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This of course does come down to personal preference in types of cuisine in a lot of ways, but I think we may need to what is actually "good" in order to decide which state has "better" food. Some people are arguing for flavor while others are arguing for what's healthier. Both can be designated as "good," but personally when I'm taking about good food I'm talking about what tastes good before I'm ever talking about what is actually good for me. If I have an amazing cheesecake I'm not going to say it isn't good, even though it clearly isn't good in relation to how healthy it is for me.
When it comes to Southern cuisine I feel that CA is severely lacking and GA clearly dominates us 1000x times over in this department. I truly wish we had access to real Southern cooking out here (I am saying this based on perception of course, as I have never been to GA and have not personally sampled their actual Southern cuisine).
As far as "California cuisine" goes, I think that term is applied to the stereotypical fare a relatively small contingent of people from SoCal conceived back in the early 80's. I've lived here my whole life and I have no idea what "CA cuisine" would really be (granola and tofu I guess? veggie burgers and CPK maybe?). It definitely is NOT what I or anyone I'm close to eats EVER in CA. We eat pretty darn good actually. I'm not a fan of fusion either, generally speaking.
Personally I eat all types of different food on a regular basis: Mexican, Filipino, Thai, Burmese, Chinese, Vietnamese, deli sandwiches, American (like omelets and pancakes and burgers and pizza, etc.), Hawaiian, Japanese, Turkish, Lebanese, Indian, etc. etc. Those I've listed are LITERALLY what I've had since Saturday lol (I'm not lying ). So from my perspective, food in CA is excellent while that which I understand to be labeled as "CA cuisine" is something foreign and unappealing to me. And I think the ingredients used in the food that I like here is excellent b/c it is a combination of both quality local and imported ingredients.
So which state has the better cuisine? I can't really say since I've never been to GA. Atlanta sounds like it has some amazing food and I love what I have had of Southern cuisine, so I don't doubt GA can offer a lot of great food. If what some people have said here is true and everything in each state can be found in just about every other single state, then I guess all states are equal on that basis. If the top restaurants in GA can actually rival the top restaurants in CA, then again its a wash. I suppose it would have to come down to quantity if that were the case (ie: GA's top 5 restaurants being 100% equal to CA's top 5 restaurants yet not having an answer for CA's #6-10).
But I really don't think things are quite as even across the board as some people are making it seem. I think CA probably has significantly better Mexican food (both sit down and street food) as well as higher quality ethnic cuisines that come from cultures that are better represented in CA than they are in GA. I doubt Atlanta has better Filipino restaurants than Daly City, San Francisco, San Diego or Union City for example, and I doubt CA's best Southern restaurants match up well at all against GA's. So in the restaurant department, both states should be looked at side by side in each category of cuisine before any conclusion can be drawn.
As for produce, CA has it as fresh and delicious as it comes in abundance, and can grow some things that GA cannot. So I'd give CA the edge here.
I think overall CA would have to come out the winner in this comparison, but I am basing this off what I have listed and admittedly have not had food in GA to make a truly accurate apples to apples comparison.
Excellent and very accurate post.
Considering you've never been here, it's even more impressive.
California cuisine is heavy on avocado, organic produce, olive oil, fresh seafood, no preservatives...It definitely has a very particular taste and feel.
Here is a description of a famous california cuisine restaurant, Chez Panisse:
"Alice and Chez Panisse are convinced that the best-tasting food is organically and locally grown and harvested in ways that are ecologically sound by people who are taking care of the land for future generations. The quest for such ingredients has always determined the restaurant’s cuisine. Since 1971, Chez Panisse has invited diners to partake of the immediacy and excitement of vegetables just out of the garden, fruit right off the branch, and fish straight out of the sea. In doing so, Chez Panisse has established a network of nearby suppliers who, like the restaurant, are striving for both environmental harmony and delicious flavor."
Alice is THE God Mother of the entire farm-to-table movement, imo.
There was a cool news segment here recently showing the new urban garden she got started at a Berkeley Elementary School. The kids were really into it, and it was a great story.
The whole movement has really gained traction here over the last several years. The restaurant that is probably the most responsible for introducing the scene here is Woodfire Grill, the place owned by one of the finalists from the most recent TopChef. Woodfire Grill Atlanta - Local, Organic and Sustainable Cuisine
This place is the real deal - they fly in the Rocky chickens from Petaluma daily, etc.
Trader Joe's is from California. The culture of shops like TJ's is from California as are most of the organic and health-food trends in this nation. Even sushi started out as a Californian trend due to their high populations of Japanese.
