Be careful what you wish for.

[canpakes]

by the way, I've been all over the US, and if I had to pick a place that consistently makes the best food, I'd choose New Orleans.

Mmmmm. Jambalaya, gumbo, beignets …

[Some Schmo]

Serious foodies and Gordon Ramsey (RIP) may have (had) a different take on that opinion.

Gordon Ramsey is still alive, as far as I know.

[canpakes]

Serious foodies and Gordon Ramsey (RIP) may have (had) a different take on that opinion.

Gordon Ramsey is still alive, as far as I know.

Lol. You’re right. Not sure what I was thinking, there; maybe it’s time to pour another cup of coffee. : D

[Some Schmo]

by the way, I've been all over the US, and if I had to pick a place that consistently makes the best food, I'd choose New Orleans.

I agree that their food is always incredible but I find they can suffer from some of the same traditionalist problems and gatekeeping that we see elsewhere, probably too much of the old French blood in them.

That wouldn't surprise me. I just don't remember people talking about it like I've heard people talking from the northeast.

Personally I've been finding the best meals are those that lean heavily into the fusion of several cuisines and in my opinion NOLA falls short there. Most of my southern Louisiana family considers it blasphemous to modify their standard crawfish recipe but if you've ever tried Viet-cajun (Houston is the Mecca for it) you know they are wrong.

I had a friend who owned a food truck (the kind of place I rarely buy food from) that did "Hawaiian Mexican." He was a friend, so I tried it, and some of it wasn't bad. But, ya know... it came from a food truck.

[Some Schmo]

Gordon Ramsey is still alive, as far as I know.

Lol. You’re right. Not sure what I was thinking, there; maybe it’s time to pour another cup of coffee. : D

No worries.

You just scared me there. I get a kick out of Ramsey.

[canpakes]

Lol. You’re right. Not sure what I was thinking, there; maybe it’s time to pour another cup of coffee. : D

RIP Bourdain. That is what.

A-HA. That’s the one. Thank you.

[Xenophon]

That wouldn't surprise me. I just don't remember people talking about it like I've heard people talking from the northeast.

My take is heavily influenced by my connection to the area. You're probably right that to an visitor it isn't as noticeable.

I had a friend who owned a food truck (the kind of place I rarely buy food from) that did "Hawaiian Mexican." He was a friend, so I tried it, and some of it wasn't bad. But, ya know... it came from a food truck.

I'm sorry that is your experience. Some of the best food I've ever had came from a truck. I will agree that certain food types do much better in that environment than others. But be it food truck or street vendor I've tasted too much amazingness to dismiss it without trying it first.

[Some Schmo]

I'm sorry that is your experience. Some of the best food I've ever had came from a truck. I will agree that certain food types do much better in that environment than others. But be it food truck or street vendor I've tasted too much amazingness to dismiss it without trying it first.

Whenever I mention my view of food trucks to my wife, she says the same thing.

It's not really a suspicion about the taste of the food, but rather, a suspicion about the truck's hygiene. Part of the reason I like Gordon Ramsey is his ultra focus on clean kitchen conditions.

I'm sure there are clean truck kitchens out there, some cleaner than non-mobile restaurants, I'm certain, so I suppose my reluctance is somewhat irrational. I'm just very careful about what I ingest.

[Xenophon]

That is a totally reasonable concern. For me I have a fairly meticulous approach for my standards at home. Cleaning surfaces frequently, no cross contamination, food thermometer, and so on. For whatever reason those worries go out the window when I'm eating out. Show me a hole-in-the-wall burger joint with a recently imprisoned fry cook and I'm instantly interested.

[Some Schmo]

Show me a hole-in-the-wall burger joint with a recently imprisoned fry cook and I'm instantly interested.

Funny you mention this. When I was in my early twenties, I frequented this tiny little restaurant that you had to know was there or you'd completely miss it. It was inside an office building or something, and to be honest, I have no recollection of how I found it. All I remember is that I used to go there and for around 4 bucks, you could have a cheeseburger, fries and a drink, and read that day's newspaper. I loved that little dive. I thought their cheeseburgers were to die for.

I shudder now at the thought of how much I ate there. Oh, the things we get away with when we're young and single.