Overrated Foods (ingredients, restaurant, burger, barbeque)

[Trimac20]

What are some foods that many people seem to rave on about/love but leave you cold/gagging?

For me:

Most kinds of seafood. Squid, octopus, mussel, oyster, scallops. I don't like the rubbery/slimy texture, find it either tasteless or too fishy. Honestly don't get what the fuss is about. I do enjoy well-cooked fish and crustaceans like crab and lobster done well. Not a fan of prawn/shrimp in general but on the odd occasion if it's succulent and well seasoned it can be quite nice.

Caviar/fish eggs: Totally overrated, do not like the taste.

Foie gras: Tried it once at a French restaurant and it's too rich for me. I also don't like it from an ethical standpoint.

Turkey: My least favourite meat because it's so dry. Not sure if it's overrated, but I also don't care for the gamey taste of duck/quail etc.

Pumpkin: I don't like roast pumpkin but I can tolerate pumpkin soup because it doesn't really taste like pumpkin that much. Not being American I've never had pumpkin pie but the idea is revolting. Why ruin perfectly good pastry with pumpkin?

Kimchi: I like Korean barbecue and actually sometimes like Kimchi for it's spicy flavour, but it's not all that great.

Jambalaya/Gumbo: Everyone thinks this is the greatest thing ever, but I found it pretty flavourless and tasteless to be honest. I like some other Cajun dishes and I love Southern cooking in general but I found this overrated.

Sushi: It's convenient, but it's bland and not really the most tasty. I find the sticky Japanese rice a bit dense and heavy. If I eat it I pile on the wasabi and soy sauce.

Steak: I actually do love a well-cooked steak, but it's 'overrated' because often times the quality of the meat and the way it's cooked leaves me overwhelmed. It's just hard to find good steak at a restaurant.

Chips/French Fries: Actually borderline overrated. I mean I do enjoy them, but I find them kind of boring. They're always served as a side...in America I had chips at least once or twice a day and by the end I had had enough. They just seem like an obligatory thing that goes with a burger or steak or something.

Ketchup: Totally overrated. I much prefer other sauces, even just mayo.

Hot dogs: Especially with the frankfurters, not all that great. The red skin makes me nauseous. I prefer clear skinned sausages barbequed.

As for sweets:

Honey: I find it TOO sweet

Mousse: Not satisfying, too airy to hold much flavour and just the most 'meh' dessert ever.

Sponge cake: Boring by itself, feels and tastes cheap compared to other kinds of cake.

Vanilla ice cream: Seriously, why choose vanilla if there are other flavours? Also not a fan of the basic chocolate or strawberry.

[elnina]

Because its not your taste it doesn't mean its overrated. Overpriced sometimes? Yes!
From all the food listed above I don't really care for turkey and hot dogs. Turkey meat, like chicken is absolutely tasteless. The hot dog is scary. Who really knows what is in?? Not much meat, I am afraid.

[annika08]

Sushi. I've tried it multiple times at multiple locations and it's always just...yuck to me. It never ever tastes good to me.

[missik999]

I love mousse.

[Mooseketeer]

Originally Posted by elnina

Because its not your taste it doesn't mean its overrated. Overpriced sometimes? Yes!
From all the food listed above I don't really care for turkey and hot dogs. Turkey meat, like chicken is absolutely tasteless. The hot dog is scary. Who really knows what is in?? Not much meat, I am afraid.

Have you ever had a really good real free range Turkey ? Roasted in its own juices ( basted with butter) with onions roasted by its side ? I think Turkey can be absolutely fabulous if it is the right bird, done the right way. Same with Chicken.


They can be dry and flavourless but I think this has more to do with the quality of the bird than anything else.

MY Great-Aunt's neighbour had her own chickens and turkey ( and rabbits too ) and I swear to you it was food fit for the gods. I often forget how good a roasted turkey can be. I never really chose chicken or turkey in restaurants as I always expect it to be dry and "meh".


This Christmas we were in Bruges and went to a little restaurant which did a cheap special "menu du jour" so I had the turkey. OH MY GOD ! It was the best I had had since my Great-Aunt's one.


It was so moist, almost gamey in flavour, the flesh fell of the bone and the whole thing was like a revelation. I can honestly say it was one of the nicest thing I had had in years.


Of course it had been basted in really good butter and treated with respect so it was a heart attack on a plate but soooooooooo good . I considered asking for another portion simply because being a Pig at that point seemed the only viable option . I was willing to to forego dessert simply for that taste again !!

