Deceptive Menu Items
Mar 24, 2015, 1:20 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: STL
Programs: WN or DL; Hyatt or Wyndham
Posts: 1,073
Deceptive Menu Items
Some things are standard, right? We all know what buffalo wings are. There may be different flavors, but we know what the "standard" is -- buffalo sauce. French onion soup, cheeseburger, French dip -- some things should be trustworthy just because of the name, no?
At a fairly nice place (at least, expensive) out in Colorado, Tabernash Tavern near Winter Park ski resort, my wife ordered a Caesar salad. Caesar salad is a specific thing, right? Romaine lettuce. Caesar dressing. With or without anchovies. With or without croutons. Pretty basic.
What she got was...a half head of green leaf lettuce, not romaine. Wilted or blanched or somehow else partially cooked. A salsa-like concoction of black beans, corn and tomatoes on top. Tortilla strips on the side. Some kind of spicy-hot southwestern dressing. How is that a "Caesar salad"?
Can a restaurant just take a standard food label and slap it on something else? "Well, around here our cheeseburgers are served on white bread, and the only ingredients are peanut butter and jelly. Cheeseburger is just what we call it."
Any other experiences like this?
At a fairly nice place (at least, expensive) out in Colorado, Tabernash Tavern near Winter Park ski resort, my wife ordered a Caesar salad. Caesar salad is a specific thing, right? Romaine lettuce. Caesar dressing. With or without anchovies. With or without croutons. Pretty basic.
What she got was...a half head of green leaf lettuce, not romaine. Wilted or blanched or somehow else partially cooked. A salsa-like concoction of black beans, corn and tomatoes on top. Tortilla strips on the side. Some kind of spicy-hot southwestern dressing. How is that a "Caesar salad"?
Can a restaurant just take a standard food label and slap it on something else? "Well, around here our cheeseburgers are served on white bread, and the only ingredients are peanut butter and jelly. Cheeseburger is just what we call it."
Any other experiences like this?
Mar 24, 2015, 1:49 pm
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Denver, CO
Programs: UA Silver, Bonvoy Gold, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 21,530
The menu description seems to indicate it's not a normal Caesar salad...
Tequila Flamed Caesar Salad
Watermelon, bbcs, chipotle vinaigrette, pecans, cotija, tortilla rajas, tomatoes, sweet onion and jalapeno relish, anchovy and avocado crema.
http://tabernashtavern.com/dinner/
Tequila Flamed Caesar Salad
Watermelon, bbcs, chipotle vinaigrette, pecans, cotija, tortilla rajas, tomatoes, sweet onion and jalapeno relish, anchovy and avocado crema.
http://tabernashtavern.com/dinner/
Mar 24, 2015, 2:15 pm
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: ORD
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 16,900
I loved the recipe for Spicy Sausage Lasagna, my entire family raved about it. We find sausage too spicy, so I substituted ground turkey, and making bechamel seemed hard so I used some sour cream and just opened a jar of Ragu instead of starting from scratch. Assembling lasagna is a lot of work, so I just stirred everything together and served it over egg noodles with some pre-grated parmesan on top...Five stars.
Mar 24, 2015, 2:16 pm
#4
Join Date: Nov 2005
Programs: Chick-Fil-A Red, Wawa, Red Cross blood donor
Posts: 4,824
Mar 24, 2015, 2:36 pm
#5
Join Date: May 2012
Location: San Antonio, TX
Posts: 506
Long answer... if what you receive is completely different than what was
detailed on the menu or what the staff described to you then there is an
issue with deceptiveness. Sometimes the kitchen does not communicate
effectively with the front of the house.
Mar 24, 2015, 2:50 pm
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: About 45 miles NW of MCO
Programs: Acapulco - Gold, Panama - Red, Timothy Leary 8 Mile High Club
Posts: 29,238
Must have been the Augustus Caesar as opposed to the Julius Caesar.
I agree that this is a case of abuse of the salad term "Caesar".
I agree that this is a case of abuse of the salad term "Caesar".
Mar 24, 2015, 4:28 pm
#7
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: LHR- ish
Programs: MUCCI, BA Blue
Posts: 4,295
I'm not sure about this.
On one hand a cheeseburger should definitely involve a burger patty, cheese and some kind of roll. But the roll, cheese and other fillings could all vary considerably and yet the thing would still reasonably be described as a cheese burger.
I would say that a caeser salad might be made with lettuce other than Romaine and requires grated parmesan in addition to the dressing and croutons. That said, I would agree that the object described above is not a caeser salad - I don't know where the line is, but that is way over it.
In general I think you have to be a bit wary of regional/national differences. If you tell a German and a Brit that something comes with potato salad they will not have the same substance in mind.
