Eating Out

[Scarlet]

I really love food ....but I very rarely get good food out these days Am I just getting fussy? I'm often left looking at the menu wondering what on earth I'm going to order What kind of food do you have when you eat out?

[Hazel at the Hill]

I try to make a point of ordering something that I wouldn't make at home. For example, however lovely a salmon fillet dish might be at the restaurant, how different can it be to what I'd do. Doesn't stop me pinching ideas off the menu to try myself, though.

And I'll defo consider ordering steak as at home I can't get my grill/pan hot enough to sear a good rump/ribeye.

[TattyJJ]

I'm a sucker for 3 things, pizza, steak and a roast.
Pizza Hut is always a winner, as is a Toby Carvery. Basically anywhere that lets me eat obscene amounts
As for steak, I'm quite fussy, it HAS to be good steak!
Hummmmm rare fillet and pepper sauce!!

Ok, it's midnight and now I'm hungry

[Scarlet]

OH had the ribeye he was happy(ish!) they only had two fish dishes on the mains - salmon or plaice.

[Nicos]

Well...my OH is an absolutely fantastic cook so I generally feel I eat better at home ( when he has time to cook) and save a lot of money at the same time!
Plus we can both can have a drink if we want to without having to drive.

We tend to have people over to eat and then it's reciprocated.
It's also a good way of using up gluts! ( just been resting the glut thread!)

When we're in the UK, I do love to have some pub grub rather than a restaurant and then it tends to be traditional food like steak and kidney pie which can be a faff to make at home and I can never get the gravy to be as thick and juicy nor the pastry as crisp.

I suppose I tend to order things which take time and/or skill to prepare
I adore Thai food.

Over here it's easy....anything I have no idea how to make and is a bit unusual!

[sparrow100]

I used to go to fancy-schmancy restaurants a fair bit, and loved it, but that's out of reach at the moment. We're quite well-blessed with good, less fancy, restaurants round here with plenty of choice on food styles.

My current favourite is an Iranian place, closely followed by somewhere I can get a decent steak - don't cook meat much at home because I live with a veggie whose nose is easily offended.

[SaraJH]

I can't remember when we last went out for a meal!

[Jay22]

Aww Sarah!

We used to go to nice restaurants but much prefer the relaxed atmosphere of pub grub. It's not such a popular thing up here but when we go down south we always eat pub grub.

[muddled]

I often feel very disappointed when I eat out.

The choices (for my budget anyway) seem so...so generic

All the pubs seem to have been taken over by one or two big chains and have limited, mass produced items on the menu.
Most Indian resturants have commercially bought sauces.
Italian places serve what I eat indoors (and mine is generally better to be honest)

Last week, however, we went to a new(ish) Indian local to us called 'The Yak and Yeti' and the food was absolutely amazing, like nothing I've had before! Beautifully presented (none of the usual T-light plate warmers and little silver dishes) it was just lovely

Other than that my favorite eat out has to be authentic Greek mixed meze. Unfortunately no-where round here does it properly anymore.

[Jungle Jane]

We went out for a meal the other day but I can't remember what I had,except lager? It's a lovely place fowlers farm with all original features but I can't remember the name of the feature but our table was in it,like a cage of some sort,with a doorway/archway,no padlocks or bolts lol! That would be funny "eat the food or you stay there!" We went to the Toby Carvery but some of us didn't like it,bit bland but probably because they have to suit everyone's needs,some people don't like garlic or herbs I suppose. I had a brocolli & cheese pastry that day which could've done with a stronger flavour (more) cheese. I love food too,our family have a meal together about once a month it's good to get together.

[Scarlet]

I used to live in Manchester...some fab curry houses there and my best friends Mum and Dad were originally from Sri Lanka. You couldn't beat her curries, sadly she died last year. Ive not had a decent curry since moving to Wiltshire.
When we moved here the kids were just a year old, so most of our "nights out" have been at friends houses or mine. I do love to cook but ocassionally I'd like a night off.
Now the kids are grown up we don't need to stay in and we've got a couple of chauffeur's .
Last night we ate in a "french" restaurent. I love to graze with a glass of wine some bread, olives, salad..salami for the OH. My salad had frozen grapes, which might have been lovely if the radish and gherkins wasn't so chilled it hurt my teeth and the salad was wet and wilted. For my main course I had a starter...crab bruschetta/tartine. The toast was burnt, and was so soggy and wet, the little quails eggs were runny but so chilled, they tasted of nowt! Eggs at home are so different.
There's only one pub around here that I have returned to again and again, the owner moved pubs and Ive just followed. He just gets it right. Gorgeous fish dishes and steak for the OH.
Maybe I'm getting fussy in my old age

[JanieB]

Part of the problem around here is the number of times our pubs/hotels change landlord. Each one seems to get rid of the chef and install their own which doesn't give any confidence that you will return to the same standard of food.

There are about 3/4 local chefs here who are very, very good but each time the landlord changes so do they. We stay friends and follow where they go. They all know all the kitchens.

The pub I usually use used to do just bar food up until 3pm until the head barmaid left to look after her very ill husband. The landlord realised he was losing the customers who came in during the day to be fed as they didn't want to cook for themselves, so he hired one of the above mentioned chef's who was waiting to find his next local employment. He added more adventurous stuff to the menu which was very popular. At the mo they aren't doing food at all.

I'm a fair cook/chef and have chef'd in several hostelries over the years and I usually cook for myself. Sometimes I don't want to do this and go out and forage for food. I will go wherever the best local chef happens to be cooking at that time. I have no problems going out to eat on my own as I take a book, crossword or Ipad with me just in case there is noone to talk to (rare).

They all buy from our local, wonderful butcher, his steaks are the best.

[bearded bloke]

See now you've got me hungry too busy at the mo' , but if there's a nice day next week I might take a ride to Tintern for a steak & ale pie with a pint made from the hop field that's visible from the pub.

[Kirk]

Very rarely eat out, basically just me so not easy. Even if on holiday it can get odd. Many places do not know what to do with 1 person.

Recall in Australia, Port Douglas, I couldn't decide on what to eat. Eventually said to the guy to pick something, cook it, slap it on a plate and give it to me. And that is exactly what they did. Whatever it was tasted good.

[muddled]

ahh, yes BB!

I was thinking of romantic evening meals but I agree you can't beat a good pie!

I have a few places I attend regularly for pie n mash with liquor (or likka as it should be spelt) with lots of black pepper and 'hot' vinegar....absolute bliss