Why do you dine out?

I started thinking about this after I replied to Jon in the Wine Related Travel section. Jon is visiting my tiny hometown this weekend and asked for restaurant recs. As if!

I must say, while not a total culinary wasteland, the entire area is certainly lacking in fine dining experiences. So perhaps out of necessity, most everyone I know there is a great cook. If we wanted really fantastic food, we stayed home because we could do better than most local restaurants.

Since 2000 I have been living close to a wonderful restaurant city, Santa Fe. Even so, we find that we most often cook at home because it is at least as good as most restaurants, and certainly as good as (or better than) the more moderately priced joints. The reason we eat out, therefore, is not usually because of the menu items available at a particular restaurant, or the flair with which they are prepared.

Of course there are exceptions, like a special occasion meal or business entertaining or traveling or similar situations, but....

We most often dine out because: we like to be waited on and cooked for, and not have to clean up; we're too tired to cook at home; we haven't felt like going to the grocery store; we've heard good things about a place and we want to see for ourselves; we want to have 4 desserts for dinner instead of Real Food (sadly, my best friend and I do this about once a month ); we want to meet friends to socialize in a central location so nobody has to drive too far.

How about you?

There are a lot of dishes in my own areas of culinary expertise that I can do better than the local restaurants.

But there are several top places in the region where I'm in awe of the perfection of their technique. I could learn to do as well, if I put in the practice, but for me it's just not worth the effort.

Then there are other restaurants that do to perfection dishes outside my own realm of culinary endeavors.

Or things that I know I could prepare for myself, but they're so elaborate that I'd rather not bother myself, but I'm content to have someone else do it for me.

And then there are the nights when I've spent a long day at the office and can't be bothered to cook for myself.

-Paul W.

To have something special in terms of food or to be pampered for once!
Also, when we feel happy and in celebration mood, than we go out to avoid being in the kitchen.

I do not mind being able to reproduce a dish that I get served, actually if I can understand how to do it ... then I like it even more, because it means all ingredients can be tasted.

Ciao

Francesco

[Robin Garr]

How about you?

I could give a crass answer and say I dine out because I've worked up a scam^H^H^H profession that pays me to do it. But I'd likely dine out a lot even if it weren't one of my jobs, because I like it.

As others have posted, I flatter myself that I can cook at home as well as most restaurant chefs and better than some, but that doesn't deter me from enjoying a restaurant meal. I like to see what other people do in the kitchen, troll for ideas, sample dishes I haven't tried, and see how they do at familiar items. I enjoy the atmosphere, the service, the change-of-pace that comes with taking an evening out of my own kitchen. I'm interested in the restaurant business and how it works, and enjoy reading between the lines and watching what's going on when I dine.

I just plain think food is fun, whether I'm doing it myself or paying someone to do it for me; and I'm willing to pay the price for fancy dining because it's worth it for me. It's a hobby and a profession, and I enjoy it.

I dine out for several reasons. Sometimes it's a social thing, like when people from out of town are in and on short notice we all want to get together. Usually this involves a local specialty not served in their area like fish fries, wings or beef on 'weck, but sometimes it may just be breakfast at a local diner. Sometimes I'm in the mood for something I just don't make very well at home (see previous sentence). This includes prime rib, which I haven't had in a long time.

I'd echo Robin's sentiments (except I don't have that scam worked out yet). A worthwhile eatery will give me ideas. Unfortunately, too many of our "name" restaurants are more flash than substance, and I find myself eating out at "better" places less and less, and spending more time at hole-in-the-wall ethnic spots. I'm much less often disappointed with a place named something like "Bombay Palace" or "Golden Buddha" than I am with... let's just say, "restaurants with stars."

Since we live quite a distance from anywhere, we frequently have to tuck a meal out in between two appointments in town. We also like to go to places that fix things well that are messy or difficult at home. In our region fried seafood falls into this category. Many restaurants do it well and reasonably, and for us it is a bother to do it at home.

[Jenise]

We dine out to meet friends, and we occasionally dine out because we've roamed far from home. In the past I've dined out for ethnic food that's different from what I do at home, but in the area I currently live we do less of that because the restaurants in this area simply aren't competent enough. Sushi, Indian, Thai, that kind of thing.

