# Most Overrated Food and Drink?



## SearsPoncho (Sep 23, 2020)

Food: Lobster

Drink: Champagne

I like both, but the reputation and price seem to be a little out of hand.


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## mbhaub (Dec 2, 2016)

Food: beef Wellington

Drnk: Bud Light


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## NoCoPilot (Nov 9, 2020)

Lobster used to be eaten only by the very poor, it was looked on as "the arachnid of the sea."








A Taste of Lobster History


In honor of National Lobster Day, check out these shell-shocking facts about one of America’s most beloved crustaceans.




www.history.com





Both lobsters and champagne have been the recipients of concerted campaigns to make them expensive, and high prestige, and thus derive high profits for their producers.

Not unlike the De Beers family and the diamond trade.


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## Couchie (Dec 9, 2010)

Food: Ribs. Lot of mess and fuss for not a lot of meat.

Drink: Brandy. Like whisky but not nearly as good. It should not exist.


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## ttc359 (11 mo ago)

food- caviar drink- starbucks


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## SoloYH (8 mo ago)

Food: Truffles / anything "high class" (quantity > quality for food for me), Korean Hot Dogs

Drinks: Kombucha, alcohol (since I can't drink ).


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## Philidor (11 mo ago)

SearsPoncho said:


> Food: Lobster
> 
> Drink: Champagne
> 
> I like both, but the reputation and price seem to be a little out of hand.


You will never get a Jaguar at the price of a Daewoo. - For champagne, I agree that there are alternatives. Few, but they are. However, try Ruinard and Taittinger. The cheapest champagne of each company. If tasty, feel free to climb up. Or skip the mid-tier and start immediately with Krug. You won't regret. "Sei klug, trink Krug."


Couchie said:


> Drink: Brandy. Like whisky but not nearly as good. It should not exist.


Well ... Try the XOs from the big names ... Martell, Hennessy, De Luze, Rémy. I like the soft ones, so I am sticking to Audry XO or Camus Borderies XO. - With whiskys, I like both "big styles". Current favourites: Balvenie Doublewood 17y, Highland Park 18y, Talisker 10y, Lagavulin 16y.


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

Amen to those who say champagne, truffles and caviar. The most underrated drink I can think of is Kvass - apart from Polish/Eastern European delis it's hard to find in the west, which is a shame.


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## Animal the Drummer (Nov 14, 2015)

Food: fennel, horseradish, tarragon.

Drink: Rioja and Shiraz - I dearly love most red wine but those grape types are very much the exceptions.


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## FrankE (Jan 13, 2021)

Food: Roast

Drink: Alcohol


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## Kjetil Heggelund (Jan 4, 2016)

Beer and pizza! Wait, that's my favorite 🥰


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## Pat Fairlea (Dec 9, 2015)

Food: truffles (fungal, not the chocolate variety...!)
Drink: Southern hemisphere Chardonnay wines. And camomile tea.


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## NoCoPilot (Nov 9, 2020)

Animal the Drummer said:


> Food: fennel, horseradish, tarragon.


Remember that old episode of The Bob Newhart Show, where Bob is looking at the grocery list and says, "Fennel? Don't you mean funnel?" and Emily says, "No, I have an empty spot in my spice rack that says "fennel." Bob: "What's it used for?" Emily: "I have no idea."


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

Animal the Drummer said:


> Food: fennel, horseradish, tarragon.


Fennel from the oven is an excellent very tasty vegetable.



> Drink: Rioja and Shiraz - I dearly love most red wine but those grape types are very much the exceptions.


Rioja is a region, not a grape type. Rioja wine is made from various grape varieties, including Tempranillo for red and Viura for white.


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## SearsPoncho (Sep 23, 2020)

elgar's ghost said:


> Amen to those who say champagne, truffles and caviar. The most underrated drink I can think of is Kvass - apart from Polish/Eastern European delis it's hard to find in the west, which is a shame.


Note to self: Find some Kvass. I think I know a place that might have it. If it doesn't, I know a guy...


