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Polynesian Cocktail Party
10 Spicy Snacks
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How to Make Nut Milk
Sausage Recipes of the Month
Oh me, oh my, people really got upset about the article we published Monday about the "10 College Towns with the Worst Food," a piece that we admitted right in the intro was sloppily researched on the Internet, for snark's sake. Now, we don't usually reprint letters to the editor since we don't have a section on our site for such a thing, as a newspaper would. But there were so many good suggestions for where to eat in the "worst" towns that we couldn't let that pass.
Here are the towns with passionate defenders, and the local spots they think are worth visiting. And because we couldn't resist, we rated each letter or comment's vitriol from 1 (neutral) to 10 (chemical burn) based on the words contained therein.
GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA
Gainesville was the most vociferously defended town, with numerous comments and one 1,225-word letter to the editor. People love Gainesville!
"Ms. Slaton's article has done more than make her ridiculous; it has reflected back on your website as a whole and the quality of information you put forth," says the writer of the long, long letter to the editor, who enjoys Reggae Shack, Harry's, and Boca Fiesta.
Vitriol level: abomination + personally offended + atrociously + God-given truth + minimum-wage-intern-writers staff = 9
"You are clearly wrong about Gainesville. You say you graduated from here? I thought we trained our journalists better than this," says eaeveritt, who recommends Flaco's Cuban Bakery & Coffee Spot, Leonardo's 706, Mi Apa Latin Cafe, Top, and Dragonfly.
Vitriol level: ridiculous + HATE + wrong = 3
"Something tells me you were one of the kids in G-ville pissed off on Saturdays because football games interrupted your sulking walk to the common grounds," says sturdytable, who likes Hogan's and Satchel's Pizza.
Vitriol level: unfair + pissed off = 2
COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS
After Gainesville, the most defended place was College Station, Texas.
"You clearly have not been to College Station, as mentioned by many commenters. I currently live in Paris, have traveled to or lived in many major cities in the U.S. and Europe, eaten at many fine dining restaurants, and find that Aggieland has more charm than many of these places," says Anonymous13, who recommends The Republic, Cenare, and Sweet Eugene's House of Java.
Vitriol level: bashing + charmless = 2
"College Station, Texas has more to offer than what is mentioned above," says jdiguardi, who recommends Koppe Bridge, Christopher's World Grille, Chicken Oil Co, and Mr. G's.
Vitriol level: more + just = 1
"I think our selection of eating establishments is great! The only problem is the lines you have to wait in in order to go to them!" says lstallings, who likes Veritas Wine and Bistro, La Bodega, and Freebirds World Burrito.
Vitriol level: great + Aggies = 1
WACO, TEXAS
"You clearly didn't do ANY research on this article except to look up an idiot local food blogger," says Packattack, who likes Gratziano's Restaurant, The Elite, and Baris.
Vitriol level: ANY + idiot = 2
TUSCALOOSA, ALABAMA
DLMC says, "Not fine dining by any means, but good food all around" at Dreamland Bar-B-Que.
Vitriol level: good + great = 1
RUSTON, LOUISIANA
"Do internet reporters have to actually do any research other than Google?" asks ThatOtherGuy, who likes Rabb's Steak House.
Vitriol level: "internet reporters" = 3
No one at all wrote in to defend Muncie or Augusta. I guess they've conceded?
Image source: Flickr member StuSeeger under Creative Commons
Yea, I'm pretty sure Muncie still sucks. But there was a great BQ place called QL's that did turn me on to proper KC style BQ. I hop its still there.
It's really stupid to me that someone would think it clever to write an article like this in a world where we complain about Americans' lack of awareness of and loyalty to local food culture. Chow should be promoting these small, local favorites, not ridiculing them.
Also, I dunno if it's still there but Bahn Thai in Gainesville used to be one of my favorites.
So you chose to respond to these completely well-founded and reasonable responses with more ignorant sarcasm? Good job, Chow. I think I may need to find a new go-to online recipe place. How 'bout you try apologizing for pissing us off?
I just moved from Waco to Austin a few months ago. Waco DEFINITELY belonged on that list. Don't get me wrong.. there are a few great restaurants, but the key word is "few".
I do miss having access to a great burger joint, though. Dub-l-r's and Dave's Burger Barn can't be beat!
I gave you like 10 different restaurants in Waco and you posted those three? *sigh* Episk mentioned Bangkok Royal too. And the fact that D's didn't get a mentioned is damn near criminal. Their shwarma is freaking brilliant.
You were right on about College Station. While the number of decent restaurants has certainly increased over the past 5 years, there are still few worth visiting for dinner that cost less than $$$.
The funniest part about this to me is that the 'original' Daily Meal top 10 article was just as sloppily researched as CHOW's snark version. I know because I live in Ithaca and the restaurants they list in the article are completely random. One has hardly been open long enough for people to judge it (Mercato), one would not even be in a top 20 list of Ithaca restaurants (Souvlaki House), and one...+READ
The funniest part about this to me is that the 'original' Daily Meal top 10 article was just as sloppily researched as CHOW's snark version. I know because I live in Ithaca and the restaurants they list in the article are completely random. One has hardly been open long enough for people to judge it (Mercato), one would not even be in a top 20 list of Ithaca restaurants (Souvlaki House), and one doesn't even serve food (The Chapter House)! I don't think the bar was very high here.-COLLAPSE
This response to your previous post is a textbook example of the Dunning-Kruger Effect in action. In large part people weren't upset that you missed a good restaurant or two in their town, they were upset because what you wrote was poorly researched, you didn't understand the research you did do (role of a chamber of commerce website and how restaurants get listed on that website), and you drew...+READ
This response to your previous post is a textbook example of the Dunning-Kruger Effect in action. In large part people weren't upset that you missed a good restaurant or two in their town, they were upset because what you wrote was poorly researched, you didn't understand the research you did do (role of a chamber of commerce website and how restaurants get listed on that website), and you drew either overgeneralized or nonsensical conclusions (town has a paper mill therefore does not have good food). On top of the incompetent research and muddled conclusions you threw on a layer of gratuitous mean-spiritedness.
Geez, look at how you start the title of this post "But Muncie still sucks..." What motivates you to say something so nasty? Are you really condemning the whole city because nobody in Muncie, which given its small size probably has a vanishingly small Chow readership, left a comment last week?
Criticism and snark only work if you are informed about the subject that you are criticizing. You were clueless about the towns you were writing about including Gainesville, the town where you went to school! The mind boggles as to why you don't seem to understand why people were upset.-COLLAPSE
I don't have anything to say. I just wanted to comment on a post about comments.
OK, actually this is pretty funny. Thanks.
i think this is a "nice save" by joyce and the site. it shows y'all can take a licking from irate hometown heroes and still turn it into an engaging, humorous piece, and that you do care what folks have to say in their responses.
"internet reporters" = vitriol 3. . .lol.
This article did not look at new shoppes opening in Muncie. Berrywinkles is a self serve frozen yogurt store that just opened 2 weeks ago. It is a new concept, and Muncie was ahead of alot of other townes in providing this to their community. It has 14 different flavors of frozen yogurt and numerous toppings and fruits. Check it out, delicious and healthy. It is located on Tillotson , just north...+READ
This article did not look at new shoppes opening in Muncie. Berrywinkles is a self serve frozen yogurt store that just opened 2 weeks ago. It is a new concept, and Muncie was ahead of alot of other townes in providing this to their community. It has 14 different flavors of frozen yogurt and numerous toppings and fruits. Check it out, delicious and healthy. It is located on Tillotson , just north of Jackson st. It might even get Muncie off the worst list by itself...-COLLAPSE