What I Ate This Week

a rare home game

Welcome to here!  Are you lost?  No matter.  You’ve reached www.whatiatethisweek.com, a website that (for the moment) is a simple blog from my world of eating.  I don’t really feel overly compelled to justify this website’s existence– have you seen zombo.com or shavemyyeti.com?– but a little explanation might be helpful.

I’m a reasonably normal corporate manager living in Cincinnati, Ohio.  At 31 years old, I’ve kind of woken up to the the realization that I’m not getting older and I’m sick of keeping my thoughts in a diary.  I’m also sick of writing about “diary things.”  It’s as true on the web as at work:  “If you love what you do, you’ll do a better job.”  So what do I love?  Eating.  (Alongside travel and music, it pretty much represents all the good in the world.)

“Why WhatIAteThisWeek.com?”  OR “Why this website is any better than the tons of food websites out there?”

I don’t really know the answer to that question.  All I know is that despite the earnest attempts of food writers everywhere, I often end up a little bit depressed when I read food writing.  It just seems like folks bite off more than they can chew, and try to turn meals into restaurant reviews, or otherwise try to make the work MORE SIGNIFICANT.  But what’s funny is it’s not really atmosphere or the menu that gets most food-passionate people to a dining experience;  it’s a dish!

So this site will maintain a reliable and humble aim:  to share something INTERESTING I ate this week.  Although I’m lucky enough to travel, I won’t try to cover the world.  Although I’m lucky enough to make enough to eat out, I won’t try to be a restaurant reviewer.  Although I eat almost anything, I won’t try to give equal voice to all kinds of food.  I just want to push myself to try new and authentic things, both at home and away– and share that experience with anyone who cares.

A couple of promises:

Finally, it may be worth noting what kind of diner I am, since I’m not planning to represent everybody!  Though I eat nearly everything, I get special pleasure out of local & regional foods, and I enthusiastically engage in debates about the best barbeque, hot dogs, cheesesteaks, cheese plates, tingas, dim sum, and other interesting foods from all over.  I’m biased, and I tend to want to try new places.  I dine in every price range, and have been equally excited at no-star and 5-star restaurants.  I watch what I eat, but I also eat what I like.  Beyond this, you’ll have to be the judge!

So I’ll try to come by every week and talk about a dish or two worth my expressing.  I’ll be happy if this little project gives me interesting things I can log away for my future to review when I’m on my deathbed, suffering from what will likely be diabetes or congestive heart failure.  But if you find something of interest, that’ll make me happy, too.  At some point, if folks start coming by, I’ll add some more community-like features to the site.  But for now, this is a one-way medium.  Buckle up.  It’s time to eat.

Graham