[Brooklyn Baby Daddy]

One recurring theme I've seen on Brooklynian is that most of the restaurants I think are really good are always being slammed. (See thread on Brooklyn Fish Camp.) This is all well and fine. If you don't like it, you don't like it.

But what I don't understand is being a foody in general. I guess I don't eat out a lot. Because when I do I, generally speaking, really look for reasons to love the meal. After all, it's kind of a treat, I'm fairly poor and it's an event. If something is bad, or the service is bad I will criticize it, but barring that I'm pretty happy. I've never had a bad meal at Al Di La, for example, and I am kind of surprised to hear people talk about it as a mid-level place. To me it's one of the city's great restaurants. (And yes, I've eaten at some of the city's other great restaurants that cost more, but were not better.)

I guess, what I'm saying is that I just don't really get food snobbery. It seems like it kind of leeches the fun out what for me is such a treat: getting to eat out. Being a "foody" to me is a legit hobby, but often the way I see foodies talk about food, you would think they hate most places they go to. And maybe they do.

This is not to confuse food lovers with foodies. I think the former have open minds and can enjoy food at all price points and with all styles. But foodies seem to me to be kind of kill joys.

I know this is a lame rant, but there you have it. I don't really get foodies.
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I am an editor, married to a school teacher, and we live in Park Slope. We are parents. I talk about this at http://www.brooklynbabydaddy.blogspot.com/

[Thelonious St. Claire]

10 Reasons why I am a foodie:
(perhaps only 1 need apply)

10. I am trained in the culinary arts

09. I have worked in the service/food industry

08. I've tasted international cuisine in it's respective nation

07. I know how to pair food with beverage

06. I can spot errors in food service/presentation/taste/etc. AND offer solutions

05. I am concerned with the quality of my food because I am what I eat

04. I am concerned with the quality of my food service because I seek dining for luxury, not survival

03. I understand the inner workings of a restaurant

02. I believe dining is valuable and I have expectations for quality

01. I assign the same principles of economics to all things I consume, ingestible, digestible, indigestible, even Reader's Digest
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"Arguments are extremely vulgar, for everyone in good society holds exactly the same opinion."
~Oscar Wilde

[new2hood]

sooo, if people don't agree with you, they are snobbish kill joys who don't love food?

And it is foodie, by the way.

[belzjm]

i kind of agree with you brooklyn baby dady.

i do understand the foodie concept in theory (and everyone in nyc wants to think they are one, it seems) but i also don't get it when i hear absurd complaints about restaurants that are excellent.

i've been to babbo, lupa, etc etc and think al di la holds its own with its more "famous" manhattan italian eateries. when i hear people complain about al di la, i don't pay it any attention. every meal i've ever had there has been fantastic and in fact in the 2008 zagat guide, it is rated the 3rd best italian restaurant in ALL of nyc.

i've also eaten at bond street, nobu, nobu next door, and think oshima and blue ribbon are excellent at fractions of the cost.

another one is franny's. i love franny's and don't get the complaints.

i think some of these people just like to have something that they can feel superior about. for some people it's clothes, for some it's real estate or handbags or shoes...and others it's food.

i appreciate someone having a culinary background, but that's not the way 95% of the population goes about trying to enjoy a meal at a restaurant.

hmmm...would this be better if made in naples, italy circa 1960 is not something i'm thinking about when i'm out enjoying a meal in nyc.

i'm thinking about the company, the food, the drinks, the ambiance and the fact that i get to live in a city with one of the most outstanding selection of culinary delights on the planet.

[Brooklyn Baby Daddy]

[Livetotravel]

I consider myself a foodie because I will eat anything that is excellently prepared no matter where I have to go to get it, no matter the price point, or cultural origins. Knowing a nations or regions food is knowing it's people and culture. I am a foodie because with ever-escalating costs I want to be sure of where I eat - I want to know/know about the owners and chefs, I want to know their philosophy of food, I want to know where my food comes from and how it was acquired and prepared - to the best of my ability to discern that information. I want to taste great food whenever possible. I am a foodie because I hate to waste my money on mediocrity. I am a foodie because I know I can get what I want for $5 as well as for $100. I am a foodie because I have friends who are executive and sous chefs and run front of the house operations who have taught me a wealth of information. I am a foodie but I hate that word

And re Al Di La - it is way beyond debate about the quality and excellence of this restaurant - it simply is a rare gem.
_________________
But that's impossible.

http://unratedunfiltered.com/

[BoogieKnight]

I like this topic. Although some of the explanations as to what makes one a "foodie" makes sense - to me being a "foodie" seems to involve living a life predestined to be filled w/ soul-crushing regret and recrimination.

In my mind people eat 3-5x a day. If a foodie were to eat all of those meals outside, then 3-5x a day that they risk being disappointed and pissed-off. Depending on the person the disappointment can fleeting or it can ruin their day. So they'd have to prepare most of their meals to be happy and even then the ingredients can be off and then they'd be mad at their grocer. And what if a foodie is a terrible cook - a major aspect of their lives and their psychic well-being is completely in the hands of strangers.

