Your unpopular food opinions

[Guest Lobo]

This all raises an interesting point, why do I love fish tacos (when done properly, usually by me)...but the idea of a fish burrito sounds disgusting...despite there being very little difference overall?  

[conVINCEd 21469]

1 minute ago, Lobo said:

This all raises an interesting point, why do I love fish tacos (when done properly, usually by me)...but the idea of a fish burrito sounds disgusting...despite there being very little difference overall?  

I feel like it is partly an appearance thing.  With a taco, the ingredients pretty much stay separated.  You feel like each bite is composed of several individual components.  The fish as the base, a little slaw on top of that, topped off with an avocado and some salsa.  All of the lines get blurred on a burrito.  I would think the fish, if fried, would lose a little crispiness, and when that occurs it’s going to fall/flake apart.  Do not want.

[futureman 22444]

I don’t know, a fried catfish burrito has immense potential. 

[SimonBolivar 10957]

3 hours ago, Al_4_ISU said:

Chipotle is the classic example of a solid chain.  A lot of places have a local version that is probably better, but if you don't know the local version, or there isn't a local version, it's going to get the job done.

I live in a place way too small and white to have anything remotely like it.  I was in Rochester, MN recently and got Chipotle because they don't have a local version that's any better, and I was craving a burrito.  Good enough.

I'll stand by McDonald's analogy.  If I'm on the road, I don't have the time to pull off and find the best burger in _______.  I'd never call McDonald's the best of anything, but I know what I'm getting, and I know it will taste fine, and it doesn't matter where the hell I am.  Same for Chipotle.

I disagree. Bowls from Chipotle aren't as good as top local places generally, but they're a hell of a lot closer than a McDonald's burger is to ANY established burger restaurant in the US. However if you're just in the mood for some fries then McDonald's can scratch that itch.

[Al_4_ISU 12451]

Just now, SimonBolivar said:

I disagree. Bowls from Chipotle aren't as good as top local places generally, but they're a hell of a lot closer than a McDonald's burger is to ANY established burger restaurant in the US. However if you're just in the mood for some fries then McDonald's can scratch that itch.

I guess I wouldn't argue with that, in terms of quality.  What McDonald's does is consistency among locations, and in my experience Chipotle matches that consistency.  Chipotle is definitely closer to a local joint than McDonald's in terms of quality, but like McDonald's is almost always going to be lesser than the local option if a local option exists.  But if you don't know the area, you know what you're going to get at Chipotle, and it's going to be fine.

[futureman 22444]

11 minutes ago, SimonBolivar said:

However if you're just in the mood for some fries then McDonald's can scratch that itch.

McDonald’s does deal for a double cheeseburger and a small fries for $3.  I rarely ever will eat at McDonald’s for an actual meal—it’s probably been years—but I’ve found it very difficult to not crush a double and fries if I’m driving by and there’s no line in the drive-thru.  if the fries are fresh they’re still delicious. 

[CooterBrown 18004]

Chipotle was a McD’s creation.

IIRC, it was indie and McD’s bought them.

[conVINCEd 21469]

Just now, CooterBrown said:

IIRC, it was indie and McD’s bought them.

Maybe, just remember them spinning it off back in the day.

[4th&Five 41515]

i interviewed for a marketing job with chipotle in like 2004 and throughout the whole process they kept trying to distance themselves from McD's.  it was pretty comical.

[Covri 6244]

On 9/9/2020 at 3:06 PM, Murfdogg21 said:

I enjoy Taco Cabana far more than Torchys. Not sure if this is an unpopular opinion or just common sense. 

2000 era TC? Yes

2020 era TC? No

 

Cabana has gone way down hill

[shadow_operative2.0 15950]

If any of you ever find yourselves in north FW near the Mint, this place makes a damn good grilled shrimp burrito. 

https://www.badazzburritos.com/

[Carl Spackler 3479]

8 hours ago, NeverMarryAStripper said:

I have never been able to eat fish tacos.  I just can't relate to the term with regard to food.  I've never really thought about the term fish burrito though.