And i've never even heard of French dip. However the wikipedia entry for it does suggest there is some variation in how it is served. Sounds good anyway
On one hand a cheeseburger should definitely involve a burger patty, cheese and some kind of roll. But the roll, cheese and other fillings could all vary considerably and yet the thing would still reasonably be described as a cheese burger.
I would say that a caeser salad might be made with lettuce other than Romaine and requires grated parmesan in addition to the dressing and croutons. That said, I would agree that the object described above is not a caeser salad - I don't know where the line is, but that is way over it.
In general I think you have to be a bit wary of regional/national differences. If you tell a German and a Brit that something comes with potato salad they will not have the same substance in mind.
And i've never even heard of French dip. However the wikipedia entry for it does suggest there is some variation in how it is served. Sounds good anyway
Mar 24, 2015, 5:04 pm
#8
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Home
Programs: Virgin FC, Qantas, Golden Circle, Sofitel, Hyatt, Starwood, Nectar, and my Tesco Club Card
Posts: 1,770
Some things are standard, right? We all know what buffalo wings are. There may be different flavors, but we know what the "standard" is -- buffalo sauce. French onion soup, cheeseburger, French dip -- some things should be trustworthy just because of the name, no?
At a fairly nice place (at least, expensive) out in Colorado, Tabernash Tavern near Winter Park ski resort, my wife ordered a Caesar salad. Caesar salad is a specific thing, right? Romaine lettuce. Caesar dressing. With or without anchovies. With or without croutons. Pretty basic.
What she got was...a half head of green leaf lettuce, not romaine. Wilted or blanched or somehow else partially cooked. A salsa-like concoction of black beans, corn and tomatoes on top. Tortilla strips on the side. Some kind of spicy-hot southwestern dressing. How is that a "Caesar salad"?
Can a restaurant just take a standard food label and slap it on something else? "Well, around here our cheeseburgers are served on white bread, and the only ingredients are peanut butter and jelly. Cheeseburger is just what we call it."
Any other experiences like this?
At a fairly nice place (at least, expensive) out in Colorado, Tabernash Tavern near Winter Park ski resort, my wife ordered a Caesar salad. Caesar salad is a specific thing, right? Romaine lettuce. Caesar dressing. With or without anchovies. With or without croutons. Pretty basic.
What she got was...a half head of green leaf lettuce, not romaine. Wilted or blanched or somehow else partially cooked. A salsa-like concoction of black beans, corn and tomatoes on top. Tortilla strips on the side. Some kind of spicy-hot southwestern dressing. How is that a "Caesar salad"?
Can a restaurant just take a standard food label and slap it on something else? "Well, around here our cheeseburgers are served on white bread, and the only ingredients are peanut butter and jelly. Cheeseburger is just what we call it."
Any other experiences like this?
In a different hotel, on night 1 she ordered a Caesar salad, wonderful. On night 2 she ordered it again, completely different, when she queried this she was told chef had run out of the ingredients so had improvised.
Mar 24, 2015, 6:26 pm
#9
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: SJC/SFO
Programs: WN A+ CP, UA 1MM/*A Gold, Mar LT Tit, IHG Plat, HH Dia
Posts: 6,284
The menu description seems to indicate it's not a normal Caesar salad...
Tequila Flamed Caesar Salad
Watermelon, bbcs, chipotle vinaigrette, pecans, cotija, tortilla rajas, tomatoes, sweet onion and jalapeno relish, anchovy and avocado crema.
http://tabernashtavern.com/dinner/
Tequila Flamed Caesar Salad
Watermelon, bbcs, chipotle vinaigrette, pecans, cotija, tortilla rajas, tomatoes, sweet onion and jalapeno relish, anchovy and avocado crema.
http://tabernashtavern.com/dinner/
Mar 25, 2015, 2:57 am
#10
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Hawai'i Nei
Programs: Au: UA, Marriott, Hilton; GE
Posts: 7,132
Quote:
Originally Posted by Delta Hog
Can a restaurant just take a standard food label and slap it on something else? "Well, around here our cheeseburgers are served on white bread, and the only ingredients are peanut butter and jelly. Cheeseburger is just what we call it."
You need to spend some time reading the comments on various recipe blogs. They're full of things like:
I loved the recipe for Spicy Sausage Lasagna, my entire family raved about it. We find sausage too spicy, so I substituted ground turkey, and making bechamel seemed hard so I used some sour cream and just opened a jar of Ragu instead of starting from scratch. Assembling lasagna is a lot of work, so I just stirred everything together and served it over egg noodles with some pre-grated parmesan on top...Five stars.
Originally Posted by Delta Hog
Can a restaurant just take a standard food label and slap it on something else? "Well, around here our cheeseburgers are served on white bread, and the only ingredients are peanut butter and jelly. Cheeseburger is just what we call it."
