Grub Time

When I first started this blog off I pledged to include more than just wine, so I’m finally going to get around to saying some things about restaurants. Other than going to baseball games, I’d say eating out is my favorite form of entertainment. Admittedly I’m quite a geek about it and can really dork out, but that’s part of the fun for me. So, without further ado…

I got my copy of the New Zagat guide this past week or so, and along with eagerly reading about my favorite local restaurants and a few places I’ve eaten at in other cities I’ve been trying to glance through different parts. This particular guide is based on actual guest reviews, so it’s interesting to see what trends are popping up. I’d say that there are two “qualities” that appear throughout the book, regardless of restaurant or region: product and presentation.

Product is hardly a surprise. With the continued popularity of Whole Foods, Wild Oats, and other natural product stores is would only make sense for people to carry their interest in fresh, healthy, quality produce, meat, dairy, and seafood products into restaurants. Additionally, there is a certain ceiling a restaurant hits when it doesn’t make a major effort to secure the best quality product. I’m not saying you can’t do a good job using basic supplies and products, but the only way to really achieve the highest standards is to start with the highest standard goods.

Today’s restaurants are certainly more vocal about using local produce, sustainable practice seafood, free-range beef, and hormone free dairy. I have no doubt that the appearance of these phrases on menus and restaurant websites creates a self-fulfilling prophecy for many. But it is also true that restaurants using the best stuff start with a huge head start and will always have more potential that restaurants that don’t.

Next, I was intrigued by how often the presentation of dishes matters to diners. For myself, this is always a factor to consider. Admittedly, it is possible to make a dish that tastes absolutely delicious and looks either completely generic or even unappealing. But who wants that? There’s no need to go overboard, but I do prefer my food to be presented in a colorful, lively, attractive manner.

Although it may not in any manner effect the actual taste of the dish, I am a huge believer that presentation has a tremendous impact on the enjoyment of the dish. First, it sets the tone. If you’re food looks stylish, clean, and refined then you expect it to taste that way. Next, I think that more than just looking attractive a well-presented dish conveys the message that the kitchen staff is focused and attentive. Anyone can toss a meat, a vegetable, and a starch on the plate and then ladle on some sauce. But when you have a plate that looks as though an individual took the time to arrange everything is a specific manner then I feel reassured that attention has been paid throughout the whole process, from conceiving the dish to securing the proper product to the preparation of the food.

So I guess that means I’m pretty boring and reassured in the general public’s attitude towards food in this country. I believe we are still in the young days of a major culinary awakening in America, and a return to fewer processed foods along with a move away from mass-produced, generic dishes is gaining traction (not that McDonald’s is going away). I’m all for continuing value quality product and good presentation.

There is one thing I would like the American public to adjust to though. Recently my wife and were at a restaurant and she ordered the scallops. Since our meal was tremendous I thought it was odd she was disinterested in her entrée, but I quickly realized why. The scallops were overcooked. Not horribly charred, just a chewy. I know it is the Midwest, where seafood tends to be overcooked, but it was still frustrating.

A given rule in culinary training is that when in doubt, overcook it (and this is doubly true with seafood). The specter of food poising and the risks associated with undercooked food is massive. Also, if you’ve ever witnessed a guest who felt they were served a potentially dangerous dish respond you know they can make quite a scene. Rumors or accusations of “raw seafood” can be massively damaging to a restaurant because of how sensitive the topic is. So most people are trained to avoid the worst-case scenario. Unfortunately that means people who actually enjoy properly prepared food often have to miss out because of the ignorance of others.

I realize there will always be a segment that believes a steak is only cooked if there is absolutely no hint of pink anywhere at all, or that seafood isn’t finished until it has the texture of a pork chop. I also have personally witnessed how these kind of people can react when they are presented with food that isn’t prepared that way. It’s always going to be a problem. I just wish we could figure out a better way to communicate so that people that actually want to enjoy what they are paying for can do so.