What do you expect from a restaurant

TheShow · 20-07-2017 05:40PM

i hate sitting in an armchair type chair at a what is essentially a coffee table in terms of height. a proper table and chairs please.
and yes, i just want my food on a plate, a nice simple plate please.

Speedsie · 20-07-2017 05:45PM

Plates. Yes, plates. Plates please.

Not toast in a tin bath.

Plates.

http://wewantplates.com

Ipso · 20-07-2017 05:50PM

Ferm001 wrote: »

Totally agree. Had lunch in pub today with OH, steak on wooden board with bucket of chips and bowl of pepper sauce, fish on a slate with shopping trolley of chips and bowl of peas. Would have tasted just as good on a dinner plate.

Or you could grow a beard and wear a lumberjack shirt.

Grandeeod · 20-07-2017 05:57PM

Ferm001 wrote: »

Totally agree. Had lunch in pub today with OH, steak on wooden board with bucket of chips and bowl of pepper sauce, fish on a slate with shopping trolley of chips and bowl of peas. Would have tasted just as good on a dinner plate.

This seems to be a huge bone of contention in terms of presentation. I know a lot of people who dislike their steak or burger arriving on a wooden board with the fries in a mini fryer basket. The reasons varied from awkwardness to hygiene as they felt cutting meet with a steak knife on a board somehow meant the board couldn't be cleaned properly. Personally I see a place for some of it in terms of presentation, but there is a lot of overkill too. That said presentation is very important and a complete dish can look very ordinary on the one plate. That's usually how we do it at home.

Having worked in restaurants a long time back, I've seen the changes over the years with regard to food types, presentation and service. There was a time when you could have a lovely meal at a great price in a really nice spacious atmosphere with nice service. That combo seems to be increasingly hard to come by these days. I've noticed since the 90s, it's a case of pack em in, charge em top dollar and after that the food can be pricey and spectacular or cheap and poor. But the consistant bit is a small eaterie where you can almost french kiss a person at the next table without getting up from your seat.

blackvalley · 20-07-2017 07:32PM

Timing is also important .If you have a reservation its nice to be shown to your table and handed the menu straight away . Then no more than five minutes later the waiter should return and take your drinks order . When the drinks arrive you should be asked if you are ready to order and if not then the waiter should give you another five minutes to choose .
I absolutely detest being shown to a table , dumped and deserted for twenty minutes until a grunt of " are ye ready to order " announces the arrival of a harried waiter.

Pelvis · 20-07-2017 07:49PM

Also, if I'm clearly still looking at the menu, I am not ready to order.

Glenster · 20-07-2017 07:58PM

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 went out with a girl who would always do that. 8 course tasting menu followed by 2 hamburgers with bacon.

CalamariFritti · 20-07-2017 08:03PM

Porklife wrote: »

...

The restaurant called me the day before the meal to ask if we had any allergies. I told them I'm allergic to cucumber and dislike dill but aside from that,a ll good.

I ordered a gin and tonic upon arrival and it came with a swirl of cucumber. In their defense, I ordered Hendrix and that traditionally comes with cucumber. I sent it back and they were lovely about it, replacing the cucumber with lime.

...

murpho999 · 20-07-2017 08:08PM

People seem to prefer quantity over quality.

No wonder the majority of people in Ireland are overweight and heading for obesity when a meal is judged by its size rather than taste.

Go to an establishment such as Chapter One for an experience of service and gastronomy. Experience foods you don't normally eat cooked and prepared to a different level.

You will not leave hungry.

After all meals your pang of hunger goes away after about 10-15 minutes once the message has gone to the brain.

I don't believe any of these "Went to McDonalds/Chipper" stories.

Glenster · 20-07-2017 08:15PM

murpho999 wrote: »

People seem to prefer quantity over quality.

No wonder the majority of people in Ireland are overweight and heading for obesity when a meal is judged by its size rather than taste.

Go to an establishment such as Chapter One for an experience of service and gastronomy. Experience foods you don't normally eat cooked and prepared to a different level.

You will not leave hungry.

After all meals your pang of hunger goes away after about 10-15 minutes once the message has gone to the brain.

I don't believe any of these "Went to McDonalds/Chipper" stories.

