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If money wasn't a concern, we could be feasting on lobster, truffle-filled pastas, and caviar prepared by Michelin-starred chefs every day. Thanks for crushing that dream, inflation. And yet, there are some ingredients (ahem, gold leaf) that diners say aren't worth paying an arm and a leg for because they do little in the way of taste or nutrition.
Here are 10 ingredients Redditors say are overrated — and have no business being so expensive.
Listen, I'm half Argentinean and we LIVE for a good asado (grilled meat). But when it comes to steaks, not all cuts are made equal. In the case of the tomahawk, you're basically just "paying for a big dumb bone," writes one Redditor. "Bone can add flavor to meat but not when it's not even touching the meat," adds another user.
Indeed, if you're craving steak, just order a regular ribeye or New York strip and call it a day — you'll get more bang (and meat) for your buck.
I never understood the appeal of this ingredient. Why pay a hundred bucks or more for something that doesn't even taste like anything? "I'm tired of all the 'most expensive [insert food]' where they just cover it in gold and caviar instead of using high quality ingredients to make it actually taste good and be worth the price," writes one user, while another says adding gold leaf is making things "more expensive just for fun."
While I personally love a fried egg as a burger topping (shoutout to Red Robin), not everyone agrees with me. According to one user, a "runny egg on a burger is dumb. It just makes it a big, sloppy mess, and doesn't contribute much to the taste."
Others seemed to agree, with one Redditor saying, "I don't need the mess," while another adds, "As a runny egg fiend: I'm with you. In fact, I will actually break the yolk when cooking an egg for a breakfast sandwich."
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Lobster is often overhyped because its high price point creates an expectation of superior taste that it doesn't always live up to. In fact, there are more affordable seafood options, such as crawfish, crab, and monkfish, that provide equal — if not better — flavor, Redditors say.
"Lobster [is a] stupidly expensive vehicle for butter," writes one Redditor, adding, "When people have to dunk it in a stick of butter before eating it, I wonder if they like it too."
Related: 30 All-You-Can-Eat Seafood Restaurants Reviewers Love
Known for its exclusivity and high price tag, caviar is often regarded as a luxurious ingredient that not everyone can afford. But is the salty stuff really worth the hype? "If I want fish eggs, I'll just head to a sushi place to be honest," writes one user, while another says, "My husband loves it, but I must be missing a smell receptor because I just taste salt."
Related: Why Is Caviar So Damn Expensive?
Made from the fattened livers of ducks or geese, foie gras is known for its rich and buttery flavor. But the process of producing it, which involves force-feeding birds to enlarge their livers, is considered a cruel practice by many, raising ethical concerns that contribute to its overrated status. Sheesh, boycott foie gras already.
"I am not a fan of foie gras," writes one user, adding, "It’s just too rich for me and the flavor is sometimes a little off putting."
Though truffles are rare and hard to find, truffle oil is often seen as an overrated ingredient because of its artificial and overpowering taste. "Truffle oil [has] no actual truffle in it and tastes like gas," writes one Redditor, while another claims that "it tastes like dirt."
On top of tasting funky to many people, truffle oil is also expensive. "If you add truffle oil to anything, the cost goes up by 20%," writes one user. "[It's] just not worth it to me."
Related: Hard-Working Dogs That Sniff Out COVID-19, Cancer, Truffles, and More
Acclaimed for the rigorous process involved in rearing Wagyu cattle, which includes a special diet and care to produce the breed's characteristic fat marbling, Wagyu beef has popped off in recent years. However, some people say the extremely rich and fatty profile of the beef doesn't necessarily equate to better flavor.
"Wagyu is fatty as hell and never lives up to the hype," writes one user. "[The meat] is ultra rich and makes finishing the steak a chore. I'd rather pay 10% of the price and get a way better tasting steak."
While the sriracha shortage has a lot of people up in arms, not everyone is a fan of the spicy and tangy hot sauce. "Everything that you put Sriracha on or in tastes like ... Sriracha," writes one Redditor. "It takes over the flavor completely." Another user notes how seeing the condiment on everything from food shows to "any given dish" at a restaurant is becoming "overhyped and overdone."
Related: How To Make Homemade Sriracha Sauce So You Never Run Out
A notoriously tricky ingredient to work with, scallops are expensive due to the labor-intensive process it takes to harvest them. But overcook them by mere seconds and the delicate, buttery texture turns rubbery and unpleasant real quick. "They taste like imitation crab," writes one Redditor, adding, "In my country, they are an exotic food, meaning very expensive. Was so disappointed with cost to taste value."
Our advice? Opt for crab or mussels — they're cheaper and equally as delicious if cooked properly.
Related: Where to Catch Fast-Food Fish Sandwiches and Seafood This Lent