Restaurants....How do you choose

Posted by imallears @imallears, Apr 5, 2021

During this ongoing Covid epidemic I know many have not gone to their favorite restaurants or perhaps some don’t routinely frequent many due to dietary restrictions or are just not interested in dining out. In my state of Florida, we opened early and had access again to some of our favorite places to eat.

I wonder if anyone would like to discuss how they choose an eatery, what makes a particular place your favorite or why you don’t normally eat out or do so only on special occasions and share the best and the worst food you have ever eaten.

We have an amazing array of eateries to choose from in the Tampa Bay and Orlando Area and, while we have favorite ones, we are always on the lookout for new places. We do rely on customer reviews but also research the background of the establishment and where their food is sourced and recommendations from friends.

My family are big restaurant goers and we don’t need to have an excuse to eat out.
I know @jakedduck1 is waiting with baited breath to hear what I ate on my recent trip to New Jersey and this Easter weekend here in Florida.. Just know Leonard that Baby grilled octopus and escargot were consumed. I only eat escargot at a good French restaurant and the octopus has to be from Spain.

That’s all for now

FL Mary

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Healthy Living Support Group.

I’m currently at my favorite pizza place. They serve a bambino , single serving pizza. My favorite is the Rueben, with corned beef, sauerkraut, thousand island dressing. I’m grateful this place survived 2020! I’m enjoying the New Connect on my smartphone.

REPLY

@imallears
I was eager to know what you ate alright. I knew that was a mistake but my curiosity got the best of me. I figured it was going to be a horror story and you didn’t disappoint. Im fighting to keep my breakfast down just thinking about it. Although I’m trying hard to forget it. What surprises me most is you lived to tell about it.
I recon if you enjoy it have at it. But I will never understand, never. I haven’t tried either one but I believe I throw out better things than that. Did you have to get your stomach pumped? I’m grateful for my unsophisticated unadventurous taste buds, mighty grateful!!!
At least he lived through it,
Jake

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@jakedduck1

@imallears
I was eager to know what you ate alright. I knew that was a mistake but my curiosity got the best of me. I figured it was going to be a horror story and you didn’t disappoint. Im fighting to keep my breakfast down just thinking about it. Although I’m trying hard to forget it. What surprises me most is you lived to tell about it.
I recon if you enjoy it have at it. But I will never understand, never. I haven’t tried either one but I believe I throw out better things than that. Did you have to get your stomach pumped? I’m grateful for my unsophisticated unadventurous taste buds, mighty grateful!!!
At least he lived through it,
Jake

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@jakedduck1

Ah, Leonard you will never change. But of all the restaurants in NJ you would have loved Tracker McGees....an Irish Pub/restaurant with real authentic Irish food. I had Kilkenny chicken...2 large chicken cutlets lightly sauteed in the best seasoning I have tasted. The mashed potatoes were superb and the steam veggies....every vegetable was steamed to perfection. I tasted my daughter's Shepherds Pie and it was authentic. Have not tasted that same taste since my mom made it. We were there with friends who recommended it. We went to another restaurant for breakfast that has lines out the door on the weekends but we got there early on the day we were leaving. Again, the scrambled eggs I had were the tastiest and fluffiest I have ever tasted. The pile of home fires was seasoned to perfection. Two of us ordered bacon on the side and they came out with 4 thick gigantic smoked applewood slices . The toast was seeded thick whole grain. The sausages were the size of logs. This particular place sources from a lot of local farms and is has many healthy, gluten free options for lunch and dinner also. My granddaughter took a lot of leftovers back to her dorm.

The place where we shared the octopus appetizer has a good reputation here in Florida but was greatly overpriced for food that is good but nothing to write home about and everything was a la carte. I had an unusual combo of 4 large sea scallops (very good) over short rib hash. That was unusual...it was very thin slice mound of short ribs drizzled with a bourguignon sauce and sliced charred vegetables. It was good but not great. My son sent his grouper back. This place needs reservations and lines are out the door waiting... Can't see it and wouldn't return...first time there.
The escargot was good but I have had better in NY.

I wish I could get that shepherds pie recipe.

FL Mary

REPLY
@Erinmfs

I’m currently at my favorite pizza place. They serve a bambino , single serving pizza. My favorite is the Rueben, with corned beef, sauerkraut, thousand island dressing. I’m grateful this place survived 2020! I’m enjoying the New Connect on my smartphone.

