Chicken-fried bacon. Bone marrow hollandaise. Pig trotters stuffed with foie gras and short rib. Foie gras stuffed with pig trotters and short rib. I know it's my job to eat out--to stuff myself, even. But ever since fat became your go-to ingredient, things have gotten out of control.

Look, I love bacon, lard, butter, duck fat. They make bad food taste good, and good food taste great. I was an early supporter of the bacon boom. But now we've reached Baconageddon: bacon on brussels sprouts, bacon on steak, bacon on dessert, and in (and on) pretty much everything. It's become a culinary crutch. Don't know how to make that chicken dish thrill? Add bacon!

Next you topped everything with a fried egg. Then pork belly became your meat (where bacon begins...) of choice. A dish of this fatty cut is good every once in a while, ideally when you're spending the day building a stone wall, but lethal when it becomes just another protein. Now you're fixated on bone marrow. What was once an indulgence has become another ingredient that you top with uni or add to pasta. Ugh.

I know it's not your job to play health police. I'm a grown-up; I should be able to control myself. Problem is, your menus are meaty minefields. Even salads, pastas, and stews are loaded with fat. No wonder that garganelli with wild mushrooms tastes so decadent: There's a stick of butter in it! Why do we mock, and in some cases sue, fast-food companies for unhealthy food, but accept and even celebrate it in fine dining?

Fat overload doesn't only apply to single dishes. A few belly bombs are acceptable (sometimes we simply have to have fries and cheese curds doused in gravy), but a menu stacked with dish after fat-laden dish is irresponsible and lazy. Plenty of chefs play with fatty dishes but offer lighter options to keep things balanced.

Suzanne Goin at Lucques in Los Angeles gets press for her rich veal cheeks with risotto carbonara. But she also nails refreshing plates like a citrus salad with mint and avocado. Take a lesson from her; give me some bright salads and crudo.

Some of you even feel like I do. Several months back, chef

Jordan Kahn of Red Medicine in Los Angeles tweeted: "Should not the responsibility of a good restaurant also be to think about how the guest will feel after their meal & the following morning?" I believe it is, and I hope your food starts to reflect this. At least do what New York's legendary steakhouse Sammy's Roumanian does. Station a bowl of Alka-Seltzer by the exit so I can grab one on my way out. It may not make me healthier, but at least my stomach will feel better.

Sincerely,

The Foodist

P.S. You can also hear me discuss this subject (and more!) in a podcast with "Salt Sugar Fat" author Michael Moss and chefs Gabrielle Hamilton and Danny Bowien .

Wait, There's Hope!

Three signs that the fat backlash has begun:

The global emergence of

New Nordic cooking is ushering in an era of respect for vegetables as more than mere sides.

Veggie-driven tasting menus are the new norm at spots like Vedge in Philadelphia (where I recently had an eye-opening meal) and Grace in Chicago.

3. The true measure of a chef these days? It might be his or her way with

salads.

(Illustration by Claire McCracken)