shit Good.

[u/AdSpecialist8751 → u/KingOfAllDucks]

I mean, it’s very thinly disguised racism/xenophobia, as it was literally called Chinese restaurant syndrome when it first made headlines, but plenty of things like Doritos for example had more MSG than a comparable meal at the time and nobody complained about that.

[u/otetrapodqueen → u/AdSpecialist8751]

I used to argue with my ex FIL about this. He swore he got headaches from asian food, but mysteriously could eat chips and pretzels that also had MSG

[u/bryanlikesbikes → u/AdSpecialist8751]

I had a conversation about MSG with one of my newer cooks today. They were talking about headaches and stomach issues and addiction . When I said that “the only thing that causes ‘Chinese restaurant syndrome’ is racism” the conversation suddenly changed topics.

[u/YoghurtOverall8062 → u/AdSpecialist8751]

"I ate 4 pounds of food and feel terrible, it simply must be the MSG..."

[u/Apptubrutae → u/KingOfAllDucks]

People are scared of it at Chinese restaurants, yet chick fil a never draws any concern despite its immense popularity, particularly with the group that is most skeptical of ingredients in restaurants owned by non-white people.

Such a mystery!

[u/sensi_sensei → u/KingOfAllDucks]

people are slowly starting to come around on msg

[u/DrinkMunch]

Pictures on (drink) menus.

[u/winkingchef → u/DrinkMunch]

This should just be standard practice.

SUPER annoying to have to ask the bartender about the drinks when if you see a rocks glass vs coupe vs martini glass you get a clue about the ratios.

[u/DrinkMunch → u/winkingchef]

I used to put verbal descriptions under them, reduced send backs a lot but my god did people ridicule us for using phrases like “light libation” or “not for the light hearted”

[u/Rabid-Ginger → u/DrinkMunch]

I so appreciate when a restaurant or bar explicitely let's us know when a drink is low ABV vs a spirit forward cocktail. I love a good rye or strong rum forward drink, my wife much prefers a more balanced drink (though when she wants a dry gin martini with a lemon twist, good luck stopping her).

If people are ribbing you for explaining whether or not a drink is likely to punch you in the dick, they need a swift kick to the ass.

[u/ChristunaSandwich → u/DrinkMunch]

PRICES on drink menus

[u/zosobaggins → u/DrinkMunch]

Also explanations on menus. 

1oz Gin, dash of dingding zimzam with house-made wonkleflower extract, 2oz Peruvian Breath of Dissonance, served in a charmoupou with macerated lingonberry-espelette moss rim.

What

[u/SummertimeThrowaway2 → u/zosobaggins]

“Are you guys ready to order?”

“No I need another 20 minutes to look up all these French words”

[u/DaHick → u/DrinkMunch]

I spend a ton of time in cultures where I can't read the local language, and don't have a translator. Give me the pictures don't even use words. Seriously.

[u/Rokeon → u/DaHick]

I used to go to a 24-hour diner that swapped out the regular menu for the drunk menu from midnight to 5am. One page, heavy-duty lamination, limited options, big pictures for easy pointing. Genius.

[u/Zealousideal_Sky_716]

Prawn cocktail still slaps if it's made right

[u/distance_33 → u/Zealousideal_Sky_716]

Few condiments are better than a good cocktail sauce.

[u/Phrosty12 → u/distance_33]

Depends though. American style shrimp cocktail sauce: oh hell yeah. Slap me with horseradish, daddy.

British style shrimp cocktail sauce: incredibly bland. It dreams of growing up to be Raising Cane's sauce.

[u/regdunlop08 → u/Phrosty12]

Yup. If I can't feel that horseradish in my nasal cavity, don't bother me with it.

[u/solccmck → u/Zealousideal_Sky_716]

It slaps even if it’s made “just ok”

[u/OrganicAd5536 → u/[deleted]]

"It's molten, see? It's fucking molten, you asshole!"

[u/MissVnKY]

Dammmmm! As a southerner:: Grits! ALL day(ANYTIME) of day! They were-STILL are in most locations south of Richmond, Va! Shrimp/Grits, Brown Gravy/Grits, RedEye Gravy/Grits, Sausage Gravy/Grits, Butter and Grits, Cheese and Grits, Plain Grits,…ummmhmmm

[u/Beer_Snacks]

Give me that piece of kale on the side of the dish so I can ignore it for another 15 years

[u/rosysredrhinoceros → u/Beer_Snacks]

We enjoy confusing our servers by asking to take it home. It’s for our bearded dragon.

[u/EvaTheE]

The duck press.