I don't eat to live and I enjoy a lot of different foods and restaurants - low and high end - but I can't just get that worked up about something I've been doing 3-5x a day since the day I was born. Particularly when it's someone else preparing the meal. The stress of worrying/analyzing/criticizing every morsel of food and drink I put in my mouth would kill me.

[Zebra]

I am an unapologetic foodie for reasons already enumerated by previous posters. Eating good food is simply one of the nice things to look forward to every day. Naturally when you get in the habit of eating well you develop tastes & become opinionated. It becomes hard to settle for less than what you know you really like. BTW I don't think foodies care about "price points" the way you imply. Just listen to a foodie go on about a $4 banh mi, for example.

However, there's one thing I do find a little twisted. The most savage food snobbery & most vicious dispute seems to arise over the simplest of all food items. Namely, pizza, hamburgers, and bagels.

[Drunken Revival]

Hmmm... I'm a foodie because of the joy of the unknown. Understand that in stark contrast to others here who seem to find enjoyment in knowing the owner, or what colour boxers the bus boy wears.

Before I forget, Thelonious St. Claire - remind me to never go out to eat with you... no, I don't care if you're paying. What? No, I don't care if you will fondle me beneath the table cloth... Jeez.

I don't really mind snobs all that much, however, I find food snobs to be the lowest of the form. I'll take a car snob, or a fashion snob, or music snob over a food snob any day. I suppose I like an expert more than a snob... considering everyone on this board has eaten at al di la at least 14 times this year is their really something a foodie or a food snob is going to tell us about it that we don't already know?

Ok, so I'm not a foodie... I'm more of cheap mexican joint, whiskey drinking, free food searching, beer swilling, gun toting, flirt with the wait staff, smoke a cigarette between portions, free loving sort of person..

I'm great date... for the last time Thelonious St. Claire I will not go to dinner with you... - No, not even if you can convince flexichick to sing happy birthday while serving me tequilla shots poured down her freshly shaven leg... not even then.

[Mamacita]

I just looked over my vacation photos and 98% were pictures of food


On a second note: I have been raised in a culture of food and appreciate reviews of restaurants that don't pile on the gratuitous praise. I want to know what I WON'T like about a place. Because really, I like so many things that it's easier for me to evaluate a good dinner by what is bad than good. Not sure if that made sense
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(\__/)
(=’.'=)
(”)_(”) "Gentrifire Extinguisher"

[gooner]

Everybody is a foodie these days. Except for me. I am not a foodie. I just love food. I actually really love most of the restaurants in Park Slope. I like a lot of the sushi places, although I do have my favorites. I love eating at Lobo. Is it really authentic mexican food, or really amazing tex mex food? No. But it tastes good and you get a ton of it and the chips are free so there.

I agree with BBD, in general, there is rampant food snobbery on these boards. Having said that, with regards to Brooklyn Fish Camp, I think that while the food itself is ok, paying those prices, for that food, leaves me feeling ever so slightly raped.

[Drunken Revival]

BBD.. I hope you got my apology..

And, gonner, Lobo sucks.

[Thelonious St. Claire]

Ahhh... Drunken Revival,

grrrr!
_________________
"Arguments are extremely vulgar, for everyone in good society holds exactly the same opinion."
~Oscar Wilde

[belzjm]

there's probably an example or two of a self proclaimed "foodie" on this list of reviews today about barrio...i think some people are being a bit too harsh on this place personally. uninspired food? it's a freakin' casual mexican restaurant...


http://www.brownstoner.com/restaurants/2008/08/barrio.php

[ginsbera113]

i believe there is a spectrum of foodies. For some it is merely a love of food along with knowledge about it. For others, there is an adventure about it. I personally am an adventurous eater and a firm believer that you cannot judge anything until you try it.

I agree though with the statement that "everyone is a foodie these days", however, I think this is due to a loose definition of the term. Someone who simply enjoys eating, in my opinion, is not a foodie. Others may disagree. For a foodie a bad meal may ruin your day or a good meal inspire you. You may dissect the dish guessing the ingredients and possibly asking the server "what's in this exactly" if you don't already know.

When people put down restaurants I like I think 3 things. 1. maybe the restaurant had a bad night 2. maybe they ordered the wrong thing 3. maybe that persons tastes are just very different from mine. It can be frustrating to have someone put down a favorite restaurant of mine, it may be quite difficult to actually understand in certain cases, but everyone has different tastes and opinions. I write restaurant reviews on the side and try to keep them from being too negative, but if I don't like something I'll say it. It's my opinion and I don't expect everyone to agree.

[redmenace]

Being a foodie is different than being a food snob. In a nutshell, it's all about being passionate about something: cooking, eating, ingredients, presentation. Any or all of those things.

