Discussion of Morrus's America/GenCon thread

[Ashtal]

Good food is where you find it, and what you are willing to pay for it.

I'm pretty boony up here, even though I live in a town of 100,000, with the region adding another 60,000. It sounds big, and it is, for Northern Ontario, but it's stuck in a small town mentality. Lots of greasy spoons, lots of fast food places, and a fair number of mid-range restaurants of the East Sides, Pat & Marios, Kelsey's and Casey's variety.

But there are a few gems tucked away here and there, some very upscale, some modest individual restaurants that offer great food.

As to portions ... I like large portions because it means I get to enjoy the meal twice, once at the restaurant and once at home (as long as it was tasty). But when I'm travelling, I'm not going to bring leftovers back to where I'm staying. I hate not being able to do that - I feel like I've wasted the money I spent. Neither do I want to stuff myself and take ill. Lunch-sized servings are a godsend (if they offer them)!

 

[mac1504]

I was listnening to NPR awhile back and one of the local (and probably most respected) restaurant critics here in Milwaukee was commenting on the price of meals in the city, but I think could make a statement about the rest of the country as well. The critic explained that many restaurants subsidized the price of a meal through alcohol. The consumption of beer, wine or what have you during a meal kept the price of a large sized portion meal at a decent price.

Of course in today's world of designated drivers and AA, the consumption of alcohol has changed over the years and prices of meals has gone up.

Don't really know if what I just said makes sense, but I thought I would share that with everyone

-mac1504

 

[Mirth]

Are you freakin kidding me?! This is the first thing I have ever heard in my entire life that has tempted me to take a trip to San Diego.

Waiters on wires? Awesome!
Daniel

Daniel, I heard that Hector just added that at Salsa's. Although how they can maneuver in a space that small is beyond me.

Actually, I thought San Diego kicked @$$ when I went there. Many, many good restaurants - some of the best food I've ever eaten. Of course, that was 16 years ago.

If you really want a plethora of diverse eating choices, try Washington DC. The best meal I've ever eaten in my life was at a hole-in-the-wall Ethiopian place there.

All this talk of food is making me hungry...

 

[ColonelHardisson]

There's a Dick's Last Resort in Cleveland. I think it's a franchise, like TGIFriday's.

 

[alsih2o]

I have relatives who are farmers, and they eat large portions of food, with 3 meals a day. They also work harder before lunch in a typical day than I do in a typical weekend. They burn off all the calories, and so actually need to eat the portions they do.

seconded, try throwing a coupla hundred bales in the loft before breakfast and knowing you haven't made a dent. this will up what you eat in a hurry. make 200 potential bulls into beef steer before dinner and see how hungry you get.....however, why these huge meals are served in nyc?

an active, outdoor life really burns the calories, add in a few hours in the studio throwing around tons of clay and soon you are eating like a troupe of pregnant pigs

 

[Ashtal]

The critic explained that many restaurants subsidized the price of a meal through alcohol. The consumption of beer, wine or what have you during a meal kept the price of a large sized portion meal at a decent price.

WHOO-HOO! I rarely drink at all when I'm going out to eat. I must be making out like a bandit!

 

[Luddite]

Well, since we are no longer talking abour Morrus's trip...

I do admit that I am somewhat skewd in my opinion on the cuisine in San Diego. I lived in NYC (what someone once called the Gastronomical Mecca), and the DC Metro Area.

So San Diego does have good cheap food (Carne Asda Burito from the local *burto's, and the Fish Taco) and I have been to a few of the High End Resturants. But for the 20-30 $US a person meal, there is nothing realy special. Its decent. (Heck I gained amost 50 pounds after moving out here, before taking it back off)

I think the problem with San Diego is the lack of independent resturants (there are a few). Places were you can get to know the staff and they get to know you. Where after a few good tips, you find that they will take care of you. In the Mid Range Dinning, it is all chain resturants.

Oh well, enough about food.

Lets see how Morrus fairs in the Mid-West.

-The Luddite

 

[Uller]

You know...with all this said, one of my best friends is English. He was born in the UK and his parents immigrated to the US when he wa very young. His dad (who still has such a heavy accent that I can never understand what he says...I'm convinced that American English and English are two entirely different languages) can EAT. I was at their house when the man was eating breakfast and he had several eggs, bisquits, bacon, sausage, gravy, juice, cereal. My friend and his brother also typically sit down to exceptionally large meals (last time I saw his brother, he was scarfing down FOUR Quarter Pounders). None of them have an ounce of fat on their bones...

So perhaps this isn't just an American thing after all.

However, probably in the US, food is generally far cheaper. We've got scads and scads of open farmland and in fact have laws that sets a MINIMUM limit on what one can charge for food (at least with milk). As was mentioned, food is cheap..it is the service you are really paying for.

Now if only Morrus would update his thread to give us something more to talk about!

 

[Utrecht]

I think the problem with San Diego is the lack of independent resturants (there are a few). Places were you can get to know the staff and they get to know you. Where after a few good tips, you find that they will take care of you. In the Mid Range Dinning, it is all chain resturants.

-The Luddite

Actually this is a problem in almost all cities in the country. I think that Chicago and NY are about the only real exception (I do not know about DC). The problem that you run into is that any reasonable successfull resteraunt attempts to grow through adding additional locations - leading quickly to the franchise moniker.

A great example of this is a place called Chipoltle's. It started as a hole-in the wall resteraunt by the University of Denver 10-12 years ago. Soon it added more locations through-out Denver. McDonals bought a part of them and now you find them from St. Louis to San Jose.........

 

[Pielorinho]

If you really want a plethora of diverse eating choices, try Washington DC. The best meal I've ever eaten in my life was at a hole-in-the-wall Ethiopian place there.

I briefly (and unwisely, but that's another story) dated a woman who lived in DC. We went to an Ethiopian restaurant there, and it was amazingly good. Sadly, we have no Ethiopian restaurant where I live; the closest one I know of is over 250 miles away.

On the bright side, a Vietnamese restaurant is opening up soon downtown, and I'm drooling all over myself just thinking about it. Chili-lemongrass tofu, mmmmmmm......

Anyway, I want to see waiters on wires.
Daniel