Tag: dining

How to get the most from your dining experience

Everyone thinks that the path to a pleasant dining experience rests in how much you tip, but the key to getting the most out of your meal begins the minute you decide to eat out, and it hinges on five key factors: choosing the restaurant, time of day, ordering, attitude, and payment. Let’s begin.

1) Choosing your restaurant.

In today’s volatile economy restaurant chains rise out of nowhere everyday just to sink just as quickly back into obscurity. However, literally hundreds of choices from national chains like Olive Garden, to refined New York steak houses or and mom and pop diners are available to people in every region of the country, on any budget. This then begs the question, “Where do I want to eat?”

Your night begins here, with this very simple yet important question. It’s more than just a matter of Italian food or vegan tacos – it’s about your expectations.

What do you want – “want” being the operative word? You can dine anywhere, but you’re choosing to be there so make it for the right reasons. Are you looking for fine dining and an extensive wine list to dazzle a client or a cozy booth to spend hours catching up with an out of town friend? We “go out” for more than just food – we pay for an experience, and even if you’re there for a quick bite, asking yourself a few questions can tease out your ideal atmosphere. Questions like:

Am I willing to wait a long time for a table?

Do they take reservations?

Is it loud?

Is it a family style restaurant?

Is it expensive?

Is the menu large or small?

Am I willing to try something new?

Am I in a hurry?

The answers to these few questions can help assess the mood you’re in, and a little forethought can save you a two hour wait in a noisy, kid-filled lobby to finally sit at a table in a restaurant that doesn’t serve salmon. Instead of just heading out the door and picking a restaurant based on the spinning marquis that catches your eye from the freeway, put a little thought into your expectations.

2) Choosing the time

Let’s say for the sake of argument that you choose a mid-sized regional chain. Excellent, most people do. You’ve been to an establishment like this before, even if it may be your first time at this particular chain or location, therefore you know what to expect, right? Not always. A restaurant is just like anything else, with its unpredictable qualities, but the one truth you can count on is that timing really is everything.

When you dine is almost as important

Dining etiquette: Why you should be polite to your waitress

Enjoying a nice, relaxing and delicious dinner is a favorite pastime of many. A couple’s first date often involves a nice dinner at a restaurant. Celebrations, such as birthdays and anniversaries oftentimes take place at a nice restaurant. Allowing a day off for the cook, whether that be Mom, wife, or Dad, is another reason people choose to dine out. Regardless of the occasion, when we dine out, we expect that we will receive good service and a delicious meal. Many restaurant employees are involved in providing us this dining experience. However, the backbone of this dining experience is the person who waits on your table. This is why you should be polite to your waitress. After working as a “Server” (I prefer the title “waitress”), I realized that this occupation must be the most under-appreciated, underpaid job available. Though I try to approach every new guest with a positive attitude and a gleaming smile, it isn’t difficult to determine those certain guests that you know are going to be trouble from the start. You can see it in their eyes. The way they hold their posture. The way they look at you, as if you are merely someone they can bark orders at and run ragged without any gesture of appreciation. It didn’t take long to understand why the title “server” replaced waiters and waitresses. That is what we do. We serve the hungry public. I learned that when people are hungry, they aren’t exactly the most friendly and courteous. This shouldn’t give them a free ticket to treat servers badly though. It seems that servers get the blame for most anything and everything that might happen in the restaurant. It doesn’t matter if they are upset because they had a forty-minute wait, when promised it would only be twenty. The guest may be upset because they were sat at a table next to a crying baby. Or, if the guests idea of a steak cooked “medium” is a little less pink than the restaurant’s idea of “medium.” Whatever the reason, the server is the one who suffers the consequences. And by consequences, I mean “gratuity.” First of all, the server is not a host or hostess. We didn’t have control over how long our guest waited, nor where their table was situated in the restaurant. And, we are not to blame for the steak not being properly cooked, considering we ordered it as the guest requested. My job as a server is to provide my guests with a comfortable, relaxed, and delicious dining experience. I believe I do an excellent job as a server. Unfortunately, at the end of the evening, my tips don’t always add up to what they should. A tip, or gratuity, can be defined as a gift of money given to someone for performing a service or menial task, over and above the payment due for the service. Tips are not required, but they are expected by many people in the service industry. I have to wonder if the public realizes that servers rely on tips as their income; that we only make around $3.00 an hour. When a guest leaves me a $2.00 tip on a fifty dollar check, especially when I have been waiting on them for over an hour, refilling drinks several times, fetching all of the “extras” they have to have immediately, clearing plates, bringing more bread, and fulfilling all of the many other requests they have, I become pretty disappointed. I don’t know how many people can survive on $5.00 an hour, but I know I can’t. I have no intentions of continuing as a server for a long period of time, but for the sake of those who have chosen to make this a career, please be polite and tip your servers.