But the best reason to dine out is to experience and learn from excellent chefs. Observing their combinations of flavors and plating techniques makes me a better cook at home.

Dining out is a rare experience for me, and I don't count the cafeteria food at my place of employment. My outside dining experience falls into a few very select categories:
1. Dinner is prelude to a concert or theater date with a friend.
2. My personal alone time with some reading material, in an environment I like.
3. It's time to spend some quality time with my mother (I can restrict the amount of time spent with her when I drive and take her someplace).
4. My husband is feeling obliged to take me out for a birthday, first date or other minor celebration, it's been a while since I've done anything special for the little lady, or for other guilt-ladden reasons (and I still love him).

Dinner out is usually to meet up with friends for a nice evening of food and wine when no one wants to cook.
Dinner out when we are traveling in our RV, to get a feel for the local atmosphere and food.
Dinner out before attending a live performance in town.
Like Robin, I feel I can cook as well as most restaurant chefs or better. Don't forget we live in a town with only 90,000 folks, with many who think steak, baked potato and head lettuce salad is gourmet. But, it is getting better, as more bigger city folks are discovering all our amenities and flocking to the north state.

Generally, only when I am lazy or too tired to cook. I am usually disappointed. Between the three refrigerators, two freezers and the local fresh seafood market we usually eat better at home. I know the wine is usually a whole lot better.

Being in the restaurant business, dining out can be a pain! So critical of other places!! I never feel at ease.

My wife and I dine out if we can't have dinner at home for some reason. It usually amounts to we're lacking food in the house for one reason or another.

I am lucky in that my wife loves to cook and she's good at it.

I love to cook, so go dining out only occasionally. When I do, it's because I want to pursue my wife and have a date >mustache twirling<.

[David M. Bueker]

a) It's something I don't know how to do well

b) It's a royal pain in the behind to do well

c) I'm tired and don't give a damn, except that I don't want to cook.

There's no culinary flights of fancy near by, so learning something at the local places is out of the question.

Before the kids were born, Kristi and I would dine out with friends, or because we were visiting a new locale and wanted to try the local flavors. Sometimes it would be to try out something new so we'd have something different to show off the next time friends and family stopped by.

Now it's primarily so that Kristi and I can spend some "quality time" together without the kids going "Daddy, look at that!" or "Ooooo, I don't like that!" or sudden bursts of singing at the top of their lungs or . . . No, honestly the kids are really quite good, especially Jannie. But still there's times when we just want to spent some time just on us.

We now live in a neighborhood with a dozen good restaurants within easy walking distance. By "good" I mean well prepared food, creative combinations, pleasant atmosphere, reasonable prices. New ones seem to open every few weeks. We eat out when we're too tired to cook, or just want a break from cleaning up. I like to see what chefs are doing with new combinations or classic techniques. I don't flatter myself that I can cook as well as they can, they are, after all the professionals. But it's fun to see and taste new things. And if there's a decent selection of wines, so much the better.


Howard
Newly moved into "the city" from the burbs and loving it.

We rarely dine out these days only because we have 2 small children and lack in the babysitting department, and I have a husband who has a long commute and works long hours/travels often. If we do dine out it's usually in the Autumn when his parent's are visiting and can take care of the kiddos.

I really enjoy dining out. I do consider myself a good cook, but we certainly have some excellent restaurants in my area that do a far better job than I. Plus, I have lived most of my life in major cities like Boston, Chicago, and NYC, and have had no problem finding extraordinary fare.

When we do have a chance to dine out, for me, it's to experience food and wine I wouldn't ordinarily do at home...like scallops or foie gras. Plus, my husband and I don't really like the same food...he is a meat and potatoes man, and I am a pasta and seafood kinda gal, so I rarely make a meal that *I* really like. It's also for the social experience (being a stay-at-home-mom, I don't get out very often and get to get dressed up, etc.). With a house full of picky eaters, a child who is allergic to everything, and our boring food routine, I have to admit, cooking has become more of a chore these days *sigh*.

I just love eating out at a fine restaurant with a tasting menu and a good wine pairing...or eating some ethnic food that I can't recreate in the kitchen, or even going to fun places that have a piano bar or interesting atmosphere. I have my Mother-in-law coming for a visit tomorrow for 10 days, and I am really looking forward to visiting our favorite French Bistro next week!