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## mmsbls (Mar 6, 2011)

Drinks: Coffee and alcohol
Food: Anything very spicy


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## Animal the Drummer (Nov 14, 2015)

Art Rock said:


> Fennel from the oven is an excellent very tasty vegetable.


For you maybe, mijnheer. It's still one of my nominations.



Art Rock said:


> Rioja is a region, not a grape type. Rioja wine is made from various grape varieties, including Tempranillo for red and Viura for white.


Fair point.


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## Kreisler jr (Apr 21, 2021)

Animal the Drummer said:


> Food: fennel, horseradish, tarragon.


I didn't know that any of them were highly rated in the first place... 
I don't know how tarragon tastes but I have probably eaten dishes that contained it. Fennel is o.k.; nothing I'd consciously avoid (like Brussel sprouts and celery stalks) but no great favorite either. Horseradish is a great condiment for certain kind of meats but I thought this was rather regional.

overrated food: white asparagus (it's o..k. but I prefer the green variety and even this is not a great favorite), sushi, probably lots more I never tried (don't care for most seafood I tried like shellfish, calamares, crabs etc. and won't even try stuff that looks repulsive to me)
underrated food: blood sausage, oatmeal

overrated drink: almost everything fancy.
underrated drink: elderflower lemonade (preferably homemade)


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## progmatist (Apr 3, 2021)

For me, steak. I have a serious under-bite which makes chewing it difficult. If it's fed through a meat grinder however, I like it just fine.


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## Christopher Robinson (6 mo ago)

Food: Pies

Drink: Smoothies

Although some pies are tasty and decent, I do think they're incredibly overrated. Especially considering that a lot of them typically contain more pastry than actual filling! Also, I don't actually like the appearance of them. To me they seem dated and unappealing (not to say that I dislike old-fashioned stuff at all!)

With regards to smoothies, I've never liked them. Some can be very healthy and full on flavour but I generally dislike the texture and consistency as well as the concept. I'd rather eat the fruits and other foods involved in smoothies than drink them.


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## Merl (Jul 28, 2016)

Food: hummus - looks like sick and tastes even worse. Contains lots of garlic to make it even more unpalatable.

Drink : red wine - looks lovely but just tastes like someone's strained vinegar through a tramp's sock.


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## SoloYH (8 mo ago)

Merl said:


> Food: hummus - looks like sick and tastes even worse. Contains lots of garlic to make it even more unpalatable.
> 
> Drink : red wine - looks lovely but just tastes like someone's strained vinegar through a tramp's sock.


you don't like garlic?! or hummus?!


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## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

Food: fresh figs, chicory 
Drink: Perrier


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## Becca (Feb 5, 2015)

Drink: Château d'Yquem


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## Animal the Drummer (Nov 14, 2015)

Merl said:


> Food: hummus - looks like sick and tastes even worse. Contains lots of garlic to make it even more unpalatable.
> 
> Drink : red wine - looks lovely but just tastes like someone's strained vinegar through a tramp's sock.


In Manchester they probably have.


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## advokat (Aug 16, 2020)

Drink: whisky. Like Brandy but not nearly as good. It should not exist.


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## Georgieva (7 mo ago)

Food: Bio vegetables and fruits 

Drink: wine


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## Nate Miller (Oct 24, 2016)

advokat said:


> Drink: whisky. Like Brandy but not nearly as good. It should not exist.


if you got a better way to get six wagon loads of corn over that mountain, I'd like to hear it


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## Becca (Feb 5, 2015)

Georgieva said:


> Food: Bio vegetables and fruits
> 
> Drink: wine


I hope never to see non-bio vegetables and fruits


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## Georgieva (7 mo ago)

My concept was that BIO label did influence the perceived quality and perceived price, and, therefore, it had influence on the willingness to pay. Sometimes 3 times more
Baying food directly from small village farmers doesn't have any labels. But what a quality!


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## Becca (Feb 5, 2015)

We are apparently using the term 'bio' in different ways, it isn't commonly used in that context in the US.


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## Red Terror (Dec 10, 2018)

For me it's lobster and crab. Not a fan of seafood in general; I don't hate it but I certainly don't crave it. As for drink ... orange juice.


