Enough already! Culinary trends of 2014 we wish would end

As I prepare to say goodbye to 2014, I’d also like to say goodbye to these culinary trends.

Enough already with gastropubs. I’ve got nothing against upgraded comfort food at good prices, or wide selections of craft beer. But too many gastropubs are little more than bars or diners in fancy dress.

How about more good, reasonably priced fish houses? For an island, Long Island is pretty light in the great-seafood-restaurant department.

Enough already with Asian fusion. Too often these restaurants offer the same, desultory assortment of overwrought, mango-drizzled sushi rolls, uninspired Chinese-American standards and candy-sweet semi-Thai dishes.

How about more authentic Asian restaurants? There are a number of places on Long Island where you can get pretty authentic Thai food; old-school Japanese (i.e. no pad Thai) and Chinese (not Chinese-American) are less common. I’d love to see some regional Chinese restaurant pop up — it’s a big country — or one place that roasts its own ducks, chickens and pork.

Enough already with sliders. They are, after all, just little hamburgers. And, frankly, we’ve got enough hamburgers too.

How about more ramen? This is a New York City trend that deserves to find a firm foothold here on Long Island. BBDs in Rocky Point and Magic Taco in Islip Terrace are already on board. Any Nassau volunteers?

Enough already with tapas. The truth is that most local tapas menus are really a collection of appetizers. No Spaniard would recognize fried calamari or duck tacos as tapas.

How about more true Spanish cuisine? I’m talking about real paella (not a huge pot of yellow rice topped with assorted seafood), serrano ham, fish alla plancha, pan con tomate.

Enough already with coffee consciousness. It’s not that I don’t thrill to every new Long Island coffee roaster, or that I’m not grateful for so many talented local baristas, but...

How about paying respect to tea? Fine restaurants still think it’s OK to serve a cup with a Lipton’s tea bag stewing in lukewarm water. Where is the demand for high-quality loose-leaf tea, properly brewed?

Enough already with balsamic vinegar. I’ve been a vocal member of the anti-balsamic league for years, but I’ve not managed to stem the tide of sweet, sticky syrup that afflicts an alarming percentage of Long Island dishes. 

How about anything else?

Readers, what have you had enough of? Feel free to comment below. And Happy New Year!