We do have a favourite restaurant nearby, and the food there is always excellent. We know the owner and chef as well as all the wait staff. They take reservations--a must for me--and they will make alterations to any dish (don't like arcadian greens for your salad? they'll sub romaine; prefer no garlic? they'll leave it out). They have a weekly menu of special appetizer, soup, salad, fish, and meat or pasta entree. It's a wonderful place, but pricey. Rick would go there every single week, but I am the rain on his parade.
Here is a list of my
Picky Restaurant Behaviours
1. I do not eat outside.
2. I cannot be seated anywhere near an air conditioning vent.
3. I will not sit at a banquette.
4. I will not wait longer than 15 minutes for a table.
5. I will not order anything that I can make easily at home.
6. I generally do not get beef.
7. I do not sit at the bar.
8. I do not and never will order the salmon.
I feel like so many of these are things you already know about me or can intuit from reading me all this time. My aversion to camping should make #1 clear. I'm not about to pay money for a meal and then fight the elements to enjoy it. I'm also not going to sit at a long bench and share my meal with strangers. Banquettes are the picnic tables of the restaurant industry. Same with sitting at the bar.
There is a steakhouse in the area that does not take reservations. It has something called Call Ahead Seating, which I have no understanding of. People show up there and wait as long as an hour or more just to eat. I find that preposterous. Nothing is worth that. I detest waiting for anything, especially if I have an appointment time.
Sometimes we go to our favourite restaurant--after making a reservation and asking for our favourite server, Lynn--and for a meal I get an appetizer and a salad. And a French 75. And then a creme brulee, because they serve theirs warm, which is so lovely. I try not to add up my part of the bill in my head and get crabby because that ruins the evening for me. Especially if I remembered to bring a sweater.
Am I crazy, or do you have some picky restaurant behaviours, too?
I think your list sounds quite reasonable... and I doubt you're a bear about anything if it's not to your liking. I don't mind communal seats at restaurants (A detests them), but I too wouldn't be able to abide having to wait to eat... plus I would get so hangry!
ReplyDeleteHave you seen a film called "The Menu," which is about restaurants that take themselves oh so seriously? That said, we have a date marked on the family calendar so we can try to get reservations at a restaurant that makes them available just two weeks in advance, and they reputedly go quick. They won best chef NY state from the James Beard Foundation in 2025, so I guess they're entitled to do what they want!
maya--No, I'm never rude to restaurant staff. I could never, ever do their job.
DeleteI've heard of that film, but I've not seen it. I'll look and see if I can stream it. The restaurant sounds intriguing. I hope you tell us about it.
I love a list of quirks!! We rarely eat out and that was the case even before we had kids. Now we eat out even less frequently. I eat out quite often when traveling for work, so when I am home I want to eat simple things prepared at home. Plus I have a gluten intolerance so I can rarely order what I truly want off the menu. I also nearly always factor the price into my decision.
ReplyDeletePhil is a ‘cost/bite’ maximizer kind of person. I will eat at fancier places that have a high price point since we eat out so infrequently. There is one more upscale place that we both love. It’s where we went the night we got engaged and where we tend to celebrate our anniversary. Except that never happened this past May so we are finally going there in December with another couple!
Lisa--We had to stop eating out entirely for quite some time when we had Sam. His restaurant behaviour was terrible. He simply didn't understand that ordering food did not mean that they brought that food right out, no matter how many times we told him, showed him the kitchen, or anything. Jared's behaviour was always perfect.
DeleteIf I were eating out a great deal, I'd want home-cooked food, too. And just being at home to eat! I hope you have a wonderful dinner out with friends for your belated anniversary dinner. Be sure to remember that you're celebrating your anniversary AND your friendship, and don't let prices get in the way of your good time.
I don't go out to eat very often, unless we are travelling, then of course we do. I also like to order things I wouldn't normally get, but it depends what the veg options are in a restaurant.