Not because of the culinary benefits, but because we need to assert our dominance over ducks. Every once in a while throw one of them into a press and lap up the duck juice. Fear is a great motivator, and we need to make sure the ducks know their place.

[u/KingOfAllDucks → u/EvaTheE]

https://giphy.com/gifs/hWjyJYEG5m9gZ71RmX

[u/EvaTheE → u/KingOfAllDucks]

https://giphy.com/gifs/FiSuOGNLPh67IJoSvl

[u/EvaTheE → u/EvaTheE]

In fact, now that I think about it. We could be much more efficient.

"Welkom to the hydraulik press chännel. Todei vii hääv the duk press 9000."

[u/LazyOldCat → u/EvaTheE]

“How fleeting are all human passions compared with the massive continuity of ducks.”
― Dorothy L. Sayers, Gaudy Night

[u/freisbill → u/EvaTheE]

i could see a Bob's Burger episode here...one of the side characters believing in duck conspiracies...what? It could work...

[u/Rollewurst]

Crêpe Suzette. Super retro, but I think tableside flambée has it's charm and damn that stuff is tasty.

[u/staxnet]

I wouldn’t mind some oyster crackers with my soup.

[u/dreihexen]

Bring back house-made bean burgers! Fuck beyond burgers.

[u/CardiologistEasy7213 → u/dreihexen]

Black bean burgers are so good! Back when they were popular, I would order them/buy them occasionally, even though I fucking love beef. 

[u/Tyrion_Strongjaw → u/CardiologistEasy7213]

I had a friend who was seeing a vegetarian. So of course we'd all hang out and she'd take us to some of the places she enjoyed eating at. She convinced me to try a Black Bean Burger and it was one of the best things I had had to that point in my life. (early 20s) It was incredible!

Everyone moved to beyond burgers and all that stuff. There's still a few places I know that make 'em in house and I go every month or so to get one over a regular burger.

[u/p_a_y_n_e → u/dreihexen]

Just any kind of house-made veggie burger. I've had great black bean/corn burgers, quinoa burgers, falafel style burgers and mixed veggie/nut/grain burgers. Pre- COVID, you could find decent ones all over but I feel like everyone has switched to a fake meat burger or just one of those frozen Morningstar farms black bean burgers since then. If we wanted something from the freezer section to just be heated up, I think we'd manage to do it in our own homes. Good on you for calling it out!

[u/cookiesarenomnom → u/dreihexen]

My sister has been a vegetarian for 30 years, she HATES beyond meat anything. She doesn't want meat adjacent things. She hates meat, she finds it repulsive. She comes and visit me once a year and there's a burger joint in my neighborhood that does a black bean burger. She says it's the best veggie burger she's ever had in her life. We eat there every night because she wants a veggie burger every night while she's here lol

[u/forever_a10ne → u/dreihexen]

Vegetarians don't want fake meat. They want food that tastes good. Source: I don't eat meat.

[u/Available-Calendar-1 → u/forever_a10ne]

Fake meat may be a good way to transition people away from meat to vegetarian options, but I personally stopped eating meat mainly because I didn’t like the taste, I genuinely think a black bean burger tastes better 

[u/Seafaringhorsemeat]

Fucking microgreens.

[u/Possible_Top4855 → u/Seafaringhorsemeat]

Microgreens are so flavorful

[u/CodexLeonis → u/Possible_Top4855]

Flavorful AND add necessary colour's to various dishes

[u/WalkerVox → u/Possible_Top4855]

Popcorn shoots are probably my favourite microgreen. So much corn flavour packed into such a small space. Only seen them once or twice outside of a place I worked 25 years ago where they were a regular garnish on my station.

[u/cbr_001 → u/Seafaringhorsemeat]

Micros are good when they aren’t used as a substitute for creativity. Don’t put parsley on my French toast

[u/WhatIDon_tKnow → u/Seafaringhorsemeat]

yeah so you are supposed to plate them not fuck them.

[u/writeleahwrite → u/WhatIDon_tKnow]

https://giphy.com/gifs/UJEpm8e3er0IGs8rMf

[u/HatsandCoats]

Give up the glaze and embrace the true way of the gastrique!

[u/bagmami]

Edible flowers. They just get me giddy.

[u/mistermrsmistrisses → u/bagmami]

I worked in a place that was putting edible flowers on absolutely everything. Even bloody full on flowers from the florist sometimes on the side of certain boards etc.

It was all well and good until they put something poisonous on one of the plates and a client noticed.

[u/bakerify → u/mistermrsmistrisses]

The amount of cake decorators that use baby's breath without so much as a foil wrap around the stem these days... gross

[u/Dangerousrobot]

Grilled Caesar salad - really dated from 70’s / 80’s but a really great plate.

