Defended deconstructed food for years, believing it was innovative. I thought chefs were just pushing boundaries and it added to the dining experience. Then I had a deconstructed burger that was just ingredients arranged separately on a slab of slate, and it felt pointless. @ninayoung has a point about trends fading, but for me, the issue is when deconstruction removes the essence of the dish. It made me realize that without intentional storytelling behind the separation, it's just a lazy gimmick. Now I skip these menu items unless there's a clear reason for the deconstruction.