South street seaport restaurant is an enchanting place for foodies

South Street Seaport Restaurant is a perfect place to enjoy your evening.Usually, the atmosphere of a restaurant is mind-blowing and astonishing and so it is successful in attracting a lot of customers. The place is the favorite place of many people as they really have a wonderful time to splurge here. The restaurant offers an appeasing ambience to make your time very pleasant. The restaurant in South Street Seaport will undoubtedly give some exceptional and unforgettable experience of your life .You will be so much fascinated that you will always want to visit this place as they solve both the option of enjoying and dinning. You are so much spelled by this place that you always look out for some reason to visit it quite often. The delicious food and the enchanting atmosphere makes you so much involved in the activities that you forget rest of the things.

A restaurant is the preferred place of all those who are fond of mouth watering dishes and partying with friends, colleages and with beloved ones. You can have anything that you whether lunch, dinner or a party and others that you desire. It’s really a loving and romancing moment to visit the restaurant with your spouse or beloved ones to enjoy the candle light dinner. The ambience of a restaurant is the first thing that attracts all the visitors. It energizes you so much that you forget other stuffs and get fully engaged in the activities to make a pleasing evening. The furniture needs to be trendy and comfortable also to help you to have a good sitting. The lighting system of the restaurant should be classy and fashionable to spellbind you. A dim light is mostly preferred as it creates a soothing and gentle environment that most visitors prefer. Such a wonderful place is an ultimate destination where everyone would like to spend their quality time.

If you are residing in South Street Seaport then you can find various restaurants that delivers quality service. You can browse in internet or can ask your friend who has ever come across the best south street seaport restaurant in that place. You must look for the type of food and the quality of service that they cater to the customers. A good restaurant will definitely consider customer satisfaction as it will help them to business well and get reputed among the restaurant lovers. The manager of the restaurant has to ensure that the visitors get the best quality service and all their demands get fulfilled promptly. In this way the restaurant gets much advertised and it encounters an increase in the number of visitors.

A restaurant does have all the option of fooding.You can also have drinks on demand. The menu card contains all the food items that the restaurant has for the customers. Almost every restaurant has a food specialization and this thing makes it different from other restaurants. You can find all the beef products that are very popular among the guests. You can also party with your friends and colleagues or can throw a party if you want. The restaurant has all these arrangements to let you have a wonderful and mesmerizing moment .Before throwing a party in the restaurant ,you must look for their experience and the quality service that they deliver after all you are going to spend your money.

Dining out and understanding your restaurant billing in Italy

One of the most appreciated aspects of Italian culture is Italian cuisine, which is, without exaggeration, succulently scrumptious. Dining out in Italy is truly the gastronomist’s and epicurean’s opportunity to gorge and indulge in the haute couture of fine cuisine and delicate tastes.

But Italian cuisine is not just a pastiche of pasta and pizza; it is a creative collection of regional dishes that are characterized by various European and Mediterranean and Middle Eastern influences. The secret to the freshness of Italian food is the culinary tradition’s emphasis on fresh, locally grown, seasonal produce.