Until last year, I almost never dined out - I could count my visits to a restaurant over the past 5 years on the fingers of one hand! But recently I've been trying some local places, mainly to try foods that I never ate before. Toronto's French restaurants have been my main focus, though recently I noted a fine Viennese place downtown, Amadeus. Since I'm in a constant state of interest in Austrian wines, a visit to Amadeus will be in order no doubt.

Overall, though, I love to cook at home and even after a busy week, I will always feel refreshed to whip something up in the kitchen. I don't see cooking as a chore at all, though many in my family do. I see it more as a joy ... and usually an excuse to open some good wine.

Somteimes we dine out when we find ourselves "out & about"...we'll stop in somewhere different. Sometimes we dine out when we are tired or don't want to cook.

When we were newlyweds, we'd dine out for special occasions. Now we find that for those times, we'd rather cook something special together and have friends over. Certainly can't beat the wine prices in those instances.

Once in awhile....we'll head uptown for something special. Dinner & the theatre, for instance.

Richard

Tonight was a good example. Our lab's been crazy-busy ever since it came out that there was some bad stuff in some of the cat food. This last week, it's become significantly more crazy. Last night I was still at work at 10:00. I expect that the weekend and next week will be significantly more crazy-busy. So when I left work tonight (late again) I had a choice. I could stop at the store and get a turkey breast, some avocado, some bacon, some tomato, some lettuce, and some cranberry juice. I could come home, roast the turkey, slice the avocado and tomato, toast some bread, and add a very healthy dollop of vodka to the cranberry juice.

Or I could do what I did: talk my wife and daughter into heading over to Jamie's Bar and Grill for a club sandwich and a couple of vodka-and-cranberry drinks. (OK, Isabella had a Shirley Temple.)

Sometimes, a really good sandwich and a couple of stiff drinks can make anything manageable.

Mike

a couple of stiff drinks can make anything manageable.

Oh, that's what I'm doing wrong!

(Work has also been crazy busy here and today and tomorrow are 15 hour days for our annual Advisory Board meeting. Hmmmm......)

Fun reading everyone's different answers to this question.

Many times, we feel much the same as Stuart. Often disappointed by the dressy, pricey restaurants. We tend not to seek them out, but because we (fortunately) enjoy a very active social network, friends often suggest we meet at the latest "best" place, or swanky old standby. If I really think about these experiences, it often feels like we simply must love what is put in front of us because of: the menu's elaborate description of the selection; the high prices; the fussiness of the presentation and the service. The experience rarely lives up to it all.

Reading Carl's post really makes me miss the great New England seafood we get during frequent trips to see family in MA. I can eat fried whole belly clams until my own belly bulges. We hardly ever order anything besides seafood while we are there. Plus, there seem to be so many great, small mom and pop "come as you are" restaurants. Love that. Wish we had more of those in the desert, because we choose to out to dinner when, like many of you, we are too tired to cook, or don't have the provisions purchased or thawed. It's usually a little Italian joint (nothing fancy) or Chinese.

We would much rather stay at home for a special occasion, and in fact, we've taken to celebrating New Years at home with a great meal, close friends, good Champagne and a person in the kitchen well-paid to clean up after us. Our friends seem to like it too.

Often disappointed by the dressy, pricey restaurants. We tend not to seek them out, but because we (fortunately) enjoy a very active social network, friends often suggest we meet at the latest "best" place, or swanky old standby. If I really think about these experiences, it often feels like we simply must love what is put in front of us because of: the menu's elaborate description of the selection; the high prices; the fussiness of the presentation and the service. The experience rarely lives up to it all.

Gee, Carrie ... I have had the same feeling on several occasions. It's good to know that it wasn't just me. I do enjoy "checking out" expensive restaurants for the experience and also for foods that I don't prepare at home, even though I do cook regularly. I find that what you typically pay for is high-quality but rather tiny portions of artistically prepared food, an elegant ambiance, and "proper" formal service. Is the pomp worth the cost in the end? Personally, I don't think so - especially when things begin to feel too scripted and stiff. Then the experience goes rapidly downhill, IMO.