L'ecrivan 2015 - 2 McDs hamburgers with bacon after the tasting menu.

le Bernardin 2016 - hot dogs (though that was a few hours later)

Guillbauts 2017 (anniversary dinner) - she had two bags of monster munch after a fancy dinner. said she was full several times in the restaurant, as soon as she saw a Gala after we left she was straight in there.

HAPPY NOW?

Ipso · 20-07-2017 08:28PM

Did she have worms?

TheShow · 20-07-2017 08:30PM

If your body/stomach is used to eating large portions, then a meal in a high end establishment probably might leave you a bit peckish, however if you have a normal appetite then you should be just nicely full. Personally i've never left such a joint feeling hungry. But each to their own.

Glenster · 20-07-2017 08:37PM

Ipso wrote: »

Did she have worms?

she was just never happy.

murpho999 · 20-07-2017 08:43PM

Glenster wrote: »

L'ecrivan 2015 - 2 McDs hamburgers with bacon after the tasting menu.

le Bernardin 2016 - hot dogs (though that was a few hours later)

Guillbauts 2017 (anniversary dinner) - she had two bags of monster munch after a fancy dinner. said she was full several times in the restaurant, as soon as she saw a Gala after we left she was straight in there.

HAPPY NOW?

Sounds more like gluttony to me than hunger to be honest.

Just don't eat and you'll find the 'hunger' goes away.

Biggest lickspittle on boardz · 20-07-2017 08:45PM

There's a lot to be said for decent service. Grumpy waiting staff throwing down plates on a table, or dismissing a question with a snappy attitude can really spoil the ambience for me. I don't expect some brown nosing 'yes sir, no sir, three bags full sir' treatment. Just basic things like getting the orders right, checking up on the customers, and maybe a smile and a bit of chat if possible.

I was out for a meal recently, where we ended up with two waitresses dealing with our table. One was very pleasant, and met all the basic needs. Nothing fancy, just polite and friendly. The other, by contrast, was like Lucifer in heels. She had what I call 'working class frown' etched on her face. A miserable, whiny, soul sucking, negative, long streak of misery that spoke volumes just by her body language alone.

You could tell just by looking that she didn't want to be there, and she would rather be at home in her pyjamas watching X-Factor and numbing her pathetic existence with cheap wine and counterfeit cigarettes . Every simple question was met with an eye rolling, following by a flat, short answer. No. Yeah. Dunno. Her interactions with other customers and staff had a very noticeable effect on the atmosphere, and she brought a very palpable air of tension to what should have been an enjoyable, well deserved, and hard earned meal. At one point, she literally pushed my wrist off the table to put a side plate there. No please, thank you, or excuse me.

We made a point afterwards of calling the first waitress (the good one) over when we were paying, and visibly giving her a generous tip while the Irma Grese wannabe stood there fuming.

Grandeeod · 20-07-2017 08:51PM

Glenster wrote: »

L'ecrivan 2015 - 2 McDs hamburgers with bacon after the tasting menu.

le Bernardin 2016 - hot dogs (though that was a few hours later)

Guillbauts 2017 (anniversary dinner) - she had two bags of monster munch after a fancy dinner. said she was full several times in the restaurant, as soon as she saw a Gala after we left she was straight in there.

HAPPY NOW?

I've only ever eaten in Patrick Guilbaud's, which I assume you refer to as "Guillbauts". It may be French cuisine in general, but I've never left hungry and at least the place is comfortable and spacious. Mad pricey, but I enjoyed my night. Wouldn't be a regular though as I was invited.

Aongus Von Bismarck · 20-07-2017 09:06PM

I've eaten in many of Europe's finest restaurants, and have an extremely well-refined palette. I can't say I've ever left one of these restaurants not feeling completely sated. The portions may appear small, but the cooking techniques, number of courses, and frequent amuse-bouche dishes ensure that almost everyone but the greatest glutton are satisfied.

There's a group of people in society who mistake quantity for value, and sometimes even quality. The sort who queue up for a carvery or an all-you-can-eat Chinese buffet. The food might be complete slop, but there's a 'heap of it' and that's all that matters to these people.

