It's an interesting point you bring up and unfortunately there is no easy answer because everyone has different goals and everyone's body operates differently, in that sense there will never be an 'ultimate' bulking diet/routine that puts on slabs of muscle and next to no fat (or was that steroids I'm referring to...
)
For example, some guys (and girls for that matter) are willing to sacrifice losing all trace of muscular definition whilst trying to gain as much muscle as possible and especially for the 'extreme' ectomorphic guys (beanpoles) this is probably the best way to gain muscle mass.
However! People like myself who are not only vain (I hate my abs completely disappearing) but small-boned and have endormorphic tendencies (store fat relatively easily) would probably benefit from a slower, 'clean' bulk I think is the phrase that's coined at the moment.
I think it's very easy to disregard the classic 'bulking' and 'cutting' cycles as unhealthy but to be fair all dieting comes down to what works for your goals and your body.
I don't think it's the worst way to approach dieting as a beginner, it at least gives some structure to their eating and weight management rather than just going on a 'seefood' diet, so they know that in x amount of time they will have to cut down to see those abs again.
Cool topic though mate, I take it you prefer the slow bulking approach?