When dining out, it can be tempting to splurge on those fancy-sounding menu items, but hold on... it might not be worth it after all! Chefs have strong opinions about which dishes are overpriced or underwhelming, and either better to make at home, or only worth it if you make sure you're really getting what you're paying for. Here are 12 dishes professional chefs suggest you should think twice about before spending your hard-earned money.
American Kobe Beef
One chef shared some insight into the red meat industry: “It's really important to know that the name Kobe and its gradings are in no way regulated outside of Japan. There are tons of steakhouses, including high-end expensive ones, that simply claim that their beef is blah blah grade Kobe and it's neither true nor illegal to lie about it.” [sic]
Here’s a tip: if you're ordering Kobe or Wagyu beef outside of Japan, politely ask to see the certificate of authenticity that accompanies every true Kobe and Wagyu meat shipment. And once you know that your beef is authentic, please don’t order it well done, because that for sure is a waste of money!
Escargot
One chef said that escargot (or snails, usually stuffed with garlic butter) is overrated as “you can make them at home in a few minutes for just a couple of bucks and they taste exactly the same.”
Love them, but never tried to make them myself... so that's next on the to-cook list!
Pasta
And here's a dish I never order in restaurants: pasta. Don't get me wrong - I love pasta. I make it almost every night for dinner. But it's so easy to make well at home - whether you make it from scratch or use pre-made pasta. One chef said that: “there is a huge difference between dry, factory made pasta and fresh pasta,” but also noted that the better taste of fresh pasta "is not quality as much as freshness.”
In other words, learn how to make your own pasta at home, and save on restaurant meals!
Caprese Salad
Caprese salad, as this person said, is just “cheese, tomatoes, and a leaf. Make it yourself.” Who even orders a Caprese salad in a restaurant? Do these people really exist?! I love to make it myself but I 100% agree - it's a total waste of money to order out!
Quail Eggs
One chef commented on quail eggs, saying they are just tiny eggs. Like that would not be enough to make them special?! I beg to differ. Make something that tiny and it will automatically become at least 10x more delicious—everyone knows that!
Edible Gold Leaf
Donald Young, a Michelin-star chef, laments the use of edible gold leaves: “It adds nothing to the dish other than an expensive garnish for flare." Well, how else are influencers going to make their food Instagrammable?
Shark Fin Soup
One very experienced chef called out shark fin soup as total nonsense. For those unfamiliar, shark fin soup is part of Chinese cuisine and is mainly eaten for its unique texture. Still, it’s quite an unethical dish. The shark’s fin is cut off before the shark is thrown back into the sea, where it is left to slowly, and painfully, die. It’s not only bad for the shark but for the ecosystem as well, as many sharks are keystone predators.
So, if you see shark fin soup on the menu, stay away! The sharks, the environment, and your wallet are all going to thank you.
Microgreens
Bin Lu, the executive chef at Blue Rock, points out that: "Microgreens are a lay-up ingredient to give your dish color, but more often than not, they don't do much for flavor and are more of an afterthought add-on rather than something that intentionally completes the dish." But they sure are pretty, and as a food photographer I have to say I do love them!
Anything Truffled
One award-winning chef shared, “Anytime you see 'Truffled' as a descriptive item on a menu, like fries, mac and cheese, potatoes etc, but there's no ACTUAL truffles in or on the dish, it's a red flag. They are just drizzling synthetically scented "truffle" oil on the dish.” Admittedly, I do enjoy truffle oil for some preparations, as it's much easier to keep on hand (and much cheaper!). But there is no comparison between the oil and the fresh truffles!
Polenta
This chef points out that “polenta sounds fancy but it’s just grits.” Interestingly, you’ll pay an arm and a leg for polenta at fancy Italian restaurants in California and New York, but cross the border to the South and you’ll get equally delicious grits for a quarter of the price. Make it make sense!
Oat Milk
Executive chef Jarrett Morgan at Steak, Grill & Bar notes how unhealthy oat milk is: “I was almost embarrassed to find after several years of using these products that the second ingredient is rapeseed oil, a highly processed omega-6 polyunsaturated fat that is considered inflammatory." Oh, man! What are we going to have with our chocolate chai pumpkin spiced matcha latte now?
Crème Brûlée
Another seasoned chef called out crème brûlée; “They are both incredibly easy and cheap to make but I feel like chefs say they are very difficult etc so they can charge through the roof. I made large creme brûlées for a restaurant for a long time, $2.16 a piece to make. Sold them for $12.” [sic]
He sure is right, they are really easy to make. But for some reason, I still order it every single time it's on the menu...
Sources: Reddit & Eat This, Not That
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