Eating out..

[taxlady]

As others have written, I like to order food I wouldn't or couldn't make at home. I do order steak out, but that's because I love steak and Stirling doesn't want it very often. He considers it slab-o-beef. Also, I have to cook the two steaks to different degrees of doneness. I like mine anywhere from blue to medium rare. Stirling wants his well done.

Other times we eat out for the experience or the company.

And yes, I have often said I could do it better at home.

 

[dcSaute]

my own major 'consideration' in going-out-to-eat is selecting a dish/preparation that takes huge more time / ingredients / steps / pots / pans than I care to do at home.

that said, if it ain't tasty . . . why go back? I'll try most anything / any place once; going back to spend lotsa' bucks on poor food,,,, nah - not gonna' happen.

DW - for example - declines veal or lamb preps - something about females, mother's day, baby things, too cute, whatever . . . so those are some first considerations for me when going out - stuff I'm not allowed to fix at home....

what frosts my spatula - we go out, nice place, extensive selection, DW's selects chicken - of some sort.... jeesh - I can do chicken every day, all day long, of any kind. whyforethereas not pick something more different Dear?

and, not infrequently when I'd like to go out and not cook, I get the "rather stay here and you cook/fix my favorite x,y,z"
does make for a sizzle....

 

[Dawgluver]

When we were in Vegas, we ate at Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill. Service was marginal, we had to ask for the bread basket that everyone who was seated after we were, got. We had the shrimp tamales, which were great, and didn't need the shrimp, which were overcooked and chewy, but the sauce was wonderful. We split the bacon cheeseburger, which was unequivocally the worst cheeseburger DH and I have ever had. DairyQueen makes a much better burger. C'mon, this was Bobby Flay's place!

 

[CWS4322]

I don't eat out often, but like others, I tend to order s/thing that I do not make at home.

 

[pacanis]

When we were in Vegas, we ate at Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill. Service was marginal, we had to ask for the bread basket that everyone who was seated after we were, got. We had the shrimp tamales, which were great, and didn't need the shrimp, which was overcooked and chewy, but the sauce was wonderful. We split the bacon cheeseburger, which was unequivocally the worst cheeseburger DH and I have ever had. DairyQueen makes a much better burger. C'mon, this was Bobby Flay's place!

Did you ask to speak to Bobby?


I always wonder how involved these name brand chef's/cooks actually are with their various restaurants. Do they simply hire a chef? Does the chef have to do an internship with "the name"? Do they pay attention to reviews or bottom line?

 

[Dawgluver]

Did you ask to speak to Bobby?


I always wonder how involved these name brand chef's/cooks actually are with their various restaurants. Do they simply hire a chef? Does the chef have to do an internship with "the name"? Do they pay attention to reviews or bottom line?

No Bobby there. I would hesitate to call the cook/cooks a chef. The place was packed, we were happy to get a table. We ate at Emeril's NOLA years ago, food was marginal there too. The waitstaff was exceptional though, DH spilled his soup on the tablecloth and his shirt, they had him and the table cleaned up in 2 minutes.

 

[dcSaute]

>>Did you ask to speak to Bobby?

we ate at the LV Mesa Grill.

the prep was not good. when I mentioned to our server the oysters were basically rubberized, she advised I should send Bobby an email.

I did not send Bobby Flay an email; in the ensuing years, never went back to the Mesa Grill; highly unlikely to pick any of his eateries for any future meals.

Emeril's Fish House was quite good and a bargain for the buck. been back multiple times.

 

[Whiskadoodle]

At my most unsociable time of day, is when No One knows I am Really the most Happiest and easily Satisfied kind of guy. I like to go out for Breakfast. Solo. Counter service. Pick a small diner and I am front and center watching the grill cook. The only words I speak are if my server asks "more coffee" and I say yes please, but Really, it's easier to just hold out your cup. and one word suffices. Thanks.

When we go out for dinner, it is most commonly juicy burgers or steaks. Sometimes we enjoy meals like Chinese/ Asian or Mexican and combos we don't put all together at home at one time.

Special occasion's, birthdays and such, we celebrate at home. Although come to realize as I type this, DxW took me out for several recent birthdays. Surprising me with places we had not previously been. She's more of a go-getter than I giver her credit. Overall, I think Dx doesn't prefer to go out for dinner. She is not a bigg eater and plate sizes are usually too much. Maybe that's why she likes steak places, easier to take home half a meal.

Not this year, last, we went to Tampa on vacation. Read up on more places we might go and would need to double triple our stay. They all Led to Ybor City. Not for lunch and original Cuban sandwiches--> Cuban style cigars. If you bet your first nickel I was put on a short leash and wasn't allowed off the bus, you is right. Vacations are a supreme chance to try new things. Also , vacay condos have balconies and patios.

 

[pacanis]

No Bobby there. I would hesitate to call the cook/cooks a chef. The place was packed, we were happy to get a table. We ate at Emeril's NOLA years ago, food was marginal there too. The waitstaff was exceptional though, DH spilled his soup on the tablecloth and his shirt, they had him and the table cleaned up in 2 minutes.

Ahh, so it didn't have a chef atmosphere... that's too bad.
Probably the only reason I would pick a cooking personality's restaurant to eat at is for a finer meal. One I would expect them to have a chef in the kitchen, even if it wasn't them

 

[Dawgluver]

We took Baby Bro and his then wife-to-be to Morimoto's in Philly. Now THAT was an experience. A hugely expensive experience, but we sat at the counter and got anything that the chef could come up with. It was a blast. We even got pics of us and the chef!

