Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just get sick of cooking. Most of the takeout and restaurants near the area we can afford to live are mediocre at best, so we will occasionally drive to Rockville or bethesda for takeout.

I really don't get it either OP. If I ate out or had takeout more than once a week, I would weigh 50 pounds more than I do right now. I know--because I used to be exhausted at the end of the workday and gained that much from dining out.

You are out of step with most DC professional 20-something and 30- something couples. They always had delivery pretty much 3-4 nights a week and went out to eat the rest. Now 7 delivery.

That must be it. (Not OP, just someone else who isn't enamored of takeout). We get takeout every couple of weeks, maybe every 10 days or so. There are tons of options in our area for takeout and delivery, and our HHI is way over the median (before someone says we just can't afford it). I just never find it that appealing. Not bad, just not great.

As an aside, I'm chuckling at the folks ordering ramen. Do you know how insanely easy it is to make great ramen?

Uf you are pouring your broth from a box, I'm sure it is easy. I'm also sure it isn't "great."

We do it solely to support local restaurants that we hope will still be around when we feel comfortable eating out again.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just get sick of cooking. Most of the takeout and restaurants near the area we can afford to live are mediocre at best, so we will occasionally drive to Rockville or bethesda for takeout.

I really don't get it either OP. If I ate out or had takeout more than once a week, I would weigh 50 pounds more than I do right now. I know--because I used to be exhausted at the end of the workday and gained that much from dining out.

You are out of step with most DC professional 20-something and 30- something couples. They always had delivery pretty much 3-4 nights a week and went out to eat the rest. Now 7 delivery.

That must be it. (Not OP, just someone else who isn't enamored of takeout). We get takeout every couple of weeks, maybe every 10 days or so. There are tons of options in our area for takeout and delivery, and our HHI is way over the median (before someone says we just can't afford it). I just never find it that appealing. Not bad, just not great.

As an aside, I'm chuckling at the folks ordering ramen. Do you know how insanely easy it is to make great ramen?

What? When I make ramen broth it takes 18 hours. While it's not particularly hands on, I wouldn't describe it as easy and certainly not quick. It's actually in the category of "totally not worth it to make from scratch" for me and I cook a lot.

This stuff will change your life: https://www.amazon.com/Japanese-Noodles-Tonkotsu-Concentration-1-Pounds/dp/B00K69ZK46/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=ramen+base&qid=1614183436&sr=8-1

90% as good as the real stuff and saves you about 17.9 hours.

I don’t know what happened to this thread but “ethnic” isn’t okay in 2021. International, regional, or name the actual cuisine.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just get sick of cooking. Most of the takeout and restaurants near the area we can afford to live are mediocre at best, so we will occasionally drive to Rockville or bethesda for takeout.

I really don't get it either OP. If I ate out or had takeout more than once a week, I would weigh 50 pounds more than I do right now. I know--because I used to be exhausted at the end of the workday and gained that much from dining out.

You are out of step with most DC professional 20-something and 30- something couples. They always had delivery pretty much 3-4 nights a week and went out to eat the rest. Now 7 delivery.

I get this. My sister gets take-out most days. A lot of times she has leftovers for lunch.
I think it makes sense when you are ordering for one or two. If it’s just you, then it isn’t that expensive, and it truly is easier than cooking. Plus, you can eat from the container while you sit on your couch, so there is no clean-up.

Anonymous wrote:I am completely with you OP. I am almost always disappointed with takeout, and shocked at the price. Would so much prefer going out to eat OR cooking myself.

This is what always gets to me. The cost is the same as sitting in the restaurant, but it’s not at all the same experience. If you get it delivered it’s sometimes more.
We just paid $90 the other day for ramen for the five of us. If we were going out to eat, it would have been a fun experience and worth it, but instead, we all sat at our same kitchen table and ate reheated noodles and broth from dishes we had to wash afterward.
When we order from our favorite restaurants, it can get much more expensive.

The only places that offer great takeout for fairly cheap ($10 pp or so) are the places that always had great takeout.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I usually order stuff that I can not make at home or it require too much steps. Sometimes, you just don't want to cook.

