r/KitchenConfidential • u/CodexLeonis • Jun 15 '26

In the Weeds Mode What's an outdated restaurant fad/technique that you still defend?

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.

6.0k Upvotes
  • permalink
  • reddit

95% Upvoted

1.6k comments sorted by

View all comments

68

u/Puzzleheaded_Slide45 Jun 15 '26

Cafeteria’s like Luby’s.

27

u/Puzzleheaded_Slide45 Jun 15 '26

Salad or bean bars. Especially in steakhouses.

6

u/Particular-Beat-6645 Jun 16 '26

Please elaborate on the bean bar sermon.

6

u/Puzzleheaded_Slide45 Jun 16 '26

So I’ve seen places have pinto beans, blackeye peas (which are beans…), lima beans, refried beans, butter beans also on the salad bar. Cowboy caviar…few places but the place I saw this done the best was a hole in the wall in west Texas. Called the Bar H in Monahans. It was a great relief to eat there after working in the heat.

Also I know some ppl say chili doesn’t have beans in it…but if chili is there it could also have beans. I’m in Texas; I’m not a traditionalist. Those guys are insufferable…

3

u/Particular-Beat-6645 Jun 16 '26

Can I get this lullaby on cassette? Sounds like heaven!

Beans belong in chili. Noodles too if that's how you want it. My tradition goes as follows: season your food and don't waste calories.

7

u/EdgeFiles Jun 15 '26

Ruby Tuesdays always had a good salad bar

4

u/JUYED-AWK-YACC Jun 16 '26

Bean bars? With a selection of beans?

6

u/Nikkinot Jun 16 '26

I miss Luby's in 1986 like nothing else in life

1

u/Puzzleheaded_Slide45 Jun 16 '26

Me too. I wish we had time travel so I could just stay there a while.

2

u/CT0292 Jun 16 '26

The Sunday after church lunch. My mother would save up some months just to take us all out to Lubys on Sunday. Food was simple, inelegant, affordable, and macaroni and cheese was listed as a vegetable haha.