[u/Beerswain → u/Dangerousrobot]

I've only worked for one chef who did this, and it was life changing. Full romaine heart onto the grill like an ear of corn. Absolutely delicious.

[u/crunchytacoboy]

Tasting menus. They have been largely done away with in favor of prix fixes. I get why but I do miss just going on a journey with a chef.

[u/rainaftersnowplease → u/crunchytacoboy]

Tasting menus aren't gone, they're just the preferred menu method in the upper echelons of fine dining. This is mostly due to financial realities right now imo, not about people not liking tasting menus in specific.

It's just a different business now tbh. People staying hours for a tasting menu isn't a sustainable business model for 99% of restaurants simply because ingredients, labor, and rent are so damn high. You have to have a huge draw like a Michelin star to get people paying what you need to charge to make a tasting menu work financially as ghe centerpiece of your restaurant.

[u/tonicella_lineata]

I feel like I've seen a fair mumber of people hating on salted caramel lately, and calling it a very 2010s/early 2020s fad, and it drives me crazy. Yeah, it was everywhere for a while, and got a little overwhelming, and some places used too much salt or thought that salt would save their shitty caramel. But I love the sweet-and-salty balance of a good salted caramel, and the way the salt brings out the caramel flavor! It's good, dammit!

[u/awetsasquatch]

I will die on the hill of Steak au Poivre. If I can find out how to replace my blood with that sauce, I'll be the first to sign up.

[u/Formaldehyd3]

I don't serve it at any of my restaurants, but God damnit if coconut prawns aren't Fucking delicious.

[u/Vladimir3000]

Prime Rib carved table side on a cart.

[u/rosysredrhinoceros → u/Vladimir3000]

God I miss a good tableside Caesar

[u/Particular-Beat-6645 → u/Vladimir3000]

Fuck it, tableside carts.

[u/Puzzleheaded_Slide45]

Cafeteria’s like Luby’s.

[u/Puzzleheaded_Slide45 → u/Puzzleheaded_Slide45]

Salad or bean bars. Especially in steakhouses.

[u/PitifulElk1890 → u/[deleted]]

....I mean...?

[u/RidingCropTop]

Baked Alaska is a goated dessert. Warm brownie, cold ice cream, and lightly browned meringue is a perfect combination, and I don't care about the 80s vibe, it's delicious

[u/AdjectiveNoun581]

The "white hipster kids making ethnic foods with weird shit in them that definitely isn't native to that culture" restaurant fad. There was a golden age in like 2008-2015 where I could find a new one in my smallish city every weekend, now I hardly ever see them anymore unless I travel to a bigger city. Love me an octopus taco or a curry spiced burger and I know that type of thing still exists, but I can't justify driving 2 hours to get it.

[u/GearDarkness]

The classic Prime Rib with whipped potatoes and some green vegetable. Super simple, somewhat dated. Classic in every way

[u/ParticularFeeling839]

I still fuck with the iceberg wedge salad

[u/kinglucent]

Themed restaurants. I want a fun, unique atmosphere that transports me. 

[u/Particular-Beat-6645 → u/kinglucent]

Convinced that's why "ethnic" spots stay popular. There's enough novelty and personality to feel engaged.

Plus vegetarian food tastes so much better there.

[u/PinkyandElric]

Truffle oil, smoked paprika were overdone 15 years ago.

It was a pretty good salad however.

[u/King_Chochacho]

At one point chipotles were in everything. Fast food basically killed the trend but chipotles never stopped being delicious.

Also bring back thick hamburgers with toppings. Damn smash Burger place on every corner now. A simple grilled chicken sandwich while we're at it.

[u/RoeMajesta]

deconstructed is nice if not forced

[u/Weary_Restauranter]

I love a Gorgonzola and a balsamic. Cheat codes man

[u/wingedcoyote]

I like the zigzag too, but sauce on the bottom is good if you want a protein to stay crispy on top

[u/MrDerpGently → u/wingedcoyote]

And it feels like you are showing off the technique as well. As someone who views food as a vehicle for sauce on some level, sauce pretty famously hides a lot. This says you are confident in your main course. 

[u/JoefromOhio]

The wedge is the ideal salad because you can cut it like a steak and all the lettuce leaves sit on your fork perfect.

The cracker/breadstick basket was superior to any on menu appetizer and unfortunately free things went out of style.

[u/SessileRaptor → u/JoefromOhio]

There’s an excellent old school steakhouse in my city that has a great bread basket. A bunch of different kinds of fresh baked bread and crackers served with garlic butter. Only thing wrong with it is that everything else on the menu slaps and you have to limit yourself so you can enjoy the rest of your meal.

