(This post was last modified: 03-22-2019, 10:43 PM by Lipripper660.)
I travel for work and although time from home isn't fun, my customers are my friends and I like it. Obviously, when on the road I have to leave my kitchen behind and eat at the local establishments. Some things I've learned:
1) never trust the hotel clerks restaurant suggestion. I've yet to have been directed to a fine establishment and when I do find a local gem, and mention it to the front desk they don't known about it.
2) Urban Spoon (and other online) reviews are quite often worthless. I assume there has to be some "pay to play" going on here because all of Americas tongues cannot be broken.
3)Chain vs Mom/Pop. The mom and pop does not always win. Most chains are mediocre at best BUT they are predictable which sometimes is ok.
4) if the menu is 4 pages long, RUN! Chances are they won't be able to do any of the items well.
Hey, I'm no Bobby Flay or Wolfgang Puck but I hold my own in a kitchen. I appreciate great ingredients done right. I enjoy all types of cultures and cuisines. I seek out the esoteric and love to support local. But whole crap Batman! If you swing a shingle in the air offering sustenance to weary travelers, or to your community friends and neighbors, PLEASE have something to offer that a home cook might not easily replicate. It apalls me how often I go to a restaurant only to find there is not an imaginative or caring chef on the premises. I don't care if you have been to culinary school or not, but I do care that you paid attention to your mom or grandma and have mastered some things that others can't do. ANYONE can run a can opener and pop something in the microwave. I have an expectation at my home table that when I sit down to a meal, good things happen. When I pay to go to your professional establishment I expect GREAT things to happen. Way too often it seems the food comes out of a #10 can. I expect that if you open a dining establishment my experience with you ought to leave me longing to return or at the very least impressed by your style even if my palate didn't understand your story. I get hacked when you offer me crappy food at expensive prices. Shoot, I'm there for an experience, not to cram stuff down my cram hole.
Fancy done right is AWESOME but "simple" done masterfully might even be better. So please, restaranteurs, up your game or do something else. This road warrior is passionate about his profession and expects you to be also. I'm tired of batting under 500 on new restaurants.
1) never trust the hotel clerks restaurant suggestion. I've yet to have been directed to a fine establishment and when I do find a local gem, and mention it to the front desk they don't known about it.
2) Urban Spoon (and other online) reviews are quite often worthless. I assume there has to be some "pay to play" going on here because all of Americas tongues cannot be broken.
3)Chain vs Mom/Pop. The mom and pop does not always win. Most chains are mediocre at best BUT they are predictable which sometimes is ok.
4) if the menu is 4 pages long, RUN! Chances are they won't be able to do any of the items well.
Hey, I'm no Bobby Flay or Wolfgang Puck but I hold my own in a kitchen. I appreciate great ingredients done right. I enjoy all types of cultures and cuisines. I seek out the esoteric and love to support local. But whole crap Batman! If you swing a shingle in the air offering sustenance to weary travelers, or to your community friends and neighbors, PLEASE have something to offer that a home cook might not easily replicate. It apalls me how often I go to a restaurant only to find there is not an imaginative or caring chef on the premises. I don't care if you have been to culinary school or not, but I do care that you paid attention to your mom or grandma and have mastered some things that others can't do. ANYONE can run a can opener and pop something in the microwave. I have an expectation at my home table that when I sit down to a meal, good things happen. When I pay to go to your professional establishment I expect GREAT things to happen. Way too often it seems the food comes out of a #10 can. I expect that if you open a dining establishment my experience with you ought to leave me longing to return or at the very least impressed by your style even if my palate didn't understand your story. I get hacked when you offer me crappy food at expensive prices. Shoot, I'm there for an experience, not to cram stuff down my cram hole.
Fancy done right is AWESOME but "simple" done masterfully might even be better. So please, restaranteurs, up your game or do something else. This road warrior is passionate about his profession and expects you to be also. I'm tired of batting under 500 on new restaurants.