So what? Whole Foods is from Austin, Texas and sushi is from Japan, not California. California's only contribution to sushi was bastardizing it for American consumption. California rolls with their fake crab meat and avocado, how authentically Japanese.
Quote:
Originally Posted by BergenCountyJohnny
California is hard to beat by any state when it comes to food, but for certain Georgia isn't even in the running. Not even close. It's like a one-legged, Georgian hound dog racing a Hollywood movie star's Maserati.
This doesn't deserve to be dignified with a response.
Nor is it the regular ol' stepford state that you continually like to make it out to be.
Never said it was, I just don't think you're as special as you seem to. Seriously, California is a cool state, but get over yourselves.
You don't hear people from Wisconsin brag about how we started Earth Day, implemented the nation's first curbside recycling program, have the largest farmer's market in the US, or invented hydroelectricity, do you? Californians are constantly taking credit for things they may have popularized, but didn't actually invent, like eating organic, locally produced food or sustainable agriculture.
I think we can throw socioeconomics in here as well as I feel people who are well-off in the State of Georgia can eat as healthy of foods as people who are well-off in California. People who live in poor rural areas of Georgia are going to have a considerably poorer diet since they can't afford the organic foods and revert to frying things in lard. So it is a matter of wealth status.
What about the "Hills Have Eyes" type mutants who live in Eastern California? I'm not sure they have the best diet either, y'know with the eating of roadkill, small rodents, human beings, and such.
You can get pot roast, baked chicken, baked ham, fried pork chops, fried chicken, country fried steak, meatloaf, baked mac and cheese, potato salad, dressing (not stuffing), deviled eggs, green beans, baked beans, cornbread, and muffins....As for deserts...Peach cobbler (obviously) and sweet potato pie are amongst favorites.....
Of course, you can get this food anywhere in the country, but it just taste better coming from the south!!!
California may have better crab legs, shrimp, and as u stated Mexican food!!!
Apparently you never been to Savannah and that low country boil the seafood is crazy... now as fas as Mexican food... LA may have it
I accept this perspective and stated that I feel bad for the environmental degradation, the loss of habitat, the destruction of historical salmon spawning rivers, the inhumane conditions for both cows and chickens aka factory farming, etc. I'm from the Bay Area, I get it. I live and breath this kind of stuff. So I'm just sayin...these are negatives, but what do you want us to do about it. Should this negative stuff be better argued in a different thread?
Nor does Georgia or any other state for that matter. But one should consider that "California Cuisine" by definition is organic, fresh, locally grown fare. Alice Waters in Berkeley is the God-mother of this movement which has spread across the globe. How much should this count for?
Other that that, we're basically in agreement.
BS. Most of the world already eats this way, why would they have to change anything? Eating organic, locally produced food is the foundation of humanity. Some old lady from SF didn't invent this. France, Italy, and Spain have always eaten this way. Japan eats an even healthier, raw version of this. Even third world nations like Vietnam and Jamaica don't pump their meat full of chemicals and steroids, that's an American invention. Again, classic example of Californian's taking credit for something that's existed as long a time. Next thing you know they'll be taking credit for gravity and oxygen.
I just thought about something yall are using foreign countries cuisines as California cuisine in California, vs. Georgia. While Georgia is using southern cuisines which is actually a product of southern traditions which Georgia is in the south, Yall can’t compare southern cooking a centuries in the making tradition with in Georgia and along with the rest of the south, to foreign cuisines with no Californian style. Pizza is Italian or Spanish but there’s Chicago style Pizza so Chicago can claim that style, while Italy and Spain can’t claim at least that style of pizza, is there Californian style curry? All the cuisines you listed you can get that in Georgia also, there more of it in California well California has a larger population yall should, but that still not Californian style food that foreign countries cuisines in California until yall put a twist on it.
Exactly! This is what I've been saying the whole time. How can you compare Southern cuisine to Chinese, Japanese, Mexican, Indian, Pakistani, Samoan, Thai, etc.? Every big city and college town is going to have ethnic restaurants out the wazoo.
I think the Californians are purposely trying to avoid an actual match-up of California cuisine vs Georgia cuisine, because Georgia would mop the floor with 'em. So far, pretty much every CA resident has said they despise California fusion, which is what gave the world such culinary treasures as Thai peanut sauce pizza or Guy Fieri's authentic Texas BBQ/sushi joint Tex Wasabi's.
PS, pizza is from Italy not Spain.
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). So from my perspective, food in CA is excellent while that which I understand to be labeled as "CA cuisine" is something foreign and unappealing to me. And I think the ingredients used in the food that I like here is excellent b/c it is a combination of both quality local and imported ingredients.
