Top 10 Most Controversial and Discussed Posts
Bucky kindly sent me a list of the Dining@Large entries that have gotten the most comments. There's a weird kind of fascination to it, and I thought it would make a good Top 10 for me to do while on vacation. In other words, one I don't have to work on too hard.
Some are ones you would expect to get a lot of discussion, like Best Crab Houses. Others just blew me away, like the fact that RANCH DRESSING is in the No. 1 position. Now that's strange: ...
1) 10/24/08 – I (Heart) Ranch Dressing (165 comments)
2) 7/10/08 - Sandwich Musings (150)
3) 5/28/08 - Beef Fat Again Already (143)
4) 6/3/08 - Top Ten Crab Houses (137)
5) 2/5/08 - Top Ten Locations We Miss Terribly (131)
6) 11/18/08 – Top 10 Places To Get Fabulous French Fries (121)
7) 1/06/09 – Top 10 Restaurants the Baltimore Area Needs (115)
8) 1/9/09 – Pecan Someone Your own Size, Bucky (113)
9) 6/05/08 - Crab-tastic Fun From You Know Who (106)
10) 8/22/08 It’s that time again…the next Top 10 (101)
(Colby Ware/Sun photographer)
Comments
What, no foie?
Posted by: Lissa | February 3, 2009 6:23 AM
I'm pretty sure an earlier french fry post was in the nineties as well.
Posted by: matt hudock | February 3, 2009 6:51 AM
I saw one french fry post with 83 but no 90s.
Posted by: gosseyn | February 3, 2009 7:29 AM
OK, seriously? I have been a follower of this column for ~1.5 years, and the past 5-10 have just been horrible! We don't care about what posts were controversial, we want to know what is out in the restaurant world NOW! We want to know where we should take people that come from out of town, where should we celebrate birthdays, etc., you get the drift. An EASY idea for this week would have been the top ten best deals for restaurant week...So either admit that you cannot do the column any longer, or get back to some serious reviews for the Foodies out there.
I cannot do the column any longer. :-) Also, you will feel better if you don't think of it as a column. Seriously, you didn't like Top 10 Places to Eat Alone? EL
Posted by: Danielle | February 3, 2009 9:00 AM
There are several posts with comments numbering in the 80's and 90's. I only keep track of the ones that hit 100 comments, because contrary to appearances, I do have a life.
And, I discovered just this very minute that there is a tie for 10th spot..."The split check and other horrors" (the infamous Birches topic) also has 101 comments, something that happened after I originally compiled the list I sent to EL. (Sorry...I just found it when I went looking for something else.)
Posted by: Bucky | February 3, 2009 9:13 AM
Danielle is bitter and full of bite! I like how casual and unpretentious this blog is, it gives pseudo foodies like myself a voice. LA LA!
Posted by: Rebs | February 3, 2009 10:01 AM
Well, let's see, Danielle...1.5 years of "top ten" lists equals about 80 topics. Of course, it's best not to repeat columns too frequently, since we all pay far too much attention here...
So, instead of complaining about the lack of fresh ideas...why not recommend some fresh ideas? I think the ones you mentioned have already been covered...
Posted by: Zevonista | February 3, 2009 10:47 AM
Column? You mean this blog? Because her column in the paper is different. And she still does tons of reviews in the paper, which are easily and readily accessible. If you're looking for that sort of thing, click here:
http://tinyurl.com/cqm5gj
But this blog is an entirely different creature.
On a side note, I'd propose that these are not necessarily controversial posts - many were just popular!
Posted by: sean | February 3, 2009 10:57 AM
if I remember correctly, the top-10 Diners list yielded quite a few comments as well.
Posted by: Donny B | February 3, 2009 11:24 AM
Danielle - The reason why this blog is so great is because it does not take itself too seriously. Who could not appreciate a post that starts off as one thing and ends in a complete topic drift. That being said, there have been numerous topics which have been extremely helpful and insightful for true and pseudo foodies alike.
Posted by: Trixie | February 3, 2009 1:25 PM
This isnt a column...its an informal blog...get over it, quit complaining. A blog is meant to entertain and this one does everyday regardless of topic.
Posted by: lore | February 3, 2009 1:27 PM
Danielle--unclear on the concept.
Posted by: Dahlink | February 3, 2009 2:26 PM
Not to mention the key word's in EL's entry, "while on vacation." I know I don't do my job while I'm on vacation, so I'm grateful that EL continues to give the Sandbox fodder for - for whatever the heck it is we do on here.
Posted by: KristinB | February 3, 2009 2:42 PM
Danielle - you've been reading this blog for a year and a half and you can't tell the difference between EL, Blog Mistress and Elizabeth Large, Restaurant Critic? Stunning. Truly stunning.
Posted by: Eve | February 3, 2009 3:40 PM
What about the foie gras discussions from last year? As I rememebr you had to stop taking posts because it got too big...
Posted by: BaltFoodie | February 3, 2009 3:54 PM
BaltFoodie -- if you search the D@L archives for "foie gras", you'll find a number of different posts over the past ca. 2 years, none of which hit the magic 100-comment threshold. (Since PETA activists habitually posted new comments on old posts that had been dormant for several months, it only seemed like the comments were too big. Vitriolic -- yes; big -- no.)
Posted by: hmpstd | February 3, 2009 4:23 PM
I wanted to comment regarding the fries at Salt. They're good, but at our last dinner there, our party of 8 who spent nearly $500 was not asked by the waitress if we wanted anything else, but simply given the bill. 5 minutes later the manager came to the table and said 'I need this table now. YOU HAVE TO LEAVE!' No restaurant is worth that kind of treatment.
Posted by: Ann | February 4, 2009 7:22 PM
Ann,
After that kind of treatment, the tip would have suffered greatly.
Posted by: PCB Rob | February 5, 2009 2:14 PM