What do you expect from a restaurant

Had lunch today in a restaurant that has a Bib Gourmand I though it was excellent and extremely good value for the level of skill and experience that goes in doing food like that ( 20 for a two course lunch ).

Reading the reviews on Tripadvisor which were mostly five star however a lot of complaints of the portions being too small, now while the portions were not large its not that sort of restaurant you wouldn't leave hungry.

So do you expect to be stuffed and waddle out after a meal in a restaurant.

Pac1Man

Big portions and a good pint of Guinness.

Shenshen

Nope, I'd just expect to be full. If I leave hungry after having had a main, I'd be a bit miffed.

I would expect food that's better than I could make at home, and a decent selection. Being vegetarian, my choice in many restaurants is still "Do I eat or don't I eat?". If I even get that choice

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

I expect to be pleasantly sated.

Overheal

I expect, that when we order a shrimp fajita meal, that when it comes sizzling out to the table that the shrimp aren't frozen.

Somehow Applebee's ****ed this up. We ended up having to cook them at the table.

suicide_circus

Lobster stuffed with tacos

uck51js9zml2yt

I expect not to get food poisoning!

riffmongous

It depends, sometimes I go out to dine, and other times to eat, and I try to pick the restaurant accordingly to minimise the potential for disappointment

Permabear

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Birneybau

Mainly food with the odd drink.

Permabear

Permabear wrote: »

This post had been deleted.

I wouldn't put up with that if your still so hungry you have to go to McDonald's afterwards then there is something wrong.

pq0n1ct4ve8zf5

Cheap place: grand food really good portions

Expensive: grand portions really good food

SEPT 23 1989

A good carvery tightener to act as ballast for the pints

Overheal

mariaalice wrote: »

I wouldn't put up with that if your still so hungry you have to go to McDonald's afterwards then there is something wrong.

MilesMorales1

A decent plate of grub with a drink of coke. Hence why I like Wetherspoons so much.

Corruptedmorals

We are both quite fussy with simple-ish tastes so expensive restaurants with select menus that you need a broad palate to enjoy are wasted on us.

The menu doesn't need to be huge but with a decent selection not overly centred on fish for instance. Friendly service, tables not on top of each other, food preferably on plates not served in pretentious mini shopping trolleys and drinks in jars.

AllForIt

Free ketchup

My pet hate is tables too close together, it needs to be an all round good experiences ambience, food and the sort of food I wouldn't cook at home I am a very good cook so I can be picky in a restaurant.

happywithlife

Corruptedmorals wrote: »

We are both quite fussy with simple-ish tastes so expensive restaurants with select menus that you need a broad palate to enjoy are wasted on us.

The menu doesn't need to be huge but with a decent selection not overly centred on fish for instance. Friendly service, tables not on top of each other, food preferably on plates not served in pretentious mini shopping trolleys and drinks in jars.

My husband to a tee :-)
Me? I like it to at least meet good food practice - if it's meant to be hot I want it hot not lukewarm. Recent dire experience was a pasta dish that had been left under the hotplate for oh about 10 mins too long - I had to cut a layer or congealed rubbery cheddar cheese off the top to find the pasta underneath. Now I'm not pretentious fussy but a decent standard is required. Also had occassion to completely cancel a food order recently when my 7 year old was served an undercooked burger which the eatery tried to pass off as no big deal - this was pub grub not steak tartare tertiary

Mohamed Panicky Wildebeest

Mohamed Panicky Wildebeest wrote: »

Cheap place: grand food really good portions

Expensive: grand portions really good food

Spot on, it all depends on the price point.

beertons

Ate in a fish restaurant earlier, beside the sea. Not all the fish was fresh. To say I was disappointed, is an understatement.

happywithlife

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2690490/Service-time-restaurants-doubled-past-ten-years-customers-cell-phones-blame-claims-busy-NYC-restaurant.html

I know that link is the dailymail but it's the quickest link to the story I could find there- remember reading this at the time and it has stuck with me since re enjoying our experiences dining out today - and as it's written in 2014 I'd say things are possibly even worse now with the popularity of instagram and twitter haven grown since then

corner of hells

Want my snack box to be a decent sized box capable of holding two decent sized pieces of chicken , a load of chips and then not collapse when vinegar soaked.

You hear me , Silvio , none of your poncy little boxes.

corner of hells

corner of hells wrote: »

Want my snack box to be a decent sized box capable of holding two decent sized pieces of chicken , a load of chips and then not collapse when vinegar soaked.

You hear me , Silvio , none of your poncy little boxes.

