I haven’t been to a real restaurant, even on the level of Appleby’s, in I don’t know how long! When we did go out on occasion, it was usually to a restaurant that serves food I wouldn’t normally prepare at home, and there’s quite a few of those! Sushi is high on the list, as well as other Japanese food like nabeyaki and robatayaki. Odd about the nabeyaki, or “hot pot,” because it’s a favorite to prepare at home in most Japanese families.I dunno about others on DC, Joel, but as for myself, I just don't enjoy eating out that much anymore. As my cooking skills improve, the restaurants I'm willing to spend money at are fewer and fewer. Locally, I'm down to two! Otherwise, I'd rather take the same amount of $$ to the grocery store and buy quality ingredients for two or three nights of meals for the two of us - with leftovers, usually! And there are just so many times I can rave about the Irish pub's "Now Famous Irish Potato Pizza" and still make it sound new.
I enjoy going out on special occasions, mostly birthdays, for exquisitely prepared and served haute cuisine. And if we’re in the mood for Chinese, we’ll, we don’t go out, but we do order in.
I don’t make fish and chips either, so we go to a pub not too far from here if we get the urge for it. McMullen’s has the best fish and chips I’ve had, and during happy hour you can get three lovely large pieces of perfectly battered and fried cod with chips, enough for Mark and me to split, for just $2.50!