Dishes Famous Chefs Advise Against Ordering In Restaurants.

By Editorial Staff in Food On 13th May 2017
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#1

Choosing something off the menu at a restaurant can be a challenge, especially if there are dozens of delicious-sounding options.

But the task may now be a little easier after restaurant chefs have revealed the dishes they believe you should avoid ordering at certain eateries - and it's bad news for fans of chicken.

From fish on a Monday to everyone's favourite brunch of eggs hollandaise, these are the dishes which will make you regret your menu choice and leave you dissatisfied.

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#2 Eggs With Hollandaise Sauce

If you always order poached eggs with smoked salmon, asparagus or spinach, we have some bad news for you.

Chef Anthony Bourdain has said that brunch is the time when chefs can get away with serving the leftover bits and pieces from Friday and Saturday night dinner services.

A staple of brunch is classic eggs benedict or eggs royale - but Bourdain says the sauce has to be kept at a certain temperature for it to be safe to eat.

'Bacteria love hollandaise,' he revealed in his book, Kitchen Confidential. 'And nobody I know has ever made hollandaise to order.'

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#3 Never Order FISH on Monday

According to Anthony Bourdain, every week most restaurants order fresh fish on Thursday or Friday to stock up for the busy weekend. By the time Monday rolls around, it may not be so nice—fresh fish only keeps for three days. On Tuesday the leftovers are likely tossed and another order is placed. If all else fails, ask your server where the seafood came from and when it was caught and delivered.

Bourdain said in his book: 'I never order fish on Monday, unless I'm eating at a four-star restaurant where I know they are buying their fish directly from the source.'

#4 Iceberg lettuce

The iceberg wedge salad is one of the industry’s biggest rip-offs. Take into account that iceberg lettuce is about 98 percent water, and it’s easy to see why. “It's marked up at least 20 times,” says Peter Chastain, executive chef and owner of California’s Prima Ristorante. Plus, germs can hide inside lettuce’s cracks, corners, and edges. “You think lemons in water are dirty? The salads are filthy,” Cannon says.

Even if restaurants do decide to wash their greens, the lettuce is often served soggy, which is big red flag—standing water mixed with lukewarm, mayo-based dressing is a disaster waiting to happen.

#5 The value meal

It can be tempting to order off the value menu at a fast food restaurant to get the most bang for your buck. But one double cheeseburger, fries, and drink could add up to 1,100 calories and nearly 50 grams of fat. And chowing down may have immediate consequences. After healthy people ate a high-fat meal, their blood pressure was higher when faced with a stressor compared to when they ate a low-fat one, found research from the Journal of Nutrition.

#6 Kobe beef

You may have ordered “Kobe sliders,” but they likely weren’t made using the famous Japanese Kobe beef that’s known for its exceptional marbling, Olmsted told Eater. In fact, the supply in America is extremely limited. There are only nine restaurants in the U.S. that sell it, and they prominently display a plaque at the front counter. Real Kobe beef sells for over $20 an ounce, Olmsted said.

And honestly, if a restaurant says the burger is kobe beef, it's probably lying. Move on to something else.

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#7 Popcorn at the first movie of the day

If you're heading to an early showing at the cinema, hold off on the popcorn. All of the popcorn leftover from the night before is kept in big bags then reheated the next morning. They only make fresh popcorn once the night before's has run out! Gross.

#8 The all-you-can-eat pasta dinner

“Be careful about ‘bargains,’” says Blake. “Pasta is inexpensive and it’s easy for restaurants to make a profit, but that comes at the expense of your waist." If you’re tempted to get a refill, you’re better off avoiding restaurants that offer that deal (and making a healthy version dish at home, like this seafood pasta recipe). Still, any place you order spaghetti, the portion will likely be huge—remember, one serving of pasta is the size of half a baseball—so aim to take half the dish home in a doggie bag.

Think of it this way, says Blake: “If it was so delicious, wouldn’t it be fun to enjoy it again the next day? You want to stretch it to two wonderful eating occasions rather than having memories from just one.”