ReplyDeleteNicole--Do you find that veg options are getting not only better, but more numerous? A friend of mine who is vegetarian said that she is finding more and better things to eat when she orders out or goes out to dinner.
DeleteI can say that I agree with everything on your list, except I've never paid attention to the AC vents, but I probably should add that to my list. Around my area, restaurants tend to be very inconsistent - great one time, horrible the next, so I rarely go out to eat because of that.
ReplyDeleteMartha--I get that. The restaurants in my area tend to be predominantly chain eateries. I'd rather not eat at those; so many just microwave the food that arrives pre-prepared. We used to have a lot of restaurants locally, but then a shopping place closed and the restaurants closed soon after.
DeleteI prefer indy restaurants, but there are so few! And they have to charge more to stay afloat.
I definitely have some picky restaurant behaviors, and I agree 100% that a banquette is unacceptable. I do not want to eat with strangers. One of my restaurant pet peeves is places that have paper towels at the table. No. I want a napkin. I feel like those paper towel rolls must be swimming with germs. I also refuse to eat at places that serve food in baskets or trays. I do not have faith that anyone washes the baskets or trays; my guess is that most people think the paper lining they throw under the food is enough of a sanitary procedure. But I disagree. I also hate sitting at high top tables. I like my feet on the ground, thank you. The other night my husband and I went to a restaurant and they seated us at a high top -- and it was the only option. Even though we had a reservation. I was irritated. I even had to switch spots with my husband because the bench I sat on was so high my feet were dangling. I cannot eat with dangling feet, Nance! I can't do it and I won't!
ReplyDeleteSuzanne--YES! The hightops! I don't get it. I am not a billygoat who enjoys clambering up to my seat to dine. I am a small person, and those things are hazardous to me! If I want to sit up on a barstool, guess where I'll go sit? Duh.
DeleteI've never eaten at a place with paper towel rolls, but if that is the direction the restaurant industry is headed, then my days of eating out are numbered. I am fine with paper napkins at a casual establishment, but I do prefer a cloth napkin.
You make a salient point about baskets and trays. It would be nice to think that those receptacles are sanitized in some way, but you and I both know that efficiency is a watchword in the restaurant business. Plus, how does one wash a basket so that it is dry and ready in plenty of time for its next use? Hm.
I'm not a big restaurant fan either. If we aren't eating in (at home), we usually get takeout. I don't love other people. 🤣
ReplyDeleteYou're favorite restaurant looks lovely, though- like somewhere I'd actually enjoy going out to eat. And creme brulee is my favorite dessert.
Kari--Nemo is a lovely place full of character and ambiance. You'd love it. I adore creme brulee and it is my all-time favourite. I've eaten so many terrific variations on it at other incredible restaurants in this country, rarely having a bad one.
DeleteI like a woman who knows what she wants, and you clearly do. I am a big fan of an appetizer and a salad for dinner. I went and checked out your restaurant, and I want the first three appetizers, so that’s going to be hard to figure out. Is the Caesar salad good? I love a good Caesar salad, but a mediocre one is so disappointing.
ReplyDeleteI do not share a lot of your requirements. I love to sit under the a/c if it is remotely hot out, because I overheat easily. I love to sit outside if it’s nice. I don’t like waiting for a table, and certainly will not wait longer than 10-15 minutes. I rarely eat beef at a restaurant, it’s so expensive and I can make it at home. But sometimes I will, and Ted almost always does. I have my own nitpicks though. I hate when they ask you to keep your silverware between courses (though I understand that it’s ecologically better to not wash twice as many sets of silver, I still don’t like it.) I want a cloth napkin. I don’t like high top seating. Mostly I don’t want to sit at the bar, though Ted and I had an experience lately where we really enjoyed it. I don’t want them to say ‘no problem’ to me about anything. I have more, but I can’t remember them right now.
