Cheesy debate over burrata rages online: ‘How dare you’

Worth the hype or overdone?

Burrata —  a popular cheese consisting of a mozzarella cast encasing a soft cheese called stracciatella and cream —  is a staple on many menus, but not everyone is loving the oozing fromage.

The debate over burrata’s worthiness comes after an opinion piece published on Grub Street went viral. The article, titled: “A Big Fat Blob of Boring: Can we cool it with all the burrata balls?” written by food writer Tammie Teclemariam, declared the popular dish more a snooze than satisfying.

“The problem isn’t burrata itself,” Teclemariam wrote on July 31, blaming the hype on many restaurants’ insistence to make the “thick blob of cold dairy” a stand-alone dish on the menu.

“When it’s applied judiciously [its] dense, milky heft serves as a welcome base note to a dish’s other ingredients,” she noted. “But too often, the burrata is the focal point, a thick blob of cold dairy that gets a few splashes of seasonal garnishes and a $20 price tag.”

However, the article sparked controversy, as some burrata believers defended the dish while others finally felt like they could speak their truth about the cheesy fad.

“Thank you for this much-needed truth-telling,” a commenter wrote Grub Street’s Instagram post.

“I’m so glad burrata discourse has finally come around so I can confess: I HATE IT. I’M TIRED OF PRETENDING TO LIKE IT,” another confessed.

Some argued people should be taking issue with the quality of the burrata.

“First of all: How dare you,” a cheese enthusiast commented. “Second of all: I am available to write a 10,000 manifesto / op-ed entitled: “Restaurants need to stop selling cold, flavorless burrata, and take the time to let it come to delicious, creamy, room temperature before serving.’”

“I’d be sick of burrata too if it tasted like American burrata,” another Twitter user agreed.

Others pointed out the power of the mozzarella-encased-cheese even had people venturing out during COVID lockdowns for the dish.

“Wow is NYC media actively trying to kill burrata?” an incredulous Twitter user wrote. “This will never happen.”

“More burrata for the rest of us,” joked another.