What do you expect from a restaurant

DonkeyDick1992 · 21-07-2017 03:52AM

Deleted User wrote: »

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.

yes i know still sick over it but as it was Trumps hotel i guess thats why they get away with the prices because most people going there can afford to throw money down the toilet .in saying that i would happily go back again but would not get the steak.

ToddyDoody · 21-07-2017 05:35PM

mariaalice wrote: »

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

I'm not fussy as long as someone else is paying.

Aethan Dor · 22-07-2017 05:10AM

Food that me or my lovely wife can't cook, made well and served well.

I trust TripAdvisor and both rely and also post reviews on it, best to read a number of reviews on any place on it for a decent picture of what to expect as some reviews put up can be incredibly petty for the strangest things.

dr.fuzzenstein · 23-07-2017 10:40PM

DonkeyDick1992 wrote: »

yes i know still sick over it but as it was Trumps hotel i guess thats why they get away with the prices because most people going there can afford to throw money down the toilet .in saying that i would happily go back again but would not get the steak.

You're saying that the end result of overpriced Trump hype was disappointing? That's so not like him!

24-07-2017 12:23AM

Stuff like steak, burgers, pulled pork sandwiches, chicken curry, chips, chicken tenders, mashed potato maybe. You know, *nice* food?

Ideally tables are not too close to one another so I can converse with whoever I'm with and not be conscious of strangers hearing.

Friendly staff, unpretentious atmosphere.

Serves pints in case I want one.

Steakhouse type place I suppose is my ideal.

Hector Bellend · 24-07-2017 12:33AM

Waitresses with massive knockers.

I also like cake.

Hmmmm cake and breasts

qo2cj1dsne8y4k · 24-07-2017 01:12AM

Somewhere that has a good wine selection.
After that I'm very plain with my food. Soup to start, chicken as mains if I'm eating meat, if I'm not then pasta. Every single time.
Don't want to be hungry leaving and hate when they make you share your veg/potato. Stop sending out two peoples portions on one serving plate.

Gotta be comfortable, not too squished together that you can actually relax and no pressure on you to free up the table. The wines the most important

LordSutch · 24-07-2017 08:20AM

Went to J.D Wetherspoons in Dun Laoghaire yesterday with the family. Good service, excellent beer/wine menu too + a nice view out across the harbour. Had the Fish & chips (good size portion).

Value for money we thought.

Ush1 · 24-07-2017 09:02AM

LordSutch wrote: »

Went to J.D Wetherspoons in Dun Laoghaire yesterday with the family. Good service, excellent beer/wine menu too + a nice view out across the harbour. Had the Fish & chips (good size portion).

Value for money we thought.

Food is absolutely horrible there. Heated up rubbish, even the seagulls turn their nose up at it.

24-07-2017 10:06AM

Ush1 wrote: »

Food is absolutely horrible there. Heated up rubbish, even the seagulls turn their nose up at it.

Don't know if you are taking about Wetherspoons in general or that one but I've eaten in the one in cork and was very nice and a great selection, far better than the ones in the UK. It's a great spot for lunch with a big group out on the razz as they have such a wide selection and good deals on meal + pint etc.

Wabbit Ears · 24-07-2017 10:31AM

Simple things with service:

Table water. I really appriciate it when the its provided without asking. Such a small thing.
Refilling drinks: If the drinks are empty, a good waiter will simply ask if you want a refill. Sitting with your meal with no drink just ruins it for me.

Things with Food:
Plates should be hot. Sure, serve food to the table on whatever you like, but give me a plate to eat it from.
The food should be better that I would cook at home. Its incredibly annoying to be served something that you could make out of a jar in 5 mins at home.
Vegerarian/Vegan options. Doesnt matter if you agree with it or not, Resturaunts should better cater for these customers. I dont always want a meat dish but usually the non meat dishes are really bottom of the barrel fare.

Ush1 · 24-07-2017 10:36AM

Dimitri Deep Stream wrote: »

Don't know if you are taking about Wetherspoons in general or that one but I've eaten in the one in cork and was very nice and a great selection, far better than the ones in the UK. It's a great spot for lunch with a big group out on the razz as they have such a wide selection and good deals on meal + pint etc.

I don't know if the food is the same in all of them as I've only been in the Dun Laoghaire one.

I was expecting it to be decent as they had a varied menu and the décor was modern.

When I was there, every single member of staff looked like teenagers including the chef. I'm not very picky with food but it was honestly one of the worst meals I've ever had(or left over actually).

