I'm just thrilled to Allie from beauty & the feast here today. I must say, this beautiful friend of mine knows food.. I'm basically drooling every time I'm over on her blog. So, when she agreed to sharing some of her tips for finding the most awesome of eats, I was just so excited. Thanks so much for sharing, Allie! You're awesome.
Hello Musing readers! I’m Allie from beauty & the feast. You may or may not know this, but I love food. Really really love food. I believe that you should never have to compromise what you put in your stomach and that every meal should be the best meal of your life (perhaps a bit unrealistic heehee). You might not realize that there’s an art to choosing a restaurant to eat at but I very much believe there is. Some may say I’m a little neurotic; I tend to agree with them. But nothing makes me happier than enjoying a good meal with great people, which is why I’ve developed the…
1. Keep a running list
How often do you get a suggestion for a restaurant, vow to eat there the next time you go out and then forget all about it? I like to keep a running list as a note in my phone so whenever the feasting out opportunity surfaces, I know exactly where to go!
2. Yelp it
Though I never make a decision based solely off of Yelp, I think it’s a great place to start. Read through the reviews. Lots of people only Yelp when they have a bad experience and in general, people just love to complain about things that I find silly. For example, if your going to a cheapo hole-in-the-wall, the service shouldn’t be a deal breaker, especially when the food makes up for it.
3. Check out the menu
I absolutely mustcheck stalk the menu before going to a restaurant. Some find it strange and it probably is! But it’s nice to make sure that there’ll be something for everyone and personally, I like to get pumped for what I’m going to be eating that night.
4. Do a drive by and judge their décor and branding… but not too much
Now this is definitely taking it too far, but I like to drive by the restaurant before eating there to get a feel for the neighborhood and demographic. I’m also a firm believer in appropriate and all around good branding… but there’s an exception to every rule; my friend Lori taught me that one. The mom and pop place down the road will most likely be unimpressive design-wise but the food will probably be some the best, so it's good to keep that in mind. But when a restaurant that prides themselves on being trendy and popular turns out to have crappy branding, it's almost always a sign to run... fast.
5. Be open-minded
Restaurants can surprise you... be open-minded and choose wisely!
Hello Musing readers! I’m Allie from beauty & the feast. You may or may not know this, but I love food. Really really love food. I believe that you should never have to compromise what you put in your stomach and that every meal should be the best meal of your life (perhaps a bit unrealistic heehee). You might not realize that there’s an art to choosing a restaurant to eat at but I very much believe there is. Some may say I’m a little neurotic; I tend to agree with them. But nothing makes me happier than enjoying a good meal with great people, which is why I’ve developed the…
1. Keep a running list
How often do you get a suggestion for a restaurant, vow to eat there the next time you go out and then forget all about it? I like to keep a running list as a note in my phone so whenever the feasting out opportunity surfaces, I know exactly where to go!
2. Yelp it
Though I never make a decision based solely off of Yelp, I think it’s a great place to start. Read through the reviews. Lots of people only Yelp when they have a bad experience and in general, people just love to complain about things that I find silly. For example, if your going to a cheapo hole-in-the-wall, the service shouldn’t be a deal breaker, especially when the food makes up for it.
3. Check out the menu
I absolutely must
4. Do a drive by and judge their décor and branding… but not too much
Now this is definitely taking it too far, but I like to drive by the restaurant before eating there to get a feel for the neighborhood and demographic. I’m also a firm believer in appropriate and all around good branding… but there’s an exception to every rule; my friend Lori taught me that one. The mom and pop place down the road will most likely be unimpressive design-wise but the food will probably be some the best, so it's good to keep that in mind. But when a restaurant that prides themselves on being trendy and popular turns out to have crappy branding, it's almost always a sign to run... fast.
5. Be open-minded
Restaurants can surprise you... be open-minded and choose wisely!