Had the same general aversion to the thought of fish tacos, fish burritos, etc., before moving to SoCal, where fish taco places are plentiful.  I now love them.  Done right, a good fish burrito definitely goes hard in the paint.  Dammit, now I'm hungry . . .  

[Neonmoon 38129]

7 hours ago, CooterBrown said:

IIRC, it was indie and McD’s bought them.

 

7 hours ago, conVINCEd said:

Maybe, just remember them spinning it off back in the day.

You’re both correct. 
https://www.businessinsider.com/the-ridiculous-reason-mcdonalds-sold-chipotle-2015-5

Chipotle was independent. McDonalds bought 90% stake. Later McDonalds divested their stake to focus on their core brand. Chipotle wanted out because they had different cultures. 

[ztejas 43411]

7 minutes ago, Neonmoon said:

 

You’re both correct. 
https://www.businessinsider.com/the-ridiculous-reason-mcdonalds-sold-chipotle-2015-5

Chipotle was independent. McDonalds bought 90% stake. Later McDonalds divested their stake to focus on their core brand. Chipotle wanted out because they had different cultures. 

One wanted to burn people with coffee, the other wanted to poison their customers with E. Coli. Such is the corporate world.

[T’Boo Ted Marshall 2732]

Plus, a lot of times I don't finish my burrito in one sitting, and I'm not exactly a small guy.  I would assume this is true for a lot of folks.  And there are few things as uncouth as left over fish.

Not uh, not computing here Al.

[billfromlaketravis 11448]

I was going to post I like Pizza Hut, but I just ate the worst calzone of my entire life. So I don’t like Pizza Hut at the moment. 

[Deej 76755]

12 minutes ago, billfromlaketravis said:

I just ate the worst calzone of my entire life.

that's on you. 

[kilroydos 267]

10 hours ago, Lobo said:

This all raises an interesting point, why do I love fish tacos (when done properly, usually by me)...but the idea of a fish burrito sounds disgusting...despite there being very little difference overall?  

I prefer a fried fish taco, so a burrito would ensoggen the crispy fish, making it less than desirable.  Tacos let it breathe, man.

[Al_4_ISU 12451]

3 hours ago, T’Boo Ted Marshall said:

Not uh, not computing here Al.

Is it the not finishing the burrito part or the reheated fish part?

[T’Boo Ted Marshall 2732]

Is it the not finishing the burrito part or the reheated fish part?

Good point. Reheated fish is dicey, especially if trying to do so in a burrito. I was objecting to the not finishing a burrito portion.

[Hornbeliever 712]

Unpopular is I hate resting meat.  Cut that shit and serve it warm to me as opposed to cool and "juicy."  

[Llewelyn Moss 207]

14 hours ago, Hornbeliever said:

Unpopular is I hate resting meat.  Cut that shit and serve it warm to me as opposed to cool and "juicy."  

YES

It’s somehow comforting to know I’m not the only one. Resting meat is so overrated...hot steak is not 

[After irth 1243]

2 hours ago, Llewelyn Moss said:

YES

It’s somehow comforting to know I’m not the only one. Resting meat is so overrated...hot steak is not 

Then you’re doing it wrong. 

[Llewelyn Moss 207]

3 minutes ago, After irth said:

Then you’re doing it wrong. 

I respect the foil tent

[Hornbeliever 712]

6 hours ago, After irth said:

Then you’re doing it wrong. 

Yes, that must be it.  Definitely not preference of temperature over juice, it's you and how wrong you are.

[Longhornmaniac8 255]

On 9/12/2020 at 3:28 PM, Hornbeliever said:

Unpopular is I hate resting meat.  Cut that shit and serve it warm to me as opposed to cool and "juicy."  

If you use a sous vide, no resting required.

[Hornbeliever 712]

16 minutes ago, Longhornmaniac8 said:

If you use a sous vide, no resting required.

Good point.  I have a smoker, a Blackstone griddle, and a natural stone bbq pit for real flames but for some reason, I can't seem to get the motivation to get a sous vide. I go to the sous vide thread and constantly get jealous though.

[The Ace of Aces 5175]

On 9/10/2020 at 10:14 PM, billfromlaketravis said:

Not a terrible idea.
 

