Restaurant Dining

[Dtail]

So today for 1 hour for the first time in a year, we sat inside Barnes and Noble reading stuff, while snacking on stuff from Starbucks.
It was nice again.

 

[GravitySucks]

DGF finally hit 2 week post vaccine mark and we went to our favorite oyster bar Wednesday. We sat at a table instead of the bar to add space. It was great having waitresses and bartenders catering to us again!
Previously we did eat indoors twice in the last year - at least 15 feet away from others - as we were out of town and no outdoors were available. We did take out a few times more than normal but really steak house take out sucks. Cook better at home for a quarter of the price.

 

[tmm99]

We did take out a few times more than normal but really steak house take out sucks. Cook better at home for a quarter of the price.

Never done steak takeout or delivery, but I can relate. Deep-fried dishes are not meant for takeout. So much better cooked at home.

 

[audreyh1]

LOL as soon as I learned how easy it was to grill (or roast) steak at home, I never ordered it in a restaurant again.

 

[disneysteve]

Never done steak takeout or delivery, but I can relate. Deep-fried dishes are not meant for takeout. So much better cooked at home.

Many foods simply don't travel well. Although we love eating out at a wide variety of restaurants, our COVID takeout pattern has been much more limited because of that. Many things are best hot and fresh out of the kitchen, not 20 minutes later after sitting in a styrofoam box.

 

[audreyh1]

We feel lucky that we have been able to get outstanding ingredients during the pandemic. Like many, at first I really stocked up the freezer, and then spent the rest of the year emptying it.

After the first couple of months, stores were really well stocked with food. We did have a blip during the great Texas freeze, but a fast recovery.

 

[tmm99]

Many foods simply don't travel well. Although we love eating out at a wide variety of restaurants, our COVID takeout pattern has been much more limited because of that. Many things are best hot and fresh out of the kitchen, not 20 minutes later after sitting in a styrofoam box.

Right, the cooking process seems to continue inside containers and some food gets overcooked and/or soggy. Not the best. They end up tasting like reheated food/leftovers.

Most dim sum dishes work really good as takeout though.

 

[tmm99]

LOL as soon as I learned how easy it was to grill (or roast) steak at home, I never ordered it in a restaurant again.

And, with your smoker at home, I bet it's like having your own restaurant!

 

[audreyh1]

And, with your smoker at home, I bet it's like having your own restaurant!

Seriously! Over the summer we hauled my smaller smoker to DF's farm to eventually give to DB. We were eating high on the hog while we waited out the pandemic - smoked turkey, smoked duck breasts, short-ribs, all sorts of goodies! Didn't bother visiting any BBQ joint as we had it all at the farmhouse. There was an excellent meat market selling heritage meat one town over, so we had great quality ingredients to start with.

Yep, at our home in TX, we really eat well - smoker or whatever.

We've gotten very used to this now.

 

[tmm99]

Seriously! Over the summer we hauled my smaller smoker to DF's farm to eventually give to DB. We were eating high on the hog while we waited out the pandemic - smoked turkey, smoked duck breasts, short-ribs, all sorts of goodies! Didn't bother visiting any BBQ joint as we had it all at the farmhouse. There was an excellent meat market selling heritage meat one town over, so we had great quality ingredients to start with.

Yep, at our home in TX, we really eat well - smoker or whatever.

We've gotten very used to this now.

You're making my mouth water!

 

[Ready]

Many foods simply don't travel well. Although we love eating out at a wide variety of restaurants, our COVID takeout pattern has been much more limited because of that. Many things are best hot and fresh out of the kitchen, not 20 minutes later after sitting in a styrofoam box.

Yes, this is why I almost never order take out food. It just doesn't taste good by the time I get it home. If I have to do take out, I usually go for either Chinese/Thai or pizza. Those seems to hold up the best.

 

[Gumby]

Today, since we are now full vaccinated, we had our first restaurant meal in a year. We went to to a place at the marina and sat outside, looking out over the docks. It was in the 60s, the sun was shining brightly and there was a nice breeze. We really enjoyed it, although the food is better at home, to be honest. This whole pandemic has us rethinking our dining out habits. Unless it's a special occasion, why go somewhere and pay good money to get food that is not as good as home? The young wife loves to cook, I don't mind doing all the cleanup, and now that we're retired, we have the time to spare. So many times when we were working, we just got into the habit of going out on Friday night because we were tired and going out on the weekend because we had too many other things to accomplish to really cook.

