The Worst 15 of 2010
Okay, okay, fine. I’ve received so many death threats, emails, Facebook messages, IMs, DMs, and comments to name the places. I will not, I repeat, will NOT name specific places to protect the guilty. And/or incite restaurant-slash-blogger wars. That is not my intention. It’s an opinionated post to recap all the bad food I ate in 2010. In 95% of the time, I ate these with friends who also thought the dishes were sub par. Bear in mind, however, that these bad dishes are not representative of the restaurant they came from. Perhaps it was an off day or the chef was not even there at the time, who knows. All I know is that I will never, ever eat them again.
There were over 30 restaurants in the collage. I’ve narrowed it down to 15. Detailed clues have been included that it won’t be too hard to decipher the places. Consider them blind items. Ready? Here goes…
The Worst 15 Dishes of 2010
- Famous midtown gastropub among Yelpers, named after a car freshener. The worst fish and chips. Funky-tasting fish. Batter was tasteless, super greasy, and collapsed upon touch.
- Chef-owned American joint with two locations both OTP. The worst pork loin on the planet. It was boiled to death prior to grilling. Rubbery and mealy. Topped with bottled sweet and sour sauce. Ew for real.
- Chinese near Lenox open til 3AM. Came here when I was 14. Vowed never to return. Until this year. Disgusting, very old Peking Duck that has been frozen for a while then reheated, the skin was shriveled and rubbery. Highway robbery at $26. Per order.
- Mid-Eastern joint OTP, touted by many as having the best falafel. Undercooked appetizers. Overcooked mains. Burnt falafel that was dry and did not taste good at all. Bad taste all around.
- Another famous midtown gastropub renowned for its drink selection. Disgusting banana crepe that resembled soup then hardened into a rock x 2 (because I got it twice). Steak that didn’t taste fresh. I gave them a few chances and they never stepped up to it. Go for the beer like most people do.
- Asian street food place OTP. Chicken nuggets made with old chicken. Braised pork that wasn’t fresh. Overboiled, chewy pig ears.
- Ultra famous Chinese near Lenox. Used to come here when I was young. Chefs have changed so many times. No Chinese have been seen eating here since late 90s. Very, very old pork barbecue that was so hard. Frozen dumplings that were not steamed correctly. Cold and bad tasting dimsum all around.
- American breakfast place OTP that has now closed. Very inconsistent food. Overcooked eggs every time.
- North African restaurant. I’m sorry Atlanta but despite what the “professionals” say, most of the food here do not taste good and everything is so bland there’s no saving it even with a pound of harissa. I came here four different times. Yes, the decor is amazing but it stops there. Worth the drive? NO.
- The other Asian street food place OTP. Awful tasting beef bowl topped with fake teriyaki sauce. Stick with everything else.
- Most famous Chinese place OTP. Why does every single dish taste the same. Why???
- Asian fried chicken place in Duluth. Dry chicken pieces slobbered with thick, gooey, disgusting, overly sweet sauce.
- Tapas place around Perimeter Mall. Fake sushi made with old, dry rice. Empanada with disgusting filling then topped with mayo. Veggie kabobs made with onions and zucchini only.
- Ultra-hip upscale eatery in a warehouse in downtown. Steak topped with sauce that doesn’t go with steak. Being inventive doesn’t always mean it will taste good.
- Korean place on BuHi that no one knows and no one ever goes to, open 24Hrs. Expired food. Bad. Very bad.
There you have it. Hope 2011 brings better food. I started the year by eating ramen. You?