Torchy’s  wisely expanded to Louisiana, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, and Colorado. That’s tap water in a Tex Mex desert. 

I live in Pennsylvania. I’d murder someone for some hillbilly queso and a trailer park/green chile pork tacos tonight. 

Edited September 14, 2020 by The Ace of Aces

[billfromlaketravis 11448]

13 hours ago, Llewelyn Moss said:

YES

It’s somehow comforting to know I’m not the only one. Resting meat is so overrated...hot steak is not 

So y’all serve steaks at home immediately after cooking? Not for me. 

[Sam Lin 3551]

17 hours ago, After irth said:

Then you’re doing it wrong. 

This. "cool and juicy" is not a properly rested steak.

[52-80 19147]

10 hours ago, billfromlaketravis said:

So y’all serve steaks at home immediately after cooking? Not for me. 

i mean u gotta carve some time to photograph it for social media

[BurntOrange&White 39930]

2000 era TC? Yes
2020 era TC? No
 
Cabana has gone way down hill

This BIG TIME. See the TC enchilada thread

[fuggled 576]

Making roux (at least dark roux) from scratch is silly.  I saw a Cajun blog lamenting the lost art of making roux.  Please, there is no art to roux.  It's not like brisket where every piece of meat is different and you have to sense when it's done.  If there's one food product in the world that you could 100% automate with a machine, it has to be roux.  I say this as someone who loves gumbo, who loves spending a Sunday cooking for the family and who would gladly spend an afternoon nursing a pot of beans.  But roux?  There's no magic there and I'll get it off the shelf for gumbo every time.

Gravy, on the other hand, is a different story...

[squib 1120]

6 hours ago, fuggled said:

Making roux (at least dark roux) from scratch is silly.  I saw a Cajun blog lamenting the lost art of making roux.  Please, there is no art to roux.  It's not like brisket where every piece of meat is different and you have to sense when it's done.  If there's one food product in the world that you could 100% automate with a machine, it has to be roux.  I say this as someone who loves gumbo, who loves spending a Sunday cooking for the family and who would gladly spend an afternoon nursing a pot of beans.  But roux?  There's no magic there and I'll get it off the shelf for gumbo every time.

Bootsie's for the win. 

[Hornius Emeritus 12450]

My unpopular opinion: I am beginning to hate the way HEB is pushing brand name stuff off of the shelves and replacing it with inferior quality products.  Example: Thomas English muffins. They are still there in my local HEB (William Cannon and Brodie), but they've been pushed to the bottom of the shelves in place of a dramatically inferior HEB product that has the texture of hamburger buns. Same with couscous. We normally get the East Palm brand. They were out of it so my gf got the HEB brand. It was not very good. I looked at the list of ingredients and compared it to the East Palm brand and there were several extra ingredients in the HEB brand. 

Edited December 9, 2020 by Hornius Emeritus

[Da Fino 2776]

On 12/9/2020 at 3:37 PM, Hornius Emeritus said:

My unpopular opinion: I am beginning to hate the way HEB is pushing brand name stuff off of the shelves and replacing it with inferior quality products.  Example: Thomas English muffins. They are still there in my local HEB (William Cannon and Brodie), but they've been pushed to the bottom of the shelves in place of a dramatically inferior HEB product that has the texture of hamburger buns. Same with couscous. We normally get the East Palm brand. They were out of it so my gf got the HEB brand. It was not very good. I looked at the list of ingredients and compared it to the East Palm brand and there were several extra ingredients in the HEB brand. 

Have you tried Bays English Muffins?

[Deej 76755]

1 hour ago, Da Fino said:

Have you tried Bays English Muffins?

This. They are in a refrigerated section. Substantially better than the Thomas ones.

[After irth 1243]

On 12/9/2020 at 8:21 AM, fuggled said:

Making roux (at least dark roux) from scratch is silly.  I saw a Cajun blog lamenting the lost art of making roux.  Please, there is no art to roux.  It's not like brisket where every piece of meat is different and you have to sense when it's done.  If there's one food product in the world that you could 100% automate with a machine, it has to be roux.  I say this as someone who loves gumbo, who loves spending a Sunday cooking for the family and who would gladly spend an afternoon nursing a pot of beans.  But roux?  There's no magic there and I'll get it off the shelf for gumbo every time.

