Went to a farm-to-table spot in Portland and watched them microwave a steak

Paid $80 for a dry-aged ribeye at some trendy place last night, and I saw the line cook nuke it for 30 seconds before plating. Has anyone else noticed more kitchens cutting corners like this, or am I just unlucky?

3 comments

3 Comments

sage_moore371mo ago

Man, I actually used to defend places like that. I thought the whole farm-to-table thing meant they were just too focused on sourcing to mess with technique, you know? But then I saw a line cook at this spot in Austin hit a $60 bison steak with a microwave for a full 45 seconds and it changed my mind completely. @gray_morgan is spot on about that trust getting burned, because after that I started noticing it everywhere and now I can't unsee it.

keith_bennett1mo ago

Once I paid $40 for a microwaved salmon in NYC and told myself it was "molecular gastronomy.

gray_morgan1mo ago

$80 for a microwaved steak and you're asking if you're unlucky? Look, I get that kitchens are busy and mistakes happen, but 30 seconds in a microwave on a $80 steak is just plain wrong. @keith_bennett's salmon story is exactly the kind of thing that makes me wonder if restaurants think we won't notice the shortcut. A good steak that's been rested properly doesn't need a microwave, it needs maybe 10 seconds under a broiler or in a hot pan to bring it back up. I'd be asking for a manager or at least a refund, because that's not just cutting corners, that's burning trust and $80 at the same time.