I love to cook at home — and regretfully I admit that over the past several years I’ve somehow morphed into that foodie snob — you know the one I’m talking about — the foodie snob who finishes every other meal other than her own with, “I could so cook this better at home!” Needless to say, I find myself critiquing the restaurants we attend with the put on airs of Alex Guarnaschelli. I am not sure exactly when I adopted this aire but I am sure that I have adopted it. I like to think I am a bit more tactful about my distaste than most food critics. How could I not be? I am from the South right?
Let it be said that most often I leave a restaurant after wining and dining feeling satiated and giddy with gratitude for having a wonderfully delicious meal magically appear in front of me. Most often I challenge myself to recreate our entrees at home while mulling over what flavors and ingredients are hiding just below the obviousness of my dish. Most often I sit overwhelmingly grateful that someone else will be cleaning up the kitchen tonight!
However, there are occasions when I refuse to eat the “food” sitting in front of me. Said occasions often reel me into hours of angry “why? why? why? would any chef send that plate out?” followed by hours of “How could anyone consider that a meal?” and then I finally wrap it up after hours of “We should have just dined at home! It’s less than half the price of dining out and the chance of me being disappoint are zero to none!” How does Amy live with me? 
Now, believe it or not, I don’t consider myself a persnickety eater. Okay, I’ll admit I’m a bit of a flavor snob. Oh and a quality snob too. Oh and I do so prefer an artful plating. We do eat with our eyes and sense of smell first! Okay so basically I suppose maybe I am a bit of a food snob. But it’s all relative isn’t it?
Honestly there is no way that a chef can please all palates all of the time. And I am very much of aware of this. But let’s face the facts, when you send a plate out to a patron who is paying between 20-50 hard earned dollars on your culinary creation well honey, in the words of RuPaul, ”…don’t fuck it up!” because if you do, someone just might blog about it.
So without further adieu, I now present to you dear reader my “humble” list of the best of the best and the best of the worst restaurants I’ve had the pleasure of experincing. But please don’t just take my word for it! Give these amazing establishments a taste test of your own and let me know if your palate was wowed or if the chef in the least did the best worst job possible.
1.) Lattitude Restaurant 1338 Memorial Avenue, West Springfield, MA – My Review can be read here: http://homecookfoodie.wordpress.com/lattitude-and-loving-you/
2.) Asiana Noodle Shop 88 Church Street, Burlington, VT – My Review can be read here: http://homecookfoodie.wordpress.com/2012/04/28/asiana-noodle-shop-burlington-vt/
