Top 5 Most Annoying Food-Writing Clichés
My wife and I play a game when we go out to eat: Name the cliché that food writers would use to describe the place. If the restaurant has a fireplace and it's crowded: It's cozy. If we have the chocolate cake, we know it will be described as decadent by a critic soon. Here are our top five most annoying food-writing clichés. But I'm also curious what readers think. Does your local food scribe make you cringe? How so? Please add your own clunkers in the comments field.
Decadent dessert
For some reason this is hard-wired into emerging food writers' brains. If it's a dessert, and not tart or fruity, it must be decadent right? Wrong. Maybe it's sweet. Or made of chocolate. But what does decadent really mean? And how many non-decadent chocolate cakes have you had?
Cozy interior
What does this really tell you about a place? Answer: Nothing on its own. Better to say what you see, feel, hear, smell, taste. Chances are the writer is trying to avoid saying that the place is small, crowded, cramped, has low ceilings, employs candles, or seems old-fashioned. Charming tends to fall into the same rut.
Yummy
I frequently want to use the word "yummy" or even "yum" and "yummo" (sorry) when I have had a particularly pleasing dish. But what does yummy say? Delicious in a cute way? Avoid at all costs specially when paired with fries (as in "yummy french fries").
Wash it down with...
Technically, we do wash down our food with drinks. But the phrase is overused and evokes plumbing more than good eating. When you read these words, you are witnessing a clunky segue from food description to beverages. It's typically a last sentence in a short review and often just a reiteration of what's on the cocktail or wine list.
Save room for...
Imagine a grandma wagging her finger at you: Save room for dessert! Don't fill the belly! I can't believe you ate the whole thing. Ack! It's like an attack of the cuteness monster. Get it away from me!
by James Oliver Cury
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