I'm looking for places to eat. 😏

Bruh, read my post history. I don't run a restaurant. I'm an engineer who likes good food. I pay for experiences, and I would like to experience the food of my dead grandparents, thank you very much.

But, wow, so defensive about river's edge. Do you run the place? Does it piss you off that one person out here isn't impressed? Should I say the mint tea was shitty too?

Anyway, let's pick apart my first experience of grape leaves with them - and what grape leaves mean to me. Here's what grape leaves are, aka, dolma.

Grape leaf Mint Rice Minced lamb Lemon Salt Pepper

I believe thats it.. there may be a little more, but, it's a super simple food. Like, deceptively simple. Now Here's the problem: how many Americans have had fresh grape leaves?

Not many.

So, when I judge a place, I look for cut corners. Grape leaves are a pain in the ass to do right, few people know the difference between shit out of a can and fresh ones - and it's an easy corner to cut.

If the place cuts that simple corner, they cut other corners. Bad place. Rivers edge cuts that corner.

Why is opening a can a cardinal sin? Because I can open my own dam can at home. I don't want to pay for shit I can make at home. I can open my own can. I don't need to pay someone $12 to pull 3 dolma out of a can, put a little olive oil and lebneh on it and sell it to me. That's just dumb.