How to identify great tasting items on a restaurant menu

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I try to read reviews online. Eating out, at least to me is expensive and a treat, so I try to ensure that what I order meets expectations. Another thing I try to do is order food that I either can't make at home and/or usually don't have easy access to the ingredients. No judgement, but I usually never order a grilled steak or something like fettuccine alfredo. Both are easy to make and ordering them while eating out makes no sense to me.

Me too, I look for dishes I would not make at home

[Anonymous]

I am a very good home cook and have mastered many cuisines. I am comfortable and familiar ith the various spices, ingredient sand cooking techniques. I can usually imagine the taste based on the description. Also, I try and eat food that I do not cook at home. I also check out yelp. I am usually happy with my orders.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you claim to be such a “foodie” why haven’t you read “Kitchen Confidential.” YES, the servers are pressured to push certain dishes, especially the ones that can’t be sold after that night because they are expiring! YES, the servers are pressured to push expensive items, seasonal items, whatever happened to be overbought that week. This is Restaurants 101, by the way.

If you claim to be such a “foodie,” why aren’t you preparing by reading Tom Sietama and participating in his online chats? Do your research.

Are you an idiot, illiterate, or both? Please underline or highlight where the OP claims to be a foodie.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I try to read reviews online. Eating out, at least to me is expensive and a treat, so I try to ensure that what I order meets expectations. Another thing I try to do is order food that I either can't make at home and/or usually don't have easy access to the ingredients. No judgement, but I usually never order a grilled steak or something like fettuccine alfredo. Both are easy to make and ordering them while eating out makes no sense to me.

Me too, I look for dishes I would not make at home

This. I never go to Italian restaurants for this reason. Pasta dishes are incredibly easy to make (most Italian dishes are), and they're cheap except in restaurants.

[Anonymous]

Like others, I generally order something I wouldn't make at home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Like others, I generally order something I wouldn't make at home.

Same! I never order pasta out because it is so cheap to make at home. OP-- I hate surprises when I eat out, so I look at the menu + pictures of the dishes online before going out to eat. It really works out well leaving my table-mates wanting to share my dish (which can be a problem).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am a very good home cook and have mastered many cuisines. I am comfortable and familiar ith the various spices, ingredient sand cooking techniques. I can usually imagine the taste based on the description. Also, I try and eat food that I do not cook at home. I also check out yelp. I am usually happy with my orders.

Same here. I’m not ordering something I can make easily or have made before. Although I give beef tartare a pass as it’s always my go to when available.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you claim to be such a “foodie” why haven’t you read “Kitchen Confidential.” YES, the servers are pressured to push certain dishes, especially the ones that can’t be sold after that night because they are expiring! YES, the servers are pressured to push expensive items, seasonal items, whatever happened to be overbought that week. This is Restaurants 101, by the way.

If you claim to be such a “foodie,” why aren’t you preparing by reading Tom Sietama and participating in his online chats? Do your research.

FYI— if you are going to “ethnic” restaurants, Tom Siestema’s reviews and advice are generally useless.

[Anonymous]

I can’t imagine thinking about this as much as some of you. I just order whatever strikes my fancy. I rarely order chicken, only because I eat so much of it at home.

[Anonymous]

try making a meal out of appetizers. Some places have really fun, delicious, and unusual items in that section.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I avoid all fish dishes unless I have confidently done my homework. Also, I keep to dishes that look like they have enough fat to be satisfying and flavorful- like maybe the chicken will be dry, but I’ll order the garlic mashed potatoes which can provide consolation for a mediocre main. My favorite is just to order appealing sides, e.g.: steamed artichoke, caesar salad, calamari appetizer ordered so they come all at once and then dessert.

This is a good tip — seldom are short ribs or lamb shanks too dry — they often improve by sitting around for hours, whereas chicken, not so much. If it’s prime rib night, you can’t go wrong with ….

[Anonymous]

Figure out what vibe the restaurant is trying to give off and who their clientele is then make an educated decision. For example, cheap Chinese that likely uses the lowest quality oils and meats, I order steamed vegetables (they will have to be fresh unless the place is a dump) or steamed dumplings (likely frozen from a factory, quality not a dealbreaker). If it is an affordable farm to table place, you can assume they have good ingredients so you can get quinoa-spring chicken-pesto type dish or seared tuna but don’t go complicated on the recipes since they might not have top class chefs to execute a fancy stew. If it is a high end restaurant, try to see where their strengths are (sauces? fish? dessert?) and go with something that showcases that specialty. It’s case by case but ask yourself where does the restaurant invest its resources and how do I tap into their best case scenario!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I avoid all fish dishes unless I have confidently done my homework. Also, I keep to dishes that look like they have enough fat to be satisfying and flavorful- like maybe the chicken will be dry, but I’ll order the garlic mashed potatoes which can provide consolation for a mediocre main. My favorite is just to order appealing sides, e.g.: steamed artichoke, caesar salad, calamari appetizer ordered so they come all at once and then dessert.

Seriously, you order chicken at a restaurant? This is one of the easiest to cook (and most boring) proteins out there. I almost always opt for the fish, as I'm not great at cooking it. To me it's a waste of money to pay someone else to cook something I can do just as well myself.

[Anonymous]

I guess you've gotten this by now from the other replies, but a waiter is a terrible source. My FIL is obsessed with figuring out the best item at the restaurant for some reason. He will literally take a lap around and peak at people's dishes. Maybe try that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I guess you've gotten this by now from the other replies, but a waiter is a terrible source. My FIL is obsessed with figuring out the best item at the restaurant for some reason. He will literally take a lap around and peak at people's dishes. Maybe try that.

That is a bit annoying, from other people's perspectives. I hope he doesn't butt into their conversations to ask about the food. Also, it's peek.