The old ones are the best!

Jp strikes again
.

I suppose I must be quite a good cook then, because I can never find anything so much better that I'm prepared to pay restaurant prices for it.

Family birthdays - never. Out with work - I used to dread the Christmas parties because I can never eat a large meal in the evening without feeling so blown up as to feel quite ill. I can eat the same amount at mid-day with no problem. On holiday - it seems such a waste of valuable time to have a restaurant meal on holiday, but I do enjoy sitting on the sea front with take-away fish and chips. I always try to avoid pubs which sell food.

Sometimes it requires set up... You know that

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0f2faEqv-P...owling+(2).jpg

Eating out is obviously very popular. Here in Newcastle there must be a million eating places, all of them paying huge rates. Our treat is a Marks all in dinner and wine for ten pounds. Very little washing up and when we get our virtual reality headset, we will enjoy the lasagne and 12% red in a tiny restaurant somewhere in southern Italy.

I hope you'll forgive me barbeler, but my first thought on reading your post was, Christ, what an exciting life barbeler must lead.
You make Ebenezer Scrooge sound like Warren Buffet, or Michael Bloomberg.

French food is a favourite of mine..

I love to cook, I love cooking at home, I also love going out and enjoying the experience of fine dining. I haven't dined out much recently as I've been very poorly. I plan to get out to make up for it in the new year.

Seriously? You've never had amazing food that you could just not replicate at home? I consider myself a good cook too but I've been to some restaurants where the food has just blown me away. Dishes with different techniques that would just be impractical to do at home. Plus I'd not fancy casually knocking up a 10 course tasting menu at home, I doubt I'd have enough plates.

Out of interest what do you eat on holiday? One of the main things I look forward to when going on holiday is eating out at different places, usually twice a day.

I agree, as you have said replicating certain dishes can be nigh on impossible. There's also the 'spin' on a certain dish that makes another exciting experience. Sitting back and having a lovely meal prepared for you, that you can thoroughly enjoy is wonderful.
I appreciate that is not for everyone, but I love it

Family occasions/birthdays etc around 8-10 times a year.

Other than special occasions....About 3 times a week, sometimes more, other times less.

If I'm out & hungry, I would rather eat out than cook when I return home.

I hope you get better soon LM.

As for the OP - never - unless you count four sausage rolls for a quid from Cooplands.

Hello Keyser Thank you for your kind words, hopefully I'm on the home straight now, new year to look forward to, so all all being well it's going to be good.

You can't beat Cooplands sausage rolls, I couldn't eat four though

That is very good to hear - may 2017 be a really lovely year.

Well you are a Little Munchkin - four is far too much!

Not all that often maybe once or twice a month and even then it might only be a quick Wetherspoons lunch. As for proper "going out" and getting dressed up then it's probably only 3 or 4 times per year here, abroad will depend on the board basis.

Most weekends, having found a good restaurant devoid of chavs and in pleasant surroundings. Although I have one rant when eating elsewhere when having ordered and payed for an omelette, then after waiting about 20 minutes, to be told they were 'Out of omelettes'. A fortnight later. again exactly the same 20 minutes waste of time, despite having related to the cashier my earlier experience and being assured there was no problem this time, did not leave me in a happy mood.

Well by most dictionary definitions it is a restaurant.

Couple of times a week, usually a Fri night involved. Used to be a lot more, but I'm more of a homebody these days. I have a couple of friends not working, so when they're coming along we tend to go to a Harvester type place. When they're not coming along we go somewhere a bit more expensive.

My definition of restaurant is ranges of metal cuttlery, wine glasses, fancy table cloths, full of adults, mood lighting and sitting for a few hours. I did love the Beefeater back in 97 and 99. One they had like a pirate ship, don't know why... but it was well done as it certainly wasn't kiddie enticing. Lots of floor levels, boats cut in half with lighting inside the top of the boats as the guests dined inside for smaller tables.
The others they had huge tables centre of the floor like pirate meetings with the huge back chairs. Certainly there were so many options and variety for all the diners.

It had a feeling of Pirates of the Caribbean but with lots of gold and dark red coloured stuff. Low warm lighting but enough to see well. Think it was Brownhills...


I've only been in McDonalds a few times. Seats that you cannot sit on as you slide everywhere, everything feels plastic since it is easy for wiping down. Let alone all the children and the hospital lighting. Even felt out of place going into McDonalds when I was 15 - 17.

There do seem to be a lot of deluded people on this site don't there.

I can only assume that
a) their taste buds are so degraded everything tastes the same.
b) They can't afford to eat out so this is a hand excuse.
c) The live miles from civilisation and there is seriously no where nearby, but distance from civilisation is no excuse as even Bradford has some good places to eat out.

Well most do love everything slaggered in salt even when it has hidden salt. More salt! I try as hard as possible to stay away from the stuff including sugar.

Even gravy is too salty at times for my liking. Probably if most people tasted my food they would say it is tasteless... perhaps.

Personally speaking - I don't have a great sense of taste so i'm not that fussed about eating out for the quality of the food. I do like a nice Chinese because of the strong flavours and different textures, but apart from that I can take or leave most of it.

However I really enjoy the social side of it. Lots of people all round a table having a chat and laugh. It's just a normal part of life for me and pretty much everyone I know to meet people in restaurants to catch up.

Curious, those who have chinese and those who get chinese in a lot... Do you drink a lot after it? Over the course of a few hours?

I love chinese always have but only have it as treats due to the amount of carbohydrates. The amount of water I always went through from chinese was always unreal. The hidden salt and couldn't get rid of the oilyness in my mouth/lips.
Plus the fact chinese makes you sleepy as your body goes into overdrive trying to digest.

I love the fact that one of the things stopping you knocking up a 10 course tasting menu is a lack of plates.

We celebrate at home, or have a picnic and our holidays have always been self catering, originally due to cost then we just realised we actually like it.