 

[disneysteve]

We really enjoyed it, although the food is better at home, to be honest. This whole pandemic has us rethinking our dining out habits.

I think this is going to be a common opinion going forward. When forced into dining at home all the time, many people rose to the occasion and upped their game in the kitchen.


Even now when restaurants are back open, my wife and I aren't rushing out to eat out a bunch. One thing we've done a couple of times recently, which we had never done before, is just taking out part of a meal at a restaurant and making the rest of the meal at home. For example, last week I picked up a pound of brisket from our favorite BBQ spot. No sides or anything. That night, we warmed up the brisket and made our own mashed potatoes and roasted vegetables to go along with it. We can't reproduce their slow smoked brisket (at least not easily) but no need to pay for their sides, which aren't as tasty or as healthy as ours. I suspect we'll do more of that in the future.


We do miss sitting down and being served and not having to clean up, but we (or at least I) don't miss the cost which is typically 5 times what it would be to make a similar meal at home.

 

[Chuckanut]

I've gone so far as to get a cheese Take-n-Bake pizza and then added lots of my own toppings. I use a variety of mushroom, olives, and sometimes bacon. I make a paprika chicken whose left overs are great on pizza. I usually add a bit more cheese. I find some Dubliner or a good chedder ads a bit of zest to a pizza.

Of course, my best pizza is made from scratch. But, sometimes time doesn't allow that.

 

[sparky08]

Fridays used to be dining-out night. Since COVID, it's become take out night.

DW and I are nearing 2 weeks past 2nd vaccination, so we will soon feel comfortable dining out. And the weather will soon be fine for outdoor dining.

 

[Midpack]

I think this is going to be a common opinion going forward. When forced into dining at home all the time, many people rose to the occasion and upped their game in the kitchen.


Even now when restaurants are back open, my wife and I aren't rushing out to eat out a bunch. One thing we've done a couple of times recently, which we had never done before, is just taking out part of a meal at a restaurant and making the rest of the meal at home. For example, last week I picked up a pound of brisket from our favorite BBQ spot. No sides or anything. That night, we warmed up the brisket and made our own mashed potatoes and roasted vegetables to go along with it. We can't reproduce their slow smoked brisket (at least not easily) but no need to pay for their sides, which aren't as tasty or as healthy as ours. I suspect we'll do more of that in the future.


We do miss sitting down and being served and not having to clean up, but we (or at least I) don't miss the cost which is typically 5 times what it would be to make a similar meal at home.

+1. Pre Covid we had dinner in a restaurant twice a week. After Covid struck and after the lockdown ended, we had dinner from a restaurant (takeout then some eating outdoors) three times a week, and still are. We deliberately upped our take because we wanted to support our many favorite restaurants to ensure they didn’t go bankrupt. We also tip more generously than ever now.

We were decent home cooks all along, we really haven’t upped our game there at all. We eat very well, all from scratch, and rely on leftovers at least half the time (we make 6-10 servings at a time and freeze).

But we are rethinking how important restaurants are toward our quality of life. We’ll probably stop going to upscale restaurants except special occasions, frankly we did upscale a couple times a month with/out special occasions. And we’ll probably go to less expensive restaurants than before because not cooking and cleaning up was a bigger attraction for us than being served/restaurant atmosphere. IMO we can make as good or better food than most low to mid level restaurants, but we can’t match a truly accomplished chef team.

So a different take, but Covid has caused us to rethink as well.

We still haven’t eaten in a restaurant yet, but that’ll happen in two weeks since DW had her second Moderna this morning, mine were complete in Feb. It’s time for us...

DW made Swordfish Spiedini last night for the first time, easy and delicious! https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/swordfish-spiedini-recipe-2103523

 

[Badger]

...Even now when restaurants are back open, my wife and I aren't rushing out to eat out a bunch. One thing we've done a couple of times recently, which we had never done before, is just taking out part of a meal at a restaurant and making the rest of the meal at home... no need to pay for their sides, which aren't as tasty or as healthy as ours. I suspect we'll do more of that in the future.

We do miss sitting down and being served and not having to clean up, but we (or at least I) don't miss the cost which is typically 5 times what it would be to make a similar meal at home.

