It occurred to me a few days ago that the reviews on this blog are more often positive than negative. While everything is honest, there just aren't a lot of horrible experiences to write about. Here's my best understanding as to why...
1) Since no one else funds my efforts, I am very selective about where to dine (and spend money).
2) I try to be an educated consumer, understanding what a particular establishment does well (and doesn't).
3) As someone whose life revolves around food (as much as it can with a day job, volunteer commitments, and a personal life), I understand what I enjoy. While I try to be adventurous and try new things, I will generally order things that I will probably like.
My late father was the king of ordering the wrong this at a restaurant. After dozens of terrible restaurant meals (and writing off so many decent establishments after one bad experience), he learned an easy trick. Almost without fail, every time he sat down at a restaurant with menu in hand, he called me. "Honey--what do I like here?" Problem solved. If you don't have a go-to person who understands your specific tastes in the context of a particular menu that is available around the clock, don't worry. The first part of having an enjoyable experience is choosing the best place to dine.
I'm not talking about price, prestige, or month-long waiting lists either.
There are several restaurants that know what they are good at and stick to it. I frequent many such establishments, so you will find them all over f+f. Everything is better when this is a guiding principle; food is fresher, more consistent and often even more interesting. Some good examples around Indy are Pizzology, Boogie Burger, Brugge, Yats, St. Elmo, Petite Chou, and many others. Far too often though, eateries will try to be everything to everyone. This is typically not a winning concept if you want your food to be the star of the show. Unfortunately, there are so many of these restaurants that you are bound to navigate your way through a menu featuring ribs, pizza, stir-fry, burgers, and seafood sooner or later.
I'm not talking about price, prestige, or month-long waiting lists either.
There are several restaurants that know what they are good at and stick to it. I frequent many such establishments, so you will find them all over f+f. Everything is better when this is a guiding principle; food is fresher, more consistent and often even more interesting. Some good examples around Indy are Pizzology, Boogie Burger, Brugge, Yats, St. Elmo, Petite Chou, and many others. Far too often though, eateries will try to be everything to everyone. This is typically not a winning concept if you want your food to be the star of the show. Unfortunately, there are so many of these restaurants that you are bound to navigate your way through a menu featuring ribs, pizza, stir-fry, burgers, and seafood sooner or later.
I assure you that you do not need your own "personal orderer" (at one point I seriously considered the viability of opening this type of business). It's easy to make the best choices in any restaurant. If you don't have great foodie instincts, this will take time. Be patient! Eventually, you will learn how to identify what to order where. I maintain that every restaurant (if it has been around awhile, at least) does something pretty darn well, or they wouldn't stay in business.
- Pay close attention to what they brag about (don't use menu price as an indicator here thought- that can lead you astray)
- Ask your server what his or her favorites are (if you have a good repoir with him or her, ask what they plan to eat on their shift break)
- Ask what other patrons have raved about recently
- Identify the "regulars" sitting around you and see what they are eating
- If the place is usually busy, order the special if it sounds good
To those of you who are disappointed that I won't be trashing lots of eateries, oh well. The truth is, I'm a foodie who generally understands how to get the most out of my restaurant experience. There will be mediocre reviews and disappointments, but I hope to stay on the positive side of food. Regardless of how I feel about a particular experience at a particular restaurant, I will always be honest and as respectful as possible. I have a lot of admiration for the people in the front lines of the restaurant industry, and I understand how hard it is to be excellent in that world. Happy dining! Cheers...