The unification of Italy diffused many popular dishes throughout Italy and abroad, however, regions remain fiercely loyal to their locally produced specialties. To truly taste Italian culture, you must venture off the beaten path and sample regional, local cooking, which is, in essence, authentic Italian cooking.

As someone of Italian heritage, here is some practical information about dining establishments in Italy, and some tips to help you pay your bill after you have polished off your pizza.

WHEN IN ITALY, EAT AS THE ITALIANS DO

A traditional and formal Italian meal can continue for hours and consists of an antipasto (appetizer), sometimes served with an aperitivo (aperitif drink), followed by a primo piatto, generally a pasta, risotto or soup course, followed by a secondo piatto, a heartier meat or fish course. The second course is generally served with a contorno (side dish) and/or a salad, which is eaten with the main course, or directly afterwards. The dolce (dessert) and fruit selection with cheeses follow the salad. The caffe (coffee), and digestivo (digestive drink) conclude the meal.

However, do not feel pressured to follow the traditional multi-course meal, which is becoming rarer nowadays. Although the food choices on the menu are presented in this order, simply order whatever you feel comfortable eating.

WHERE TO WINE AND DINE

Depending on the dining experience you crave (and how hungry you are!), there are many different dining establishments in Italy.

Ristoranti

Restaurants are found all over Italy, and vary in ambiance. They may be upscale and elegant or low-key and causal. Most offer popular selections and regional specialties, and tend to be slightly more expensive than family run establishments. Many offer a menu turistico(tourist menu), that combines a complete meal into one fixed price.

Eating disorders explained

Eating Disorders Are a Serious Issue

Eating disorders can affect both males and females, with a higher instance occurring in females. An eating disorder is a potentially deadly syndrome, or illness, that has a biological base. The predisposition of developing an eating disorder is heavily influenced by emotional, societal, and cultural factors. Many eating disorder patients suffer without any help or treatment simply because of the stigmas attached to eating disorders, but with proper treatment, recovery is attainable.

Types of Eating Disorders

There are three main types of eating disorders, and it is possible that symptoms of all three occur in one person. The three types are known as anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder, which are also known as compulsive overeating. Patients suffering from any of these disorders experience extreme emotions, attitude changes, and strange behaviors, especially related to food and weight issues. People suffering from any eating disorder tend to have a negative body image.

Anorexia Nervosa

Men and women suffering from anorexia nervosa engage in self-starvation and extreme weight loss. Patients typically refuse to maintain a normal body weight and have an intense fear of becoming fat or gaining any weight. Additionally, anorexia patients feel fat despite their actual weight. Females often stop having menstrual periods due to the extreme weight loss.

Bulimia Nervosa

Bulimia nervosa is defined by binge eating and purging, which is usually done in a secretive cycle. Binge eating is characterized by eating a large amount of food in a very short period of time, normally more than what most people would eat in one meal, or even a day. Purging to get rid of the food and corresponding calories through over-exercising, excessive laxative use, or even self-induced vomiting immediately follows the binging. Most patients experience repeated episodes of binging and purging and feel out of control during these episodes.

Compulsive Overeating

Compulsive overeating, or binge eating disorder, is similar to bulimia but has no episodes of purging. Patients suffering from compulsive overeating will eat continuously and impulsively even after they feel completely full. In place of purging, there can be sporadic fasting periods, repetitive dieting, and most often feelings of shame and self-hate. Most patients susceptible to binge eating disorder also suffer from anxiety, depression, and loneliness.

The Causes of Eating Disorders

While the underlying causes of any eating disorder has yet to be determined, it has been found that a combination of factors will contribute to the onset of the disorder. Many patients begin with frequent thoughts about or obsess over food and weight. However, behavioral, emotional, psychological, interpersonal, and social factors also affect the onset and severity of eating disorders. Often, eating disorder sufferers use food and the control of food to compensate for emotions or feelings that overwhelm them otherwise.

