VALGYKLA FRENZY

  • 2008-10-23
In response to the article "Cheap and nasty, try the real Lithuanian cuisine" issue no. 627, the local valgykla fans were adamant about their regional underground cuisine and voiced their opinions loud and clear to The Baltic Times. Here's what they had to say.

I am so sorry for this author. I know English people like fast food but their own fast food just fish and chips is that an English culture? Oh yes you eat all sorts of Pakistan and Indian and Chinese take always that is very dirty. They don't even wash hands before serving. Are you sure you were in VILNIUS? There are plenty of places were you can get nice meal. Valgyklas  serve healthy meals to not much left now valgyklas. How you, dear, found it I think you had no money to eat in decent places. And it is not as cheap in valgyklas too. All rubbish

- Dalelyte, Vilnius

Well, I am not sure whether this article was written as a joke, or was the author serious, but I'm gonna assume the latter. There are some obvious errors of fact (e.g. there are at least 4 McDonalds in Lithuania, rather than 2), and there is some rather heavy bias. Generally, "Valgyklas" vary greatly in their quality and offerings, as it happens with most small independent businesses. It is entirely true, that "discuss this with your Lithuanian friends 's they will tell you why their valgykla is better". Unfortunately, based on valgyklas the author has seen, I think he doesn't have any trustworthy friends: he's only seen the most awful of the kind. Oh, and the last thing: nobody gets excited about beetroot. Trust me.

- Skeptic, Vilnius

I found this article very entertaining :) It made me smile and reminded me of the "eatery" in my high school. Does anyone remember the famous phrase about menu selection in soviet-style eatery: "what do you have for lunch today?", "starter, main and compote"  I love eateries, they offer fast and healthy food. One can not compare this food with bad junk food in some western countries. The smell of old and hundreds of times used oil for frying chips and chicken is much nastier for me than eatery :) But I liked article anyway, thanks for it :)

- Anon, Vilnius

Maybe I have no sense of humor, but this little article seemed offensive to me, especially the last line of it. Dear author is that all you know about Lithuanian culture. I am sorry for you then.

-Anon, Vilnius
 

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