Read this before eating out
I am rereading Kitchen Confidential mostly because it rules. I also had a desire to get back to that so-badass-it’s-cute depiction that Anthony Bourdain nailed before the whole food celebrity TV thing happened. Yes, it’s all fornication, knives, and dirty food, but with all the rock ‘n roll you could possibly conjure up in a small space with a bunch of illegals, a couple white dudes, and some pots and pans. In short: magic.
I am also enjoying his tips on eating out. Although the books is years old, it’s probably more poignant with New York restaurants closing or going over to the dark side. Eating out is an adventure, but it’s good to know your surroundings. Understanding the kitchen can give you a better chance of taking part in the pleasure and avoiding serious illness. For those who have forgotten (or are allergic to Anthony Bourdain), I have made simple, easy-to-digest bullets for you.
- Dirty bathrooms, floors, tables, waiters, etc means a dirty kitchen. Got it?
- Fish deliveries come in on Tuesday, so by Monday, it could be five days old. Order fish on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday unless you know otherwise.
- Raw lettuce and vegetables breed bacteria. Be careful where you eat raw.
- Only Order seafood from places with high turnover so you know it hasn’t been sitting around.
- When you’re unsure, order the popular dishes on a menu. They are probably done well or at least have high turnover. Many times others are just filler items.
- Avoid mussels unless you have a personal relationship with the guy cooking them.
- Brunch is the worst meal of the week to eat in a restaurant. It’s mostly scraps, the chef or sous-chef has the day off, and they’re ripping you off on eggs and bacon.
- Don’t order the hollandaise. If you think it’s fresh, think again.
- Bread does get recycled. If it looks like it, chances are it came from another table. Choose your germ battles (i.e. holding the railing on the subway, sitting next to the coughing guy, or eating free bread at a restaurant).
- Vegetarians and well-doners should cook. At home.
- Specials can be the best or worst of the bunch. They are either seasonal or waiters pushing leftovers. Know the difference or ask.
New York should incorporate a health ratings system like California does, where a rating is placed in the window of the restaurant based on its cleanliness. California’s A-C system isn’t perfect, but trust me, restaurants with C ratings are not frequented. I went to the New York Department of Health web site and it is more focused on trans-fats and no smoking signs than it is in helping provide relevant information about food prep safety and restaurant health code violations. It should be noted that I’ve only had significant food poisoning 3 times in my life, and all three were in New York. This place is basically a cesspool, and sadly restaurant owners need real incentive to keep their establishments clean.
All that said, people can really be a bit paranoid about food related illness. I’m more focused on the connection cleanliness has with food quality. I think that the more care a place puts into keeping clean, the more care they are likely put into their food.
April 29th, 2009 at 3:02 pmYea, they’ve been discussing implementing a similar system, and obviously with mixed reviews - http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/26/nyregion/26inspect.html?fta=y&pagewanted=all
There is definitely a direct correlation between cleanliness and quality. Restaurant standards can’t apply to one and not the other.
What I am concerned about is the corners being cut in this recession. I have seen a number of establishments I used to frequent decline in cleanliness and quality.
A frequent pastime of mine is to check out the DOH ratings on places. For instance Pastis had a 0 (average is 16) in December, but as of April 9 has a 41. Not that I’m going there anytime soon. - http://167.153.150.32/RI/web/detail.do?method=detail&restaurantId=40706604&inspectionDate=20090409
April 30th, 2009 at 1:27 pmI think the biggest problem with food in Manhattan (aside from the rats and cockroaches) is the quality of the produce. I know I’m in the minority with my constant complaints about the food quality here, but I stand by my statements that the produce in New York sucks ass - obviously not including the farmers’ markets. It likely stems from a combination of factors like everything being imported, New York being in the Northeast so “seasonal” means something, and prices are high. This leaves many restaurants little choice but to use less of the good stuff. The state of the economy is just going to make it worse. The real risk is whether or not it will get better or when there’s a recovery or if it will stay bad.
Concerning cleanliness, my expectations for NY restaurants are low. Just not so low as to not really really want a rating system.
May 4th, 2009 at 12:49 am