to loathe the current fad for serving meals on wooden boards?

[DustBunnyFarmer]

The worst was a fancy local bistro serving my steak and chips with pepper sauce on a board. There was no way I could pour the pepper sauce over the steak without serious risk of run-off. I ended up dipping each mouthful in the jug of pepper sauce before eating it. Same restaurant served veggie meals on the same boards (there didn't seem to be any differentiation). Totally unsatisfactory. I also think chopping boards are not particularly hygienic. Bleurgh. Also, at the kind of prices swanky bistros charge, you would think they could afford proper crockery. The sooner this fad wanes, the better IMO.

YABU

Chimichangas have started serving some meals on a chopping board too. DH likes the spicy salsa burger which comes on a board with a separate little bowl that looks like a dog bowl with spicy rice in. No room on the board to tip the rice out and hard to get it out of the bowl with a fork because of the round edge. I stick with a burrito as I know it comes on a plate

I read it as food being served in cat flaps. I spent a few ridiculous seconds trying to imagine this

I was invited to a birthday meal in a pub .It only served Sunday lunch type food so I was very surprised to see the meal all arrive on these boards.

Imagine a full Sunday lunch - roast meat with mashed and roast potatoes ,a huge amount of veg and it all topped with a large yorkshire pudding then gravy over the lot.

It was at least an ice breaker as we all struggled to keep the food within the board edges.

What a stupid idea it was as the food was delicious but the struggle to contain it overrode the eating experience.

Just send it back and tell them to put it on plate. I always do and complain to the manager.

I can't stand a wooden ice lolly stick in my mouth as it makes me feel odd. Food on wooden boards is this x10000

I hate it as well; food should be on a nice, white round plate

I send it back and ask for a plate

Stickerrrocks: I must be tired, but I read flat caps as cat flaps! I was wondering how on earth it would work (not to mention why). Not sure that flat caps are any more sensible than cat flaps as a bread serving vessel though.

ooh, goody, time to ask for evidence again.

It seems that there's no proof of antibacterial products in wood chopping boards - but it seems that certain types of wood harbour fewer bacteria because they dry more quickly than others or plastic. Hence the bacteria dry out and die.

a good example of 'correlation does not imply causation'.

but I agree, dinner comes on a china plate!!

If you like the food, can't you just at the time of ordering say to them "please bring everything on plates, we just want to eat off plates, we do not want boards, hats, birds nests, baseball gloves or urinals"

(you may want to just think the last bit )

Only just saw your comment ohyoubadbadkitten. Glad it wasn't just me that read it wrong!

Oh god yes stupid boards and stupid wee buckets with half a dozen chips in.

And don't get me started on a smear of hummus/parsnip puree across said board- gives So! a bear stare.

Exactly, Vital, if you know it's the kind of place that serves food on something other than a plate.

Plates were invented for good reason.

When restaurants get ridiculous

Yanbu, my toddler's lunch (from the children's menu) arrived on a wooden board today . I had to very nicely explain that a 1 1/2 year old just learning to use a fork was going to really struggle with that and could I have a plate please.

Let's put an end to it. We can. There's a lot of us. Mums have the power.

1. Call ahead and ask: do you serve on boards, or plates? If the answer is plates, the respond, 'that wont do, we don't want reservations then" and hang up. Repeat once a month or so.

1. If you are in a restaurant, ask when you order, and pitch a (polite) fit if they fail to plate it.

1. If you only remember the anti-carving board campaign when they put the damned thing in front of you, and you have the time to, send it back. Especially if children's menu item arrives on anything other than a proper plate. If you dont have time, make the point on the customer service card or when you pay.

1. Discuss with other mums when waiting at school or wherever.

I like it or don't mind. I mean, seriously, so what? (Voice of dissension)

I did like 'chicken in basket' as well , sadly they don't do that now ??

Giggling at all the cat flaps. Not sure which is worse, a crumby hat or a cat flap!

I hate them.

I went to a greasy spoon/cafe type place, absolutely nothing remotely fancy, got my cheese toasty, dollop of coleslaw and salad on a huge wooden board. Looked ridiculous. Coleslaw tasted weird... Like wood. You know if you leave a wooden stirrer in your brew too long and it gets a funny wood taste, like that!

Yes it does seem to be everywhere.

They do it at our local Ember Inn where the bacon and cheeseburger costs 6.50 if you have it as one of the specials. You used to get a nice salad with it as well as the coleslaw but the infamous boards have put paid to that.

Next time I think I shall do what the elderly couple did and complain loudly about the hygiene risk .

Um it's wanky yes. But your food will get cut on a chopping board before put on a pate anyway so don't understand the "it's not clean argument"?

YANBU, also slates and bits of old tin.

I'm meh about the wooden boards but hate the ugly chip basket things. Horrible.