Really stupid things chefs do!

unkel

Honey-ec wrote: »

Irish chefs in general are terrible at cooking steak. It's almost inevitably 2-3 stages past what you've asked for. I've bemoaned this here before, and have christened it "Irish rare", which is, in reality, medium.

When I used to eat my steak rare, I ordered it blue in restaurants, and still had to send it back in maybe 8 out of 10 cases. Now that I eat it blue, I just don't order steak in restaurants anymore; it's a complete waste of time.

My experience of ordering steak is exactly the same (only in Ireland). I got sick of sending overcooked steaks back in the past.

I like mine properly rare and I always order it blue - making sure to make eye contact with the waiter and stressing it will have to be blue (just about omitting the threat that it will go straight back if it is any more done than that). Nearly always does the trick.

I don't solely blame the chefs though. Most Irish people's perception of how a steak is done seems to be 2 or 3 stages lower than what they are. Show the average person a medium steak and ask what kinda steak it is and most people will say it is rare.

olaola

Eviledna wrote: »

Received three jar-top sized flat burnt salty discs with a tiny serving bowl of tinned fruit salad, which was fizzy. Yes, fizzy. They must have put sherbet or bicarb in the mix to keep it fresh?

It was fizzy as it started to ferment, must have been hanging around a while. Ick!

D1976

unkel wrote: »

My experience of ordering steak is exactly the same (only in Ireland). I got sick of sending overcooked steaks back in the past.

I like mine properly rare and I always order it blue - making sure to make eye contact with the waiter and stressing it will have to be blue (just about omitting the threat that it will go straight back if it is any more done than that). Nearly always does the trick.

I don't solely blame the chefs though. Most Irish people's perception of how a steak is done seems to be 2 or 3 stages lower than what they are. Show the average person a medium steak and ask what kinda steak it is and most people will say it is rare.

Very true but i really get annoyed when you're given the option of how you would like your steak cooked only to have all the steaks cooked the same, what's the f ing point in asking in the first place.

Plus restaurants seriously need to get rid of the giant peppermills, they look absolutely ridiculous.

Malari

D1976 wrote: »

Very true but i really get annoyed when you're given the option of how you would like your steak cooked only to have all the steaks cooked the same, what's the f ing point in asking in the first place.

Plus restaurants seriously need to get rid of the giant peppermills, they look absolutely ridiculous.

This is because they must be handled by trained professionals only, and it's easier for the waiting staff to reach the plates when they have giant peppermills.

Just give me the goddamn pepper mill, I can do it myself!! :mad:

BaZmO*

I would've imagine that the large pepper mill thing was to stop people from stealing them?

Honey-ec

unkel wrote: »

I don't solely blame the chefs though. Most Irish people's perception of how a steak is done seems to be 2 or 3 stages lower than what they are.

I did used to give them the benefit of the doubt and chalk it up to this, but it's 2011, not 1998, I don't think this flies anymore. Plus, if they were hedging their bets, you'd think they'd undercook it; at least that way they can put it back on the pan if the customer sends it back...

The day I stopped ordering steak was in the Unicorn. I ordered it blue, from a FRENCH waiter and it came out medium-rare. I sent it back, and did the whole eye-contact "I want it, really, really blue" thing. When the second steak came out, it was still only rare. There was no way I was sending it back again and at that stage, all my dining companions had finished, so I just ate the chips and left it at that.

For what it's worth, my method for cooking at home is:

1) Take an 8oz fillet out of the fridge at least 45 minutes before you want to cook it (Aldi's Irish Angus fillets are excellent, believe it or not).

2) Brush each side of the steak with oil and season with equal parts maldon salt, pepper & garlic granules, pressing down slightly to make the seasoning stick.

4) Warm a plate in a low/medium oven

3) Heat a good, heavy pan over the highest heat you have until the pan is smoking. I can't stress enough how hot this needs to be - you shouldn't be able to hold your palm over the pan for more than about three seconds.

4) Slap the steak onto the pan and seal for 90 seconds. Repeat on the opposite side. You can stand on its side to do the edges, if you want, but I don't bother.

5) Take your warmed plate out of the oven and allow the steak to rest on it for about 10 minutes. I usually use this time to make whatever sauce I'm planning to have with it.

6) Drizzle over the sauce and plate up whatever sides you're having with it. Commence nomming.

Miaireland

Sprinkle Corrinader over things as decoration. I hate the stuff and always avoid anything I would think that it would be in.

