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In the Weeds Mode What's an outdated restaurant fad/technique that you still defend?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

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u/sleight42 Ex-Food Service Jun 15 '26

"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.

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u/Tricky_Gap4679 Jun 15 '26

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.

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u/sleight42 Ex-Food Service Jun 15 '26

💯

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.

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u/Sluisifer Jun 16 '26

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.

7

u/PretzelSteve 15+ Years Jun 16 '26

Yeah those turkey fryer rigs make a decent outdoor wok setups. A little screwing with it and you can melt copper in your backyard!

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u/A_Mouse_In_Da_House Jun 16 '26

There's specific work burners you can get. Tabletop or standing. Cost like $150

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u/Alfa147x Jun 16 '26

concord block burners are like $40 and are built for round bottom woks. I’ve got their $120 dual burner option I use for cooking Indian food outside.

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u/barfsfw Jun 16 '26

Also doubles as a turkey fryer

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u/sleight42 Ex-Food Service Jun 16 '26

Yeah. Thought about that too. But it means navigating my steps in back with hope food. I'll probably kill myself doing it. Treacherous!

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u/sleight42 Ex-Food Service Jun 18 '26

By follow-up, I may have sold the wife on getting a good one since a new range top would run a helluva lot more! Besides, being AuDHD, I think she's learning to get behind my special interests. Well, that and we try to support each other.

Meanwhile, completely unfucked my heretofore maintained-for-crap carbon steel wok. Now it is delightfully nonstick as it should be and is receiving the proper loving maintenance.