# The disappointment in ordering a local/regional specialty outside of that locale **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** food-cooking\ **Created:** [September 21, 2023, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-disappointment-in-ordering-a-local-regional-specialty-outside-of-that-locale/990503 "2023-09-21T21:24:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2023, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-disappointment-in-ordering-a-local-regional-specialty-outside-of-that-locale/990503/121 "2023-09-25T01:18:47Z")
![](https://media.tenor.com/mtw8K2lJEiAAAAAC/spock-fascinating.gif) ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2023, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-disappointment-in-ordering-a-local-regional-specialty-outside-of-that-locale/990503/122 "2023-09-25T01:31:07Z")
That would explain why there’s a lot of lobster sold in the US that doesn’t taste very good. 🤷‍♀️ ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2023, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-disappointment-in-ordering-a-local-regional-specialty-outside-of-that-locale/990503/123 "2023-09-25T05:42:25Z")
I am of the idea that lobster never tasted good. Just the butter, etc it is dipped in. After all, people used to complain about it being fed to them too much. It is the Emperor’s new food. It’s expensive so it has to be good. 🤪 Mind you, its okay, it isnt bad or anything, but good crab is better. ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2023, 10:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-disappointment-in-ordering-a-local-regional-specialty-outside-of-that-locale/990503/124 "2023-09-25T10:03:46Z")
> [@Dallas\_Jones](#): > > I will only eat Northwest Dungeness crab, or crab cakes made from them. They are much better than any other crab you will find, inculding Alaskan King crab. Certainly, you can construct a compelling argument regarding whether your 'Frisco Dungeness Crab surpasses or falls short of the North Atlantic Blue Claw, and possibly even King Crab (although that’s a matter of contention). Nevertheless, such a debate merely concerns the pursuit of second place. Anything other than the top spot is deemed inferior. Second place may as well be last place, it’s still a loser. The undisputed victor, by a considerable margin, is the Stone Crab. In a culinary showdown between Pacific Dungeness Crab and Florida Stone Crab, the arthropods from the west coast find themselves swiftly KO’ed in the first round. It’s akin to Barney Fife stepping into the ring with Mike Tyson. Furthermore, you don’t require a hammer or a nutcracker to relish Stone Crab. The claws are presented at your table pre-cracked, making them the ultimate choice for the less industrious, the ultimate lazy man’s crab. Extracting meat from a Dungeness crab’s body is like trying to solve a Rubik’s Cube while blindfolded. The Dungeness shell is rigid and sharp, resulting in cuts and the unsightly presence of blood on the tablecloth—_your_ blood. For those adhering to a vegan lifestyle, there’s cause for celebration. When savoring Stone Crab, no animals are sacrificed in the process. Harvesting stone crabs is strictly regulated, involving the removal of their claws before releasing them back into the ocean to frolic with their crustacean companions once again. Their claws grow back, creating an endless cycle, a never-ending buffet. In my opinion, Stone crabs should be considered a vegan-friendly dish. Try harvesting the legs of a pig or a cow, and throwing him back to the farm to grow them back while frolicking with his porcine or bovine buddies. Not a pretty sight. While Stone Crab may not hold the title of King Crab, it is unquestionably the _king_ of crabs. Its meat boasts a sweetness and succulence that surpasses any other culinary experience. In summary, Stone Crab emerges as the tastier, safer, and more compassionate choice for crab enthusiasts. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2023, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-disappointment-in-ordering-a-local-regional-specialty-outside-of-that-locale/990503/125 "2023-09-25T11:51:28Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > I am of the idea that lobster never tasted good. Just the butter, etc it is dipped in. After all, people used to complain about it being fed to them too much. It is the Emperor’s new food. It’s expensive so it has to be good. 🤪 Until the invention of refrigerated trucking, it was cheap where it was available. But it was also very popular. Families served them at cook outs all summer. And having grown up where that was common, i heard lots of older people reminisce about how much they missed being able to do that on a regular basis. I suspect those prisoners were fed giant old lobsters (which are very tough and chewy) and not the younger ones that are most of what’s available today. Anyway, by preference, i eat my lobster without butter, which can overwhelm the flavor. But i think a lot of people have only had the farmed stuff, or lobsters that have been shipped vast distances, or cooked from frozen, none of which are especially good. I have learned not to order lobster far from the northeast coast. Also, if you buy a “lobster tail” it’s a different species, and likely from South Africa. I had one in South Africa and it was hugely disappointing. Maybe it wasn’t fresh despite my being there. But it was barely worth eating. (Oddly, cooked then frozen isn’t half bad. But you can’t get a whole one that way, only chunks for rolls or soup. > [@Tibby](#): > > In a culinary showdown between Pacific Dungeness Crab and Florida Stone Crab, the arthropods from the west coast find themselves swiftly KO’ed in the first round. I’ve only had them in Chicago, where they were just okay. Perhaps i should make a point of trying them in Florida. But Chicago stone crabs are inferior to Vancouver dungeness crab, IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2023, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-disappointment-in-ordering-a-local-regional-specialty-outside-of-that-locale/990503/126 "2023-09-25T11:55:15Z")