 

[TaraWildes]

I don't care to eat out much; as many of you have said, it's only for things I can't or don't want to do myself. When I do, I tend to splurge and go to places I know are excellent in the ingredients, preparation and presentation.

Even then, I spend most of the meal reverse engineering the food. Trying to figure out what spices used, how they obtained the results and how I can do it myself. Because I really like doing it myself. It's just so much more satisfying, to me, if I can produce similar results even if I do have to clean up afterward.

I know everyone is different and some find the dining out experience more fun, but my innate frugality and enjoyment of dealing with food is hard to balance with enjoying the overall experience. I really feel bad for some of my friends who eat out every meal. I shouldn't, they obviously are happy with their choice to do so.

 

[Kayelle]

We took Baby Bro and his then wife-to-be to Morimoto's in Philly. Now THAT was an experience. A hugely expensive experience, but we sat at the counter and got anything that the chef could come up with. It was a blast. We even got pics of us and the chef!

I'd trade all the dinners I've eaten out in the last ten years for one evening like that Dawg!!

 

[merstar]

I rarely go out to eat, but when I do, I expect the food to be well prepared. If it's not, I send it back. I don't understand why so many people don't do that - it's wasted money, and an overall bad experience. With any other product that one buys, if it's subpar, it's returned to the store. So, why shouldn't lousy food be sent back, and replaced with another dish, correctly prepared? (assuming the chef knows how to do that). Most (not all), good restaurants will be very happy to do their best to please the customer.

 

[Dawgluver]

I'd trade all the dinners I've eaten out in the last ten years for one evening like that Dawg!!

Much sake was consumed! I'll have to dig through my pics, it was before we had ready access to picture storage on computers. My brother kept yelling,"Chef!" And finally Morimoto turned around and gave us the peace sign/bunny ears behind my head. He was actually doing the cooking!

 

[pacanis]

I rarely go out to eat, but when I do, I expect the food to be well prepared. If it's not, I send it back. I don't understand why so many people don't do that - it's wasted money, and an overall bad experience. With any other product that one buys, if it's subpar, it's returned to the store. So, why shouldn't lousy food be sent back, and replaced with another dish, correctly prepared? (assuming the chef knows how to do that). Most (not all), good restaurants will be very happy to do their best to please the customer.

I didn't realize they didn't. Did I miss an article or survey?

 

[Oldvine]

Yes, I've had things in a restaurant that I know I would do better myself. But that doesn't mean I'm staying home for all meal. Usually, I don't order things that I could or would make at home or if it's too much work or mess. I would not order a BLT in a restaurant or a chicken salad sandwich, mine are better. My habit is to order the same thing at certain restaurants because the make it the way I like it. If I know I want an omelet, we go to a certain local diner. If it's a steak sandwich, only our favorite place will do and oddly they serve it with peanut butter and apricot jam. I could probably do a pretty good steak at home, but no peanut butter here.

 

[taxlady]

I didn't realize they didn't. Did I miss an article or survey?

I think most people don't, based on the reaction of friends when I do it. Well, not the friends I have now, but previous friends.

I'm reminded of a story. Ex-Dh and I were eating in a non-descript resto because we needed to eat. I think we were going to catch a train. The server asked if we wanted mashed potatoes or fries. Ex-dh said he wanted mashed. I asked if they were real or powdered. Ex-dh started kicking me under the table and making faces at me. The server replied, "Oh, they are powdered." I said I would have the fries. Ex-dh, sheepishly, asked if he could change his order to fries. He never gave me a hard time about complaining about or sending back food in a resto again.

 

[pacanis]

I think most people don't, based on the reaction of friends when I do it. Well, not the friends I have now, but previous friends.

I'm reminded of a story. Ex-Dh and I were eating in a non-descript resto because we needed to eat. I think we were going to catch a train. The server asked if we wanted mashed potatoes or fries. Ex-dh said he wanted mashed. I asked if they were real or powdered. Ex-dh started kicking me under the table and making faces at me. The server replied, "Oh, they are powdered." I said I would have the fries. Ex-dh, sheepishly, asked if he could change his order to fries. He never gave me a hard time about complaining about or sending back food in a resto again.

I read USA Today everyday and they have a lot of articles on food and such. I thought perhaps I had missed something. Usually such statements are already news or specials on TV or something. 20/20 doing a segment on people who refuse to send back ill prepared meals...

 

[Roll_Bones]

RB---"We eat out for necessity, not because we want to eat out."
???? Can you explain that?

When I am to tired to cook or other plans interfere with cooking the evening meal.
If I am home and have time to cook, we eat here.

I rarely go out to eat, but when I do, I expect the food to be well prepared. If it's not, I send it back. I don't understand why so many people don't do that - it's wasted money, and an overall bad experience.

Have you ever watched Seinfeld?
I used to send things back and still will on occasion. But knowing the cook/chef will not like it, I prefer to remember this and NOT GO BACK!

 

[Dawgluver]

I complained about a particularily horrid pizza that DH picked up from our usual place and that we got last weekend. I sent an email to their website, and got a response the next day. I left it to DH to respond and of course he didn't. The manager tracked our phone number down, apologized for the pizza, and we have a $20 credit next time we order from them. Now that's service!