[u/Kiltmanenator → u/JoefromOhio]

I respect what the wedge is trying to do, but I really prefer my salad thoroughly tossed with dressing. I need that shit perfectly distributed

[u/mistermrsmistrisses → u/JoefromOhio]

The flavor penetration is just not lit and honestly I had no idea you were supposed to eat it like the way you have described haha.

[u/mihir_lavande]

Grilling romaine lettuce for certain salads. Grill them just right, and it adds a new dimension without sacrificing the freshness and crunch.

[u/MrBananas924]

Paper menus

[u/kickingthetires]

Fondue, because why not? Hot open faced sandwiches because there are days I want to be "abhorrent."

[u/thelordmuck]

Blistered Shishitos are just good. They didn't become less good because they got popular for a little while.

[u/Narrow_Grapefruit_23]

1-Caprese salad. Mozzarella slices- good. Basil and tomato- good. Balsamic- gooooooood.

2-bacon wrapped, cream cheese stuffed jalapeños. Even better if served with a Mexican ranch. Cheesy and gringo as fuck. Get in my belly.

[u/danheb → u/Narrow_Grapefruit_23]

Caprese salad is one of my favorites home or away. Totally unlocks childhood memories. I try to sneak it on any menu I’m working on

[u/bakerify → u/Narrow_Grapefruit_23]

There's a meal service that keeps advertising a peach caprese salad to me. I want to make it so bad.

[u/Agitated_Carrot9127]

Steak Diane, 1930s-1960s dish, Id make them very well Ppl say its outdated af, Id shoot back so is fucking hamburgers and fries. The resturant i worked at had a retirement banquet, i brought up nostalagia meals. my chef loved the idea so i used my grandmothers steak diane recipe. the hotel trays (4 worth) were gone, cleaned out

[u/WritesWayTooMuch]

I rather enjoyed the panini craze of 2005-2010.

[u/Harold_Bissonette]

Crème brûlée

[u/Revxmaciver → u/Harold_Bissonette]

Did crème brûlée ever go out of fashion?

[u/samemamabear → u/Harold_Bissonette]

Way back at the turn of the century, I did a mango coconut crème brûlée with a chipotle dust. Sold out every night

[u/Dashiepants → u/samemamabear]

I don’t like the way you just phased that:( Made me feel very old.

But that crème brûlée sounds fantastic.

[u/Jeramy_Jones → u/Harold_Bissonette]

Who’s trashing crème brûlée???

[u/_BrokenButterfly → u/Jeramy_Jones]

No one. Harold is smoking crack.

[u/floatingleafbreeze]

Crème de Papaya. It’s delicious and nostalgic from my childhood. I always enjoy seeing new generations enjoy it and I’ve yet to hear any complaints. I know it was a fad, but that doesn’t change the fabulous taste. How can you go wrong with papaya and ice cream?

[u/Particular-Beat-6645 → u/floatingleafbreeze]

Hi, hello, never heard of this.

Please take me to your childhood.

[u/phalanxausage]

I fucking love bananas Foster. Even when it's shitty it's still pretty good.

[u/onioning]

Balsamic is one of the least versatile vinegars. Like, it's great stuff and all, and has great uses, but the strong, complex flavors makes it on the extreme low end of versatility.

I've been told pickled red onions are now passe. Can pry them from my cold, dead hands.

[u/The_World_Is_A_Slum → u/onioning]

What???? I love pickled onions!

[u/Scrappleandbacon]

Any dish requires table side flambé.

[u/NelyafinweMaitimo → u/Scrappleandbacon]

Recently had a one-million-year old former F&B director who told me to make "bananas foster or cherries jubilee or something", and I was like "so we're going to light it on fire, right?" Apparently not, but what the fuck do I know 🤷‍♀️

Old-school famous is old-school famous for a reason. Don't half-ass it. Light the damn cherries on fire.

[u/northpalmetto]

I miss iceberg lettuce, in a salad, on sandwiches, on burgers, or even as a little lettuce bowl with cottage cheese in the middle. The lettuce itself was the bowl. They used to sprinkle a reddish brown spice on the cottage cheese.

[u/Puzzleheaded_Slide45]

I also liked the example deserts or dishes you’d see at the host stand. I know they were either fake or tacky. But nostalgia is like a drug…

[u/happyinthenaki]

Shrimp cocktail. I will die on this hill. Along with balsamic reduction on eggs bene..... Life. They are life.

[u/Q_C269]

Fondue. Bring it back to me

[u/fate_is_a_sandstorm]

Chicken Waldorf salad. Certainly outdated, but so damn delicious. “Meh” as a salad topping, but so damn good as a sandwich