+1 We have always felt this way. We eat a lot of fresh seafood. Being aware of the costs and variety at a good fishmarket we can save quite a bit of money compared to the cost to eat out. A pasta dish with 1/2 pound of fresh, headed, and peeled 12-14 count shrimp prepared at home compared to restaurant entree is about 1/5 the price plus I don't have to tip. Add in a drink (tea or coffee), salad, and desert your bill with tip for one will easily come close to $55. That would be 5 meals at home. I get similar results with fish that are baked or broil or steaks on the grill. No deep frying but that is a plus for our health.
We will save any eating out for lunch with friends.


Cheers!

 

[audreyh1]

I've definitely been more willing to splurge on high quality seafood and meat for home. It's going to be tough for area restaurants to beat. We really only had two restaurants that we occasionally visited anyway.

That 3.5 pound whole red snapper cost a bunch! But HEB was happy to scale it for me and did a great job. We roasted it whole with Veracruz sauce. It was so delicious! Red snapper has this amazing silky texture. And we actually got 4 meals off of it! It was good to the very last bite.

And I rarely drank wine at a restaurant because they usually can't touch my cellar at home.

 

[Dtail]

Eating indoors for the first time tonight. Little by little getting back to pre covid times.

 

[harllee]

My 50th high school reunion was suppose to have been last summer--of course it had to be postponed. It is rescheduled for June of this year and I was trying to decide if I wanted to go, I live about 1.5 hours away. Today I get an email about the reunion, it is going to be held inside at a country club, probably about 100-150 people in attendance. The email said masks were "optional" (even though this will violate state rules) and that the food was going to be a buffet. That made up my mind-- I responded I would not be coming. I thought people in my high school class were smarter than this, I guess I am wrong.

 

[Ronstar]

Went to lunch indoors at a nice restaurant yesterday. Same routine as usual - customers with masks on unless at their tables. Servers with masks on. Restaurant was at full capacity. Menus were digital on our phones - scanned a barcode at the table and the menu popped up on our phones. And there was a 5% Covid surcharge.

 

[txtig]

I'm sorry, I have to give an alternate opinion.

Once you get the vaccine and it has taken effect, you are about 90% immune, and virtually zero risk of being hospitalized for COVID.

That puts it in flu risk territory (or less), which we haven't gone crazy about and kept out lives shut down for the flu since 1918.

We have shut down our economy and lives for FAR too long, with an overly risk adverse public policy approach to COVID. Now, people are saying, well, now we have the vaccine...that's still not enough to move on. Well, if the vaccine isn't enough, we're NEVER going to reopen. That's not acceptable.

That's enough risk mitigation to move on and get on with my life.

I just think it's a counterproductive message if you tell people, hey, get the vaccine, it's great, but by the way you're going to have to continue to mask, distance, etc.

If you're a medical worker working with COVID patients, by all means, you should continue to utilize infection control, you should do that COVID or otherwise.

If you are still concerned about COVID and afraid to go about your life, that's your business. As long as you don't expect me to continue staying in my bunker to ameriorate your (in my opinion, unfounded) fear, I'm good with it.

FTR, I had COVID in December, and I got vaccinated four weeks ago. I'm good, I'm done.

I'll get off my soapbox now.

Well said.

 

[Helen]

Well said.

But isn't the idea behind the continued mask wearing that vaccinated people can still pass the virus to unvaccinated people? I'm willing to continue taking precautions until everyone who wants to get vaccinated has the opportunity to do so.

 

[Calico]

But isn't the idea behind the continued mask wearing that vaccinated people can still pass the virus to unvaccinated people? I'm willing to continue taking precautions until everyone who wants to get vaccinated has the opportunity to do so.

^^^^This.

 

[Aerides]

But isn't the idea behind the continued mask wearing that vaccinated people can still pass the virus to unvaccinated people? I'm willing to continue taking precautions until everyone who wants to get vaccinated has the opportunity to do so.

I think the idea is more behind:

A) we're not 100% on vaccines = no transmission, but we're getting there
B) we can't tell by looking if you're vaccinated or not, so A is moot
C) the infection rates are still alarmingly high, and the virus continues to mutate, also meaning A isn't ironclad even if true
D) we don't know, yet, for sure, how effective all these measure are against variants, even more also meaning A isn't ironclad even if true

so stay vigilant for a few more months till we know and see the rates go down to very low numbers.