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

Oysters. I prefer other shellfish such as razor clams and whelks - just as tasty and usually far less expensive.


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## NoCoPilot (Nov 9, 2020)

elgar's ghost said:


> Oysters. I prefer other shellfish such as razor clams and whelks - just as tasty and usually far less expensive.


You've never tasted oysters unless you grill them over an open fire on the beach minutes after harvest.

Anything else is an ENTIRELY different experience.


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## FrankE (Jan 13, 2021)

SearsPoncho said:


> Note to self: Find some Kvass. I think I know a place that might have it. If it doesn't, I know a guy...


It's easy to make but black malt bread is harder to find than kwas.


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

Milk
Hot Dogs


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## Allegro Con Brio (Jan 3, 2020)

Drink: Literally anything besides water. I only ever drink water and, occasionally, lemonade, but even that's rare.

Food: Seafood and salads. I'm quite a picky eater, relatively speaking, but understand the rationale why people like most things—except those two food categories.


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## Bulldog (Nov 21, 2013)

Food: Spinach
Drink: Tea


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## SanAntone (May 10, 2020)

Hmm ... I enjoy all of the foods and drinks that have been suggested in this thread as overrated.  Especially hummus, hotdogs, and chicory. Oh, and bourbon.


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## Red Terror (Dec 10, 2018)

starthrower said:


> Milk
> Hot Dogs


I’ve gone back to milk—the organic kind as it doesn’t upset my stomach.


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## Red Terror (Dec 10, 2018)

NoCoPilot said:


> You've never tasted oysters unless you grill them over an open fire on the beach minutes after harvest.
> 
> Anything else is an ENTIRELY different experience.


Given how polluted most of the oceans are, I’ll refrain from eating oysters.


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## Red Terror (Dec 10, 2018)

Allegro Con Brio said:


> Drink: Literally anything besides water. I only ever drink water and, occasionally, lemonade, but even that's rare.
> 
> Food: Seafood and salads. I'm quite a picky eater, relatively speaking, but understand the rationale why people like most things—except those two food categories.


Water is great. In addition, I buy cases of mineral or carbonated water—nothing like a cold one.


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## Kiki (Aug 15, 2018)

Overrated as a delicacy?

I can't think of any food that tastes ordinary, even awful, but is in general considered a delicacy. I can understand that there may be food that an individual hates, but that does not make it overrated if the masses think it's tasty. 

On the other hand, rarity creates desire and hence commercial values. Lobster can taste good if prepared with good cooking skills (not boiling in water, oh no!), but is it a delicacy? Shortages may have made it so. (Wasn't it a time when the abundant lobsters were fed to prisoners as a punishment in the USA?) In fact, I would say the same things for tuna. Although it is not in general considered a delicacy, I can imagine tuna overtaking lobster in 20 years' time as an "overrated" delicacy as relative rarity mounts.

Furthermore, aggressive commercial campaigns also create fashion food. E.g. Tapioca milk tea. Delicacy? No. It's high-fat, high-sugar junk food, or drink in this case. It is certainly overrated in this sense because it is just fashion food.

Overrated as "health food"?

I believe in a balanced diet. As we age, our dietary needs may change. E.g. Calcium for anybody over 50, so eat more beans, spinach, tofu, salmon, milk etc. That does not make such food "health food".

I should put it another way. My definition of "health food" is food that is advertised as such, but in fact it does nothing, or very little, for your health. E.g. Coconut water for soothing arthritis, blueberries for improving eyesight, or even some funny fruit extract that will solve your hypertension/cholesterol problem. Overrated? Definitely. Some are commercial scams in my opinion.


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

NoCoPilot said:


> You've never tasted oysters unless you grill them over an open fire on the beach minutes after harvest.
> 
> Anything else is an ENTIRELY different experience.


You're absolutely right - I haven't and I probably would have preferred them that way. On the first occasion I had them they were straight from the shell after shucking. They were OK but I couldn't see what all the fuss was about. Later I realised I could have dined out far more handsomely for the same kind of outlay. Still, as Caligula is reputed to have said, "a man can either be frugal or Caesar..." 

Then again, he wasn't the one paying...