Today I ordered chicken liver pate and it was sprinkled all over it. Why?

D1976

Honey-ec wrote: »

I did used to give them the benefit of the doubt and chalk it up to this, but it's 2011, not 1998, I don't think this flies anymore. Plus, if they were hedging their bets, you'd think they'd undercook it; at least that way they can put it back on the pan if the customer sends it back...

The day I stopped ordering steak was in the Unicorn. I ordered it blue, from a FRENCH waiter and it came out medium-rare. I sent it back, and did the whole eye-contact "I want it, really, really blue" thing. When the second steak came out, it was still only rare. There was no way I was sending it back again and at that stage, all my dining companions had finished, so I just ate the chips and left it at that.

For what it's worth, my method for cooking at home is:

1) Take an 8oz fillet out of the fridge at least 45 minutes before you want to cook it (Aldi's Irish Angus fillets are excellent, believe it or not).

2) Brush each side of the steak with oil and season with equal parts maldon salt, pepper & garlic granules, pressing down slightly to make the seasoning stick.

4) Warm a plate in a low/medium oven

3) Heat a good, heavy pan over the highest heat you have until the pan is smoking. I can't stress enough how hot this needs to be - you shouldn't be able to hold your palm over the pan for more than about three seconds.

4) Slap the steak onto the pan and seal for 90 seconds. Repeat on the opposite side. You can stand on its side to do the edges, if you want, but I don't bother.

5) Take your warmed plate out of the oven and allow the steak to rest on it for about 10 minutes. I usually use this time to make whatever sauce I'm planning to have with it.

6) Drizzle over the sauce and plate up whatever sides you're having with it. Commence nomming.

Sounds amazing I'd eat one now, the Irish Angus Rib Eye Steaks in Aldi are possibly the nicest steaks I have ever had. Try coating the steak in worcestershire sauce before you fry it next time, it's amazing with steak.

duploelabs

BaZmO* wrote: »

I would've imagine that the large pepper mill thing was to stop people from stealing them?

either that or the manager/interior designer is a bloke and unsure about himself

jassha

olaola wrote: »

It was fizzy as it started to ferment, must have been hanging around a while. Ick!

have seen white lemonade being added to fruit cocktail to fizz it up

Seaneh

Unless you go to a very good restaurant, odds are they won't cook the steak properly.

Every kitchen in Ireland should have an A4 sized poster of this hanging above whatever part of the kitchen they cook they mains at.
Captions edited to Irish terms, obviously.




I have paid through the nose for **** steak in this country, and sending it back very rarely makes a blind bit of difference.


Other things that annoy me, POINTLESS GARNISH.

It should not be on the damned plate if it isn't meant to be eaten or does not go with the meal.

Seaneh

jassha wrote: »

have seen white lemonade being added to fruit cocktail to fizz it up

I'd imagine that's what it was.

If it was fermenting, you'd have known, it would have stank and tasted foul.

Lornen

Mint used a garnish on every flavour of ice cream served and nearly every dessert for that matter..

If it's not there to be eaten or if does absolutely nothing to compliment the dish it's on and it's only job is to make it look "more appealing" don't put it on my plate!

Eviledna

jassha wrote: »

have seen white lemonade being added to fruit cocktail to fizz it up

God I hope you are right...but I think the dose I had afterwards would denote fermentation :mad::(

Little Alex

For me it has to be imagining that everyone thinks that Thai sweet chilli sauce is really great.

About a year ago I got "spicy chicken wings" which turned out to be anaemic-looking wings drenched in Thai sweet chilli. Having had a year to recover I can say that was the most dreadful thing I have ever had served to me while out.

No more Thai sweet chilli please! I am hoping that in years to come it will be regarded as the Blue Nun of this decade. Thai food has many, many delicious flavours to offer and sweet chilli ain't close to being the best of them.

That porridge sounds awful, beer revolu.

Lornen

Little Alex wrote: »

For me it has to be imagining that everyone thinks that Thai sweet chilli sauce is really great.

About a year ago I got "spicy chicken wings" which turned out to be anaemic-looking wings drenched in Thai sweet chilli. Having had a year to recover I can say that was the most dreadful thing I have ever had served to me while out.

No more Thai sweet chilli please! I am hoping that in years to come it will be regarded as the Blue Nun of this decade. Thai food has many, many delicious flavours to offer and sweet chilli ain't close to being the best of them.

That porridge sounds awful, beer revolu.

