What makes a good meal?
Ok so some of you may have read my reviews and are wondering what exactly I base my ramblings on.
I truly believe that everyone knows good food. Some people will have a more refined and educated palate than others, but we all know what we think tastes good and bad.
This is only part of what makes a good meal.
Good Food, Honestly Priced
This is a huge bugbear of mine. People are loath to take me to Italian restaurants because my family and I cook like this all the time. We know what's in each dish and whether we're being ripped off or not. Case in point - Spaghetti Cabonara. Cabonara sauce is the easiest thing in the world to make.
Cabonara Sauce
1 egg per guest (4 people eating = 4 eggs, 6 people = 6 eggs)
3 tablespoons of grated good italian hard cheese (preferably Parmesan but it doesn't really matter as long as it's salty)
1 standard sized tub of double cream/creme fraiche (depending on what you can get - creme fraiche tastes nicer in my opinion)
Seasoning
Whisk the eggs, add the creme fraiche and cheese. Whisk again until smooth and thick. Season
Fry your bacon with a little garlic and onion. Cook pasta as normal and drain back into the pan. Take the pan off the heat and add the egg mixture, stirring well. Mix in the bacon mix. Serve with plenty of bread and wine.
This is not hard. The ingredients, for the most part, are readily available. If you want to be fancy use parma ham or prosciutto instead of bacon, buy real parmesan and grate it yourself.
But at the end of the day it's still cream and eggs.
So why on earth do certain Italian Restaurants charge close to £10 for this?
Because it has a fancy name and people don't think twice about it.
Good Service
I've been a waitress. It's bloody hard work, you get little or no thanks, work long hours for very little pay and often meagre tips. I was a rubbish waitress. But I did smile. I was polite, accommodating and helpful.
We don't want you hovering over us. We don't want you asking if everything is ok every two minutes - just at each course is fine! We don't want to be rushed into leaving, bills thrust under our noses as soon as the last mouthful of dessert has been devoured.
Flirting is fine. For a group of girls on a night out it's practically a given that you will flirt with the cute waiter. But we don't want to be leered over, patronised or talked down to.
Drinks
If the food is cheap, I generally don't mind splashing out on the drinks. House wine should always be reasonable no matter where you are. Anywhere that has a Sommelier on the staff can afford to charge a little more but when you've got a 17 year old desperately trying to think which white wine will go best with your fish you know you may have overstepped the mark.
Water should be free but only if it's tap water - if you bring a bottle of Ty Nant over then I can expect to be charged through the nose - tap is fine. Go crazy, chuck in some ice and lemon while your at it!
Cleanliness
I don't want a dirty table. Cleaning down quickly between customers is an art. Good waiting teams should be on to this within five minutes of a customer leaving. I also expect the waiting area and bar to be kept clean. And you can always judge a good establishment on it's toilets. Clean floor, a lockable door and toilet paper - surely these are the norms not a pleasent suprise when you hit jackpot and get all three!
Failing on any one of these areas can drag down a good night out to an average one, or worse. People might overlook them if the food is good but if the food is mediocre then look out!
I truly believe that everyone knows good food. Some people will have a more refined and educated palate than others, but we all know what we think tastes good and bad.
This is only part of what makes a good meal.
Good Food, Honestly Priced
This is a huge bugbear of mine. People are loath to take me to Italian restaurants because my family and I cook like this all the time. We know what's in each dish and whether we're being ripped off or not. Case in point - Spaghetti Cabonara. Cabonara sauce is the easiest thing in the world to make.
Cabonara Sauce
1 egg per guest (4 people eating = 4 eggs, 6 people = 6 eggs)
3 tablespoons of grated good italian hard cheese (preferably Parmesan but it doesn't really matter as long as it's salty)
1 standard sized tub of double cream/creme fraiche (depending on what you can get - creme fraiche tastes nicer in my opinion)
Seasoning
Whisk the eggs, add the creme fraiche and cheese. Whisk again until smooth and thick. Season
Fry your bacon with a little garlic and onion. Cook pasta as normal and drain back into the pan. Take the pan off the heat and add the egg mixture, stirring well. Mix in the bacon mix. Serve with plenty of bread and wine.
This is not hard. The ingredients, for the most part, are readily available. If you want to be fancy use parma ham or prosciutto instead of bacon, buy real parmesan and grate it yourself.
But at the end of the day it's still cream and eggs.
So why on earth do certain Italian Restaurants charge close to £10 for this?
Because it has a fancy name and people don't think twice about it.
Good Service
I've been a waitress. It's bloody hard work, you get little or no thanks, work long hours for very little pay and often meagre tips. I was a rubbish waitress. But I did smile. I was polite, accommodating and helpful.
We don't want you hovering over us. We don't want you asking if everything is ok every two minutes - just at each course is fine! We don't want to be rushed into leaving, bills thrust under our noses as soon as the last mouthful of dessert has been devoured.
Flirting is fine. For a group of girls on a night out it's practically a given that you will flirt with the cute waiter. But we don't want to be leered over, patronised or talked down to.
Drinks
If the food is cheap, I generally don't mind splashing out on the drinks. House wine should always be reasonable no matter where you are. Anywhere that has a Sommelier on the staff can afford to charge a little more but when you've got a 17 year old desperately trying to think which white wine will go best with your fish you know you may have overstepped the mark.
Water should be free but only if it's tap water - if you bring a bottle of Ty Nant over then I can expect to be charged through the nose - tap is fine. Go crazy, chuck in some ice and lemon while your at it!
Cleanliness
I don't want a dirty table. Cleaning down quickly between customers is an art. Good waiting teams should be on to this within five minutes of a customer leaving. I also expect the waiting area and bar to be kept clean. And you can always judge a good establishment on it's toilets. Clean floor, a lockable door and toilet paper - surely these are the norms not a pleasent suprise when you hit jackpot and get all three!
Failing on any one of these areas can drag down a good night out to an average one, or worse. People might overlook them if the food is good but if the food is mediocre then look out!
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