Sunday, February 22, 2009

Altered Taste Buds


I have a hard time going out to eat anymore. It seems that most restaurants don't know how to make things TASTE. Even olive garden isn't that good any more. I often want to ask the server for more basil garlic or cumin. We went to Red Robin for dinner and I got a hamburger. I asked for light mayo - they didn't have any - so i decided to go without. Turns out their burgers taste like cardboard without the mayo. It must be cheaper to add a lot of mayo than it is to buy quality meat. I didn't even have a desire to finish it. We could have made some good stuff at home for 20 bucks!

I wonder if we took someone from Italy - you know - one of those people that has a self sustaining farm w/chickens and cows and veggies and wine and stuff - and fed them a nice meal from red robin - would they like it?? I bet not. When it comes down to it, once you've eaten REAL food for a while, the fake stuff just doesn't taste good. simple as that.

I think it also goes vice versa. Once you've been hooked on fake food for a while, it's hard to get used to eating things with real flavor - like veggies. And I don't mean raw and steamed veggies. I mean roasted, sauted - turned into sauce - veggies. I think america has the wrong idea about what healthy eating is all about.

maybe I'm just a WACKO nutrition lady, but those are my thoughts. what do you think?


15 comments:

Unknown said...

Wacko nutrition lady = 1
Flavorless Restaurants = 0

Nicole said...

Does that mean I win?

Isaac said...

You win big time. I agree with you about what you get eating out. But you have to remember that stuff is still better than what some people can make at home. Also, you are a tight wad, so you have higher expectations when you pay $20 for food.

Oblad girl said...

Steve and I would rather make our own pizzas then buy them at any fast food place or restaurant. They just don't taste as good. Some restaurants really don't do a good job at all- especially the chain types. You have to search for the really good ones.

Michael and Heather said...

Nicole, I totally agree with you when it comes to eating out. Most of the time we would rather cook our own food. You should post some more of your yummy recipes! Your Crater Lake trip looks incredible!! You guys definitely look like pros!

Nicole said...

Zic - you are SO funny. you should come visit us sometime. you are right, we are tightwads.....

Jen - I agree on the pizza. homemade is much better. and you are exactly right....it's the chain types of restaurants that are the nasty ones.....the small ones are usually really good.

Heather - So glad you updated you blog (: We sure miss you guys, you and mike are such good cooks that I bet you could start your own AMAZING restaurant (or backpacking foods company). I'll post more recipes (: Crater lake would have been a lot more fun with friends......

Anonymous said...

With our kitchen remodel in process, cooking is more like camping.I am also trying to use the little dabs of this & that I found when I cleaned out all the cupboards. I founds some basal sun dried tomato pasta, added chicken tenders (no not breaded), red peppers, onion, garlic, a bit of the pasta water & some feta -- it was wonderful. Home is better that eating out, even with a make shift kitchen. LV MOM

Nicole said...

You are amazing mom! that dinner sounds amazing. And NO...we do not want your old cabinets.

Hip Heiner Fun said...

I enjoy cooking and making meals at home. But there are just those days when either you desperately need to go to the grocery store or you just don't feel like cooking by the end of the day. But, I agree I love to cook and try new things and ways of cooking foods. But I still like eating out on occassion as well.

Andrew said...

I like my pizza grease, full fat mayo, and cardboard meat. It just tastes so good when you don't have to cook it.

amylynn said...

Hmmmm, You are hillarious sissy!!! All I have to say is I had some fries and a potato from Wendys and I'm so gassy and bloated that I'm typing this at 2:30 am. When you are not used to eating out it's painful when you do.

Joanna and Chris said...

Oh Nicole...I'm afraid I stand on both sides of the line. You know how I feel about REAL food but you also know how I feel about eating out :)

Nicole said...

joanna banana (: But I bet you and chris know all the good places to eat out instead of the red robins of the world......

Joy said...

I try and only eat out at cheap fast food places or locally rated locally owned places. In fact, last night I did both! Go me! McDonalds Shakes and La Piazza? Best of Both worlds!

Nicole said...

sounds cool to me. la piazza sounds yummy.
milk shakes always sound good to me, but then i eat them and they taste like wax, especially fast food ones. i haven't tried mcdonalds shakes though........and man do i ever have an excuse to give them a try!