Thankfully I move in different circles to these people. What I look for in a restaurant are:

a sense of what the chef wants to convey in his cooking. There's been a welcome kickback recently against the Scandifood movement, where the preparation and delivery of the food has become almost puritan.

comfortable seating and surroundings. Some people might enjoy sitting on an upturned milk churn eating chicken wings and uploading the whole thing to Instagram, but I prefer soft furnishings, deep carpet, freshly ironed table cloths.

a well-considered wine list, and ideally one that doesn't lean so heavily on the obvious French choices that other more 'off-piste' choices aren't available to the diner.

Elegant plating. This is rarely a problem, but the techniques used to plate and present the food can have a huge impact on your perception of the restaurant. I also despise unneccessary ingredients that are added just for the sake of it - I'm looking at you white truffle.

Discrete, yet friendly service. A good front-of-house team will have this down to an art. I'm not looking to be called Sir, but by the same token, I don't want some gimp with neck tattoos and those huge ear holes coming over and telling me about the 'banging chicken wings and beer bucket'.

suicide_circus · 20-07-2017 09:11PM

^^^^aka spice bag and garlic cheesy chips

Grandeeod · 20-07-2017 09:11PM

Aongus Von Bismarck wrote: »

I've eaten in many of Europe's finest restaurants, and have an extremely well-refined palette. I can't say I've ever left one of these restaurants not feeling completely sated. The portions may appear small, but the cooking techniques, number of courses, and frequent amuse-bouche dishes ensure that almost everyone but the greatest glutton are satisfied.

There's a group of people in society who mistake quantity for value, and sometimes even quality. The sort who queue up for a carvery or an all-you-can-eat Chinese buffet. The food might be complete slop, but there's a 'heap of it' and that's all that matters to these people.

Thankfully I move in different circles to these people. What I look for in a restaurant are:

a sense of what the chef wants to convey in his cooking. There's been a welcome kickback recently against the Scandifood movement, where the preparation and delivery of the food has become almost puritan.

comfortable seating and surroundings. Some people might enjoy sitting on an upturned milk churn eating chicken wings and uploading the whole thing to Instagram, but I prefer soft furnishings, deep carpet, freshly ironed table cloths.

a well-considered wine list, and ideally one that doesn't lean so heavily on the obvious French choices that other more 'off-piste' choices aren't available to the diner.

Elegant plating. This is rarely a problem, but the techniques used to plate and present the food can have a huge impact on your perception of the restaurant. I also despise unneccessary ingredients that are added just for the sake of it - I'm looking at you white truffle.

Discrete, yet friendly service. A good front-of-house team will have this down to an art. I'm not looking to be called Sir, but by the same token, I don't want some gimp with neck tattoos and those huge ear holes coming over and telling me about the 'banging chicken wings and beer bucket'.

So Weinerwald is not for you so!:D

20-07-2017 09:41PM

Aongus Von Bismarck wrote: »

Discrete, yet friendly service. A good front-of-house team will have this down to an art. I'm not looking to be called Sir, but by the same token, I don't want some gimp with neck tattoos and those huge ear holes coming over and telling me about the 'banging chicken wings and beer bucket'.

Male waiters or kitchen staff with long hair or beards...ugh.

m5ex9oqjawdg2i · 20-07-2017 09:46PM

I've gone to some fairly fancy restaurants and I also wouldn't turn my nose up at a nice bag of chips with salt and vinegar and quarter pounder with extra cheese. I think my favorites are those in the mid range, cozy with a nice selection of foods that are in season, good selection of beers and wines, nothing too crazy. Bonus points if the menu has something made by grandma

I definitely don't want to be rolled out of the restaurant after my meal.

glynf · 20-07-2017 09:59PM

I always avoid taster menus, and places that do them. I don't care that you have three types of salt and spend two minutes explaining their origin and unique characteristics, I prefer properly seasoned & cooked food-not 6 or 7 courses of ‘amazing experiences’. Utter foodie toss.

Carry · 20-07-2017 10:41PM

Herr von Bismarck, sir, I'm sure you meant palate not palette. I expect from refined gentlemen refined orthography. Though I'm sure you have a fine palette, too...

Grandeeod, my dear, it's Wienerwald (Viennese forest), not Weinerwald (crying forest, or wine drinking forest at a stretch).
Gosh, their chicken were awful, my grandparents dragged me there as a "treat"!

