Pittsburgh PA

[Sneakeater]

Does Portland, ME have a reputation? Not like Pittsburgh (which doesn't live up to it, IMO) or Portland, OR or Charleston or Nashville (which seem like they do).

 

I think died-in-the-wool New Yorkers like you and me are incapable of dispassionately discussing Boston. (I mean, it really is second rate -- but you and I would say so regardless.) Las Vegas lives up to its reputation -- for better or worse. Right? And to add another, Philadelphia totally lives up to its reputation. (Although it's hard for me to think of Philadelphia as "second tier".)

[Sneakeater]

I mean, if Boston were any good, it would be first tier, right?

[joethefoodie]

I mean, if Boston were any good, it would be first tier, right?

Would it? I don't really know what the delimiters are for tiers, even though I used it as a definer.

 

1st tier - NY, SF, LA, Chicago?

 

Not that eater makes any sense ever, but would it make sense to look at the cities eater covers and think of them as places that think of themselves as having an excellent food scene?

[Suzanne F]

Portland, ME has had a good reputation for years. Remember JohnnyD from eG? He used to post about Death Matches among chefs there. And other than Fore Street, which we did not think was worth its reputation, there are some really good places (or were the last time we were there).

 

What's needed for critical mass, again?

[Sneakeater]

 

I mean, if Boston were any good, it would be first tier, right?

Would it? I don't really know what the delimiters are for tiers, even though I used it as a definer.

 

1st tier - NY, SF, LA, Chicago?

 

Not that eater makes any sense ever, but would it make sense to look at the cities eater covers and think of them as places that think of themselves as having an excellent food scene?

 

I just meant that if a city as big and culturally important as Boston had a good food scene, it would be first tier.

 

The fact that it isn't considered first tier is kind of the same signifier as Restaurant Daniel "only" having three stars.

[Rail Paul]

 

I mean, if Boston were any good, it would be first tier, right?

 

Would it? I don't really know what the delimiters are for tiers, even though I used it as a definer.

 

1st tier - NY, SF, LA, Chicago?

 

Not that eater makes any sense ever, but would it make sense to look at the cities eater covers and think of them as places that think of themselves as having an excellent food scene?

Would New Orleans have a first tier food scene? How about Charleston SC?

[Sneakeater]

Obviously they both do, right?

[Sneakeater]

I think maybe I'm misunderstanding Joe here. There are second-tier cities with first-tier food scenes (Charleston, Nashville, etc.). There are first-tier cities with second-tier food scenes (Boston). There are first-tier cities with first-tier food scenes (Philadelphia, Chicago, SF, etc.). The tier of the city isn't always the same as the tier of its native food scene. But if a first-tier city has any kind of credible food scene at all, it's going to be considered first tier. Right?

[joethefoodie]

Yes. I'm using the word "tier" as a descriptor of the city, not its food scene.

 

FWIW, I don't know if I consider Philadelphia or Boston as a first-tier cities, and this is just a very personal way of looking at, or thinking about, cities.

 

I think about cities in the US where I believe I could live, and it's basically NYC and what used to be San Francisco. I also believe Los Angeles and Chicago to be first-tier cities, not that I could live in either.

 

And I probably just confused myself even more.

[joethefoodie]

And is the elephant in the room Washington, DC?

[Sneakeater]

Washington, DC is certainly a first-tier city. It's funny how hard it is to tell how good the dining scene is from what people post here.

[AaronS]

that churchkey place couldn't serve that food in nyc.

[Nathan]

Washington, DC is certainly a first-tier city.  It's funny how hard it is to tell how good the dining scene is from what people post here.

 

DC is a mix of full-scale crap and good food.  NYC is a mix of overpriced mediocre and good food.

[Nathan]

Meat and Pototoes

 

Meat and Potatoes is a Downtown restaurant run by the same group as Butcher and the Rye.  It's just good, not great.  But how surprising to have such a good group-run restaurant in the CBD.  And especially surprising in that these restaurants are in a persuasive hipster/NBC style.  Pittsburgh is lucky to have them.

 

These are very much meatstaurants.  I started with a so-called "snack" of fried pig's ears in vinegary barbecuey sauce.  I hearby apologize for all the times I've dissed pig's ears.  If you fry them, it turns out, they're just great.  This went down great with a cocktail.

 

My pot roast main dish was more ordinary, but was fine.  Maybe I ordered wrong.

 

Just had two rather good meals at Meat and Potatoes.  You did order wrong (though the pot-roast is indeed fine).  You should have ordered steak and potatoes (any of them).

 

The Weston is a rather good cocktail bar btw ($10!)

 

 

The Frick is nice.  Fallingwater is very worth doing.  

 

eta:  oh, the Warhol museum is very well done.  It’s also a lot of Warhol.  Similar impressions of Butcher & Rye.  Flo2 seemed nice but only had a drink there.

[joethefoodie]

 

Washington, DC is certainly a first-tier city.  It's funny how hard it is to tell how good the dining scene is from what people post here.

 

DC is a mix of full-scale crap and good food.  NYC is a mix of overpriced mediocre and good food.

 

 

Oh, there's full-scale crap here too.