Just got back from a cafe in Austin and their 'deconstructed' avocado toast was a joke

I was at this trendy spot on South Congress last weekend and ordered their signature avocado toast for $14. What I got was a plate with a dry slice of sourdough, a whole avocado cut in half with the pit still in, and a tiny bowl of sea salt and red pepper flakes on the side. The menu said 'interactive dining' but it just felt lazy. I had to scoop and mash everything myself, which made a mess and the bread got cold. It's not a fun trend, it's just a way to charge more for less work in the kitchen. I make better avocado toast at home in 3 minutes for a quarter of the price. Has anyone else run into this 'deconstructed' thing lately and felt totally ripped off?

3 comments

3 Comments

rileynelson22d ago

Just mash the avocado yourself, it's not that hard.

mia_stone13d ago

Saw a food writer call this the "assembly tax" last week. They're right, it's just lazy menu planning, like @rileynelson said about the avocado. Paying extra to do the chef's job feels like a scam now.

joseph_adams6622d ago

My buddy went to a place in Denver that served a deconstructed burger, which was just a bowl of raw ground beef next to a bun. He sent it back because that's just giving up, not a concept. Some chefs are really pushing their luck with this trend.