# Over Rated Items from your Regional Cuisine **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 12, 2009, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/over-rated-items-from-your-regional-cuisine/480940 "2009-01-12T17:31:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2009, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/over-rated-items-from-your-regional-cuisine/480940/21 "2009-01-12T19:48:02Z")
> [@Mahna\_Mahna](#): > > I’ll probably have my Canadian citizenship revoked for saying so… Oh, they’ll yank mine for saying that poutine is overrated. It’s just fries and gravy–which are available anywhere–with cheese curds added. Nothing special. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2009, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/over-rated-items-from-your-regional-cuisine/480940/22 "2009-01-12T19:50:49Z")
Shoo-fly pie. It’s basically crumb crust soaked in molasses. It’s too sweet for me. ---
**Author:** ![minlokwat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minlokwat/32/2844_2.png) [@minlokwat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minlokwat)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2009, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/over-rated-items-from-your-regional-cuisine/480940/23 "2009-01-12T19:50:58Z")
Oooh. Me!, Me! [waves hand frantically in nerd-like fashion] Crabs. Specifically Maryland steamed crabs. More specifically as in over rated, over priced, bottom feeders that yield miniscule droplets of crab ‘meat’ which were it not for the Old Bay seasoning slathered around said critter would draw a similarity in taste with moist cardboard. For the longest time I postulated that Marylanders didn’t enjoy the taste of crabs so much as the experience. Alas, I’ve heard too many testimonials from non-Marylanders coming in and raving about them that it appears I’m in a lonely minority here. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2009, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/over-rated-items-from-your-regional-cuisine/480940/24 "2009-01-12T19:56:41Z")
Country ham. (Known to some self-styled epicures as _Virginia_ ham. _La de da_.) Look, salt curing was just a way to preserve meat before refrigeration. It wasn’t meant to produce something delicious, and it doesn’t. It is functional. It is edible. Curing ham this way keeps the meat from spoiling. But the resulting product is too-salty and as tough as shoe leather. We have refrigerators now, so there’s no good reason to ruin a perfectly good ham by drying it out with salt. And don’t get me started on red-eye gravy, which is really just bloody grease. ---
**Author:** ![delphica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9a140/32.png) [@delphica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/delphica)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2009, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/over-rated-items-from-your-regional-cuisine/480940/25 "2009-01-12T20:00:10Z")
I am pretty much waiting for God to strike me dead right now, but … I think the Anchor Bar is overrated. The wings can be good, but it’s also the kind of place that can get crowded, and when it’s crowded the quality of everything on the menu plummets as the kitchen simply starts slinging stuff out to keep the orders moving. And even when the wings at the Anchor Bar are good, there are other places I think are better. ---
**Author:** ![overlyverbose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/9dc877/32.png) [@overlyverbose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/overlyverbose)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2009, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/over-rated-items-from-your-regional-cuisine/480940/26 "2009-01-12T20:01:12Z")
> [@Lightray](#): > > St. Louis style pizza, toasted raviolli, and slingers. Ick, to all of 'em. I like the St. Louis-style pizza every once in a while, but I have to agree with you on toasted ravioli. It’s ok sometimes, but certainly not something I would ever crave. Oh, and what are slingers? Edited to add that I think the restaurant Tony’s is overrated, too - the last time I was there (admittedly a few years ago), the service was great, but the food was so-so. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2009, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/over-rated-items-from-your-regional-cuisine/480940/27 "2009-01-12T20:04:17Z")
> [@Jodi](#): > > Grits. I’m sorry, but as a non-Southerner now living in the South I cannot see the appeal of bland corn mush. Tasteless and textureless: bleah. Now, people will tell you the problem is _instant_ grits, which are an abomination unto the Lord, but _real_ grits are _good_. This is a lie; they are better than instant by a yard, but they still aren’t good if you weren’t raised up on 'em. I was raised eating Southern, and I can tell you that grits are only edible when hit with enough butter, pepper, cheese and bacon to make _Styrofoam_ edible. ---
**Author:** ![Duke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@Duke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2009, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/over-rated-items-from-your-regional-cuisine/480940/28 "2009-01-12T20:08:40Z")
> [@delphica](#): > > I am pretty much waiting for God to strike me dead right now, but … I think the Anchor Bar is overrated. The wings can be good, but it’s also the kind of place that can get crowded, and when it’s crowded the quality of everything on the menu plummets as the kitchen simply starts slinging stuff out to keep the orders moving. > > And even when the wings at the Anchor Bar are good, there are other places I think are better. That’s a little different though, isn’t it? The Anchor Bar might have turned into a tourist trap, but wings in general are worth it. I’ve got to say Buffalo’s specials in general are more underrated than overrated. Beef on Weck is sublime. White pizza is pretty darn good. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2009, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/over-rated-items-from-your-regional-cuisine/480940/29 "2009-01-12T20:16:44Z")
> [@Huerta88](#): > > Many people didn’t know, till the advent of food shows, that Cincinnati had its own chili. Most still don’t know that it’s pretty bad as chili. I don’t know if you’re from the area (I am not), but Cincy chili is really bad. REALLY bad. “Oh, but it has cinammon and allspice!” Yeah, that’s why it’s terrible. “But you’re not eating it right - put it on spaghetti!” No, see - I like chili on spaghetti. Steak n’ Shake actually makes a very good chili 3-way (or 4 or 5, depending). Know why SnS has a good three-way? Because their chili doesn’t taste like ass (okay - cinammon/allspice flavored ass, to be fair). ---