Pelvis · 24-07-2017 10:37AM

Ush1 wrote: »

Food is absolutely horrible there. Heated up rubbish, even the seagulls turn their nose up at it.

Dimitri Deep Stream wrote: »

Don't know if you are taking about Wetherspoons in general or that one but I've eaten in the one in cork and was very nice and a great selection, far better than the ones in the UK. It's a great spot for lunch with a big group out on the razz as they have such a wide selection and good deals on meal + pint etc.

Any pub should be able to serve up a decent fish and chips. I've had that in the very same weatherspoons and it was very nice.

I went back another time and ordered a steak sandwich and it was absolutely woeful.

dr.fuzzenstein · 24-07-2017 11:17AM

Wabbit Ears wrote: »

Vegerarian/Vegan options. Doesnt matter if you agree with it or not, Resturaunts should better cater for these customers. I dont always want a meat dish but usually the non meat dishes are really bottom of the barrel fare.

+1000. That is a huge issue in Ireland. Take your average restaurant, apart from the fact that they all have the same menu:

Starters: soup (before you ask, it's ALWAYS vegetable), seafood chowder, garlic mushrooms (4, counted out one by one for €6, the whole 1 kilo bag from the cash and carry doesn't cost that much) and maybe crab claws if it's posh.

Mains: beef, pork, chicken (lamb if it's posh) with the exact same veg and spuds or chips you get in every single Irish restaurant because they also come frozen and pre packed from the same wholesalers.

Dessert: apple pie (frozen), chocolate cake (frozen) or "cheesecake" (frozen and as a German I refuse to call that stuff cheesecake)

But when it comes to vegetarian it is ALWAYS: Penne Arrabiata. Ingredients, fresh from a packet that says Roma on it.
There are restaurants in my village that serve the most unbelievable meat (including game), but I might order something vegetarian. Not because I don't want meat, but because the veggie option is so damn tasty. The veggie option in Ireland is always an absolute excuse, so the poor veggie guy has something on his plate.

But Irish (midrange and especially tied to pubs and hotels) restaurants always feel like their menus are printed somewhere centrally (ministry for Irish industrial food or some such) and all their ingredients are ordered frozen from the same wholesalers.
I find that the quality, choice and value is vastly better here in Germany for a sort of middle of the road restaurant and the food a lot more regional, seasonal and imaginative.

So, what do I look for in a restaurant? Nice, warm ambience, friendly staff and food I wouldn't normally cook at home, I like to try something new and I like to be surprised. Good sized portion is nice. As far as price is concerned, it depends where you are, the price has to he right for the type of establishment, eating out is a treat and as such I'm not overly fussy. As long as I get bang for my buck.

awec · 24-07-2017 11:50AM

Wetherspoons isn't a restaurant for fcuk sake. :pac:

pq0n1ct4ve8zf5 · 24-07-2017 12:02PM

@drfuzzenstein vegetarian food in Ireland has gotten far better, that post very accurately describes the mid 2000s but things have improved thank Christ. I eat out quite a bit and I'd rarely have fewer than three options unless I go to nandos or a burger place or something (in which case, duh).

I do find the street food trend can be difficult though. Vegetarian dish, contains fish, shellfish and molluscs :pac:

ohnonotgmail · 24-07-2017 12:23PM

Mohamed Panicky Wildebeest wrote: »

@drfuzzenstein vegetarian food in Ireland has gotten far better, that post very accurately describes the mid 2000s but things have improved thank Christ. I eat out quite a bit and I'd rarely have fewer than three options unless I go to nandos or a burger place or something (in which case, duh).

I do find the street food trend can be difficult though. Vegetarian dish, contains fish, shellfish and molluscs :pac:

i was in the bull and castle a couple of years ago and the vegetarian in our party asked the barman about one of the vegetarian options because it mentioned oyster sauce. with a very straight face he said "ah no it doesnt contain oysters at all, its made from pig fat".

Wabbit Ears · 24-07-2017 12:27PM

Im my expreience its not really improved that much. Even really fine resturaunts who have vegiatarian sections on their menus have predictable Gnoccis, raviolois, and rissottos and little beyond those thoughtless mainstays.

24-07-2017 12:36PM

Wabbit Ears wrote: »

Im my expreience its not really improved that much. Even really fine resturaunts who have vegiatarian sections on their menus have predictable Gnoccis, raviolois, and rissottos and little beyond those thoughtless mainstays.

