How Long Has It Been Since You've Eaten a Big Mac?

[Jazzooo]

Yeah, John--I hear you. I live in Mexico and while I love the food--seafood especially since I'm on the coast now--I sure miss the US concept of salads. Steaks here are almost always a little disappointing.

[tippy]

Can't even remember though it was a fave when I was a kid. Later, I took off more on the 1/4 lb'er with cheese though. Two things I notice about Mc'Ds is (1) their burgers give me a stomach ache or (2) fast food like that doesn't stave my hunger for very long (low nutritional value). However, was very into the McSkillet burrito for about 5 years until they discontinued it somewhat recently.

[Jimmy Cantiello]

Jazzbluescat, I'm totally on board with vinegar on fries. Especially if the fries are well done. Btw, as you probably know, to get properly cooked fries they have to be cooked twice. Once in oil at a somewhat lower temperature of about 325 degrees and then a second time at a higher temp of about 350-375. It helps to soak the potatoes in cold water brfore cooking to pull some of the starch out.

[Jazzzoline]

Must be 25 years for me too. Not a Mcdo fan. Not a burger fan.

[Blue Train]

Same with fish & chips places, served in newspaper funnels. [Pour some vinegar on them(and the fish) and wow! Simple but exquisite.]

Have been living a good deal of my time the last 4-years in the epicenter of fish & chips.

Just saying vinegar isn't that simple. You can have battle royals over what kind. Malt, or white? I prefer malt. I actually now prefer it over using ketchup. haha

Speaking of fries. Any fans of Pommes frites (as in, Belgian fries.) with mayonnaise?

[Jazzzoline]

Speaking of fries. Any fans of Pommes frites (as in, Belgian fries.) with mayonnaise?

I usually eat french fries with mayo. What's belgium fries ?

[Blue Train]

Speaking of fries. Any fans of Pommes frites (as in, Belgian fries.) with mayonnaise?

I usually eat french fries with mayo. What's belgium fries ?

They take their fries seriously in Belgium.

They're fries that have been fried twice @ two different temperatures. You get two different textures on the outside and inside that way....and they're damn good. It's also where the using of mayo on fries comes from.

[Jazzzoline]

They take their fries seriously in Belgium.

They're fries that have been fried twice @ two different temperatures. You get two different textures on the outside and inside that way....and they're damn good. It's also where the using of mayo on fries comes from.

I thought thats how french fries are done. Thats how i do it.
I like to use my starfrit potatoe cutter, i use the small grid,
Which potatoe fir the best fries ?
I use russet or idaho long potatoe (gold)

[Blue Train]

They take their fries seriously in Belgium.

They're fries that have been fried twice @ two different temperatures. You get two different textures on the outside and inside that way....and they're damn good. It's also where the using of mayo on fries comes from.

I thought thats how french fries are done. Thats how i do it.
I like to use my starfrit potatoe cutter, i use the small grid,
Which potatoe fir the best fries ?
I use russet or idaho long potatoe (gold)

You're French-Canadian....so, it actually makes sense you make it that way. Don't get the Belgians, or French started on which country invented the French fry.

Which potato really depends on what you can get. In Belgium they use the Bintje, but that's only grown there and the Netherlands.

The closest thing to the potatoes they use in Europe would be a Yukon Gold, which was developed in Canada.

[Jazzooo]

Anyone else dig the Meaty Breakfast Burrito at Jack in the Box? Not to mention their Curly Fries?

[Jimmy Cantiello]

I should have been more specific about the vinegar on fries and fish, btw. It's malt vinegar, hands down. Gotta be malt, no question there. As for fries with mayo, since the Belgians invented french fries and serve them with mayonnaise as a rule, I have no argument there either. For me, sometimes it's malt vinegar, sometimes it's mayo and sometimes it's au naturel. But almost never with ketchup. Imo, ketchup ruins fries except when the fries have no flavor to begin with then ketchup is better than no flavor at all I suppose.

[jtx]

I go with yellow mustard every time.

[steve(thelil)]

I go with yellow mustard every time.

Heathen

[Noj]

I pretty much avoid the lower-level fast food joints like the plague, and I have for many years. There's so many better options out here that cost the same or really aren't much more expensive. A few more bucks and you'll eat a ridiculously good burger. In-N-Out, Tommy's, Umami, The Counter, The Hook, The Habit...even the local dive bar I go to makes a way better burger than McDonald's.

[sozamora]

Yeah, John--I hear you. I live in Mexico and while I love the food--seafood especially since I'm on the coast now--I sure miss the US concept of salads. Steaks here are almost always a little disappointing.

Steak in Mexico sucks, but some of the best burgers I've ever eaten were in Mexican street carts.