**Author:** ![Huerta88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/82dd89/32.png) [@Huerta88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Huerta88)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2009, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/over-rated-items-from-your-regional-cuisine/480940/30 "2009-01-12T20:18:54Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > I don’t know if you’re from the area (I am not), but Cincy chili is really bad. REALLY bad. “Oh, but it has cinammon and allspice!” Yeah, that’s why it’s terrible. “But you’re not eating it right - put it on spaghetti!” No, see - I like chili on spaghetti. Steak n’ Shake actually makes a very good chili 3-way (or 4 or 5, depending). Know why SnS has a good three-way? Because their chili doesn’t taste like ass (okay - cinammon/allspice flavored ass, to be fair). Yep, I’m with you. Also, that’s why I was careful to say “bad, as chili” as opposed to “bad period [even as some perverse Greek-originated spaghetti sauce, which you might or might not like.]” I don’t like. ---
**Author:** ![Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hazle_Weatherfield)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2009, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/over-rated-items-from-your-regional-cuisine/480940/31 "2009-01-12T20:31:42Z")
> [@overlyverbose](#): > > I like the St. Louis-style pizza every once in a while, but I have to agree with you on toasted ravioli. It’s ok sometimes, but certainly not something I would ever crave. Oh, and what are slingers? > > Edited to add that I think the restaurant Tony’s is overrated, too - the last time I was there (admittedly a few years ago), the service was great, but the food was so-so. Agreed…and I love Imo’s! ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2009, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/over-rated-items-from-your-regional-cuisine/480940/32 "2009-01-12T20:33:37Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > I was raised eating Southern, and I can tell you that grits are only edible when hit with enough butter, pepper, cheese and bacon to make _Styrofoam_ edible. Undercooked egg yolk also helps the grits go down. But that’s not considered “healthy” now. And there’s that modern sausage that cooks up without producing grease. “The other white meat” my eye! If I want a healthy breakfast, I’ll eat some granola & fucking yogurt… ---
**Author:** ![delphica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9a140/32.png) [@delphica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/delphica)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2009, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/over-rated-items-from-your-regional-cuisine/480940/33 "2009-01-12T20:36:39Z")
> [@Duke](#): > > That’s a little different though, isn’t it? The Anchor Bar might have turned into a tourist trap, but wings in general are worth it. > > I’ve got to say Buffalo’s specials in general are more underrated than overrated. Beef on Weck is sublime. White pizza is pretty darn good. Yeah, I wasn’t sure about that – but both examples in the OP are specific restaurants so I figured either way was okay. The other local thing I was going to mention is Chiavetta’s, but it’s more that I personally don’t care for it rather than it being overrated … I think for people who like that sort of thing it’s probably fine. ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2009, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/over-rated-items-from-your-regional-cuisine/480940/34 "2009-01-12T20:45:29Z")
Hmmm…I’m having a hard time thinking of any regional cuisine from VT other than maple syrup…which IS as good as it claims to be. (Though legend tells of heathens who actually _prefer_ that thick, fake, overly sweet crap known as “pancake syrup.” A pox on them, I say!) ---
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2009, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/over-rated-items-from-your-regional-cuisine/480940/35 "2009-01-12T20:49:51Z")
Anything with sourdough bread. It’s edible, but I always think it’s going to taste way better than it actually does before I take a bite. I don’t know why I have this rose-colored memory of the stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2009, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/over-rated-items-from-your-regional-cuisine/480940/36 "2009-01-12T20:56:07Z")
Oh … and Moxie. Yeesh. What is that shit? Shoe polish cut with paint thinner? ---
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2009, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/over-rated-items-from-your-regional-cuisine/480940/37 "2009-01-12T21:04:52Z")
Around here (North o’ Boston), the regional cuisine is fried clams. On a summer’s evening, you’ll see people lined up 50 deep outside of the local clam shacks just to place an order. Now fried clams are OK. Even tasty. But they’re not \* that \* tasty. Not tasty enough to merit 40 minute lines for a $20.00 box of grease, mollusks and batter. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2009, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/over-rated-items-from-your-regional-cuisine/480940/38 "2009-01-12T21:09:10Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > Oh … and Moxie. Yeesh. What is that shit? Shoe polish cut with paint thinner? I was happy when I found some Moxie in a general store in Vermont. I had read about several times. One gulp killed that happiness for good and ruined the next few hours. Luckily, my little brother was visiting and he didn’t see my contorted face so I offered him a drink. Most of the rest of the day was ruined for him as well. I have heard some people like Moxie and even order it through mail but I don’t see how or why. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2009, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/over-rated-items-from-your-regional-cuisine/480940/39 "2009-01-12T21:11:34Z")
I _like_ Moxie. I can find bottles of it at one of the local markets that stocks a lot of obscure sodas. Different, I’ll grant you. But “day ruining?” Not to my palate. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2009, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/over-rated-items-from-your-regional-cuisine/480940/40 "2009-01-12T21:21:59Z")
It’s hard to overrate muktuk. I mean…it’s _muktuk_, ya know? Same goes for fermented beaver tail and Eskimo icecream. On the other hand, all those things said about Copper River red salmon are true, although cooking a perfectly good salmon on a cedar plank just ruins it, IMO. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/over-rated-items-from-your-regional-cuisine/480940.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/over-rated-items-from-your-regional-cuisine/480940.md?page=3)