I love seafood, but I’d place lobster far down the list. I’ll occasionally eat Caribbean lobster when in the Caribbean. ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2023, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-disappointment-in-ordering-a-local-regional-specialty-outside-of-that-locale/990503/127 "2023-09-25T12:12:40Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > I’ve only had them in Chicago, where they were just okay. Well, you need a plate of [these](https://www.tripsavvy.com/thmb/ooyz7J0jFHsPEuTnaQiA3_xgeLU=/1200x800/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/66665292_10158723548833009_1960130431449825280_o-747374800a3d486d8bf99ffc7646a028.jpg) bad boys. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2023, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-disappointment-in-ordering-a-local-regional-specialty-outside-of-that-locale/990503/128 "2023-09-25T12:14:55Z")
Well, i had about half that many. Anyway, you’ve convinced me to try them in Florida. ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2023, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-disappointment-in-ordering-a-local-regional-specialty-outside-of-that-locale/990503/129 "2023-09-25T12:19:48Z")
Get ‘em at [Joe’s](https://joesstonecrab.com/pages/menu-joe), or a crab shack of similar quality. ---
**Author:** ![mcgato](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac8455/32.png) [@mcgato](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mcgato)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2023, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-disappointment-in-ordering-a-local-regional-specialty-outside-of-that-locale/990503/130 "2023-09-25T12:44:41Z")
> [@Stratocaster](#): > > Philly guy here. Do NOT order a “Philly Cheesesteak” well outside of the Philadelphia environs. It will have beef and some kind of bread, but the resemblance will break down at that point. Back in the 1980s, I lived just outside of Ft. Lauderdale, FL. Across the street from work, a Philly Cheesesteak place opened up. It was owned by Philly transplants, and I think the thing was legit. I don’t remember the details of it, but it was very good. Unfortunately the shop didn’t last very long. I now live outside of Philly, so I do know what passes as a Philly cheesesteak. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2023, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-disappointment-in-ordering-a-local-regional-specialty-outside-of-that-locale/990503/131 "2023-09-25T13:15:40Z")
I’ve had very good cheesesteaks outside Philly. (My Philly experience is pretty basic, though: Pat’s, Geno’s, Jim’s and John’s.) At least one of the places here even gets Amoroso rolls flown in. Now a Philly roast pork—a better sandwich in my opinion—I’ve found offerree at a couple places here and one was complete trash — as if someone just read a vague description of it and didn’t even bother to look up what it’s supposed to look like. The other place was closer, but still underwhelming. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2023, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-disappointment-in-ordering-a-local-regional-specialty-outside-of-that-locale/990503/132 "2023-09-25T14:30:16Z")
Back in the DC area there’s a pretty substantial number of South American immigrants and my wife’s family picks up a Peruvian roast chicken for various gatherings or special occasions. We’ve tried a few Peruvian places in the Chicago area (there really only are a few places in the area) and none have replicated the taste compared to her family’s DC area. Cooking it is apparently a fairly intensive effort as you need to order in advance so it’s a bit of a bummer to get one and not have it measure up. I did have a Philly Cheesesteak in the Philly area and was pretty unimpressed but I’m willing to chalk that up to location (it was some family style restaurant off the highway). ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2023, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-disappointment-in-ordering-a-local-regional-specialty-outside-of-that-locale/990503/133 "2023-09-25T15:01:20Z")
