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Old 10-08-2011, 18:40
degsyhufc
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When you go to a restaurant do you want to eat the cheap food that the chef has worked on to make a great dish or do you want to have simple food but the best ingredients.

It seems to be common these days for chefs to take the cheaper cuts and work their magic

I usually go for something I wouldn't be able to get around here (I often look for Game).

I hardly ever choose chicken because it's a cheap ingredient and I feel I could knock something similar up at home.
I've stopped ordering steak as I usually do a better one myself
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Old 10-08-2011, 19:23
missloo
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i look for something that i wouldn't normally have at home, that said, i had a steak out last week and it was very good!

I had turbot at a restaurant recently and it was amazing
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Old 10-08-2011, 19:52
whoever,hey
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I always have something i wouldn't normally eat to just experiment.

The other week i had a calves liver dish for main!
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Old 10-08-2011, 23:09
Gaditano
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Interesting question. When I was younger, I was inclined to play safe and stick to dishes I knew. These days, it's the opposite, the more 'experimental' the better. If I'm travelling I try to have regional specialities.
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Old 10-08-2011, 23:28
Flying Dagger
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I always try and order something I can't buy or make at home. What's the point of going to a restaurant otherwise?
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Old 10-08-2011, 23:42
degsyhufc
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I always try and order something I can't buy or make at home. What's the point of going to a restaurant otherwise?
That's the thing though. I have friends and family members who only order the basics that you would find in probably every restaurant.
e.g. steak & chips or chicken in white sauce.
I suppose if you were keeping a tally of scores for each then it would be worthwhile.
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Old 11-08-2011, 02:53
Pixie Queen
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I like to try something I've never had or something I wouldn't be able to make at home myself. In saying that I have cooked things I thought would be too complicated or difficult to do at home after really enjoying it when out for a meal.
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Old 11-08-2011, 07:48
BrunoStreete
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I always try and have something that I've never had before. Love the cheap cuts and I always like dishes where there is the same meat cooked different ways, maybe Lamb Loin with Sweetbreads and braised shoulder something like that.
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Old 11-08-2011, 08:33
indianwells
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These days if I actually go to a restaurant I go with low expectations and hope to be pleasantly surprised.
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Old 11-08-2011, 09:15
RAINBOWGIRL22
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I would never eat somethng that I can or do cook at home!
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Old 11-08-2011, 10:26
Flying Dagger
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That's the thing though. I have friends and family members who only order the basics that you would find in probably every restaurant.
e.g. steak & chips or chicken in white sauce.
I suppose if you were keeping a tally of scores for each then it would be worthwhile.
I know exactly what you mean. I have a grown up daughter who says she likes Indian food. But apart from starters she only ever orders chicken tikka massala.
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Old 11-08-2011, 10:56
indianwells
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I would never eat somethng that I can or do cook at home!
What about garlic bread?
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Old 11-08-2011, 11:04
podgicus
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Most of the time I'll try something I've never had before, or something that I can't cook at home. 90% of the time that means a fish dish of some sort (OH can't stand the smell of fish cooking).

Having said that, sometimes nothing but a big juicy steak will do..
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Old 11-08-2011, 11:08
RAINBOWGIRL22
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What about garlic bread?
Side orders don't count
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Old 11-08-2011, 11:16
petit-pois
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I'm afraid I stick to what I know!

Steak & chips, burgers & chips, korma curry, chicken... (not all at once!)

Sometimes I'll see something that sounds nice but I don't get in case I don't like it. I don't have much money so I don't want to waste it, so would rather spend it on a meal I'm guaranteed to enjoy. Reading that back makes me sound so unadventurous. Maybe I should throw caution to the wind, go wild and order a tikka masala instead!
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Old 11-08-2011, 13:32
Gaditano
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Reading that back makes me sound so unadventurous.
There might be a reason for that!!
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Old 11-08-2011, 13:33
Russ_WWFC
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I'll try something new if the oppertunity arises, especially in a curry house.
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Old 11-08-2011, 13:43
c4rv
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Are you saying that cheap cuts can't be high quality ?

OP you comment about avoiding chicken does not make sense. Chicken can be anything from cheap frozen stuff from eastern europe or asia, or can be organically free ranging bird full of flavour which cost way more then factory produced beef, lamb or pork.

There are loads of controls on how food is labelled and sold to consumers, nothing for trade. Reality is how many people ask about ingredient sourcing ?
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Old 11-08-2011, 15:32
Teddybleads
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I usually ask the waiter what he recommends.

Mrs. Bleads always manages to sniff out the most expensive thing on the menu, even when her one doesn't have the prices on it.
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Old 11-08-2011, 18:16
Gaditano
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I usually ask the waiter what he recommends.
Careful with that - he'll recommend whatever the chef has told him needs to be got rid of!
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Old 11-08-2011, 18:30
degsyhufc
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Are you saying that cheap cuts can't be high quality ?

OP you comment about avoiding chicken does not make sense. Chicken can be anything from cheap frozen stuff from eastern europe or asia, or can be organically free ranging bird full of flavour which cost way more then factory produced beef, lamb or pork.

There are loads of controls on how food is labelled and sold to consumers, nothing for trade. Reality is how many people ask about ingredient sourcing ?
No, that part of the question was about if you trust the chef enough to take those cheaper cuts and work their magic or would you prefer to order a high end cut and not have it messed about with.

The bit about chicken is because i've had too many bland/plain chicken dishes in restaurants and have since never seen anything on a menu that would make me pay £15 for a chicken dish.
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Old 11-08-2011, 18:33
BrunoStreete
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I would never eat somethng that I can or do cook at home!
I would. Sometimes going out is to relax and let someone else do the cooking.
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Old 11-08-2011, 18:35
BrunoStreete
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Are you saying that cheap cuts can't be high quality ?

OP you comment about avoiding chicken does not make sense. Chicken can be anything from cheap frozen stuff from eastern europe or asia, or can be organically free ranging bird full of flavour which cost way more then factory produced beef, lamb or pork.

There are loads of controls on how food is labelled and sold to consumers, nothing for trade. Reality is how many people ask about ingredient sourcing ?
I agree with him on chicken, just doesn't seem 'special' enough for me at a nice restaurant. Would love to have it at a top restaurant but I rarely see it on the menu at the ones I go to.
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Old 11-08-2011, 18:54
whoever,hey
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It really depends what kind of establishment it is tbh.

Decent places i'll experiment a lot more. But your typical pub sort of place, i'll just get steak and ale pie or a burger and chips.

I also agree about the chicken thing. Tonight though i'm having home cooked chicken forestiere
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Old 11-08-2011, 19:01
Gaditano
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If you want creative cooking used on interesting cuts of meat, treat yourself to a meal at Arbutus next time you're in London. They can even ALMOST make tripe taste good!

http://www.arbutusrestaurant.co.uk/
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