Better than a restaurant?
Discussion
I’m becoming more and more disillusioned with going out to eat; I’m not talking about Michelin Star places etc., just your usual pub / restaurant (not very PH I know).
More often than not when I’m eating at an average priced pub / restaurant I find myself sitting there thinking “I could have done this just as well myself”, social aspect of eating out aside unless it’s a special offer I’m wondering why I’m bothering.
As I don’t have a huge amount of spare cash I’m starting to think that instead of going out to eat 2-3 times a month I should just go once and go somewhere special, though that is not easy with friends birthdays etc.
Most recently was a place specialising in chicken wings, on trip advisor its 4.5 stars off 172 reviews, so you’d think pretty good. I went for a quick bit of food before a meeting and again I enjoyed them but thought to myself “mine are just as good and cheaper!”
So what do you make better yourself compared to pubs / restaurants? Mine are:
Ribs – beef and pork
Chicken wings
Pulled pork on the smoker (or anything on the BBQ)
Simple Victoria sandwich or coffee cake compared to tea rooms
Some Chinese compared to a take away
Simple ragu
Chips
I think the main point is when I go out to eat I want something made for me that’s either I can’t do myself or if I can is 1000% better! Either that or I’m getting more and more big headed and grumpy!
More often than not when I’m eating at an average priced pub / restaurant I find myself sitting there thinking “I could have done this just as well myself”, social aspect of eating out aside unless it’s a special offer I’m wondering why I’m bothering.
As I don’t have a huge amount of spare cash I’m starting to think that instead of going out to eat 2-3 times a month I should just go once and go somewhere special, though that is not easy with friends birthdays etc.
Most recently was a place specialising in chicken wings, on trip advisor its 4.5 stars off 172 reviews, so you’d think pretty good. I went for a quick bit of food before a meeting and again I enjoyed them but thought to myself “mine are just as good and cheaper!”
So what do you make better yourself compared to pubs / restaurants? Mine are:
Ribs – beef and pork
Chicken wings
Pulled pork on the smoker (or anything on the BBQ)
Simple Victoria sandwich or coffee cake compared to tea rooms
Some Chinese compared to a take away
Simple ragu
Chips
I think the main point is when I go out to eat I want something made for me that’s either I can’t do myself or if I can is 1000% better! Either that or I’m getting more and more big headed and grumpy!
Pub food is usually just easy going simple food. That's my take on pub grub. It's cheap and convenient.
If you're going to restaurants that can't cook as well as you, I'd either change my restaurants or consider myself a very good cook.
I'm the world's worst cook, so I can't beat any of them. Although I can tell what is good and what isn't.
If you're going to restaurants that can't cook as well as you, I'd either change my restaurants or consider myself a very good cook.
I'm the world's worst cook, so I can't beat any of them. Although I can tell what is good and what isn't.
Type R Tom said:
I think the main point is when I go out to eat I want something made for me that’s either I can’t do myself or if I can is 1000% better! Either that or I’m getting more and more big headed and grumpy!
I was thinking the same myself the other day. I guess there are a few reasons why:- Can't cook / won't cook.
- You don't have to do the washing up.
- Sometimes you don't have the tools for the job to do it properly - i.e. flame grill for meats, etc etc. I can do steak in my house pretty well, but it always comes out a bit greyer looking than if it was on a grill with a nice brown 'crust'.
I think a simple way to tell if food is likely to be good is the menu. If it has a million and one choices, you can almost be certain that it has been precooked, either by Brake Bros, sous-vide, or frozen.
It requires very little skill to reheat to the right temperature, but the flavour and texture is greatly reduced. An alternative would be to buy a pre-cooked meal at M&S their methods are similar, but the cost will be less. Inevitably they will have increased sugar and salt to give them a bit extra flavour.
A restaurant offering 3, or 4 choices for each course, probably is substantially preparing the meal just for you. Wastage is kept to a minimum. Inevitably, it probably won't be as cheap.
It requires very little skill to reheat to the right temperature, but the flavour and texture is greatly reduced. An alternative would be to buy a pre-cooked meal at M&S their methods are similar, but the cost will be less. Inevitably they will have increased sugar and salt to give them a bit extra flavour.
