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its funny, i use to watch the chef competition shows a few yrs back,,,not anymore,,
one chef would say "you over-season your steak" you are clouding the naturally great flavor of this steak"
the next judge would say "i didnt find it seasoned enough to bring out the true flavors of the steak"
we all have different tastes..
So true, when we go to our local steak house with neighbors we usually have the same steak cooked 4 completely different ways and everyone is happy.
When we have guests I under season if I put any seasoning on at all because of everyone's preference.
Unless I have cooked for them numerous times before then I can season the way I know it is liked.
I believe everyone overseasons. You hear all of the time "needs salt" "needs salt", "oh by the way this needs salt". I dont believe anything needs salt so if it is added, it is overseasoned.
My friends all like a certain chain restaurant with a red bird, and I can honestly say I have not had a good burger there. Not that the meat isn't good, but every burger has a weird sauce (or often, multiple weird sauces). It's not that complicated to make a decent hamburger, or a decent steak.
You do realize that you can order your burger without the sauce, right? Easy peasy, problem solved.
The best burgers I've ever had are the ones I make at home. Chuck fresh ground with some smokey bacon. Lightly salted and peppered before cooking, doesn't need anything else.....yum yum! Even then tho I find it loses that 'something' after going in the freezer. That's when it gets used for something with a sauce
If you want freshly ground in house high quality meat don't go to a big chain restaurant with the family friendly pricing. It just is not financially practical for a busy restaurant whose prices are relatively inexpensive to do this.
Now that said I did work for a fair sized chain restaurant that uses meat that is never frozen and the cooks make the patties fresh every day by hand. Their burgers are IMHO some of the best to be had in such a establishment. Most restaurants make liberal use of microwaves too. If you only knew the things that are going on behind the scenes. You would be surprised. None of it is unsafe, unsanitary or anything. But the things you are eating are almost all frozen thawed and often at least partially reheated in a microwave.
As for seasoning and sauces. The thing is that the majority of people do order the fancy house burger with al of the fun toppings. You are in the minority of customers who want things very plain. After all why bother going out to eat something you can make as easily at home and for a lot less money? Of course sometimes you don't have a choice and you need to eat out. In that case ,it is really very simple. Ask for your burger to be cooked without seasoning and ask for a plain one instead of one of the fancy specialty burgers. It is not at all hard to accommodate you and if you are nice to your server they will make sure you get exactly what you ask for.
The last few times I've had steak at restaurants (sometimes chains, sometimes not) they've all been terribly over-seasoned. If it's a good cut of meat, I don't need a 1/2" layer of too-salty stuff on top.
My friends all like a certain chain restaurant with a red bird, and I can honestly say I have not had a good burger there. Not that the meat isn't good, but every burger has a weird sauce (or often, multiple weird sauces). It's not that complicated to make a decent hamburger, or a decent steak.
Am I alone in feeling this way? Why do restaurants feel they have to "jazz-up" what would otherwise be a perfectly good piece of meat?
Why are you ordering items with lots of seasonings on them?
Restaurants offer what sells. If you don't want a steak or burger with a bunch of stuff on it, don't order it that way.
Most of my steak eating has been in quality steakhouses in Kansas City (not chain steakhouses), where they don't mess with a bunch of seasoning, the emphasis is on the quality of the cut of meat and stellar preparation.
Overall, in general dining out, I find the opposite of your complaint to be the case...restaurants often do NOT season food to my liking, and I find them to be quite bland, often. I'm a big fan of fresh herbs, quality spices, and sauces and condiments, overall, though.
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