You need to spend some time reading the comments on various recipe blogs. They're full of things like:
I loved the recipe for Spicy Sausage Lasagna, my entire family raved about it. We find sausage too spicy, so I substituted ground turkey, and making bechamel seemed hard so I used some sour cream and just opened a jar of Ragu instead of starting from scratch. Assembling lasagna is a lot of work, so I just stirred everything together and served it over egg noodles with some pre-grated parmesan on top...Five stars.
Mar 25, 2015, 3:46 am
#11
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: UK
Posts: 11,969
I've seen faux caviar passed of as genuine caviar and many experts seem to actually prefer it in taste tests.
I have also seen surimi lobster tails passed off as real lobster when served sliced and out of shell and particularly when "sauced". Sadly they get away with it and few seem to be able to tell the difference. I have even seen the specific description of "Maine Lobster".
Surimi is the same process as crab sticks and turns cheap and by-product fish into other things and Japan is the main producer....
I have also seen surimi lobster tails passed off as real lobster when served sliced and out of shell and particularly when "sauced". Sadly they get away with it and few seem to be able to tell the difference. I have even seen the specific description of "Maine Lobster".
Surimi is the same process as crab sticks and turns cheap and by-product fish into other things and Japan is the main producer....
Mar 25, 2015, 4:56 am
#12
Moderator: UK and Ireland & Europe
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Biggleswade
Programs: SK*G, Lots of Blue Elsewhere
Posts: 13,611
Millefeuille.
A true millefeuille is a wonderful thing - three layers of pricked, dense puff pastry, two layers of thick creme patissiere and icing with the traditional lattice design on the top.
And I get that there are variations on a theme, much as that may disturb your average maitre patissier, going over to the savoury side, producing some delicious dishes.
However, when I get presented with a so-called millefeuille desert that is three discs of greasy pastry with dollops of whipped cream inbetween - and these are everywhere - it makes me feel very sad.
(See also profiteroles, which should contain ice cream, and be covered with a chocolate sauce. But I fear too many countries are way too far down the road of whipped cream and chocolate icing for me to resist...)
A true millefeuille is a wonderful thing - three layers of pricked, dense puff pastry, two layers of thick creme patissiere and icing with the traditional lattice design on the top.
And I get that there are variations on a theme, much as that may disturb your average maitre patissier, going over to the savoury side, producing some delicious dishes.
However, when I get presented with a so-called millefeuille desert that is three discs of greasy pastry with dollops of whipped cream inbetween - and these are everywhere - it makes me feel very sad.
(See also profiteroles, which should contain ice cream, and be covered with a chocolate sauce. But I fear too many countries are way too far down the road of whipped cream and chocolate icing for me to resist...)
Mar 25, 2015, 6:06 am
#13
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: In the air
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Bonvoy LT Plat, Hilton Gold, GHA Tit, BA Gold, Turkish Elite
Posts: 8,714
Just now in my work canteen they had a "Thai Pad Thai" which despite the double pointlessness of saying that a dish called Pad Thai and only from Thailand was Thai, it was actually completely different from what you would get in Thailand.
On a happier note, I recently had a taster course which started with a "Pisco Sour" which instead of a cocktail ended up being a nitro-frozen sorbet.
Fancy restaurants often like playing with familiar concepts. Occasionally they are successful, often they are not (especially the whole lazy "deconstruction" concept).
On a happier note, I recently had a taster course which started with a "Pisco Sour" which instead of a cocktail ended up being a nitro-frozen sorbet.
Fancy restaurants often like playing with familiar concepts. Occasionally they are successful, often they are not (especially the whole lazy "deconstruction" concept).
Mar 25, 2015, 6:43 am
#14
Join Date: Nov 2008
Programs: SAS *G
Posts: 458
I loved the recipe for Spicy Sausage Lasagna, my entire family raved about it. We find sausage too spicy, so I substituted ground turkey, and making bechamel seemed hard so I used some sour cream and just opened a jar of Ragu instead of starting from scratch. Assembling lasagna is a lot of work, so I just stirred everything together and served it over egg noodles with some pre-grated parmesan on top...Five stars.
Mar 25, 2015, 6:43 am
#15
Moderator: UK and Ireland & Europe
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Biggleswade
Programs: SK*G, Lots of Blue Elsewhere
Posts: 13,611
Heh, my work canteen has a habit of making some odd inventions, and overblowing some other things (not complaining, the quality of food is really good).
Sachertorte = Chocolate Sponge
Arabian Chilli = Chilli con Carne but with butter beans instead of kidney
Salmon Coulibiac = Salmon and Rice Pie
Sachertorte = Chocolate Sponge
Arabian Chilli = Chilli con Carne but with butter beans instead of kidney
Salmon Coulibiac = Salmon and Rice Pie