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## progmatist (Apr 3, 2021)

starthrower said:


> Milk
> Hot Dogs


If one eats Hebrew National hot dogs with milk, they cease being kosher.



Red Terror said:


> Given how polluted most of the oceans are, I’ll refrain from eating oysters.


Particular from the Gulf Coast, after that massive Deepwater Horizon oil spill 12 years ago.


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

progmatist said:


> If one eats Hebrew National hot dogs with milk, they cease being kosher.


I don't eat any kind of hot dogs. And I rarely drink milk unless it's almond milk.


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## HenryPenfold (Apr 29, 2018)

Food: Mexican
Drink: Smoothies


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## HenryPenfold (Apr 29, 2018)

Couchie said:


> Food: Ribs. Lot of mess and fuss for not a lot of meat.
> 
> Drink: Brandy. Like whisky but *not nearly as good. It should not exist*.


No, you're thinking of Rum.


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## HenryPenfold (Apr 29, 2018)

Christopher Robinson said:


> Food: Pies
> 
> Although some pies are tasty and decent, I do think they're incredibly overrated. Especially considering that a lot of them typically contain more pastry than actual filling! Also, I don't actually like the appearance of them. To me they seem dated and unappealing (not to say that I dislike old-fashioned stuff at all!)


Proper nosh.......


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## hammeredklavier (Feb 18, 2018)

mbhaub said:


> Food: beef Wellington
> Drnk: Bud Light


Wellington's Victory and Licht


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## Bwv 1080 (Dec 31, 2018)

HenryPenfold said:


> Food: Mexican
> Drink: Smoothies


you are in the UK so what could you possibly know about the greatest cuisine on the planet? 

Overrated - truffle oil (answer to the question how can you ruin any good dish like Mac & cheese or French fries?) Kobe, Wagyu steak - good old prime is fine, hardly need more fat than that. 
for drinks - wanky super hopped craft beer, also all dessert wine


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## Couchie (Dec 9, 2010)

HenryPenfold said:


> Food: Mexican
> Drink: Smoothies


Mexico has one of the most diverse and amazing cusines on the planet. Since you are European I will forgive this transgression, you simply don't know any better, due to a lack of Mexicans and authentic Mexican food in your vicinity.


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## Bwv 1080 (Dec 31, 2018)

and any food with chiles, corn or tomatoes would not exist without Mexico


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## HenryPenfold (Apr 29, 2018)

Couchie said:


> Mexico has one of the most diverse and amazing cusines on the planet. Since you are European I will forgive this transgression, you simply don't know any better, due to a lack of Mexicans and authentic Mexican food in your vicinity.


It's horrible and makes you fart for days


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

HenryPenfold said:


> It's horrible and makes you fart for days


I hope with your pie, mash and liquor there was a generous side-order of delicious jellied eels.


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## HenryPenfold (Apr 29, 2018)

elgar's ghost said:


> I hope with your pie, mash and liquor there was a generous side-order of delicious jellied eels.


I alternate between pie and mash and stewed eels and mash. Jellied eels and whelks etc regularly had from our local kiosk vendor. Been eating this stuff since the mid-sixties!


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## Becca (Feb 5, 2015)

Food: Kippers 😬


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## Ingélou (Feb 10, 2013)

Becca said:


> Food: Kippers 😬


Wha-a-a-a...?
How *can* you overrate kippers?


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## HenryPenfold (Apr 29, 2018)

Ingélou said:


> Wha-a-a-a...?
> How *can* you overrate kippers?


I suppose there's no point in mentioning Arbroath Smokies to these philistines...............


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## MrTortoise (Dec 25, 2008)

Ancient Grain Bowl

Give me a break


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## Bwv 1080 (Dec 31, 2018)

MrTortoise said:


> Ancient Grain Bowl


Funny how no one wants ancient fruit and vegetables


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## MrTortoise (Dec 25, 2008)

Bwv 1080 said:


> Funny how no one wants ancient fruit and vegetables
> 
> View attachment 171137


So true, the bananas I pick up at the grocery store are Franken-nanas! A friend and I were out to lunch at a Laotian market recently and they picked up some gems like those pictured above. I tried one and it was so good. Imagine, we are routinely eating fruit without seeds!


