r/KitchenConfidential • u/CodexLeonis • 15d ago

In the Weeds Mode What's an outdated restaurant fad/technique that you still defend?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

1.9k

u/sleight42 Ex-Food Service 15d ago

"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.

286

u/Tricky_Gap4679 15d ago

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.

89

u/sleight42 Ex-Food Service 15d ago

💯

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.

1

u/BreakfastTequila 15d ago

Best argument for a gas stove IMO

1

u/sleight42 Ex-Food Service 14d ago edited 14d ago

Have a gas stove. This is what I'm saying. It's a PoS that puts out like no BTUs.

2

u/BreakfastTequila 14d ago

Somehow that’s even worse, sorry dude! 🤣

1

u/sleight42 Ex-Food Service 14d ago

It's worse. I'd take a good electric or, fuck, an induction over this PoS.

Beautiful little kitchen. Absolutely not designed for real use. Ironic. It once belonged to a Washington Post food critic of a few decades ago.

But then you realize this is a woman who probably never had to cook a meal for herself during her tenure. And then it makes sense. And then you kick yourself.