31 ms·

Yeah, because there's nothing worthwhile in US regional cuisine like I dunno, gumbo?

thaumasiotes 3y ago
I've been to a cajun restaurant and I've been to a Jamaican restaurant. Based on those, it would be no great loss if cajun cuisine was completely forgotten, though it's possible it was just a terrible restaurant. There really is a problem with American food, and it's the people who design and eat it. For many years I've watched Indian restaurants open locally with great food, and then get blander and blander and blander over time. I can only assume they do it because their guests complain when the food they serve has detectable flavors.
- rascul 3y ago
  I've eaten lots of Cajun food but I've never had Cajun food from a restaurant. A decent cook can make an excellent pot of gumbo or jambalaya, and a crawfish boil can be a delicious and wonderful backyard event.
- Loughla 3y ago
  You had to have eaten at a terrible restaurant. Cajun cuisine is probably the second best regional cuisine in existence. For amazing creole/cajun food - Jewel of the South on St. Louis Street in New Orleans is just top shelf (they're really small, so plan ahead). The last time I was there I had sweet breads, blood sausage, and some desert that was in french, so I don't remember what it was. It was (to be slightly dramatic) life changing. Being from the midwest, I have had sweet breads and blood sausage, both, but never, ever, ever anywhere close to as good as at the Jewel.
  - selimthegrim 3y ago
    The owner used to be my landlord about a decade ago. I’ve heard nothing but good things about this and his other place, Manolito.
    - Loughla 3y ago
      He was there when I was there and we had drinks. A family member of mine worked with him in the past, so I got to sit with those two old foodies/restaurant beasts who had spent their entire lives either in kitchens or as managers/owners and listen to wild-ass stories about what it was like to work food-service in New Orleans before New Orleans went PG rated post Katrina. It was absolutely one of my favorite travel memories.
      - selimthegrim 3y ago
        If he told you the Hunter S. Thompson story that must have been something to behold.
  - selimthegrim 3y ago
    What’s the best regional cuisine?
    - Loughla 3y ago
      Midwest, but specifically the cuisine of German/Irish immigrants from the early 1900's who were already poor when the great depression hit. The middle of Illinois, North Missouri, parts of Iowa, Indiana, and Wisconsin is where to find it. Hearty fall dishes full of fat, flavor, and the feeling of being home. Light summer dishes with local and wild greens. Not the "regular" fried midwest foods, but dumplings, ox-tail soup, cabbage soup, so many beans, so much pork belly, cattail flour flatbread, fresh watercress and mustard greens; those sorts of things.
    - tomcam 3y ago
      Szechuan
      - thaumasiotes 3y ago
        Of Chinese regional cuisine, I actually favor Xinjiang, though that is in large part because the need to be halal prevents them from serving pork. Xinjiang cuisine also avoids the slimy glop coating that is so common in ethnic Chinese cuisine. [A problem that gets much worse if you have food delivered - the food doesn't get drained, and it's packed into delivery containers pretty tightly, so your food arrives bathing in a deep sea of sauce that would have, if served on a plate, fallen below the actual food.] My second choice would be Hunan food.
        selimthegrim 3y ago
        If you ever go by Rosemead, CA I highly recommend the China Islamic restaurant there.

I've been to a cajun restaurant and I've been to a Jamaican restaurant. Based on those, it would be no great loss if cajun cuisine was completely forgotten, though it's possible it was just a terrible restaurant. There really is a problem with American food, and it's the people who design and eat it. For many years I've watched Indian restaurants open locally with great food, and then get blander and blander and blander over time. I can only assume they do it because their guests complain when the food they serve has detectable flavors.

rascul 3y ago
I've eaten lots of Cajun food but I've never had Cajun food from a restaurant. A decent cook can make an excellent pot of gumbo or jambalaya, and a crawfish boil can be a delicious and wonderful backyard event.
Loughla 3y ago
You had to have eaten at a terrible restaurant. Cajun cuisine is probably the second best regional cuisine in existence. For amazing creole/cajun food - Jewel of the South on St. Louis Street in New Orleans is just top shelf (they're really small, so plan ahead). The last time I was there I had sweet breads, blood sausage, and some desert that was in french, so I don't remember what it was. It was (to be slightly dramatic) life changing. Being from the midwest, I have had sweet breads and blood sausage, both, but never, ever, ever anywhere close to as good as at the Jewel.
- selimthegrim 3y ago
  The owner used to be my landlord about a decade ago. I’ve heard nothing but good things about this and his other place, Manolito.
  - Loughla 3y ago
    He was there when I was there and we had drinks. A family member of mine worked with him in the past, so I got to sit with those two old foodies/restaurant beasts who had spent their entire lives either in kitchens or as managers/owners and listen to wild-ass stories about what it was like to work food-service in New Orleans before New Orleans went PG rated post Katrina. It was absolutely one of my favorite travel memories.
    - selimthegrim 3y ago
      If he told you the Hunter S. Thompson story that must have been something to behold.
- selimthegrim 3y ago
  What’s the best regional cuisine?
  - Loughla 3y ago
    Midwest, but specifically the cuisine of German/Irish immigrants from the early 1900's who were already poor when the great depression hit. The middle of Illinois, North Missouri, parts of Iowa, Indiana, and Wisconsin is where to find it. Hearty fall dishes full of fat, flavor, and the feeling of being home. Light summer dishes with local and wild greens. Not the "regular" fried midwest foods, but dumplings, ox-tail soup, cabbage soup, so many beans, so much pork belly, cattail flour flatbread, fresh watercress and mustard greens; those sorts of things.
  - tomcam 3y ago
    Szechuan
    - thaumasiotes 3y ago
      Of Chinese regional cuisine, I actually favor Xinjiang, though that is in large part because the need to be halal prevents them from serving pork. Xinjiang cuisine also avoids the slimy glop coating that is so common in ethnic Chinese cuisine. [A problem that gets much worse if you have food delivered - the food doesn't get drained, and it's packed into delivery containers pretty tightly, so your food arrives bathing in a deep sea of sauce that would have, if served on a plate, fallen below the actual food.] My second choice would be Hunan food.
      - selimthegrim 3y ago
        If you ever go by Rosemead, CA I highly recommend the China Islamic restaurant there.