[tippy]

Yeah, John--I hear you. I live in Mexico and while I love the food--seafood especially since I'm on the coast now--I sure miss the US concept of salads. Steaks here are almost always a little disappointing.

Steak in Mexico sucks, but some of the best burgers I've ever eaten were in Mexican street carts.

I haven't had those burgers, but I loved me some tortas in San Francisco. Not to mention the preemie baby size burritos. Mission Street had a slammin' tacqueria at 24th Street, 2 blocks from me That food is the bomb diggitiest soul comfort fuel food on the planet. You gotta be a marathoner though to burn it off. (Which I am definitely not.) That's one thing they didn't have in New York, I can tell you that. Oh, and breakfasts, San Francisco does that better too.

[sozamora]

That's one thing they didn't have in New York, I can tell you that. Oh, and breakfasts, San Francisco does that better too.

Certain East Coast foodies claim you can get just as good Mexican in NYC than in California. I don't have evidence one way or another, but I find that hard to believe. Chicago, certainly. NYC, I don't know.

[stonemonkts]

Recently I decided I'm not wild about fries. I love a good burger though.

Addressing the thread topic...haven't had a Big Mac in many years, but I have recently had shit from Burger King (double cheeseburgers, etc...).

[Jimmy Cantiello]

That's one thing they didn't have in New York, I can tell you that. Oh, and breakfasts, San Francisco does that better too.

Certain East Coast foodies claim you can get just as good Mexican in NYC than in California. I don't have evidence one way or another, but I find that hard to believe. Chicago, certainly. NYC, I don't know.

I'm far from an expert on Mexican food but from what I've read and experienced first hand, the northeast part of the country has a long way to go before it can begin to rival California in that particular cuisine. Once you get into northern New England fuggetaboutit.

[Jazzooo]

I hate to sound snobbish, but since living down here I find California's highly-praised mexican food to be overrated. That is, the places where it is elevated to high-ish cuisine are fine, but just walking into a joint and getting tacos or chile rellenos or something common? Better down here.


"Mission Street had a slammin' tacqueria at 24th Street,"

Tippy! I ate several times at the corner of 24th and Mission back in the '70s. The place only had a hand-painted sing saying "Antojitos Mexicanos," and inside the menu was a torn shopping bag pinned to the wall. My favorite entrée was "Vegiterian Burito with Pork" (sic). It was outstanding.

I went back in the '00s and the place was still there and still awesome. Same place, perhaps? On the southwest corner of the intersection?

[John L]

I have yet to experience great Mexican food in San Francisco, although I don't doubt that Tippy and others have had that pleasure.

The Mexican cuisine place that drives me crazy is Super Rico on Milpas Street in Santa Barbara. When I am in Santa Barbara, I maximize my eating time there.

[sozamora]

The thing about Mexican food is, much like Vietnamese food, it's a working class thing. Unlike, say, sushi, fancier doesn't always mean better.

[steve(thelil)]

The thing about Mexican food is, much like Vietnamese food, it's a working class thing. Unlike, say, sushi, fancier doesn't always mean better.

Agreed After many meals over the years at fancy and/or expensive restaurants with excellent reputations (usually because some one else picked the place), I have come to feel that this applies to most kinds of food. It's reached the point that Jan and I feel lucky when we get to celebrate holidays or special occasions by ourselves, so there's no pressure to eat at some fancy place when we'd much prefer our favorite funky ethnic places or bars and grills.

[tippy]

"Mission Street had a slammin' tacqueria at 24th Street,"

Tippy! I ate several times at the corner of 24th and Mission back in the '70s. The place only had a hand-painted sing saying "Antojitos Mexicanos," and inside the menu was a torn shopping bag pinned to the wall. My favorite entrée was "Vegiterian Burito with Pork" (sic). It was outstanding.

I went back in the '00s and the place was still there and still awesome. Same place, perhaps? On the southwest corner of the intersection?

You know, if I situate myself from Ocean Beach, I thought it was northeast corner BUT I could be turned around. It is on the bay side of Mission Street, adjacent to the Bart plaza going downtown. I guess it took off. They had real signs when I lived there. Stayed open real late so the drunk youngsters (like me) could get some food (smart of them). Never had Mexican food in Mexico btw.

And, Serge, may be there is some tacqueria action that I missed in my 11 years there, but I never found it. The poor substitutes, although somewhat tasty in its right, were probably Honduran style (like I'm thinking of the corner store I frequented). Not Mexican. I went to a Mexican restaurant once in the village which was decent, but not tacqueria style food. And there was another place on the upper East side which was popular for their making salsa or guac at your table (I wanna say it's Rosa something or other), but still no Mexican tacquerias.

[jwaggs]

I think I've had a couple in the past 10 years.