[Livetotravel]

[caseopele]

I am not a foodie at all, I eat 2-3x a day because I have to. There are some things I do enjoy but mostly I eat to survive. I would be happy if there was a pill I could take once a day that would give me all the nutrients I need and I wouldn't be hungry. Trust me, I've gotten the horrified looks and exclamations of disbelief already so I'm used to it. Food is just not a big deal for me but then again so are a lot of other things most people seem to enjoy.
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A man needs a little madness, or else he never dares cut the rope and be free. -Nikos Kazantzakis

[raw]

I am not so much a foodie as I am a psycho path who gets furious when I pay good money and get BAD service. I can eat the tastiest meal on the planet, but if restaurant staff is rude, my taste buds go numb and I forget the food. If the restaurant staff is super polite, I forgive any screw ups.
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I blame such comments on beer.
© karlthedruid 2007

[WhyFi]

Maybe I'm off, but to me, the term foodie definitely has negative connotations...something like, foodie:food::hipster:music?
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...not that there's anything wrong with that.

[Obamanut]

[filmlover44]

I'm a foodie because I care about what I eat and I eat for pleasure. Is that so bad?
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Ok, now I'm crazy. Another goal achieved.

[Karl the Druid]

[Stella]

I'm not a foodie, but Barrio is overrated. It's too expensive and does not taste all that great.

[WhyFi]

[shekb]

Foodie, schmoodie...what's the word for somebody who doesn't want to get ripped off at a restaurant or wait more than a half hour to get a table?

[Drunken Revival]

A logical american

[veets]

[sweet tea]

the word "foodie" is gross.

but

i am one of those people who likes good food, likes to think about what makes it good, thinks that eating doesn't have to be mindless. meaning no disrespect, i don't really understand people NOT feeling that way.

also, i'm a pretty damn good cook. if i'm going to pay for a restaurant meal, it should be at least as good as what i can make myself. as far as i'm concerned, thinking even a little bit seriously about food means considering the actual quality of what you're served, not just the name on the sign out front. i'm not interested in paying for a name, so the more it costs, the pickier i am.
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Bumping ancient threads with bot-like bullshit

[Karl the Druid]

[Brooklyn Baby Daddy]

Thanks for the input. I can't say I understand even now, but at least some people provided rational reasons for why they are foodies.

I too worked in food service and preperation, although never as a chef. I love a good meal, and appreciate fine service. After that, I don't require much. But some people do. Bon appetit.
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I am an editor, married to a school teacher, and we live in Park Slope. We are parents. I talk about this at http://www.brooklynbabydaddy.blogspot.com/

[raw]

[Brooklyn Baby Daddy]

[rockhound]

[quote="Karl the Druid"]

[Thelonious St. Claire]

[quote="Brooklyn Baby Daddy"]

[superjonbot]

I am 10% foodie, 90% drinkie.

[Livetotravel]

What does a foodie do on a perfect Saturday? Decides between eating NYC's best fish tacos at Pinche Taqueria on Mott Street or the out-of-the world ramen noodles w/shredded pork at Momofuku! Decisions, decisions.
_________________
But that's impossible.

http://unratedunfiltered.com/

[Mamacita]

[micheleisabel]

Here, foodies. only the best. lol.

lol "...gratin yukon potatoes hydroponically grown, by the way, at the University of Oregon by a group of graduate students who volunteer specifically for this kind of a project..."

[Livetotravel]

[sweet tea]

we headed to red hook, for goat tacos and ceviche and agua fresca under the oak trees.

divine.
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Bumping ancient threads with bot-like bullshit

[J0518]

friends of mine call me a "foodie" because i'm good to give restaurant recommendations and things of that sort, but i certainly don't consider myself one. for one, while my palate is wider than, say, my mom's down in South Florida, or your average midwesterner, you won't get me to sit down and try the super-duper haute, high-end ingredients "foodies" go for and are actually pretty disgusting. i also would love to eat ar Per Se, etc., one day, but am not about to throw down the $500 anytime soon. ilike neighborhood places, and they don't have to serve me perfect food for me to enjoy them. Bogota's not going to win any James Beard awards, but I get an enjoyment of the place like no other.

I think there's fair criticisms given on this board, and I think there's opinions given out of the third-grade belief that you're cooler for saying you DON'T like something. I think it's up to each of us to interpret each opinion we hear as to which one of those categories it falls in.

For the record, I like everything at Barrio AND the overpriced-but-good lobster roll at Brooklyn Fish Camp, but think the rest of the latter is waaaay overrated and overpriced.

[scottb2k]

[gretch]

I am totally with raw! I don't know if I am a foodie or not, I do not even care (why should you if you are not professional food critic or something?).

I love eating in general, I love good food, and I enjoy eating out. The thing which really upset me is when I get really lousy service or rude staff or even inconsiderate or inappropriate fellow customor, when I pay a good amount of money and expect to have good time with good food.

[yoda]

foodie patoodie,

foodies are the equivalent to music geeks who have memorized every Terry Bozio lick in Black Page and then scoff at Abba.