Agree on the "three ways" thing. Make one version be great, and serve that.

I would like to see the death of deconstructed food. Sometimes it seems like they're just disguises for sloppy technique. And I'd like to go back to the days when the final sprinkle of salt happened by the diner at the table, rather than by the chef in the kitchen. Too many otherwise great dishes have been wrecked by being overly salty.

But most of my banishments aren't about style--they're about ingredients. Stop serving endangered fish, including that oh-so-popular bluefin. Stop serving cheap shrimp; they're an environmental disaster for the places where they're being farmed and they're gross to eat in the first place. Use the same nose-to-tail cooking with fish that you encourage with pigs and cows.

I'm ready for the end of the porky pork pork pork trend. I'm delighted that all you carnivores are re-born with dedication to local meat producers. I'm sure glad you are eating that instead of Con Agra tormented animals. But that doesn't mean you can't have some thoughtful vegetarian items on the menu too! I'm ready for the pendulum to swing back the other way a bit.

restaurants that serve both small plates and entrees, but whose entrees are terrible, or at least subpar. if you can only make good small plates but can't get proportions/flavors/value right on your larger items, stop doing the entrees. or learn how to do them better. you know who you are.

and i agree with you about the "three ways" etc. trend. i went to poppy recently and on my thali, 3 of the 11 dishes were good, 1 was great, 4 were fine but forgettable and 3 made my mouth wish it had stayed home.

and foam. fucking "foam," parmesan or otherwise. stop it, spur. your food is good. it would be great if you didn't put such precious bullshit on top of your pasta. stop.

Too many ingredients and too much food.

Lots of weird (or non-weird even) ingredients are not a sign of talent. Talent is taking something simple and making it exceptional. I'm no expert, but I think if the thing is ultra fresh, cooked just right, seasoned simply, etc. then it will be perfect and there will be no need to put so much together that none of it stands out.

I'd also like to see what we refer to as small plates replace the big plates. The so-called small plates are the right amount for an entree.

Finally, just because it is small doesn't mean you have to charge more for its cuteness.

Most of what I'm referring to can be accomplished perfectly with "a nice piece of fish" (as my Grandfather used to say). Is there some reason why that is so hard to find in a city by the water?

The end of the tyranny of doughnuts, ice cream, and cupcakes is nigh—IT IS TIME FOR PIE.

Salad bars at fast food resturants.

I mean, really....

And fast food resturants that try to masquerade as health alternatives.

I mean, really...

Please tell someone that Chocolate/Caramel/Sea Salt is OVER!

I'd love to see an end to "cute descriptions" on menus. I used to work at red robin and part of our training was creating a "flavor transport" for the guest. That means using buzz words to jazz up the description of the food. Like "farm fresh", "nestled in a bed of", and "drenched in flavor"! What the eff does flavor taste like? Tell me whats in it, where it came from, and thats it! I'll decide if it's farm fresh for myself.

What dining/food trend would you like to see go away?

1st. food trends.

2nd. overeating.

3rd. HFCS -or any other added sugars for that matter- added to foods. WHY DOES YOGURT NEED HFCS, people?!? wtf.