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The Ten Most Recent Comments By acomment

From Serious Eats

Why Isn't Chinese Food Hip?

I also strongly disagree with you Ed that authenticity doesn't have anything to do with hipness. Look at italian food...For years...its been spaghetti and meatballs, and it was a time when italian food wasn't particualry hip as in "haute" upper class refined cuisine. (Although in large part thats b/c historically unlike in china, italy didn't have the concept of refined "royal" cuisine)

Now that italian cuisine has become part of hip style cuisine, there s a trend to disscoicate the cuisine with its americanized style. These days it seems people are so worried about whehter or not they're eating their pasta al dente b/c its how the italians do it, not because they may or may not prefer al dente pasta. And there are more examples.

People like hte idea of eating something that is not only foreign and authentic, but also really enjoyable.

From Serious Eats

Why Isn't Chinese Food Hip?

The problem is the ignorace, such as the ignorace displayed by HARLAN.

I understand the lack of interset or understanding as i'm not exactly preaching to the choir here in America.

There is a differnece b/n say bistro french food, and then haute cuisine french food. One is obviously more geared toward casual eating, the other being a dining expereince. The same goes with chinese. To suggest chinese food is limited too chopped displays the problem. Its just not true.
Its a differnt type of beauty, which is why classicaly chinese/french have been consdiered worlds greatest cuisines..

Look to Steingarten, Reichl. They understand, and they're probablywondering the same thing too about chinese food in america.

From A Hamburger Today

Los Angeles Area Burger Roundup

lets not forget though....in terms of overall burger....regardless of stytle...the best burger in CA is supposed to be FATHERS OFFICE.

I've never been....how is fathers office burger?

From Serious Eats

Why Isn't Chinese Food Hip?

And also, for anyone questioning if the grandness ( the equivelency of what would be "haute" cuisine) of chinese food ever existed...


well the question wouldn't be posed in the wsj at all if chinese cuisine wasn't or hasn't been grand.... It is a real wonder why this hasn't happened earlier, but it is going to happen soon.....

Being a nation in large part of western palate, we seek to identify ourselves with the hipness, that is the rediscovering of offal cooked in western style .. It is now "hip" to cook roasted marrow bones and serve it with toast. I don't doubt very soon instead of braised cockcombs, we're going to be clamoring for swallows nest....braised chicken feet...etc.

From Serious Eats

Why Isn't Chinese Food Hip?

Regardless of how you feel towards these two cuisines...chinese and french have always been considered classically the two greatest, most influential cuisine in teh world.

Chinese cuisine has been "hip", particularly in the asian countires so greatly influenced by it. In america, i simply attribute the lack of hte great, grand chinese restaurants that exist in other countires, simply because the fact is the chinese restaurant fad was at its peak in the eighties...

But i suspect thats all going to change.I really bleieve.. as even ruth reichel says, grand chinese cuisine is going to be making a big impact in the american dining scene

From A Hamburger Today

Los Angeles Area Burger Roundup

to the contrary...i find

ricks burgers thorougly dissapoiting and not worth noting- the fries actually had an acrid smell (although i'll forigve hte fries) The burger on the other hand has a less than satisfactory gummy bun like carls junior, with sesame seeds (i reallly believe sesame seeds destroy the texture top texture of buns) I don't like shredded lettuce ( i prefer to have a crunch) as the lettuce becomes soggy from the heat, and the burger was overall sloppy and too big.

Fat burger is also rather sloppy.

I do agree with in n out though...i prefer the single, (in terms of fast food burgers, the less meat the better) its compact, neat, everything is in the right proportion. And i love how the onions stay compact, and that they toast their buns on the flatop so that its crispedon the edges.

Tommy burger isn't overrated- it is what it is. But again, it doesn't warrant a "full review." If you don't like their thick goopy chili, you won't like the burger. My only complaint is that the patty is too thick, and dry hamuburger meat is never a good thing. Their pickles and i believe mustard are overdone too. "Tomato is good.

In the end, these "fastf'ood" burgers are all essentially compromised of the same ingredients. Its how those ingredients are put together that makes all the differnce. Of the above, i'd say in n out comes out top.

From Talk

Rare Chicken

i for one am suprised by the ignorance of the majority of comments posted here. Jeffrey Steingarten writes about chicken sashimi in one of his articles in his books-

the fact that the chicken could be eaten raw only speaks very highly of the chef and his products, and the fact that he isn't using the industrial salmonella ridden chicken. Remember trichinosis in pigs, which is no longer such a big deal, was the result of extremely dirty and poor rearing processes especialy in diet.

as for those who are turned off by raw chicken- i'm sure it isn't an "alternative" to chicken fully cooked, as rare steak is eaten to well done, but a dish in itself. Just realize that it is possible to eat rare chicken that isn't contaminated with salmonella, and that our food preferences change over the years for the better. Ie rare steak to well done.