The best cheesesteak I’ve eaten (and paid for) was in the burbs of Philadelphia. My sister and late BIL kept telling me the best steak sandwich was from a shop in their town of Bryn Mahr. For years I kept replying, _“naw, you’re crazy, they don’t make authentic cheesesteaks in fancy-schmancy places like Philly’s Main Line. You’ve got to go to Center City Philly, or even New Jersey for those.”_ Well, then their son/my nephew (a culinary school-trained chef) moved to Florida and lived with us for a couple years. He said, _“you know, my pops is right, that place in Bryn Mahr does indeed make the best cheesesteak.”_ Inspired by his recommendation, then next time I traveled north, I got one—and yeah, it was the best. Actually, it was the _second_ best cheesesteak I eaten. The best was made by my nephew at my house. He brought the Amoroso rolls with him along with a thick, well-marbled ribeye steak, which he sliced razor thin before my eyes. Grilled it to perfection and topped it off with [Cooper](https://www.coopercheese.com/recipe/philly-cheesesteak-recipe/)® Sharp American cheese. _Yum. I’m ready for another one, please._ He’s worked as a chef in some very fine restaurants, but his aspiration is to buy a food truck specializing in cheesesteaks, and other Philly culinary delights. He’ll make a killing when he does. Unfortunately, I lost my home chef (the deal was: _free rent in return for you making our meals_. That was my fat year). He was lured by the pull of exotic South Florida and got a chef job in Sarasota. _Damn you South Florida!_ ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2023, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-disappointment-in-ordering-a-local-regional-specialty-outside-of-that-locale/990503/134 "2023-09-25T15:58:37Z")
> [@Tibby](#): > > My sister and late BIL kept telling me the best steak sandwich was from a shop in their town of Bryn Mahr. Bryn Mawr? 🙂 > **[Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bryn_Mawr%2C_Pennsylvania)** > > Bryn Mawr (/ˌbrɪnˈmɑːr/, from Welsh for 'big hill'), is a census-designated place (CDP) located across three townships: Radnor Township and Haverford Township in Delaware County and Lower Merion Township in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is located just west of Philadelphia along Lancaster Avenue, also known as U.S. Route 30. > Bryn Mawr is located toward the center of what is known as the Main Line, a group of affluent Philadelphia suburban villages stretching from the city ... ---
**Author:** ![Push\_You\_Down](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/push_you_down/32/9095_2.png) [@Push\_You\_Down](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Push_You_Down)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2023, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-disappointment-in-ordering-a-local-regional-specialty-outside-of-that-locale/990503/135 "2023-09-25T16:07:56Z")
…I have you been to an “American style” restaurant in a foreign country? It’s wild. Bagel and cream cheese in Japan? A dinner roll with a hole in it with whipped cream. I will say as a 20 year Californian who just moved back to the PNW…even in California most Mexican restaurants\* aren’t that great…but up here… they are abyssmal. I do miss the street tacos in LA… damn do I miss them. (\* yes yes there are good ones but your average Mexican restaurant is like an average Chinese or American diner…they’re not great.) ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2023, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-disappointment-in-ordering-a-local-regional-specialty-outside-of-that-locale/990503/136 "2023-09-25T16:29:02Z")
> [@Push\_You\_Down](#): > > …I have you been to an “American style” restaurant in a foreign country? I happened to be in Killarney, Ireland on July 4 this year. To my surprise, Killarney holds a 4th of July parade every year (started by a group of American expats living there, from what I understand). And the special at the pub that evening was… turkey, mashed potatoes, and gravy, i.e. some of the components of a traditional _Thanksgiving_ dinner. I feel like that was just the only “traditional American meal” the pub owner could think of. ETA: I didn’t order it. I actually ordered the curry. It actually came with chips (in the British sense), which I assume made it an authentic British pub curry, even if it was nothing like anything that would be served in South Asia. ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2023, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-disappointment-in-ordering-a-local-regional-specialty-outside-of-that-locale/990503/137 "2023-09-25T16:47:39Z")
Yes, Bryn _Mawr_. I knew it didn’t look right as I typed it. At least I didn’t misspell Philodelphia. I hate making typos. You’ve ruined my day! 🤬 ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2023, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-disappointment-in-ordering-a-local-regional-specialty-outside-of-that-locale/990503/138 "2023-09-25T16:50:36Z")
But, but, but … filly cheez stakes are teh best. 😁 At least one of the above typos was not deliberate; it happened naturally. ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2023, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-disappointment-in-ordering-a-local-regional-specialty-outside-of-that-locale/990503/139 "2023-09-25T16:55:09Z")
You meant to write “butt”? ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2023, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-disappointment-in-ordering-a-local-regional-specialty-outside-of-that-locale/990503/140 "2023-09-25T23:08:51Z")
This is true in Seattle and its immediate environs, but food quality in general, and ethnic/ regional food especially, drops off precipitously as you leave the urban area. I live in Kitsap and have resigned myself to constant disappointment close to home. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-disappointment-in-ordering-a-local-regional-specialty-outside-of-that-locale/990503.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-disappointment-in-ordering-a-local-regional-specialty-outside-of-that-locale/990503.md?page=8)