Dimitri wrote:
> Generally are you impressed or disappointed with most restaurants?

I like eating in restaurants. I wouldn't say I'm "impressed",
necessarily, but I like eating new things, and I like being cooked for.
Also, since we can't afford to eat out often, it's usually either a
planned treat, or a refuge from a hard day, so there's an emotional
goodness about it, too.

>
> If you are in a new place are you adventurous with your order or do you
> order an old standby to gauge the place?

In restaurants, I almost always order something I haven't had before, if
such a thing is available. I think I've tried nearly everything on our
local little Thai place's menu, over the four years we've been going
there. (Another thing that will attract me is something I don't want to
be bothered cooking at home -- super-complicated dishes, raw fish/meat,
deep-fried things, etc.)

> For me if I go to a new Italian place the first time around if it is
> convenient to come back to I order the Spaghetti & Meatballs. My logic
> (if I have any) is if they screw this up I ain't coming back for their
> veal piccata.

Heh. I just try what sounds good, especially if I haven't had it before.
The last time I went to an Italian place, everyone was having pizza,
so I had pizza with them, but I also tried the carpaccio appetizer,
because I'd never had carpaccio before. It was pretty good.

Serene

--
"I think I have an umami receptor that has developed sentience." -- Stef