A restaurant offering 3, or 4 choices for each course, probably is substantially preparing the meal just for you. Wastage is kept to a minimum. Inevitably, it probably won't be as cheap.
100% agree with the OP and have found myself going out less and when I do it is only to somewhere special or a bit different.
Like yourself wings, ribs, pulled pork, ragu, sunday roast and steak & seafood I feel I can do better myself at home and for sometimes half the price.
However my curries and other asian cooking are a bit hit and miss and I struggle with the fine dining and presentation so for those I normally venture out.
Like yourself wings, ribs, pulled pork, ragu, sunday roast and steak & seafood I feel I can do better myself at home and for sometimes half the price.
However my curries and other asian cooking are a bit hit and miss and I struggle with the fine dining and presentation so for those I normally venture out.
Type R Tom said:
I find myself sitting there thinking “I could have done this just as well myself”, social aspect of eating out aside unless it’s a special offer I’m wondering why I’m bothering.
I'm exactly the same. It surprisingly easy to be able to cook food as good or better than most eateries and I too resent paying over the odds for food worse than home cooked.Depends where you go out to eat, but I usually go for something I couldn't do the same such as an Indian with a tandoor, couldn't be bothered to do, or don't do because it's me that likes it and seems too extravagant much of the time to do at home just for myself.
Roast dinners out in particular are never what they should be due to bits of it sitting around for ages never coming anywhere near my oven to plate roasties in a minute or so for immediate consumption.
The other half and myself say exactly the same thing. We end up going to a restaurant and leave feeling disappointed, most often than not.
It's a treat, social and then there is the laziness aspect of not wanting to cook and clean yourself.
I've been cooking and experimenting with food since I was 16 and I'm pretty good at it now (I'm 31). I have my own tastes and I can cater to them, restaurants can't. I feel most restaurants being chains nowadays are made for the masses and have to be non offensive and therefore a little boring. The independent gems, although awesome are usually overpriced and I often leave feeling a little ripped off knowing what I would have paid to do it myself.
Like others have said, the specialist food like Indian and Vietnamese are always up there, I just can't recreate that taste.
I still eat out more often then I should, I don't know why?
It's a treat, social and then there is the laziness aspect of not wanting to cook and clean yourself.
I've been cooking and experimenting with food since I was 16 and I'm pretty good at it now (I'm 31). I have my own tastes and I can cater to them, restaurants can't. I feel most restaurants being chains nowadays are made for the masses and have to be non offensive and therefore a little boring. The independent gems, although awesome are usually overpriced and I often leave feeling a little ripped off knowing what I would have paid to do it myself.
Like others have said, the specialist food like Indian and Vietnamese are always up there, I just can't recreate that taste.
I still eat out more often then I should, I don't know why?
Edited by EnthusiastOwned on Monday 9th February 15:27
Same. Service is another thing that bugs me as well especially with the usual 12.5% charged added on.
I went to Santa Maria Del Sur the other week, been meaning to go for ages as it's only down the road, anyhow while the food was tasty and well presented on the parrillada it was by no means the best steak I ever had. However it was the service or complete lack of it which left a sour taste in my mouth.
I went to Santa Maria Del Sur the other week, been meaning to go for ages as it's only down the road, anyhow while the food was tasty and well presented on the parrillada it was by no means the best steak I ever had. However it was the service or complete lack of it which left a sour taste in my mouth.
Yes, when it comes to steak especially.
I very rarely find steaks in restaurants which are anywhere near as good as I cook at home.
I spent £38 on a New York Strip sirloin in Goodmans recenlty and it genuinely wasn't a patch on the sirloins I do at home either in size, tenderness or taste.
This was on expenses but I almost never order steak when I'm out now given that £30 will buy 4 superb large sirloins from Costco.
And don't get me started on wine mark ups in restaurants.
I very rarely find steaks in restaurants which are anywhere near as good as I cook at home.
I spent £38 on a New York Strip sirloin in Goodmans recenlty and it genuinely wasn't a patch on the sirloins I do at home either in size, tenderness or taste.