J--Nemo makes a very nice Caesar. Not fussy and overdressed. Their appetizers are all very good, and you chose my three favourite, except that I usually get the crab cakes for a meal. And I tell them I want the barbecue on the side when I get the shrimp and grits.
DeleteI love good, rare beef, but any beef no longer agrees with me. It is a Sadness that I must bear. I don't mind keeping cutlery between courses (at Nemo you don't) because I appreciate the reasons behind it, and I am practical. At a casual restaurant, I don't mind paper napkins, but at a better restaurant, I would rather a cloth napkin. And yes, I detest high top seating. I am a small person, and it feels like a safety hazard to me.
"No problem" is okay if you ask, "Can I have romaine instead of spring mix?", but it is not okay if you say, "Thank you" when they bring you your drink and that is their response.
I’m with you on every single one of those restaurant rules, especially these:
ReplyDelete— Being directly under the AC vent: TORTURE. I used to carry a “restaurant sweater” for things like that, but eventually just insisted on being seated elsewhere. (Pretty sure that’s something that would trigger one of your awful migraines, Nance.)
— I hate banquette seating. The curvy semicircle ones make me feel like everyone is seated around a trough.
— Waiting to be seated: Yes, anything longer than 15 minutes has me antsy. If I really, really want to eat at a popular restaurant, I just make a reservation which usually gets us seated right away. I find it so ironic that people will wait for almost an hour to be seated, and then spend another half an hour devouring the contents of a bread basket, followed by wolfing down the main course + dessert in less time than it took them to eat all the bread. Which caused them to get a take-home box, a.k.a., the infamous doggie bag. Dining out should be leisurely and as elegant as our purses permit. Also: Any time you need a doggie bag, it usually means they serve voluminous portions to compensate for inferior food quality.
To your list, I would add:
— I will not order sophisticated wines in a restaurant. If I want wine with a meal, I order the best deal on a white wine that I trust. It’s cheaper than red wines (which I also really like) and I refuse to pay their ripoff prices for a large, elegant glass that’s only about 1/4 full. The price of a couple of glasses in a restaurant sometimes rivals what a whole bottle of the same wine costs if you bought it to drink at home. I’m interested in your thoughts on this: not sure if I’m preaching to the choir here or what your preferences are when dining out. Being the wine connoisseur that you are, you would know a whole lot more about how to get the best deal in a restaurant!
Ortizzle--Agree with you on the wine. From what I've been told, wine is automatically marked up AT LEAST double the highest retail bottle price. Per glass, it's insane. If you really want a glass of wine, find the varietal you like and ask the server which one is oaky, smooth, fruity, robust, or whatever you like most in the wine you want. I've found that most servers who know a little something about wine will be able to steer you to what you're looking for. Or, use your phone and google. If all else fails and you like sparkling wine, get a glass of prosecco. It goes with everything and is usually not all that expensive.
DeleteI also agree that there is a difference between eating out and dining out. I prefer to dine out as you've described it. And I'll do it less often in order to be able to do it nicely.
My number two complaint is when the waitstaff wastes steps and time. For example, one trip to bring you water then another to bring you silverware. I see this often where I live. My number one complaint is waiting around for the bill. I HATE that! I don't mind waiting for a table. I also don't like having to ask for refills on the water.
ReplyDeleteJean--I wonder if sometimes that happens because there isn't silverware ready/clean yet, or if someone is in the way grabbing silverware, so at least the server can grab water and get that for you.
DeleteWaiting for the check is bothersome. I know servers are busy with all their other tables, in the midst of so many duties at once, so I don't get too upset about that. If I saw my server just hanging around chatting on his cellphone, that would be entirely different.
I have a little list of picky restaurant behaviors too. Pre-COVID I would have agreed with you about eating outside - now, I prefer it BUT only when the weather is optimal; if it's not I'll just stay home, thanks. I do not want to be seated at a high-top table EVER especially if the bar stools do not have backs. These tables are not friendly for those of us on the shorter side. Smart move getting an appetizer and a salad. The entrees are expensive and far too large for one person usually. I normally won't order salmon out either, it's usually overcooked.