Oh my GOD. Another normal human! I absolutely hate when people mistake sweet chilli sauce for actual HOT chilli sauce.. I think the worst one I ever got was "Spicy tomato chutney" coming out as sweet chilli sauce.. How is that even POSSIBLE?!

Most chinese restuarants do this, where they say "shredded chilli chicken" and you expect heat, but instead you get a sick stomach and a cavity!

Minder

Little Alex wrote: »

For me it has to be imagining that everyone thinks that Thai sweet chilli sauce is really great.

+1

I was served a frankfurter in Cafe Rouge in Richmond on Thames - the dish described Toulouse Sausages. The French waiter fronted me over it asking me if I had Toulouse Sausages before. WTF? He got to me so much I asked him he would like to discuss it outside. He back down suddenly and asked me if I would accept a complimentary drink. I accepted and followed him to the bar where I spotted the XO brandy. He looked a little less smug as he poured me a large one of those.

Does anyone ever send wine back? Not because it's corked, but because it's vinegar? I've asked waiters to take wine back and bring me the wine list again because the wine served bears no resemblance to the description on the wine menu. Started doing that in Tesco too. I bought an expensive Barolo recently. Label describes warm, smoky and rich, with earthy damson and cherry notes and a savoury edge and loads of chocolate. Intense and rounded with a lovely juicy palate that holds blackberry and violet notes. What I get is Sarsons malt vinegar. I leave it to breathe. Still Sarsons. I decant it. Sarsons. I give up and open something else. I rebottle it the next day take it back, but not before tasting it again. Yep - Sarsons. Tesco took it back after I pushed a little...

Lornen

Minder wrote: »

+1

I was served a frankfurter in Cafe Rouge in Richmond on Thames - the dish described Toulouse Sausages. The French waiter fronted me over it asking me if I had Toulouse Sausages before. WTF? He got to me so much I asked him he would like to discuss it outside. He back down suddenly and asked me if I would accept a complimentary drink. I accepted and followed him to the bar where I spotted the XO brandy. He looked a little less smug as he poured me a large one of those.

Does anyone ever send wine back? Not because it's corked, but because it's vinegar? I've asked waiters to take wine back and bring me the wine list again because the wine served bears no resemblance to the description on the wine menu. Started doing that in Tesco too. I bought an expensive Barolo recently. Label describes warm, smoky and rich, with earthy damson and cherry notes and a savoury edge and loads of chocolate. Intense and rounded with a lovely juicy palate that holds blackberry and violet notes. What I get is Sarsons malt vinegar. I leave it to breathe. Still Sarsons. I decant it. Sarsons. I give up and open something else. I rebottle it the next day take it back, but not before tasting it again. Yep - Sarsons. Tesco took it back after I pushed a little...

I could imagine it to be rather difficult to send back wine or bring one back to the shop unless you have a vast knowledge of wines and all that.
Atleast you know what's what and you can stand up for yourself! I can just see you ranting at a greasey teenager about blackberry and violet notes. :pac:

Minder

Lornen wrote: »

I could imagine it to be rather difficult to send back wine or bring one back to the shop unless you have a vast knowledge of wines and all that.

Its much simpler than that. A label has a description - all poetic language and evocative notions enticing me to try the wine. Sometimes the wine just doesn't live up to the billing. If it isn't remotely palatable, if its sour, then I think the supermarket should be told. It takes just a bit of front. I took the Barolo back. The duty manager (who was by no means a greasy teenager) asked me was it corked. I said no, but it doesn't taste good - it isn't as described on the label. (Unless she is a wine expert, she has no more knowledge of a good Barolo than I have). So she is at a disadvantage - front me and say I know SWF about wine or refund me the price. Busy shop, will I kick off, who buys an expensive wine and returns it? So I get a refund. Thing is, if enough people return the mislabelled Sarsons, maybe the likes of Tesco will start selling Barolo that tastes of Barolo.

the beer revolu

the beer revolu wrote: »

Came across the work of a seriously inept chef in The Rochestown Park Hotel, Cork today.
I ordered a steak sandwich, rare (when I enquired if the burgers were cooked to order, I was told they weren't).
It came well done.
I sent it back and it came out medium.

Either this 'professional' doesn't know what a rare steak is or was unable to cook one, given two goes at it. Unbelievable.

And the oil in which the chips were cooked was past its best!

Total crap

I sent an email to the hotel.
12 day's later, still no reply:(
I've resent.

reallyrose

the beer revolu wrote: »

I sent an email to the hotel.
12 day's later, still no reply:(
I've resent.

