Restaurant Blues

[DaveA]

We don't eat out much. It's become a joke within our family. Gram and gramps only eat out when they've been on a doctor's visit, and there's some truth to that. we usually have morning visits and try and skip breakfast before the visit.

We rarely have any complaint with our service or food. Most of our stops are at non-chain restaurants and we've picked the ones we enjoy. We did have a Chinese buffet nearby that we enjoyed very much. Waitresses were Asian and a couple spoke little English - just enough to get by. They were, however, very friendly and helpful. Sadly it went out of business recently.

Have not had any difficulty ordering toast and coffee and in the places that we favor, never been rushed to vacate our table. We always leave a generous tip, I care not how or who gets it, and we can't afford a tip then that's when we'll stop going to restaurants.

On the road, at least along the east coast, we've had good luck at Cracker Barrels. A chain that extends from Maine to Florida. Some small changes in their menu as you leave the "south" and get into the northeastern states Again, no complaints. Sometimes there a fairly long wait but if you look around, you can see that every table is filled with people waiting at the door. We don't usually linger as we're traveling and want to keep moving.

Eating, for us, is a pleasant break in our routine and as neither of us drive at night, always a daytime occasion.

 

[fuzzybuddy]

About the "good old days". I love the 1960s TV show, "Perry Mason". In one scene, a guy is finishing a big breakfast in a diner. He gulps down his coffee, and tosses the cook a coin-either 25 or 50 cents. Now this is the part that blew me away. He gets CHANGE back. Boy, those days are long gone.

 

[Keesha]

What is a bagged salad?

It’s salad in a bag.

 

[Lc jones]

Come to the UK you can have toast and coffee/tea anywhere you like without feeling pressured to buy more. You can also sit for hours with your tea and coffee if you so wish , and not be pressured to vacate the table. All because the waiting staff get paid a proper wage and don't rely on tips to make a living wage..so no need to turn tables super quickly

We had a fun loving British couple visit us two weeks ago and left some tea at my daughters house I’m going to go try it out, I bet it will be delicious

 

[Lc jones]

Yup

When we lived at the cabin, we sorta looked forward to grabbing a bite in town about once a month

Now?
No reason

My lady cooks up a storm, aaaaand..... I-I-I-I-I.... eat it
With extreme pleasure
Fine dining...very fine dining
View attachment 82826

Funny!!!!!!!!

 

[Packerjohn]

Yes, your restaurants are very good. Never rushed like they do over here. Also, love the pubs. No matter where, England, Scotland, Wales or Ireland lots & lots of lovely pubs. I mean there are pubs like Admiral Benbow in dear ole' Penzance in Cornwall that is something like 800 years old. It has class; it has character & the ales are great. They also have some pubs here in Canada but most of them are some sort of millennial joke. Steel chairs, glass tables, bad snarly service & TVs all over showing hockey games. Give me a good British pub with jacket potatoes or fish 'n chips anytime.

 

[Lethe200]

We live in the San Francisco Bay Area so there are thousands of restaurants to choose from within driving distance. The competition fosters better quality and altho I'm an excellent cook, I cannot duplicate two entirely different three- or four-course meals (one for me, one for spouse) for the price and the time/effort.

It is true, however, one needs a good amount of disposable income to indulge. I always figured that's what our retirement planning was for (and yeah, it was a pain but it worked out well).

We don't eat at chain restaurants. Our best experiences have been with Michelin one- and two-star restaurants, and their Bib Gourmand (budget) lists. For ethnic, we rely on personal recommendations; food boards like Chowhound or Hungry Onion; or Yelp, which is very helpful on smaller independent places.

Since we like a wide variety of cuisines, it's fun to go out three or four times a week - often lunch, sometimes dinner. In the past three weeks we've gone out for:

• Chinese dim sum
• Malaysian
• Latin American fusion
• Sichuan
• German
• Thai
• Greek
• Brazilian
• Sushi

No complaints on food or service. Some were better than others, but all were reasonable for what we received. We also had pizza delivered - thin crust, slow 3-day fermentation, topped with leeks, cauliflower, fresh mozzarella, and Kalamata olives. We added (from our freezer) shredded prosciutto on top and it was a feast!