Treatment

Because eating disorders can cause serious health problems and even death, it is important to get effective treatment and quickly. The earlier an eating disorder is detected and treated, the better chances a patient has of recovering. Usually, psychotherapy and counseling are the most effective treatments for any eating disorder. Accompanied with medical and nutritional monitoring, therapy is the most effective way to treat an eating disorder.

Tips for homemade food gifts

Food gifts are a wonderful idea to give during the holidays. You can give items such as cookies, breads, candies, meats or fruit. Food gifts could be soup and sourdough bread bowls, or that special pumpkin bread you mother-in-law loves so much. Food gifts are fun to make, and gives that special touch that someone went above and beyond to make you a food gift. Food gifts could consist of homemade food gifts and food gift baskets. Food gifts are fun to make, fun to give and fun to receive.

Homemade food gifts are what giving is all about. There are many different ways you can give a gift. You can put different layers of beans or pasta in a big jar with big spoons tied around the jar; you can make your own flavored salts with different spices. Homemade food gifts can be given during Christmas, when a baby comes home, or when you feel the time is right to give such a gift. Maybe your co-worker has a birthday coming up and you want to get them a festive birthday gift basket. However, it would be more fun to do it yourself! You can get a really nice basket with a stuffed animal, popcorn, candy and maybe some movie tickets and wrap it in cellophane. You can do that, or you can do the original, a food gift basket.

Food gift baskets usually have a theme. For example, a coffee basket would probably have an assortment of coffees, biscotti, truffles and espresso beans. Or a margarita food basket would usually have two margarita glasses, margarita mix and margarita salt. Food gift baskets are fun and festive to give to people when you just don’t have time to make your own. Many food gift baskets are available online. You can also have someone make one for you to be even more personalized. There’s many ways to give a gift of food.

With the options given about food gifts, homemade food gifts and food gift baskets, which one would you, choose? Would you make a homemade food gift with that special touch, or would you get the wonderfully assorted themed food gift basket? What event in your life would you most likely give a food gift? With all the options out there, and all the events and social activities out there, here are a few examples to help you out.

Little Known Ways to Find Great Restaurants

Dining out with your friends or family is a pleasurable occasion that nobody would like to miss. But with new restaurants springing up in every nook and corner and almost all offering global cuisine; selecting a good restaurant is in itself a daunting task. However there are few ways by which you can easily find local restaurants.

* Public media
Public media such as Newspapers, Television, Radio carry reviews and recommendations about restaurants in the locality which also includes info on menus, price ranges, cuisine, ambience and so on. They also rate these restaurants based on user reviews. But there is a chance of it being biased.

* Suggestions from family and friends
Suggestions from family and friends are also helpful in finding great restaurants as they had first hand experience. But this also has its limitations as they can provide only very little info about the restaurants that they’ve visited. Moreover they cannot comment on all the restaurants in town.

* Internet Search Engines
Generic search engines provide some info on restaurants. But since it is powered by keyword based technology it fetches vast amount of data mixed with a lot of irrelevant content. So it becomes a hectic task to select the right one.

* Review Sites
These are no doubt a good source of information providing both professional as well as user reviews. The basic drawback could be one could just be referring to a few review sites and they don’t cover all the local restaurants.

* Blogs
Some bloggers provide recommendations, reviews and suggestions about new restaurants in town. But it also provides limited information.

* Vertical search engine to Search Restaurants
It compiles reviews from across the web. As it’s powered by Natural Language Processing Technology it’s like a restaurant guide featuring detailed restaurants ratings, menus, ambience, addresses, hours, driving directions, maps, photographs, discount restaurant gift certificates and coupons, keyword searches and other relevant restaurant information. Users can also search by name, cuisine, occasion or location.