ReplyDeleteGigi--You are not alone about high top tables! So many commenters brought that up, and I agree wholeheartedly. They're terrible, especially for those of us who are small. I am not a mountain goat, thank you; I do not want to have to climb up and down to/from my seat.
DeleteWeather is rarely optimal here in northeast Ohio. And I hate wind, which may cause me to eat my hair along with my meal. It is too close to camping, this eating outdoors.
I will not order salmon because I hate salmon. I have tried, but it's a no-go.
I used to enjoy eating outside, until a seagull (in Howth) dove into another patron's ice cream.
ReplyDeleteDB--Hey, listen--seagulls are scary. You don't have to explain anything else. I had a terrifying experience with a tailgate picnic at a duckpond WITH MY CHILDREN that went horribly awry thanks to seagulls. That may have impacted me more than I know.
DeleteWe used to eat out more in Ohio, but we're so far away from anything here that we never bother (once I get home I want to STAY HOME). But I'm not very picky - I have foods I won't eat (olives, steak), but generally I'm ok with whatever. Well, I will Tolerate whatever - if I were to be truthful, I have a long list of things that bug me (loud restaurants, long waits, uncomfortable seating...).
ReplyDeleteBug--I get that completely. Home is so very comfy and nice. Let's just stay here forever!
DeleteI get a little antsy when things get loud in restaurants. I think I'm just annoyed (and shocked!) at how people can be so thoughtless about the fact that other people are present and trying to have a nice dinner. Sometimes, I cannot get over how selfish and egotistical people have become.
We rarely eat out. Restaurants are a half-hour drive away and not the best, even then. I agree with you on most of the annoyances. When we do go out, Himself orders salmon. I do not. Or he orders beef. I do not. That is what we eat at home, regularly. I want something that I would not, under any circumstances, cook. If it is not served really, really hot, Himself gets really really hot.
ReplyDeleteBut, what really gets me miserable at a restaurant is excessive noise. People start to shout to be heard over the ambient noise and it just gets worse and worse.
If creme brulee is not served hot, someone should be taken out and .... well, yes.
Mary--I don't order salmon because I hate it. I don't order beef because it hates me. Oh, how I miss a good rare piece of good beef. Sigh.
DeleteI was just commenting to Bug, above, about the noise in restaurants. I am always dismayed by it. It shows a lack of Common Human Courtesy. What on earth have we become?
Creme brulees are prepared in advance and refrigerated. Then they take them out, sugar the tops, and torch them before service. I dislike the ice cold custard and prefer it warmed. Very few restaurants do that, and it's a nice touch when they do.
Nancd, my YD makes creme brulee and that is how she does it. I should not have said hot.
DeleteI like your list, Nance! I hardly ever eat out either. I've gotten food poisoning too many times, and I don't trust restaurants to cook for me anymore. I only eat out when there's no other option, such as when I'm traveling. I agree with Suzanne about baskets. I guess I'm a germaphobe! I've been know to whip out a sanitizer wipe and clean off the table!
ReplyDeleteMG--Oh my, food poisoning!? How awful. I'm so sorry. That's not been my experience, and I'm so glad.
DeleteI don't blame you for sanitizing your table after that!
I think it is great to know what you want and to not compromise. We do not get out much. I do not love loud restaurants or dark restaurants. Some places do better with GF offerings. I prefer reservations and I have a horrendous story of when coach took the fam out to dinner for my bday a few years ago. They did not take reservations and it was miserable. I love that you have a place to go that you are so happy with. AC vent- that one makes perfect sense to me.
ReplyDeleteErnie--I cannot imagine going out to eat with your big family without making a reservation beforehand. Talk about a recipe for disaster!
DeleteI'm no fan of very dark restaurants, either, nor loud ones. After decades in a building of 2500 kids changing classes every 45 minutes, I am over loud places for life.
