Insta made me eat it

Would you eat a dirty sandwich if it wasn't trendy? Or subject yourself to truffle oil if TikTok didn't blow it up? Think twice before you fall for these menu clichés

- VIR SANGHVI

There are more restaurants in India than ever before. There are more cuisines available than we have ever known. And, inevitably, there are more menu clichés (what we call ‘food trends ‘ when we are being polite) than we have ever seen.

Call me a jaded old bore, but these are the current trends/clichés that I hate the most.

Dirty Sandwiches

In Europe, sandwiches are clever combinations of ingredients that you can enjoy without feeling that a vat of ketchup has fallen on you.

The classic American sandwich has usually been a little fatter (the Reuben, the Hero etc) and has required you to open your mouth wide while simultaneously ensuring that ingredients don’t drop out of the sandwich as you are eating it.

That’s fine with me. What I object to is the trend to over-sauce sandwiches to create the so-called Dirty Sandwich. It contains so much ketchup, mayo, melted cheese, hot sauce etc, that it is supposed to make your face dirty or drip down to your shirt.

I really don’t see the point.

Loaded Fries

The French Fry is one of the world’s great culinary inventions and its many variations (matchstick fries, steak fries, shoestring fries, triple-cooked chips, etc) are delicious when made fresh with the right kind of potato. Why dirty it?