Of all the above options, vertical search engines are the best in finding great restaurants as they act as restaurant guides giving the most appropriate restaurant recommendations.

How food enhances our lives

Imagine for a moment that you are hundreds or perhaps thousands of years in the future. The Universe has run out of fertile soil to grow crops. Animals, other than humans, are only in history books. But man, in his brilliance, has found a way to keep himself alive by synthesizing proteins, minerals, vitamins, and fiber into one small nutrition biscuit that takes exactly 30 seconds to chew and swallow. The biscuit provides enough calories to keep a person alive for 24 hours so only one is needed. The wasted hours of mealtime and food preparation are no longer needed. Man can work continuously on other projects to “enhance” his life.

Sound like a nightmare? From our earliest moments when we recognize the smell of our mother’s milk, food is not only a physical necessity for life but a sensual one too. Food gives enjoyment; food sustains life; food or lack of it runs the world. Just as plentiful food enhances life, lack of food destroys life. Ask anyone who has been through a famine or hard time and they will tell you that abundance of food is a thing of joy. They will also tell you that it was an experience they’ll never forget and they are grateful for every meal.

Watch any courting couple and if they’re truly in love, sometime while eating together, one will feed the other. Perhaps it is a chocolate-dipped strawberry or just a spoonful of soup, but the act of feeding another is a gesture of love. We show our love and concern with food by cutting a child’s sandwich into triangles, by taking a hot casserole to an ailing neighbor, by celebrating a holiday with special foods. From the simple Communion wafer to the banquet spread, food is much more than itself. It’s a recognition that food comes from a higher power than our own hands. Whether it is God or Mother Nature that you thank before a meal, aloud or in silence, the acknowledgement is there that we are just the intermediaries. By preparing and giving food to others we are adding a greater than human element to our interactions.

For many of us, food enhances our lives not just by feeding us by supporting us financially. The farmer, the grocer, the chef, and the cooking show celebrity or writer all can thank food for their livelihood. Artists and photographers add food items to their still lifes, demonstrating once again that any work of art is enhanced by the presence of food. Entire industries are supported by preparing and marketing new foods. Dietitians, fitness trainers, and weight loss specialists enhance our lives by teaching us how to have a healthy relationship with food.

The beauty of growing and harvesting foods gives us a sense of belonging to the earth. From planting peas in spring soil to picking berries with friends, food deepens our understanding of life’s cycles and our connection with the Earth. There is something so deeply satisfying about bringing food from the garden to the table or better yet to the doorstep of a friend or neighbor. A gift of food speaks of caring rather than obligation. For the millions of us who “like to feed people,” we all understand the deep satisfaction that comes from sharing the vital substance of food.

Our lives are tremendously enhanced by food. Food gives us an opportunity to bond in the garden, in the kitchen, and at the table. It gives us a chance to be creative and to have fun. It gives us joy in celebration and comfort in sorrow.

Now, just how are they going to do that with nutrition wafers in the future? Don’t ask me to time travel. I’m staying right here

Terrific Ways to Find Good Restaurants

Are you fed up of the usual stuff offered by the restaurants that you normally frequent? Want to try new ones? Well, try the different ways given below to find good restaurants.

* Public media
Public media such as Newspapers, Television, Radio carry reviews and recommendations about restaurants in the locality, which also includes info on menus, price ranges, cuisine, ambience and so on. They also rate these restaurants based on user reviews. But there is a chance of it being biased.

* Recommendations from family and friends
Suggestions from family and friends are also helpful in finding great restaurants as they might have firsthand experience with some restaurants. But this also has its limitations as they can provide only very little info about the restaurants that they’ve visited. Moreover they cannot comment on all the restaurants in town.

* Internet search engines
Generic search engines provide some info on restaurants. Since, they are powered by keyword based technology; they fetch vast amounts of data mixed with a lot of irrelevant content. So, it’s a hectic task to select the right restaurant.