This was on expenses but I almost never order steak when I'm out now given that £30 will buy 4 superb large sirloins from Costco.
And don't get me started on wine mark ups in restaurants.
PositronicRay said:
When I go out to eat I want it to be a treat, do the same thing too often and where's the treat? It's not always about the food, but the place as well.
Having said that a pint + ham egg and chips in my local is the food of kings
We are fortunate to have many very good pubs within 15 min drive. The atmosphere and being treated well are important to us. The food is a given. Leaving the mess behind is an added bonus when you have young kids.Having said that a pint + ham egg and chips in my local is the food of kings
DoctorX said:
Agree, I rarely go to Italian restaurants for this reason.
There's an Italian near my office that I go for lunch at with clients at least once a month and it is phenomenal - just as good as anything I've eaten in Amalfi and Positano. But good restaurants like these that are reasonably priced are few and far between. Davey S2 said:
And don't get me started on wine mark ups in restaurants.
This is annoying! Spending far more for a bottle of wine than I would in the house and it is rank is disappointing. I tend to avoid chains if at all possible. Going out around me, Glasgow, tend to find decent places on 5pm or pre theatre. The no washing up is a bonus as well.
Type R Tom said:
I’m becoming more and more disillusioned with going out to eat; I’m not talking about Michelin Star places etc., just your usual pub / restaurant (not very PH I know).
More often than not when I’m eating at an average priced pub / restaurant I find myself sitting there thinking “I could have done this just as well myself”, social aspect of eating out aside unless it’s a special offer I’m wondering why I’m bothering.
As I don’t have a huge amount of spare cash I’m starting to think that instead of going out to eat 2-3 times a month I should just go once and go somewhere special, though that is not easy with friends birthdays etc.
Most recently was a place specialising in chicken wings, on trip advisor its 4.5 stars off 172 reviews, so you’d think pretty good. I went for a quick bit of food before a meeting and again I enjoyed them but thought to myself “mine are just as good and cheaper!”
So what do you make better yourself compared to pubs / restaurants? Mine are:
Ribs – beef and pork
Chicken wings
Pulled pork on the smoker (or anything on the BBQ)
Simple Victoria sandwich or coffee cake compared to tea rooms
Some Chinese compared to a take away
Simple ragu
Chips
I think the main point is when I go out to eat I want something made for me that’s either I can’t do myself or if I can is 1000% better! Either that or I’m getting more and more big headed and grumpy!
All of the above and off the top of my head:-More often than not when I’m eating at an average priced pub / restaurant I find myself sitting there thinking “I could have done this just as well myself”, social aspect of eating out aside unless it’s a special offer I’m wondering why I’m bothering.
As I don’t have a huge amount of spare cash I’m starting to think that instead of going out to eat 2-3 times a month I should just go once and go somewhere special, though that is not easy with friends birthdays etc.
Most recently was a place specialising in chicken wings, on trip advisor its 4.5 stars off 172 reviews, so you’d think pretty good. I went for a quick bit of food before a meeting and again I enjoyed them but thought to myself “mine are just as good and cheaper!”
So what do you make better yourself compared to pubs / restaurants? Mine are:
Ribs – beef and pork
Chicken wings
Pulled pork on the smoker (or anything on the BBQ)
Simple Victoria sandwich or coffee cake compared to tea rooms
Some Chinese compared to a take away
Simple ragu
Chips
I think the main point is when I go out to eat I want something made for me that’s either I can’t do myself or if I can is 1000% better! Either that or I’m getting more and more big headed and grumpy!
Sunday Roast
Almost any pasta dish
pizza
curry
Steak and Chips
Kind of with the OP on this. Quite a few nice pubs where I live have been bought by the usual plastic menu type chains. One in particular had a really good fish special board and when in season a game board. It was really good quality food.
I couldn't bring myself to eat in any of these chain pubs when you could cook better, fresher and cheaper at home. Thankfully there are still a handful of decent places left.
I couldn't bring myself to eat in any of these chain pubs when you could cook better, fresher and cheaper at home. Thankfully there are still a handful of decent places left.
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