It always baffled my mother that I never needed to be coaxed into eating when I was dining out. I would pleasantly chow down my food until there was nothing left on the plate and still have room for dessert. Now, one could understand this behaviour had my mother been a lousy cook; but that was not the case. Still, the one thing she knew for sure was that if she wanted me to eat, all she had to do was to take me out for a meal.
A couple of weeks ago, I was dining at a restaurant with New Hubby. As we were eating, I realized just how happy I was being out to dinner. Yes, of course, the company was fabulous and that most definitely helped to make the evening fantastic, but I needed to figure out where the giddiness was coming from. What makes restaurants so alluring? I decided to poll a few people and see what they thought.
The first answer was completely practical; restaurants mean no cooking, serving, and best of all, no cleaning up afterward. One simply sits down, eats and leaves. This reason makes a lot of sense, but begs the question, do people who have live-in help doing all of the food preparation, therefore erasing the need for any of the above chores, lack the desire to go to a restaurant? I'm not so sure about that one.
For some, going out to eat is about eating different foods than you get at home. I for one tend to order food that I usually don't make in my own kitchen. I find it a luxury to eat gnocchi, Pad Thai or something else that I consider too patchkadik to make.
New culinary experiences are always great reasons to visit a restaurant. Here in Greater Toronto, we are blessed with so many different and diverse cultures. Our city boasts many recent immigrants, so they as first generation Canadians bring their culture's authentic cooking to the city. It's a treat to explore the world through food right at home.
Another reason to eat at a restaurant is to enjoy a private conversation (even with yourself. Don't knock dining alone. I was never good at it, but I think it's an art when done well). One of my favourite quotes from The Great Gatsby explains this perfectly: "And I like large parties. They’re so intimate. At small parties there isn’t any privacy.” The busier the restaurant, the more private the conversation can be.
Although the above are all valid reasons, for me, going to a restaurant is all about the experience itself. The excitement begins with the anticipation of going somewhere different than home. It could be somewhere familiar, where I know what to expect, or perhaps somewhere where a new culinary adventure awaits. Walking in the door of a restaurant is akin to entering a new world, with different people, different sights and unique aromas and tastes.
And then there's my favourite thing: the menu! The menu offers treats of all kinds. I love reading menus, and imagining how the description of a particular food item might translate into what will eventually tingle my taste buds. I love that there's a choice of what to eat, and that I get to choose what I want to eat. I think choosing what you want to eat is pretty decadent, don't you?
Once the meal is ordered, all that's left is the anticipation of the meal itself. I wait, hoping that what I have just ordered will be exactly what I had expected. That gamble, that little bit of the unknown adds to the suspense and eventual surprise as the meal arrives in front of me.
Of course, all of the other reasons mentioned come into play to make restaurant eating a wonderful way to spend some time. And if the meal turns out less than stellar or the service isn't what had been expected or the couple at the next table were acting in a ridiculous manner, it all becomes a topic of conversation which still provides entertainment.
And doesn't everyone likes a bit of entertainment now and then?
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