It must be difficult to find a place whose menu you can trust when you have to eat GF. The consequences of getting glutened are just not worth it.
I've read through your post and I've read through the comments, and it makes me feel like I'm such an anomaly with regards to eating out. The only thing on your list that would actually bother me is sitting in front of an air-conditioning vent (if it's already very cold in the restaurant).
ReplyDeleteBut then again, I exist in a very different world than you. I don't have a car to drive to the grocery store in, so I have to walk there and carry the groceries home, which makes cooking anything substantial less convenient. I also don't have a partner, so if I'm cooking, then I'm cooking for one, which is less enticing. And I live in a city where I have access to most international cuisines, nearly all of which I can have appear at my front door in an hour or less.
I've also traveled to enough places where comfort was thrown out the window, that my comfort zone has been expanded by orders of magnitude. Meat skewers on metal plates atop a plastic table in a dusty field at a music festival in Burkina Faso? Yes, please! Finger foods at a small restaurant in the Eritrean countryside, with flies buzzing about? Absolutely! Sitting on the floor having lunch at a random restaurant in the middle of the desert in Yemen, next to a family who has their AK-47 sitting next to them? Sure thing!
The thought of complaining about being seated at a banquette? It is to laugh!
Mikey--Right? We are, quite literally, worlds apart. I am a First World Problems Lady, for sure.
DeleteEven without your world travels, where you live is vastly different than where I live. I am incredibly jealous of the wide variety of terrific foods you have within moments of your apartment. When I came to stay with you, I loved our meals and snacks. We ate well and had so much fun doing it.
I refuse to sit outside at a cafe table here in the city. First of all, walkers can barely get by. And I fail to see the appeal of sitting so near the curb that bus and truck exhaust are in your face all of the time. Maybe in Paris, where sidewalks are wider - but here, where they are skinny to start with? Nope.
ReplyDeleteBridget--That's how it is with many patios and sidewalk seating areas in Cleveland. And I don't want people walking by staring at my food (or me), either.
DeleteI rarely eat out. I don't like paying a lot to eat one meal. It seems like such a waste to me.
ReplyDeleteEllen--I understand that. Sometimes, however, I like to be cooked for and waited on. I like to choose what I want and not have to be the one to plan it and make it. And then clean up after it.
DeleteWe don't eat out that often either, but I do really enjoy it when we do. I hate going anywhere without a reservation. I am fine with an ac vent, but I cannot be seated near a fire.
ReplyDeleteWell, I’m the oddball here. I’m in Florida and sitting outside is what I love when the weather is not hot..like now.
ReplyDeleteI go out a lot to have a drink and a nice meal with friends. But mostly we are all widows or the few men sometimes go along. If I didn’t have these social activities, I think I would be quite bored and perhaps depressed.
But I agree about AC vents, banquets and I also do not like to eat at buffets or near screaming children.
I’m not a cook and only did when I was married ..well because……. so, all I care about now is good quality food and prepared nicely. Luckily where I live, there are many nice restaurants to enjoy.
I don’t mind paying good money for good food and service as besides gardening, it’s the one thing I love in my life now. Mary
Mary--I love that you get together with friends to go out and enjoy the many nice restaurants in your area. I'm jealous that you've got so many to choose from. I like your attitude about going, too. It's good to get out and socialize, and sharing a meal is so conducive to that.
DeleteQuite a list! We are so opposites in some of these. I love to eat outside when the weather permits. I often order salmon, and I don't mind waiting a bit if we can get drinks at the bar. Some others, I am right there with you-- no AC vents please! Rarely order beef or anything i can make at home, dislike banquettes, and only sit at the bar if absolutely necessary. Larry, however, much prefers the bar, but I think it is because he likes talking to other people. I do too, but find barstools very uncomfortable because I am so short. The cost of eating out, though, is getting far beyond what we can afford.
ReplyDelete