Unpopular Opinions Thread

[utee94]

I used to be friendly (through my wife) of the top French chef in Cincy.  Sadly, he passed away fairly recently, but we have reservations at his one remaining restaurant in August when we go up.  It is really good IMHO.  Anyway, he told me the one food item better in the US is beef.  He chatted about how tough it is to get the right kinds of basics like flour and spices here that emulate French "cuisine" (which literally means kitchen, not food).

Le Bar à Boeuf - Bistro at Edgecliff Condos - East Walnut Hills - Cincinnati

I still have a hard time understanding why French restaurants almost don't exist in a city the size of ATL.  There are a handful that claim to be French, but the two that were close to French both closed.  Maybe I'm too persnickety.

,[33.32643700908515,-84.85607183180109]]"]french restaurants atlanta - Google Search
,[33.32643700908515,-84.85607183180109]]"]french restaurants atlanta - Google Search

Beef in Europe in general is well below American standards.  The high-end French steakhouses used to import Argentinian beef due to its better quality, no idea if that's still what they do as I haven't eaten steak in France in many many years now.  But the beef going into the standard French braised dishes was still just the low-grade Euro fare.

I can imagine that it's difficult to get the exact types of spices and staples.  For example flour could certainly be milled differently there, to a different final size/grind, or from different strains of wheat, and even some slight variation could manifest as a difference in the final product.  Not necessarily "worse" but also not the same as over there.

French restaurants do pretty well here in Austin, we have a few that have been around for decades, and a few more that are more recent but solid contributors to the scene.  It's interesting to me that Italian food is so much more ubiquitous.  And not just checkered tablecloth Italian-American, but true Italian.  I think people just find it more accessible than French cooking for some reason.  And it's not necessarily price because the top "true Italian" restaurants in Austin, are at least as pricey as the French ones.

[bayareabadger]

Also, on any restaurant menu, the burger is probably a weak link unless it’s not a very good restaurant.

[847badgerfan]

Also, on any restaurant menu, the burger is probably a weak link unless it’s not a very good restaurant.

I completely disagree with this statement. A restaurant without a good burger is not a good restaurant.

[Cincydawg]

French Bistros are mostly very expensive
that's the only reason I can see that they don't do well

Some are, and they have that reputation, but the one's I've liked are priced the same as other "ethnic food" places of the same overall quality.  A "bistro" literally would be an a smaller place serving modestly priced foods.  Obviously, the term has been "Americanized" like "cuisine" and "entree".

This place for example is decent, and not too far from us.

Bistro-Niko-Dinner-FINAL-04.03.25.pdf

"Entrees" are around $30.  If we got to an Italian or Indian or Persian or American place near us it's the same pricing.  We should probably try Bistro Nikko again sometime, maybe for lunch.  We had lunch there once a while back.  There is another place close to us that is quasi- French.  We've been to the bar but never dined there, now I figure we should give it a go.

Menus | Brasserie Margot in Atlanta, GA

Where the price escalates rapidly is if you order an appetizer and before dinner drinks and a bottle of wine ... and then there are places like this one where the "chef's tasting menu" runs $295 with a $215 wine accompaniment added.  I can't see that.

menu | Lazy Betty Atlanta

Meanwhile, we have two PERSIAN places near us, both are quite good.  

[847badgerfan]

Beef in Europe in general is well below American standards.  The high-end French steakhouses used to import Argentinian beef due to its better quality, no idea if that's still what they do as I haven't eaten steak in France in many many years now.  But the beef going into the standard French braised dishes was still just the low-grade Euro fare.

I can imagine that it's difficult to get the exact types of spices and staples.  For example flour could certainly be milled differently there, to a different final size/grind, or from different strains of wheat, and even some slight variation could manifest as a difference in the final product.  Not necessarily "worse" but also not the same as over there.

French restaurants do pretty well here in Austin, we have a few that have been around for decades, and a few more that are more recent but solid contributors to the scene.  It's interesting to me that Italian food is so much more ubiquitous.  And not just checkered tablecloth Italian-American, but true Italian.  I think people just find it more accessible than French cooking for some reason.  And it's not necessarily price because the top "true Italian" restaurants in Austin, are at least as pricey as the French ones.

Yes, but Tuscany. Man, they know how to do it.

[Cincydawg]

I roughly "equate" Italian and French restaurants in terms of price and quality.  I think "we" usually think French is automatically more expensive.  It has that cache, while "Italian" means pizza and spaghetti, even when it doesn't.  A really good Italian place will be just as expensive aside from the ultra high end "French" places.

It's a bit odd as I think of it, I've had in France "Mexican" food and "Japanese" food at places, but I can't recall seeing an Italian place.  I probably am not looking for one of course.  A true "French bistro" outside Paris often is relatively inexpensive and relatively very very good.

The "Mexican" place was ... weird.

I had barbecue in Scotland once and it was pretty decent, the real thing.

[Cincydawg]

We have lunch at this place fairly often.  They have a nice patio, and if weather is bad a great bar overlooking the patio.  Lunches are in the $15-20 range.  We got to know the owner who is Korean originally.  The chefs are all Mexicans.  Dinners run $25-40, so it's a tad cheaper than the French places, a few bucks.  She has pretty decent wine pricing.  

Menu — Pasta da Pulcinella

Given a choice between French and Italian I'm "Hmmmm."  Of course, if you add in Indian/Korean/Chinese/Japanese/Persian/Greek, I'm also the same, it's all great to me.

[nwms]

If someone asked me where to visit in Illinois, I'd have a hard time telling them to go anywhere.

Galena maybe? Starved Rock maybe?

I'd tell them to keep driving and go North, most likely.

cache river area 

it's no yellowstone but southern ill is pretty.

[nwms]

People shouldn't have animals/pets.

i'm suspicious of ppl that don't love dogs.

[Cincydawg]

i'm suspicious of ppl that don't love dogs.

I'm suspicious of people when dogs don't like them.

[utee94]

I'm suspicious of people that DO love cats...

[847badgerfan]

cache river area

it's no yellowstone but southern ill is pretty.

It's Northern Alabama.

[FearlessF]

Kentucky

[847badgerfan]

Alabama skips right over Tennessee and Kentucky into Southern Illinois.