The Joy of Not Cooking

BY REGINA VITTI-LYONS

A meal always seems to taste better when someone else has cooked it. But eating out isn’t always the relaxing, joyful experience you hope for. The restaurant you choose is key and there are as many different kinds of restaurants as there are diners. Your decision making process may not only be different than your neighbor’s, but it may vary on each occasion, depending on your mood or why and with whom you’re going. Following are some things you’ll want to keep in mind every time.

A PLACE FOR KIDS
Anyone who has kids has had at least one mortifying incident in a restaurant—a time when they have hidden their red faces and pretended their child didn’t belong to them. Kids being kids, there is no way to guarantee they won’t embarrass you, but making the right restaurant choice can increase your odds of having a pleasant experience.

First, be practical. Your little ones need a comfortable, kid-appropriate place to sit. Make sure the restaurant has booster seats and/or high chairs. But just having high chairs isn’t enough. You’ll want to ask how old the high chairs are. Some restaurants haven’t replaced their high chairs since they opened, even if they are on their third generation of owners. Aside from the obvious grossness, the spoonfuls of applesauce that must have been spilled on it and the years’ worth of drool, there are also safety hazards. Not too long ago, high chairs didn’t have the strap that goes between kids’ legs to prevent them from sliding out of the seat. And often in older high
chairs, the straps are frayed or missing all together.

If you have a baby who is still in an infant seat, you’ll have another consideration. You should never put an infant seat on the table, but putting it on the ground where it can be hard to see is dangerous for the baby and to the wait person or guest who might trip over it. Some restaurants have special infant seat holders that safely hold the seat at table height.

Once the little ones are seated, they’ll need something to do. Kid-friendly restaurants usually have crayons and activity books or placemats to amuse the kids. These often double as kids’ menus, sometimes with pictures of the meal choices on them so your children can make their choice without you having to repeat twelve times:
“Do you want chicken nuggets, grilled cheese or a hamburger?”

Which leads to another point—if you want your kids to eat healthy when they’re out, you’ll need to check out the kids menu ahead of time or find out if the restaurant will prepare a kid-sized (and priced) version of something on the adult menu.

Keep in mind that just because a restaurant allows kids, doesn’t mean you should take them there! Expensive, romantic hideaways; business lunch places; and partying hotspots may not be the best choices. Many of the guests are there specifically to get away from their children!

Other important factors when you have kids—quick service, an appropriate noise level (loud enough that they don’t have to be silent, but not so loud that they are overstimulated), plastic cups with lids, no white table clothes, crackers and bread available.

Finally, since even a great family restaurant with all the kid-friendly amenities is sometimes no match for a cranky toddler, you might want to make sure there is an easy escape route: either tables by the door or a fairly straight shot to the door.

AT THE OTHER END OF THE SPECTRUM
If you’re taking your grandparents, or you are a grandparent, you may have different considerations. Many restaurants have senior menus from which guests of a certain age can order smaller, less expensive meals.

Consider the mobility of your senior guests as well. Some of the coolest restaurants with the best views are multi-tiered or multi-floored. But having to struggle just to make your way to your table gets your evening off on the wrong foot.

AND EVERYONE IN BETWEEN
With so many restaurants around, you’re sure to find one that fits your mood and tastes. Following are some considerations for people of all ages.

NOISE LEVEL
If it’s girls’ or boys’ night out, a loud, festive crowd might be just what you’re looking for. If you’re celebrating an anniversary or going on a romantic date, a quieter, cozier place would be a better choice. For many seniors, it’s hard to hear and talk above the din of a busy, noisy eatery.

LIGHTING
This goes hand-in-hand with noise level. For a romantic evening out, a room awash in candlelight is perfect. But for a meeting or a family evening out—let there be light.

SPACE
This can mean many different things. Is there enough space to move around? It gets annoying to have to keep moving your chair in until your ribs are scrunched up against the edge of your table. This is especially important if you or a guest are in a wheelchair, on crutches, or have any other mobility challenges.

Are there big enough tables to accommodate your party? If a restaurant has only “two-tops” and you’re a party of 10, you will likely have a long wait. And when you are able to be seated, the restaurant will need to put several together so you all can fit. That means bread plates teetering on the cracks between tables and, often, very little room for the wait person to get around.

DIETARY RESTRICTIONS
This runs the gamut. If you are, or are dining with, a vegetarian, will there be enough (or any) choices? A lot of us throw out the rulebook when we eat out, but for those with the discipline to stick to their healthy eating plan, you’ll want to check the menu to make sure they have the appropriate choices – low carb, low fat, low sugar, low salt, no MSG. If you have allergies, are there choices that won’t send you to the hospital or running for your Epi pen?

PARKING
Few things ruin an evening out more than having to drive around the block twelve times wondering whether or not you are going to make your reservation in time, except maybe having to park eight blocks away and run down the street in your three inch heels, or having to pay more for parking than for your meal. This is especially important for older folks, families with little kids, and people who have difficulty walking.

PRICE
There are restaurants for every price range, and they vary wildly. A hamburger at a sandwich shop might cost a couple of dollars, while a hamburger at an upscale bistro might cost $20. Decide beforehand how much you are willing to spend and call ahead. Don’t forget to ask whether the main course includes the side dishes and salads. If everything is ala carte, you can expect to pay more. By calling ahead, you make sure you don’t end your meal with sticker shock.

MENU
This one seems obvious and is probably the main factor in a diner’s restaurant choice. But there is more to consider than just deciding between Japanese, Italian and Greek, especially if you are eating with a group of people. Maybe not everyone likes Thai. Are there other options on the menu for those guests? Is there a wide
variety of choices? Will you be able to understand the menu?

THE WAIT
Jerry Seinfeld did a whole episode where the gang was waiting for a table at a Chinese restaurant. Of course, it was very funny, but in real life there is nothing funny about waiting to be seated, stomach growling. Unless, of course, there is a cool place to wait – a bar, a courtyard, an art exhibit. Which leads us to…

RESERVATIONS
Find out if the restaurant takes reservations, or perhaps has call-ahead seating. This will easily solve the waiting dilemma.

THE SERVICE
In many restaurants, part of the experience is a long lingering meal. That is great if it’s what you are looking for. But if you need to get to a movie in an hour, get back to the office for a meeting, or want to be home in time to tuck the kids into bed, then you’ll want quick service. Search for reviews of the restaurant you are considering to see what they say about the speed of the service. And it shouldn’t just be fast. How friendly is the service? When you order, do you feel like you have just imposed upon the wait person? It is his/her job to serve you and to make you feel comfortable. Again, you can usually find this in restaurant reviews, or ask a friend who has been to the place you are considering.

It may seem silly to actually do research before going out, but a little bit of digging can ensure your time eating out is pleasant and worth the money.

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