From Serious Eats

Alan Richman Slams Les Halles: Payback for Anthony Bourdain's Golden Clog Awards

he sounds so bitter and angry...its kind of funny

From Serious Eats

Alan Richman Slams Les Halles: Payback for Anthony Bourdain's Golden Clog Awards

Bourdain worship is certainly frowned up...worship of anybody is. But the fact remains that Richman's 'review" was more of a personal attack against Bourdain, probably because of the golden clogs. Criticism of hte food is certainly fair, but the restaurant doesn't seem to pretend to be somthing that it isn't. The snarky and vicious tone certainly suggests that Richman wasn't really talking about the food...

Responses to Comments by acomment

From Serious Eats

Why Isn't Chinese Food Hip?

The only thing I'd add to this is that the Chinese themselves are not percieved as hip, at least not in the "aspirational lifestyle" variety. Americans want to pretend, at least for an evening, that they are bistro-going Parisians or Romans at their local trattoria, as these cultures have romantic associations. As China becomes more promenant culturally and economically I think this might change; Americans will see the Chinese lifestyle as aspirational and will become more interested in authentic Chinese cuisine.

I agree with chevans, above, about restaurant decor as a factor in Chinese cuisine's lack of hipness. Many of the good, authentic restaurants in NYC's Chinatown have all the charm of a high school cafeteria. I like eating at these restaurants, but if I want nice ambiance I'll look elsewhere.

From A Hamburger Today

Los Angeles Area Burger Roundup

The Grill on the Alley in Beverly Hills has one of the best if not the best burger in LA. Yes I know it is pricey and the shoe string fries are extra but if you are looking for a burger that is made to be eaten rare (black and blue) then this is the place.

From Serious Eats

Why Isn't Chinese Food Hip?

I had to laugh at oneday's comments about American diners dealing with fish heads or suckling pig heads, funny but true, at least we can enjoy watching Anthony Bourdain and Andrew Zimmern eating such things, and not have to worry about confronting them when we hit the buffets LOL.

From A Hamburger Today

Los Angeles Area Burger Roundup

We used to say that if you wanted to enjoy a serious case of indigestion, go to Tommy's. A must before or after any home Dodger game. But beware the after effects. When I visit now from the Northeast anywhere in California now it seems, I hit In n' Out. I have always found their ingredients fresh, the hamburgers cooked to a slightly crispy outer layer and tender inside, second the vote on the toasted buns, and real vegetables unlike other places cited in this review. The shakes are excellent and the fries so-so. I think the fries have a good, honest beginning in the potato but not a good finish in the frying.

From A Hamburger Today

Los Angeles Area Burger Roundup

The grilled cheese at In-n-Out Burger is a favorite of mine. I get it "animal style" which is everything the cheeseburger has but without the meat. Very tasty! Check out the In-n-Out Burger website to find their "secret" menu.

From Serious Eats

Why Isn't Chinese Food Hip?

chaevans: Americans may have the most diverse set of restaurants to choose from, but how much of what is offered is actually un-Americanized fare from the original cuisine? You may have restaurants representing 500 different cuisines from around the world in one place. But if they all use ketchup and cheese to make their offerings approachable to the American palate, then how much diversity is there truly? As an example, how many Chinese restaurants have you gone to in America that serve whole, steamed fish? The Chinese revere fresh fish, simply steamed as one of the greatest expressions of culinary finesse. But the average American diner would run out the door if he had to deal with a fish head gaping at him. Ditto a suckling pig head.

From Serious Eats

Why Isn't Chinese Food Hip?

Because wealthy white people, for the most part, love bashing all things China and love praising all things Japanese.

How many people do you think would know that China and the US were both allies in WW2? Allied against - yup, JAPAN.

From Serious Eats

Why Isn't Chinese Food Hip?

"American's adventurous eaters?"

That's an elitist attitude. People said the same thing when sushi started making its presence in the 80s and now look at that. I've lived in many countries in my life and Americans by far have the most diverse set of restaurants to choose from.

The downscale aspect of Chinese restaurants is due to the restaurants not the ingrained beliefs of the eaters. If a transplant from China could get funding and open a high end Chinese restaurant in the Time Warner building and actually made some high quality food it would do unbelievably well. I personally have given up on Chinese food in this city (along with Mexican).

From A Hamburger Today

Los Angeles Area Burger Roundup

I used to be in socal every 2 or 3 weeks, but haven't been out there in 4 years now, but I always bounced between In N Out , and Farmer boys, that farmer burger with all the bacon, cheese, and fresh avocado is KILLER!, would also always try to hit tommy's, love there chili!

From Serious Eats

Why Isn't Chinese Food Hip?

I have to agree with Cathy (Comment #2) and this is because of very direct knowledge of the different menus in Chinese restaurants. My father married a wonderful woman from China almost twelve years ago and her family owns several well known Chinese restaurants in various suburbs around Chicago. When I visit them, I always sit at the "family table" (the big round table in most mid-grade Chinese restaurants that seems to always be reserved) and eat what is prepared for the cooks and family. It is outstanding, authentic and definitely NOT on the American menu with the meal typically consisting of whole fish that is roasted or fried in a wok, incredible vegetables, dumplings, and broths along with all the seasoning sauces made from scratch from peppers you would never see on the American menu.

When I tell my dad's wife's family that if they would serve what they serve at the family table and they could not only charge more for it but would make their restaurants stand out in the sea of take out places around Chicago, they tell me that American's would never like it so why bother.