Most turkey and chicken nowadays is pretty lacking in flavour, the texture is often a little less than appealing and it is often dry but a GOOD turkey/chicken ?!?!?! I shall always remember what that cook did to that bird with awe and respect. It reminded me of how good food really can be when ingredients are paramount.


I shall dream of that unassuming bird for a while yet !

[cape_fisherman]

In general, I don't agree with the OP's take on seafood. Bland or fishy? I can think of some mild fish and some fishy fish, but most seafood has it's own distinct flavor.

Turkey? Too dry? It's dry only if the cook preparing it doesn't know how to cook. Turkey, even the breast, can be very moist if not overcooked.

Jambalaya & Gumbo is flavorless/tasteless? Where on earth have you been eating? These dishes usually contain more spices & ingredients than you would typically use in a month. If your gumbo is tasteless, again I'll say the cook didn't know what they were doing. I'm not from Louisiana (never even been there), but I can cook gumbo & etouffee that will blow your socks off.

Sushi. What can I say. There are certain fishes that are somewhat bland I will agree, but there are others that have wonderful flavor. I love sashimi and partake regularly.

We typically cook steak at home. My wife says she can't eat a steak in a restaurant any more since she ate what I put on her plate. She'll eat one out every now and then, but she always complains and she always says she's never ordering steak again. LOL Pick your own steaks at the store where you can see them. If I don't see a steak I like, I plan another menu. Life is too short to eat lean beef.

[nmnita]

I have to agree with Elnina, it is more of personal taste than actually over rated. I do think a few things are over rated but maybe, it is my taste buds only.

I love Lobster, but I have had more tasteless Lobster than tasty, sushi is too expensive for what you get I think and Foie Gras is not something I would ever choose.

The rest of the list, things like Turkey, most seafood, etc strictly is a matter of taste and can be very subjective. To me "over rated" means, either, considered very healthy and it really isn't or way over priced. Pumpkin and turkey do not fit into either of those catagories.

Nita

[Miaiam]

Just my opinion on some of the foods you mentioned:

Originally Posted by Trimac20

Most kinds of seafood. Squid, octopus, mussel, oyster, scallops. I don't like the rubbery/slimy texture, find it either tasteless or too fishy.

When cooked properly, these are incredibly delicious (except for oysters which I really do not like at all). Unfortunately few people know how to cook seafood...

Sushi: It's convenient, but it's bland and not really the most tasty. I find the sticky Japanese rice a bit dense and heavy. If I eat it I pile on the wasabi and soy sauce.

Fresh, high quality tuna is so incredibly delicious I barely add any wasabi or soy sauce to it. Good sushi needs very few condiments, if any.

Steak: I actually do love a well-cooked steak, but it's 'overrated' because often times the quality of the meat and the way it's cooked leaves me overwhelmed. It's just hard to find good steak at a restaurant.

Agreed. I do eat it on occasion, but am not really a huge fan of steak.

Mousse: Not satisfying, too airy to hold much flavour and just the most 'meh' dessert ever.

Foods like mousse and souffle are supposed to be airy, so I think it is just a matter of taste here, not the fact that they are overrated or not.

Vanilla ice cream: Seriously, why choose vanilla if there are other flavours?

I agree that there are lots of other great flavors, but REAL vanilla is a beautiful thing. Once one cooks with vanilla beans, any artificial flavorings simply won't do.

Oh, I realize you also mentioned honey. Some varieties are so delicate and light they barely compare to other cloying sweet ones. Though am no honey specialist, I think it is all about the kind of honey you choose.

[JustJulia]

It sounds like your tastes are just different. Also, perhaps you've been subjected to some terrible cooking? I can understand not liking something such as raw seafood or animal organs, but some things on your list are ubiquitous. People the world over eat some form of fried starch like potatoes, plantains, etc., and I think everything depends on the freshness and quality of the ingredients. I've had cold, soggy crinkle fries that were obviously from extruded potatoes ... yuck. I've had pommes frites fried in duck fat with sea salt and herbs, and I wanted to go into the kitchen and kiss the cook on the mouth.

Junk food is junk. But to people who really like food, good food is a pleasure. Foods that are overly seasoned or unnaturally sweetened or under- or overcooked, junk. But a pumpkin pie made from real pumpkin and crust from scratch? My mother's homemade Victoria sponge? I suspect you just haven't had the good stuff.

[Fontucky]

Caviar: I flat don't get it. It reminds me of overly salty snot and boogers.

But dry turkey? Man, you need to eat some properly cooked turkey.