ALBANY – The top candidates for New York attorney general clashed Tuesday in an hourlong debate that went deep on weighty topics like government corruption, a controversial lawsuit against ExxonMobil and taking on President Donald Trump.
But it was a simple question about Rochester's best-known dish that stumped the front-runner, Democrat Letitia James.
"Have you eaten a Garbage Plate?" asked NY1 political anchor Errol Louis, the debate's co-moderator.
James, the New York City public advocate, responded with a blank stare and two seconds of silence before responding.
"Have I ever eaten a Garbage Plate?" she said, seemingly confused.
"It's a regional thing," Louis responded.
"Oh, it's a regional thing?" James said with a laugh.
Louis heard all he needed to hear.
"I'll take that as a no," he said.
For those unfamiliar: A Garbage Plate is a regional dish made famous by Nick Tahou Hots in Rochester. It generally consists of home fries, macaroni salad or baked beans topped with meat, onions and a meat sauce.
The question was posed by Louis during a rapid-fire "lightning round" near the end of Tuesday's debate between James and Republican candidate Keith Wofford, which was aired on Spectrum News across the state.
Wofford, a private attorney, was quick to pounce on James' gaffe.
He seemed to give some credit for the dish, however, to the city of Buffalo — his hometown.
After the debate, Wofford — who now lives in New York City — tweeted a photo of himself enjoying a
Garbage Plate at Nick Tahou's on Friday with Monroe County Executive Cheryl Dinolfo, a fellow Republican.
"My opponent is out of touch with Upstate New Yorkers - she's never even had a Garbage Plate!"
Wofford tweeted. "Might be good to get out of NYC every once and awhile..."