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## progmatist (Apr 3, 2021)

Bwv 1080 said:


> you are in the UK so what could you possibly know about the greatest cuisine on the planet?


There's a running joke the former British Empire dominated the spice trade, but they never put any in their food.


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

progmatist said:


> There's a running joke the former British Empire dominated the spice trade, but they never put any in their food.


Until we developed a taste for mustard and piccalilli one might say there was more than a grain of truth in that.


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## HenryPenfold (Apr 29, 2018)

progmatist said:


> There's a running joke the former British Empire dominated the spice trade, but they never put any in their food.


We're smart, we'd never put that crap on our food - just salt, pepper, sage, mustard, parsley and mint. 😋


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## progmatist (Apr 3, 2021)

HenryPenfold said:


> We're smart, we'd never put that crap on our food - just salt, pepper, sage, mustard, parsley and mint. 😋


Perhaps also smart because a successful dealer never uses their own supply.


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## HenryPenfold (Apr 29, 2018)

progmatist said:


> Perhaps also smart because a successful dealer never uses their own supply.


No, nothing to do with any of that - just smart 😇


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## Yabetz (Sep 6, 2021)

Most overrated food: lobster or caviar (it's close)
Most overrated drink: cognac


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## progmatist (Apr 3, 2021)

Yabetz said:


> Most overrated food: lobster or caviar (it's close)


Standup comedians have compared lobsters to "sea cockroaches." The joke being, "Who was the first to eat that? Or drink that mucus which comes out of a cow's udder?"


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## SearsPoncho (Sep 23, 2020)

progmatist said:


> Perhaps also smart because a successful dealer never uses their own supply.


Lopez from Scarface. Tony should have followed his advice.


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## Ingélou (Feb 10, 2013)

Most overrated drink - coca cola.


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

On the rare occasions I eat burgers I make my own with 5% fat beef (or steak) mince, a dash of Worcestershire sauce and a few bits of finely chopped onions/green pepper then after rolling them out grill them slowly on a low-ish heat so as much fat comes out as possible without cooking both sides too soon. Cooking slowly also means less shrinkage. I'd have it in a granary or wholemeal bun usually with some un-melted mature Cheddar or Red Leicester cheese on top and maybe a bit of English mustard or a splash of tabasco if I happen to have either lying around.

With Burger King and (especially) MacDonalds I always found that the blandness of the burger itself was always locked in some kind of futile duel with everything else that was crammed into the bun. And I especially loathe the MacDonalds bun - the texture is so spongy that is hardly seems like bread at all.


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## SanAntone (May 10, 2020)

I haven't had a fast food burger in decades (although I used to enjoy the original cheeseburger from Burger King). But I often grill my own patties using grass fed beef, and seasoned with my own combination of spices and a secret ingredient. They are fantastic and an almost perfect meal.

I also very much enjoy hotdogs, which I usually grill along with the burgers. Topped with mustard and relish, or sauerkraut, served with some Lay's BBQ potato chips, and I'm in heaven.


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## Shaughnessy (Dec 31, 2020)

There's a place here in Chicago called "Kuma's" in which people wait in line for up to three hours for a table unless you're a VIP in which case you just walk in through the back door - Full disclosure - I'm not the VIP, my wife is...without her, they would make me wait in line - There is nothing on this earth so good that it's worth standing in line for three hours.

All of the waitstaff are covered in tats from head to toe and their hair color can best be described as "rainbow" but you'll never meet friendlier people anywhere.

They blast heavy metal music non-stop - I think that they do it on purpose so that you won't linger - It's almost impossible to carry on a conversation that is more elaborate then "what? - what? - what?"

They're definitely over-rated - Good not great - I would have probably liked it more were it not for the buttered brioche-type pretzel bun that they use which made the burger (along with the fries) so greasy you could have lubed a fleet of cabs and had enough left to brilliantine the hair of almost every Mexican dude in the greater Chicago area.