Yours faithfully
Little Miss Knowsitall

While still living in Berlin I have been to many fine dining restaurants. Was part of our culture to go out for a meal, was comparatively cheap and a bit of an urban sport to find the latest culinary jewel in unlikely places. As a travel writer it was part of my job anyway ...

The best food I had was in unpretentious places with excellent cooking skills, enthusiastic but not overwhelming staff and an atmosphere where you really could kick back and enjoy the experience.

Even in France I found the most amazing food in casual country places, served on plastic tables in an overgrown garden, but boy, I would have eaten it even sitting in the grass, it was so good, honest and cooked to perfection.

In Michelin-starred restaurants on the other hand the food might be excellent, but more often than not the atmosphere is stuffy, quite often the chef turns up at the table having ostensibly a chat with his guests but actually angling for compliments, which is highly annoying.
And the bill always goes discretly to the gentleman in my company as if a delicate lady like myself shouldn't be bothered with finances - and the look of them when I grab the bill and ask sanctimoniously wether they prefer credit card or cash.

Talking about credit card. I once invited my then boyfriend and some friends to a meal in Belfast. When it came to paying my Irish boyfriend ask for my credit card to pay because he didn't want to give the impression that the woman is paying - while I was still paying. Irish pride or what? :rolleyes:

20-07-2017 11:43PM

Aongus Von Bismarck wrote: »

I've eaten in many of Europe's finest restaurants, and have an extremely well-refined palette. I can't say I've ever left one of these restaurants not feeling completely sated. The portions may appear small, but the cooking techniques, number of courses, and frequent amuse-bouche dishes ensure that almost everyone but the greatest glutton are satisfied.

There's a group of people in society who mistake quantity for value, and sometimes even quality. The sort who queue up for a carvery or an all-you-can-eat Chinese buffet. The food might be complete slop, but there's a 'heap of it' and that's all that matters to these people.

Thankfully I move in different circles to these people. What I look for in a restaurant are:

a sense of what the chef wants to convey in his cooking. There's been a welcome kickback recently against the Scandifood movement, where the preparation and delivery of the food has become almost puritan.

comfortable seating and surroundings. Some people might enjoy sitting on an upturned milk churn eating chicken wings and uploading the whole thing to Instagram, but I prefer soft furnishings, deep carpet, freshly ironed table cloths.

a well-considered wine list, and ideally one that doesn't lean so heavily on the obvious French choices that other more 'off-piste' choices aren't available to the diner.

Elegant plating. This is rarely a problem, but the techniques used to plate and present the food can have a huge impact on your perception of the restaurant. I also despise unneccessary ingredients that are added just for the sake of it - I'm looking at you white truffle.

Discrete, yet friendly service. A good front-of-house team will have this down to an art. I'm not looking to be called Sir, but by the same token, I don't want some gimp with neck tattoos and those huge ear holes coming over and telling me about the 'banging chicken wings and beer bucket'.

Aongus as already noted, it's palate, not palette, and tablecloth is one word, not two. In upmarket establishments, table linens are generally referred to as napery. A gentleman of refinement would be aware of these little details.

And you want your service to be discreet, not discrete.

It's disappointing when you slip up like this. Next you'll be telling us you tipped the waiting staff a tenner.

steddyeddy · 20-07-2017 11:46PM

After my recent encounters in Taco Bell (Taco hell to the locals) I'd be happy just to survive my dining experience.

steddyeddy · 20-07-2017 11:47PM

Candie wrote: »

Aongus as already noted, it's palate, not palette, and tablecloth is one word, not two. In upmarket establishments, table linens are generally referred to as napery. A gentleman of refinement would be aware of these little details.

And you want your service to be discreet, not discrete.

It's disappointing when you slip up like this. Next you'll be telling us you tipped the waiting staff a tenner.

Meow!

evolving_doors · 20-07-2017 11:49PM

No

20-07-2017 11:54PM

steddyeddy wrote: »

Meow!

If you're going to talk the talk, at least get it right!

20-07-2017 11:56PM

steddyeddy wrote: »

After my recent encounters in Taco Bell (Taco hell to the locals) I'd be happy just to survive my dining experience.

Had Taco Bell recently too for the first time and thought it was quite nice.

21-07-2017 12:04AM

I'm quite partial to the odd Spicy Chalupa!

What do you expect from a restaurant

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