Jump to this post

@Erinmfs
I have always wondered what a Reuben pizza tastes like....love corned beef sandwiches but the only "unusual" pizza I have had is BBQ chicken and that was surprisingly good. What kind of dough do they use? How does it all stay on the pizza without sliding off? Would have loved to see a picture so next time you go...take a shot of it...We are always photographing our food in this family and taking pixs of what we cook.

FL Mary

REPLY
@imallears

@jakedduck1

Ah, Leonard you will never change. But of all the restaurants in NJ you would have loved Tracker McGees....an Irish Pub/restaurant with real authentic Irish food. I had Kilkenny chicken...2 large chicken cutlets lightly sauteed in the best seasoning I have tasted. The mashed potatoes were superb and the steam veggies....every vegetable was steamed to perfection. I tasted my daughter's Shepherds Pie and it was authentic. Have not tasted that same taste since my mom made it. We were there with friends who recommended it. We went to another restaurant for breakfast that has lines out the door on the weekends but we got there early on the day we were leaving. Again, the scrambled eggs I had were the tastiest and fluffiest I have ever tasted. The pile of home fires was seasoned to perfection. Two of us ordered bacon on the side and they came out with 4 thick gigantic smoked applewood slices . The toast was seeded thick whole grain. The sausages were the size of logs. This particular place sources from a lot of local farms and is has many healthy, gluten free options for lunch and dinner also. My granddaughter took a lot of leftovers back to her dorm.

The place where we shared the octopus appetizer has a good reputation here in Florida but was greatly overpriced for food that is good but nothing to write home about and everything was a la carte. I had an unusual combo of 4 large sea scallops (very good) over short rib hash. That was unusual...it was very thin slice mound of short ribs drizzled with a bourguignon sauce and sliced charred vegetables. It was good but not great. My son sent his grouper back. This place needs reservations and lines are out the door waiting... Can't see it and wouldn't return...first time there.
The escargot was good but I have had better in NY.

I wish I could get that shepherds pie recipe.

FL Mary

Jump to this post

@imallears
“Ah, Leonard you will never change.”
Why would I want to change?
My mouth was watering, some of those dishes sounded delicious. I should have stopped instead of reading on since I knew the axe was about to fall and sure enough. Now my stomach is churning again.
Why didn't you ask for the shepherds pie recipe? I wouldn't send anything back in a restaurant. A higher class restaurant might be okay but I'm not going to chance it. I'm having short ribs, baked potato & asparagus (just happen to have a few spears) for dinner.
Yak at ya later,
Jake

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Note to powers that be,
Please block food photos from @imallears
Jake

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@jakedduck1

Note to powers that be,
Please block food photos from @imallears
Jake

Jump to this post

@jakedduck1
😂😂😂😂
🐙🦐🦞🦀🐌

FL Mary

REPLY
@jakedduck1

@imallears
“Ah, Leonard you will never change.”
Why would I want to change?
My mouth was watering, some of those dishes sounded delicious. I should have stopped instead of reading on since I knew the axe was about to fall and sure enough. Now my stomach is churning again.
Why didn't you ask for the shepherds pie recipe? I wouldn't send anything back in a restaurant. A higher class restaurant might be okay but I'm not going to chance it. I'm having short ribs, baked potato & asparagus (just happen to have a few spears) for dinner.
Yak at ya later,
Jake

Jump to this post

@jakedduck1
I didn’t think to ask for the recipe but I’ll see if I can find it online. As for the send back...the grouper was tasteless per my son and they took it off the bill and we shared what we had with him. He couldn’t continue to eat it.We know good food and this place was overpriced anyway. A routine chain restaurant probably wouldn’t warrant a send back.

I sent wine back once because I knew it wasn’t what I asked for,,,taste was weird.

Dinner sound great ..enjoy.

FL Mary

REPLY

@imallears We often will listen to recommendations from people we know. The biggest issue we have at this time, is that my renal diet is pretty strict. While many might say, "It's okay to treat yourself/splurge once in a while", with only 25% kidney function, I tread a fine line. Growing up we had a simple food diet, and that continues for us today. I applaud any of us who enjoy a good meal, getting to enjoy things not seen on a normal table.
Ginger

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@imallears

@jakedduck1
😂😂😂😂
🐙🦐🦞🦀🐌

FL Mary

Jump to this post

@imallears
Now that's hitting below the belt.
Jeez, it's bad enough hearing about it, do I have to look at too?
Jake

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