I do enjoy cooking, but doing it twice a day, every day, 365 days a year......NO. I've been cooking for 57 yrs and a never-ending chore is....a drag. LOL!

 

[Catlady]

topped with leeks, cauliflower, fresh mozzarella, and Kalamata olives.

I had leeks for the very first time today, recipe said to use white and light green area. So, what do I do with the top dark green area? Does it get thrown out? What a waste! I'm thinking I could chop it up and use for soup. Comments, anyone?

 

[Keesha]

I had leeks for the very first time today, recipe said to use white and light green area. So, what do I do with the top dark green area? Does it get thrown out? What a waste! I'm thinking I could chop it up and use for soup. Comments, anyone?

No. Don’t use all that green. The bottom part of the green is ok but the top is really tough and bitter. I’d chuck it. Leeks are wonderful. Leek and potato with cheese. Ummmm . I can’t get your galette out of my head.

Good thing we both know what a galette is. Lol

 

[Old Dummy]

I go to the local diner every day for lunch but it ain't for the food! -- although there's nothing wrong with it. I go for the social hour with the other old men. Between us, we know all the accumulated knowledge of mankind from the days of Homo habilis.

For fine dining however, I have to drive a few towns over to a small city where there's first class Mexican, Japanese, Italian, etc.

Aside from that I like to cook -- although I'm getting less and less interested in making big meals for myself as I get older.

 

[Old Dummy]

No. Don’t use all that green. The bottom part of the green is ok but the top is really tough and bitter. I’d chuck it. Leeks are wonderful. Leek and potato with cheese. Ummmm . I can’t get your galette out of my head.

Good thing we both know what a galette is. Lol

Okay I'll bite: What is a galette?

Leeks: I used to make (cultivated) leek and garlic soup, it was pretty good -- although you could use onions and wouldn't be able to tell the difference.

Back in the early '80s, a guy I knew gave me some fresh wild leeks. They are considered a delicacy, and leek beds in the woods are pretty much kept a secret. I've not seen or heard of any since then, although I'm sure they're still around.

 

[Manatee]

For more than 20 years I ate out as many as 13 times a week. When we eat out it is a treat for my wife, not me. She often goes for lunch "with the girls".

 

[fmdog44]

We have weekly restaurant reports on television in Houston so I always try to watch to see if I ate at any of them that have horror stories attached. I learned early you can't judge good food by the exteriors BUT items pointed out in our kitchen inspection reports include roaches and rodent droppings, flies and filthy counter tops where food is prepared and food usually meat, stored at room temperatures and filthy ice machines. At least half the bad reports are on places that appear very nice on the outside. So like many others here eating at home is a delight, besides if there are creatures on your food you can remove them before sitting down to enjoy a fine meal.

 

[Keesha]

Okay I'll bite: What is a galette?

Leeks: I used to make (cultivated) leek and garlic soup, it was pretty good -- although you could use onions and wouldn't be able to tell the difference.

Back in the early '80s, a guy I knew gave me some fresh wild leeks. They are considered a delicacy, and leek beds in the woods are pretty much kept a secret. I've not seen or heard of any since then, although I'm sure they're still around.

Now my notes don’t work again so I’ll rewrite this out. A galette in a rustic imperfect looking pastry that’s either flat or folded that filled with sweet or savoury goodie. Here is a picture of Catladys first attempt at a galette.

https://www.seniorforums.com/threads/galettes.44060/

 

[Nautilus]

Most of the time, we eat at home...meat, starches, vegetables, rolls, wine, cloth napkins...and a candle. We make each meal an event, much as you would in a nice restaurant. Tonight was a great left-over turkey dinner...every bit as good as it was on Thanksgiving. We haven't eaten at a fast food place in the last 20 years. I can't even stand to be downwind of a McDonald's. We are rather partial to fine dining but that's about a twice per month situation at best. When traveling, we seek out mom and pop restaurants where the owners have a vested interest in customer satisfaction. Failing that, Waffle House. Sure, it's just a diner but the food is cooked to order, you can watch them do it and the service is great!