East Coast vs West Coast: The Battle Between Food

The battle between which coast is better - East or West - has constantly been a hot topic between people on opposite ends of the United States. However, most arguments are based upon the different types of food, which attempts to form the consensus about which coast really IS better.

East Coast food prides itself upon its rich, multicultural European dishes. Take a look at New York. Tucked away in the borough of Manhattan are two popular areas: Little Italy and Chinatown. Little Italy is home to a New York staple: ITALIAN FOOD. Little Italy has completely mastered the art of perfecting extra thin and cheesy pizza with a crunchy crisp crust. Other dishes like lasagna and spaghetti bolognese are notable too, as their recipes are original and traced back to European countries. New York's Chinatown was the very first Chinatown to sprout from immigrants, which means the food is abundant in culture and tradition.

Visiting the East Coast and trying any dish will certainly reshape the way you think about food - and your taste-buds will thank you later.

Compare that with the West Coast, and you'll see a major difference. The West Coast, primarily California, is responsible for the emergence of natural, whole foods and lifestyle trends like Veganism. Because of this influence, food is a "craft" - and it better be picture worthy. In fact, most of Instagram's famous "Foodie" accounts are made popular because of the aesthetic design of West Coast food itself.

What is the consensus, then? Look no further than my friend, Caryl Rzeznik, who previously lived in Newport Beach, California before moving to Brooklyn, a borough in New York. Because of her residency in both parts of the country, her opinion is valuable.

"You can surely count on California to offer you delicious dishes catered to any dietary need you might have. Ice cream itself is a perfect example of this. Walking into a trendy, beach ice cream shop will present you with flavors like Dairy-Free Red Beet Root ice cream all the way to Nitrogen Based ice cream," Rzeznik states. "As much as my waistline appreciates all the healthy array of food in California, I can't say I do. New York doesn't add 'fluff' to their food. They make their food tasty, not necessarily pretty, because hey, nobody wants cold food after you Instagram it."

However, Trisha Parks, attorney in Los Angeles, California at my father's law firm who was raised in New Jersey spills her opposing opinion. "Just five years ago, my answer was always that the East Coast was superior. After moving to California though, I decided to keep an open mind to the food here. In the end, I've learned to love the creativity embedded in every dish I order. Going out to eat and seeing never-before-seen items on the menu to try is always a blast for my family - especially my children. I'm glad to have introduced them to this new generation of food art."

It seems to be that the debate will never yield a clear, correct answer because it is always dependent on the consumer's individual tastes and preferences. The debate continues to have a heavy bias any time you confront a true New Yorker and a lively Californian and ask them to debate about this particular issue.