Same. One of our favorite things to get lately is bibimbap from Seoul Food in Takoma. It's one of those things that's so good but kind of a pain to duplicate at home. Pupusas from the place on Piney Branch too.

An easy hack is to go to Hmart or Lotte and buy a bunch of refrigerated banchan in the plastic containers. Just make rice or pick up microwaveable rice from the instant noodle aisle. All you need is pepper paste and sesame oil and an egg, and you have instant bibimbap.

Anonymous wrote:I usually order stuff that I can not make at home or it require too much steps. Sometimes, you just don't want to cook.

Same. One of our favorite things to get lately is bibimbap from Seoul Food in Takoma. It's one of those things that's so good but kind of a pain to duplicate at home. Pupusas from the place on Piney Branch too.

We didn't do much take out pre-COVID, and we rarely got to go to restaurants because we have young kids. We don't do it often now, but it's been amazing to try the food from some of the restaurants we've wanted to go to - but not have to get a babysitter. Before COVID restaurants weren't that interested in promoting/enabling take out options, and it's just made it all so much easier. It's something I really hope stays around.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just get sick of cooking. Most of the takeout and restaurants near the area we can afford to live are mediocre at best, so we will occasionally drive to Rockville or bethesda for takeout.

I really don't get it either OP. If I ate out or had takeout more than once a week, I would weigh 50 pounds more than I do right now. I know--because I used to be exhausted at the end of the workday and gained that much from dining out.

You are out of step with most DC professional 20-something and 30- something couples. They always had delivery pretty much 3-4 nights a week and went out to eat the rest. Now 7 delivery.

That must be it. (Not OP, just someone else who isn't enamored of takeout). We get takeout every couple of weeks, maybe every 10 days or so. There are tons of options in our area for takeout and delivery, and our HHI is way over the median (before someone says we just can't afford it). I just never find it that appealing. Not bad, just not great.

As an aside, I'm chuckling at the folks ordering ramen. Do you know how insanely easy it is to make great ramen?

What? When I make ramen broth it takes 18 hours. While it's not particularly hands on, I wouldn't describe it as easy and certainly not quick. It's actually in the category of "totally not worth it to make from scratch" for me and I cook a lot.

Do you not live near places? We have 5 go tod that are less than 5 minutes from my house. Order online and pick up in 20 minutes. No clean up and it’s supporting the places we would normally have eaten in at. I tip 20% for carry out now.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Explain why I should bother explaining anything that I happen to like and prefer just because you don't?

Because there maybe there is a method to have better takeout: don’t order dressed salads, hot sandwiches, steak, fries, anything deep fried. Ethnic food usually is good: pastas, saucy rice dishes, shawarma, cold foods

OK, do I also need to "explain the appeal" of putting one's pants on one leg at a time versus being shot into them from a cannon?

Anonymous wrote:One of our local restaurants, a favorite from the before times, has changed their menu to accommodate the different business streams and their new chicken piccata is ridiculously good. The beurre bland is amazing and they pair it with this salty, lemony parsley and arugula salad. My husband is out of work so we’ve only done takeout when someone has given us a giftcard, but I love the break from cooking, OP.

Well now I am craving chicken piccata! What restaurant is this??

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just get sick of cooking. Most of the takeout and restaurants near the area we can afford to live are mediocre at best, so we will occasionally drive to Rockville or bethesda for takeout.

I really don't get it either OP. If I ate out or had takeout more than once a week, I would weigh 50 pounds more than I do right now. I know--because I used to be exhausted at the end of the workday and gained that much from dining out.

You are out of step with most DC professional 20-something and 30- something couples. They always had delivery pretty much 3-4 nights a week and went out to eat the rest. Now 7 delivery.

That must be it. (Not OP, just someone else who isn't enamored of takeout). We get takeout every couple of weeks, maybe every 10 days or so. There are tons of options in our area for takeout and delivery, and our HHI is way over the median (before someone says we just can't afford it). I just never find it that appealing. Not bad, just not great.

As an aside, I'm chuckling at the folks ordering ramen. Do you know how insanely easy it is to make great ramen?

Not having to do dishes and spend an hour cleaning up the kitchen. Duh.