I would be interested in this, what exactly is vegetarian gourmet food have you got some examples.

dr.fuzzenstein · 24-07-2017 01:23PM

mariaalice wrote: »

I would be interested in this, what exactly is vegetarian gourmet food have you got some examples.

There once was a restaurant in the Burren called Holy Well. I went there 3 times before I realised there was absolutely no meat on the menu. It was an Italian restaurant, mostly pizza/pasta and some fabulous deserts like raspberry in fresh cheese and tiramisu.
It was actually completely different to any other restaurant in the area (Irish ministry for industrial food outlets). The food was fabulous and the prices were very good. It was wildly popular. There was a massive uproar from local pubs and restaurants, how dare anyone offer genuinely different food to the industrial fare of the tourist traps and the legally prescribed tea-coffee-soup-sandwiches fare of the pubs.

Oh, speaking of different: try the tea rooms in Ballyvaughan. Fabulous.

24-07-2017 01:31PM

I was once was recommended to eat in a pub that is mentioned in the Ireland prettiest village thread, I could not believe how ordinary and expensive it was yet it was rated by the locals. Then I realised I am spoiled for choice where I am and being near Dublin.

The restaurant trade is very comparative in Dublin thus you get good food at good prices.

I have a very mediocre experience in a restaurant in Limerick last year and I remember thinking if this was in Dublin it would be closed in week and the prices were about 10% above Dublin prices.

LordSutch · 24-07-2017 01:51PM

My wife loves Roly's in Ballsbridge, so we tend to go there for special occasions. Nice steak, 'rare'.

sashafierce · 24-07-2017 01:57PM

This post has been deleted.

branie2 · 24-07-2017 02:04PM

Great food and good service

autumnbelle · 24-07-2017 02:09PM

For food to taste better then I would make at home

Carry · 24-07-2017 08:10PM

dr.fuzzenstein wrote: »

There once was a restaurant in the Burren called Holy Well. I went there 3 times before I realised there was absolutely no meat on the menu. It was an Italian restaurant, mostly pizza/pasta and some fabulous deserts like raspberry in fresh cheese and tiramisu.
It was actually completely different to any other restaurant in the area (Irish ministry for industrial food outlets). The food was fabulous and the prices were very good. It was wildly popular. There was a massive uproar from local pubs and restaurants, how dare anyone offer genuinely different food to the industrial fare of the tourist traps and the legally prescribed tea-coffee-soup-sandwiches fare of the pubs.

Oh, speaking of different: try the tea rooms in Ballyvaughan. Fabulous.

Haha, the Holywell was actually run by Germans ...

Was closed because they built it without planning permission.

A very good insight what imaginative vegetarian cuisine can be is the Paradiso restaurant in Cork. Check their menu here: https://paradiso.restaurant/

24-07-2017 08:12PM

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'.

Nah, infinite service

I was in Monart before and had dinner in the main restaurant. It was absolutely top notch, loved it. The flavours all worked so well together, and there was a sorbet in between.
Can't wait to go back...

dr.fuzzenstein · 24-07-2017 09:41PM

Carry wrote: »

Haha, the Holywell was actually run by Germans ...
Was closed because they built it without planning permission.

A very good insight what imaginative vegetarian cuisine can be is the Paradiso restaurant in Cork. Check their menu here: https://paradiso.restaurant/

They did have planning permission, but there was a problem with the restaurant or language school part of it, not sure which. They did move to Ennistymon afterwards. I think they were northern Italians that spoke German, the area is known as South Tirol. Yerman went back and afterwards it just fell apart. They actually had restaurants in Lahinch, Fanore and Limerick as well, so they were doing OK.

Carry · 24-07-2017 09:48PM

dr.fuzzenstein wrote: »

They did have planning permission, but there was a problem with the restaurant or language school part of it, not sure which. They did move to Ennistymon afterwards. I think they were northern Italians that spoke German, the area is known as South Tirol. Yerman went back and afterwards it just fell apart. They actually had restaurants in Lahinch, Fanore and Limerick as well, so they were doing OK.

Thanks, I remember dimly ... I think it was indeed about the attached language school. Was very complicated anyway. A lot of people in North Clare were very disappointed when the place shut down.

They were North Italians? Wasn't sure. I'm German myself, I know Südtirol

Psychologeeee · 24-07-2017 09:49PM

Nice service, no rushing you from the table as soon as you've put down the knife and fork, menus online.

What do you expect from a restaurant

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