You need to go to the little chip in in Finglas nearly my favourite chipper.

andekwarhola

Depends on where you feel like going or what you want to pay at a particular time.

As for portions, I prefer something 'in between'. I don't want miniscule portions but I don't like going out and having a large stodgy meal either. The latter just makes me want to fall asleep.

corner of hells

mariaalice wrote: »

corner of hells wrote: »

Want my snack box to be a decent sized box capable of holding two decent sized pieces of chicken , a load of chips and then not collapse when vinegar soaked.

You hear me , Silvio , none of your poncy little boxes.

You need to go to the little chip in in Finglas nearly my favourite chipper.

Ahem ,I would also recommend the Hoi Wan.

Is the little chip where you get the huge batter burgers ?

corner of hells

corner of hells wrote: »

Ahem ,I would also recommend the Hoi Wan.

Is the little chip where you get the huge batter burgers ?

I would never eat a batter burger and there are very few thing I wouldn't eat.

freshpopcorn

Regarding portion size it depends on where you go. If I was in an ordinary day to day restaurant. I'd expect a good size portion!

Regardless of how good the food is if I'm not fit to burst when leaving then it's a disappointment.

corner of hells

mariaalice wrote: »

corner of hells wrote: »

Ahem ,I would also recommend the Hoi Wan.

Is the little chip where you get the huge batter burgers ?

I would never eat a batter burger and there are very few thing I wouldn't eat.

Ohhh look at you , miss la di dah, with your " I would never eat a batter burger".

Ann_Landers

Dimitri Deep Stream wrote: »

Regardless of how good the food is if I'm not fit to burst when leaving then it's a disappointment.

Ugh, why? Being uncomfortably full is a horrible feeling. It's awful that people mark down quality restaurants because they are not disgustingly full leaving the establishment. I've never left a restaurant in Ireland unsatisfied with the portions and indeed usually there is way too much food. I'm a fan of doggy bags.

SEPT 23 1989

Ann_Landers wrote: »

Ugh, why? Being uncomfortably full is a horrible feeling. It's awful that people mark down quality restaurants because they are not disgustingly full leaving the establishment. I've never left a restaurant in Ireland unsatisfied with the portions and indeed usually there is way too much food. I'm a fan of doggy bags.

It's a hangover from the famine

Ann_Landers

Meilani Freezing Mothball wrote: »

I expect to be pleasantly sated.

This is my goal too and honestly, I don't think I have ever left a restaurant in Ireland less than sated. I think when people are saying they left hungry that they expect to be stuffed to the gills and anything less isn't enough.

Ann_Landers

mariaalice wrote: »

I wouldn't put up with that if your still so hungry you have to go to McDonald's afterwards then there is something wrong.

I'm always doubtful of these "we had to stop at the chipper afterwards" stories.

Carry

Shenshen wrote: »

Nope, I'd just expect to be full. If I leave hungry after having had a main, I'd be a bit miffed.

I would expect food that's better than I could make at home, and a decent selection. Being vegetarian, my choice in many restaurants is still "Do I eat or don't I eat?". If I even get that choice

Same here, plus I like new taste experiences or at least familiar food with a twist. I don't eat red meat, only occasionally chicken or seafood, so it's hard in rural Ireland to find a restaurant that has a bit of choice beyond the usual "meat and 2 veg".

I don't like huge portions which leave me nearly comatose, just the right amount to be not hungry anymore but still having a functioning brain.

And I don't like overcooked vegetables or any artificial ingredients (like glutamat or such like).

Sounds fussy, but since I'm a passionate cook I expect exceptional or at least honest food when I pay for it in a restaurant.

Plus friendly and efficient staff - and no blaring music.

DonkeyDick1992

i expect good quality food and a decent portion depending on if 2/3/4 courses the portions should vary to allow for the other courses, but you get what you pay for, although I brought the girlfriend the a famous hotel in west Clare (NO NAMES) last summer for spa day and dinner, we got 2 steaks, and 2 deserts, was 135euro and both of us left half our steaks on the plate due to bad quality but was an experience, wouldnt have the steak there again

blackvalley

mariaalice wrote: »

My pet hate is tables too close together, it need to be an all round good experiences ambience, .

Totally agree. " Table for two please " and you are seated closer to the people on your right and left than you are to your partner across the table .

DonkeyDick1992

DonkeyDick1992 wrote: »

I brought the girlfriend the a famous hotel in west Clare (NO NAMES) last summer for spa day and dinner, we got 2 steaks, and 2 deserts, was 135euro

That's just insane.

