I love reading the blog of Tom Colicchio, the sexy Top Chef judge who just opened 'WichCraft near the new Bloomies. Here he perfectly sums up why I have absolutely no interest in writing restaurant menus...
"The other night I ate a great dish: Napoleon of Sourdough Brioche,
Artisan Cheddar and minced, aged Hereford, garnished with a Preserve of
Cucumber and Dill, and finished with Heirloom Tomato Coulis.
A.k.a.: A Cheeseburger.
I don’t have patience for over-the-top food descriptions, mostly
because they seem to say, “look at how fancy this dish is!” and I’m not
a big fan of fancy food. I’m OK with food that requires a high level of
skill to prepare. And I don’t have a problem with fine dining --
provided I’m in the mood for it. But the word “fancy” speaks to me of
pretension, embellishment, the need to impress. About presentation over
substance."