I had the worst meal I've ever had a month or two back so I posted them a letter and no reply. So I hand delivered a copy of the letter and no reply yet.
What next?

nosietoes

reallyrose: I would name and shame them. Most decent business people would at least address your issues... unless your letter was offensive :P

Newaglish

Minder wrote: »

Does anyone ever send wine back? Not because it's corked, but because it's vinegar? I've asked waiters to take wine back and bring me the wine list again because the wine served bears no resemblance to the description on the wine menu. Started doing that in Tesco too. I bought an expensive Barolo recently. Label describes warm, smoky and rich, with earthy damson and cherry notes and a savoury edge and loads of chocolate. Intense and rounded with a lovely juicy palate that holds blackberry and violet notes. What I get is Sarsons malt vinegar. I leave it to breathe. Still Sarsons. I decant it. Sarsons. I give up and open something else. I rebottle it the next day take it back, but not before tasting it again. Yep - Sarsons. Tesco took it back after I pushed a little...

I can just picture it in the middle of Tesco:

THE LABEL SAYS GOD DAMN EARTHY DAMSON AND CHERRY NOTES! CAN YOU TASTE ANY F**KING CHERRY NOTES?! CAN YOU?!

While purple in the face and spluttering.

Minder

Newaglish wrote: »

I can just picture it in the middle of Tesco:

THE LABEL SAYS GOD DAMN EARTHY DAMSON AND CHERRY NOTES! CAN YOU TASTE ANY F**KING CHERRY NOTES?! CAN YOU?!

While purple in the face and spluttering.

That made me laugh out loud:D

reallyrose

nosietoes wrote: »

reallyrose: I would name and shame them. Most decent business people would at least address your issues... unless your letter was offensive :P

My letter was very polite!
It was the Bad Ass Cafe. I know it's not meant to be a source of high cuisine, but I do expect to be actually able to eat the food served...

stephenmarr

simple rule i follow with any meal be it a high class restaurant or a street cafe.
if im not happy with the meal i will call over the MANAGER not the waitress/waiter and get them to address it straight away.
if i dont get the result im looking for i simply wont pay.

you wouldnt be happy if you had a leak and the plumber came out to fix it and didnt, but still tried to still charge you.

people in this country seem to be happy to pay for food even if its not what they ordered or up to scratch.

reallyrose

stephenmarr wrote: »

simple rule i follow with any meal be it a high class restaurant or a street cafe.
if im not happy with the meal i will call over the MANAGER not the waitress/waiter and get them to address it straight away.
if i dont get the result im looking for i simply wont pay.

you wouldnt be happy if you had a leak and the plumber came out to fix it and didnt, but still tried to still charge you.

people in this country seem to be happy to pay for food even if its not what they ordered or up to scratch.

I complained at the time and I got a thousand mile stare from the supervisor. The manager wasn't there, so I phoned the next day. The manager apologised and suggested that I write a letter to the owner. Who ignored me.

Faith

milehip1 wrote: »

Wow, you sound like a class act.

Careful now.

rubadub

Seaneh wrote: »

Every kitchen in Ireland should have an A4 sized poster of this hanging above whatever part of the kitchen they cook they mains at.

Good idea, but not just the kitchen, on the menu, or be able to ask to look at it, this way if you do have a complaint there is a better argument as to what was meant by whatever term you asked for.

I was in China and some places had the dishes laid out on plates in display cabinets on the way in. Some of the english translations sounded horrendous as they were poor translations (stewed cow etc), but the dishes looked lovely and you got exactly what you saw. I think its a great idea, it feels rude trying to sneak peeks in a restaurant to see what people are getting, I usually do it for deserts as its easier to spot what it is but try and spot it being brought out.

Mellor

Seaneh wrote: »

Unless you go to a very good restaurant, odds are they won't cook the steak properly.

Every kitchen in Ireland should have an A4 sized poster of this hanging above whatever part of the kitchen they cook they mains at.
Captions edited to Irish terms, obviously.

[POSTER]

See, the problem is the customers really.

The irish in general haven't a clue what rare/medium/well-done steak actually looks like. I imagine people that frequent the food&drink forum are exceptions, but the average person in ireland hasn't a clue.

I imagine if you show that poster to general people on the streek them which is which. most of the time they'd be off by one. They'd think the medium rare picture is rare, right up to the opinion that the well done is medium well.
What a lot of people consider well done, is actually overcooked.

if everyone knew what they were asking for, those of us who do know would get what we ask for.