Gravy, on the other hand, is a different story...

Wow...doing this thread right. 

[conVINCEd 21469]

30 minutes ago, Deej said:

This. They are in a refrigerated section. Substantially better than the Thomas ones.

I have a relative who sends everyone they know some fancy English muffins for Xmas every year.  They are very good.  Don’t know the name off the top of my head, but when they arrive this year I will come back and post the name as soon as I am done eating my first homemade egg McMuffin.

[Jack Straw 2954]

On 12/9/2020 at 3:37 PM, Hornius Emeritus said:

My unpopular opinion: I am beginning to hate the way HEB is pushing brand name stuff off of the shelves and replacing it with inferior quality products.  

agree 100%

[956 Worldwide 34702]

Unsweetened ice tea is better than almost all “Southern sweet tea.” Sweet tea in restaurants is just hummingbird food, it makes my teeth hurt as I drink it.

Exception is Mexican restaurants in the RGV, they use a bit less sugar and fresh lime (not lemon) juice added.  Makes all the difference. Will still give you diabeetus.

[UTPhil2006 3806]

Pretty much anywhere I order tea I ask for half and half or unsweetened and then 1 packet suffices

[Hate 20106]

Unsweetened ice tea is better than almost all “Southern sweet tea.” Sweet tea in restaurants is just hummingbird food, it makes my teeth hurt as I drink it.
Exception is Mexican restaurants in the RGV, they use a bit less sugar and fresh lime (not lemon) juice added.  Makes all the difference. Will still give you diabeetus.

Sugar and lemon/lime in iced tea is awful.

And as I type that I realize I put cream and sugar (stevia) in my coffee.

[NorthLoop 14183]

2 hours ago, 956 Worldwide said:

Unsweetened ice tea is better than almost all “Southern sweet tea.” Sweet tea in restaurants is just hummingbird food, it makes my teeth hurt as I drink it.

Exception is Mexican restaurants in the RGV, they use a bit less sugar and fresh lime (not lemon) juice added.  Makes all the difference. Will still give you diabeetus.

People don't realize that that is not an unpopular opinion in Texas. That whole sweet tea is a Texan thing is bullshit and the idea was planted by transplants on facebook. 

[956 Worldwide 34702]

9 minutes ago, NorthLoop said:

People don't realize that that is not an unpopular opinion in Texas. That whole sweet tea is a Texan thing is bullshit and the idea was planted by transplants on facebook. 

Could be.  I first had presweetened tea in undergrad at a fried chicken place (chain) while visiting friends from DFW.  Zuckerberg would have been inventing Facebook at the time, the chain could be some bullshit Deep South thing.  
 

I do like hot tea with lemon and sugar (sweetened myself) Eastern European style. 

[utee94 15807]

15 minutes ago, NorthLoop said:

People don't realize that that is not an unpopular opinion in Texas. That whole sweet tea is a Texan thing is bullshit and the idea was planted by transplants on facebook. 

Yeah sweet tea is not a Texas thing. I mean, it appears to be now, but it wasn't historically.  

[billfromlaketravis 11448]

Boston Market, especially the prime rib, is good. @ me. 

There are only 5 Boston Market locations in Greater Houston. This is inexplicable. 

[Wally Pryor 5261]

Tiff's Treats are cookies you could make from a  Betty Crocker package.   

Yay that they're warm.  

[Horn Draoi 254]

1 hour ago, NorthLoop said:

People don't realize that that is not an unpopular opinion in Texas. That whole sweet tea is a Texan thing is bullshit and the idea was planted by transplants on facebook. 

This, 100%!  Never heard of “sweet tea” until the early 90’s, and we’re restaurant junkies.  Something invented to compete with Dr. Pepper

[CooterBrown 18004]

Boston Market, especially the prime rib, is good. @ me. 
There are only 5 Boston Market locations in Greater Houston. This is inexplicable. 

The Company Man YouTube channel has an episode on why Boston Market never really took off. It’s worth a watch but beware, his videos on why various companies failed are oddly addictive.