They have/had a "Black Sabbath Burger" - blackening spice, chili, Pepper Jack, red onion; served on pretzel bun - I'm not sure if they still serve it as it's not on the online menu

"Goatsnake" - Herbed Goat Cheese, Poblano Sweet Corn Relish, Cholula Lemon Vinaigrette, Buttermilk Breaded Deep Fried Red Onions

"Iron Maiden" - Avocado, Cherry Peppers, Pepperjack, Chipotle Mayo, Lettuce, Tomato, Red Onion

"Led Zeppelin" - Applewood Smoked Bacon, BBQ Pulled Pork, Cheddar, Pickles

"Metallica" - Applewood Smoked Bacon, Buffalo Sauce, Blue Cheese Dressing, Lettuce, Tomato, Red Onion

"Slayer" - Choice of protein on a bed of fries, Chili, Caramelized Onions, Andouille Sausage, Cherry Peppers, Monterey Jack, Scallions, Anger - (Anger is a spice mixture so hot that it makes grown men cry like 12 year old girls seeing Harry Styles, Justin Bieber, and BTS on the same bill).

"Plague Bringer" - Crushed Garlic, Housemade Hot Sauce, Pepperjack, Jalapenos, Tortilla Strips, Roasted Garlic Mayo, Lettuce, Tomato, Red Onion

Given a choice, I would rather eat sashimi every day of the week... Which I did for a while... until I developed mercury poisoning which, aside from the nausea, vomiting, lack of motor skills, feeling uncoordinated, inability to feel my hands or face, changes in vision, hearing and speech, difficulty breathing, and this horrible metallic taste in my mouth wasn't really all that bad all things considered. I had to lay off seafood for like six months and have apparently learned nothing from my experience as that is what we're going to have tomorrow night.


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## pianozach (May 21, 2018)

*Most overrated food: Bell Peppers*

Around these parts Bell peppers seem to be the most overused item in salads, casseroles, meat dishes, and several other entrees. I do not like them, and it's most annoying to have to pick them out of prepared dishes, especially when their stank permeates the rest of the food. They're so popular that they're now marketed in four different colors; the original green, and now red, yellow, and orange. The funny thing is that I like most _other_ peppers just fine.

*Most overrated drink: Boba*

Boba seems to be the new fashion drink. Boba is a drink that contains *gelatin pearls* made from *tapioca starch that comes from the cassava root. *The Boba drinks come in a rainbow of flavors; teas, fruits, chocolates, milks, etc. They all taste just fine if you like the flavored drink in which they put the pearls, but it's vastly overrated. Little stores all over feature Boba drinks, much like when decades ago there was a frozen yogurt store every quarter mile.


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## Red Terror (Dec 10, 2018)

A good burger can never be overrated. Just stay away from the large fast food chains.


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## progmatist (Apr 3, 2021)

This just in: scientists find processed food harms brain function. This just in: scientists find processed food harms brain function.


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## Malx (Jun 18, 2017)

progmatist said:


> This just in: scientists find processed food harms brain function. This just in: scientists find processed food harms brain function.


I saw that - my first reaction was 'I feel sorry for Brian'


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## Roger Knox (Jul 19, 2017)

Food: Escargots, Uni
Drink: Kombucha


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## Chilham (Jun 18, 2020)

Food: Truffle

Drink: Champagne

I enjoy fine dining from time-to-time, yet find both of these to be overrated, and over-priced.


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## clachat (11 mo ago)

Vegan - meat alternative


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## hammeredklavier (Feb 18, 2018)

progmatist said:


> There's a running joke the former British Empire dominated the spice trade, but they never put any in their food.


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## progmatist (Apr 3, 2021)

hammeredklavier said:


>


Seriously though, a decade or so ago Tesco tried opening a chain of markets in the US. Called Fresh & Easy. I tried the heat and serve lasagna, and it was the most bland thing I've ever tasted. It didn't have tomato "sauce," only pureed tomatoes.


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

hammeredklavier said:


>


*******, onion gravy, peas and mashed potato - our culinary bequest to the world ha ha... You lucky, lucky people!

EDIT - the asterisked word is a pejorative word for a homosexual beginning with F and ending with T.


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