Thoughts on what makes a solid dining experience

Mr. Maven and I had lunch out the other day with a friend at a favorite local restaurant as a sort of getting re-acquainted experience. The owners had noticed that I hadn’t been in lately or been blogging about their excellent product. There was no particular reason. Life simply gets busy and we get into ruts.

That’s not to say we don’t have our favorites, and there are definitely reasons for having those particular favorite dining spots. This whole thing got me thinking again about the experience of eating out and what qualities make for a good dining experience - or not.

 

Let’s get one thing out of the way now. I’m really fussy. I notice absolutely everything, and make a mental note - rather like points adding up on the plus or minus side of the ledger. I’m also always making some pretty stiff comparisons, having eaten my way around the world - from a hidden Parisian bistro with a knowledgeable local to the corner Italian joint in New York’s Tribeca to the best that Hong Kong has to offer - again with locals.

I see it this way, if you’re in the restaurant business to succeed, then it’s about wanting to be more tomorrow than you were yesterday. It is about passion. Everything else is just Fast Food.

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