Serious Eats - seriouseats.com

Call me a hater if you want, but I'm sorry. This poll question is really lame.

What if the recipe was as follows:

1. Microwave the meat until well-done
2. Cut veggies
3. Combine 1 and 2 with boiling water in a bowl
4. Salt to taste.

Am I critic if I suggest steps to improve upon the recipe?

porterhouse

The diner scene in the opening minutes of "Reservoir Dogs" is profane, funny, and on the mark.

Hey Digital,

I think you're right, but Cottage Inn really does itself a disservce by (willingly or unwillingly) associating itself with the other co-named stores that sell a mediocre product.

After having read the comments, I have to say, yes, it is a pretentious topic...and rather academic at that. The comments seem split between the folks in the wholeheartedly pretentious camp and folks in the unpretentiously pretentious camp, I think I've got to side with REDZEROSTAR, the one voice of reason that I saw.

In the summer, I think it's not so much about the matching of wine to food, but rather having a refreshing drink. To that end, in addition to the ZEST suggestions, you'll have a happy crowd if you have plenty of ice cold sauvignon blanc or, better yet, cold pitchers of sangria.

I went to college in Lexington and would second most of the recommendations. Some comments:

Joe B's: The breadsticks are incredible, and I dream about them to this day. I went back to school last Spring to recruit and took some graduate students out to Joe B's for beer, pizza, and breadsticks. Half of the kids had never been there...let alone had a breadstick! I had to talk with my old professors to see what they were teaching these kids...

Ramsey's: Do they still have meat-and-three? Basically, you pick an entree (eg, pork chop, catfish, pot roast, etc.) and three southern-style sides (fried orka, macaroni and cheese, etc.)...good stuff. Ramsey's has multiple locations now, but when I was in school there was only one location...the one near campus (Woodland and Maxwell?).

Lynaughs: An Irish Pub on Woodland Ave. Didn't see this mentioned on anyone's post. Go for the beer and the O-Round. A great flame-broiled hamburger. Bring your ear-plugs..it could be loud.

Tolly-Ho: A Greasy Spoon Dive. A favorite haunt when I was in graduate school. A Tolly-Ho with Hashbrowns was the de-riguer order at 1am...or 6PM for that matter...basically a frozen hamburger with frozen hashbrowns. I dream about this place too. Don't expect much and your expectations may be met.