* Review sites
These are no doubt a good source of information providing both professional as well as user reviews. The basic drawback could be one could just be referring to a few review sites and they don’t cover all the local restaurants.

* Blogs
Some bloggers provide recommendations, reviews and suggestions about new restaurants in town. But, it also provides limited information.

* Vertical search engine to search restaurants
These compile reviews from across the web. As it’s powered by Natural Language Processing technology; it’s like a restaurant guide featuring detailed restaurants ratings, menus, ambience, addresses, hours, driving directions, maps, photographs, discount restaurant gift certificates and coupons, keyword searches and other relevant restaurant information. Users can also search by name, cuisine, occasion or location.

Of all the above options, vertical search engines are the best in finding good restaurants as they compile details from over a million online review sites to generate ratings of each and every restaurant based on its food, service and ambience. So, a restaurant guide helps in selecting good restaurants.

Metabolism boosting foods

I lost my adult weight gain and kept it off for over two years now by knowing which metabolism boosting foods worked best.

Not only did I lose weight, but I found enough energy to athletically outperform people 20 years younger than me.

It started by knowing that naturally growing foods boosts metabolism.

Mother Nature gave you an easy way to tell what foods constitute metabolism boosting foods, and what foods slow your metabolism down.

Here’s the catch, different foods have different metabolism affects on different people. This is why we have some people who could eat allot of one type of food and stay slim, while someone else eating that same food would balloon quickly.

Our bodies even react differently to what others would list as metabolism boosting foods.

Different people react to foods in different ways, but there’s a way for you to find out witch foods boost your metabolism and which ones slow it down.

Look back all the foods you’ve eaten in the past and recall how you reacted right afterwards.

If you’ve felt energetic for a long period of time, you’ve eaten a metabolism boosting food. If you’ve felt sleepy or tired after you ate that food, either immediately after eating or long after, you’ve eaten something that slows your metabolism.

Chances are that most the foods that kept you energetic after you ate were natural foods. Those that naturally grow that way in the wild or in the farm. You see these foods in the produce section like potatoes, carrots, and the butcher section, such as meats, fish, and poultry.

Go back to the last time you ate pancakes, allot of them. Also, go back and reflect on the last time you ate allot of cake and ice cream in one setting. Or when you ate allot of fudge bars. Chances are that you felt tired shortly afterwards.

This is your body shutting your metabolism down.

If you’ve wondered why some people could devote allot of time working out, but not losing weight, it’s possible that they’re eating foods that slow their metabolism down.

And it’s metabolism that contributes to people loosing weight, keeping it off, and getting by without needing coffee or feeling drowsy after lunch.

There’s an entire section in the grocery store that sells metabolism boosting foods. Fruits, vegetables, and meats are metabolism boosting. Natural grains like oatmeal and rice are also metabolism boosting.

Canned fruits, canned vegetables, and prepackaged/processed meats, have lots of sodium. Too much sodium slows your metabolism down and causes your body to hold more water. Canned fruits have too much processed sugar, another item that’ll slow your metabolism down.

Say you’ve gone to the produce section and purchased fresh fruits and vegetables. You’ve selected your meats and fish from the butcher section.

You’ve got fresh potatoes from the produce section instead of the prepackaged French fries and potato scallops. You’ve got your rice in the rice sack vice the boxed rice. You’ve got your natural oats that comes in the cylinder vice the prepackaged/boxed flavored oatmeal.

The next thing you do is eat them in a way that’ll maximize their metabolism boosting effects. You do this by eating them in the right amounts.

Instead of eating three large meals, eat several smaller ones. Eat when you get hungry. This is the trick to permanently loosing weight. Your body thinks that there’s plenty of food, and it’ll shed the pounds.

Supplement this with an exercise routine. Even if it means walking long distance on a regular basis. When you eat metabolism boosting foods, your eating will become the main weight loss strategy.