Why would you pay waaaaaaaaay over the rates for Michelin starred restaurants to eat at a place that...isn't? Paid €100 recently at a restaurant that had had a Michelin star, it was very good...but even at that overpriced. €135 is off the scale. You'd pay less at the Dorchester in London.

893bet

DonkeyDick1992 wrote: »

i expect good quality food and a decent portion depending on if 2/3/4 courses the portions should vary to allow for the other courses, but you get what you pay for, although I brought the girlfriend the a famous hotel in west Clare (NO NAMES) last summer for spa day and dinner, we got 2 steaks, and 2 deserts, was 135euro and both of us left half our steaks on the plate due to bad quality but was an experience, wouldnt have the steak there again

Biggest issue is you paid!

I would do the same mostly likely. Pay, say it was fine, never eat there again, maybe leave a poor-bad review on line ( unfair given they weren't given a chance to fix).

For Forks Sake

Dimitri Deep Stream wrote: »

Regardless of how good the food is if I'm not fit to burst when leaving then it's a disappointment.

You're doing it wrong. Quantity =/= quality.


Personally, as long as the waiting staff don't pick the moment just as I've put a fork of food into my mouth to do the "is everything ok" thing, they're fine by me

freshpopcorn

The main type of waiting style I don't like are the one's that try and push you out the door whilst your eating. Especially when the restaurant isn't even busy!

Ush1

Depends on a few things.

If I'm out with the family, child friendly is a big one.
Decent menu with fresh food that's cooked nicely and you can't go too wrong. I'm not fussed about prices(usually!).

Noveight

Decent sized portions, a nice setting, a few different choices of main, tasty food that's a cut higher than what I'd prepare myself.

Radiant Cool Crazy Nightmare

Food served on a plate please. Nothing worse for me than to receive food on a timber chopping board or roofing slate. After that I am easy enough.

nullzero

A hygienic environment, professional service, a decent level of cooking at least (I've been in restaurants where the same sauce has been placed on different dishes with different names which is just pure laziness).

Not to be left waiting an age to pay your bill, and I dislike card machines which are programmed with prompts for leaving a gratuity which the waiting staff will never see a cent of.

Boom_Bap

I'm just trying to think what draws me and my family back to our favorite place.

In no particular order
- Variety on the menu (meats dishes/fish/veggie/pizza)
- But the menu not too big
- Tasty food - better than what I can cook at home
- Being stuffed afterwards
- Friendly staff - helpful staff
- Space
- Menu or the kids with variety
- Decent price
- Parking
- Free Wifi so that I can instagram pictures of my food*









*joke

Sleepy

It depends on why I'm going there. If I'm on the road and just want to sate my appetite price is a key condideration. If I'm out with the family, we'd be looking for somewhere family friendly that has a menu suitable for them. If I'm out for a meal with Mrs Sleepy the minimum I look for is that the chef can prepare a better meal than me. If I was going to somewhere with a Michelin Star, I don't care about portion sizes, I just want to be utterly blown away by the chef's talent.

trellheim

this thread inspired me to this old memory ... what you must be able to do in a restaurant

http://imgur.com/IcCbIKI

Pelvis

A stable chair at a reasonable height with some form of cushioning, and arm rests would be a nice addition. Nothing worse than a wobbly plank of wood that's barely 2" off the ground.

For the average burger joint I just want a normal soft drink. I'm not interested in your stupid over priced lemonade. If you don't have something as ubiquitous as a diet coke then you can fuck right off.

Space. Space between me and the person either side of me AND behind me!

Air conditioning is nice.

A table that can fit more than 2 plates and a bottle of ketchup.

No loud children.


I had my first experience in a michelin restuarant there a few months ago, as a gift to my girlfriend. The meal incl wine + tip came to over €200. Not something I'll be doing again anytime soon, but it was an experience. Some of the best food I've ever tasted, but as important, it was just a very comfortable, relaxing, therapeutic experience.

awec

mariaalice wrote: »

Had lunch today in a restaurant that has a Bib Gourmand I though it was excellent and extremely good value for the level of skill and experience that goes in doing food like that ( 20 for a two course lunch ).

Reading the reviews on Tripadvisor which were mostly five star however a lot of complaints of the portions being too small, now while the portions were not large its not that sort of restaurant you wouldn't leave hungry.

So do you expect to be stuffed and waddle out after a meal in a restaurant.

Ignore Trip Advisor reviews, there are too many people out there who review restaurants based on how big the bowl of chips they give you is.

awec

awec wrote: »

Ignore Trip Advisor reviews, there are too many people out there who review restaurants based on how big the bowl of chips they give you is.

Considering the crap portions of chips a lot of places are giving now I'm not surprised its something getting highlighted.