4 posts tagged “restaurants”

We have already explored how to experience sushi with the senses of sight, smell, and sound. Today, we are going to talk about tactile impressions. That's right, the "feel" of sushi. The fact that sushi has so much varied textures that can be appreciated truly sets it apart from all other foods.

The texture of sushi is something that you will not find anywhere. Try taking a piece of fatty tuna or yellow tail and placing it in your mouth. Slowly close your jaw and let your tongue rest atop the piece. Try not chewing for 30 seconds, so you can really understand the feel. The best tuna and yellow tail feels like silk. Smooth and soft, crisp and cool to the touch.

Now, take a piece of tobiko (roe) wrapped in seaweed. Slowly chew and let your mouth guide you. You can feel the hundreds of small circular balls that make up tobiko. Try both the regular and tiny variety. They will have different tastes and a different feel. As you enjoy the feel of the tobiko, also try and separate the texture of the seaweed. It should be fresh and crunchy and represents a unique contrast to the roe. It's an amazing combination that can only be fully appreciated by those who have cultivated the taste of texture.

Finally, try octopus. The meat is harder and the suction cups on the outside are unlike any other food. While the taste is not too strong, it is the texture that sets this sushi apart.

You can have fun sampling many different varieties of sushi. Keep a notebook handy and jot down your impression of the different textures. You will find that there is always something new to experience in the amazing world of sushi.

A recent survey showed that Pizza is now considered the most popular meal throughout the United States. It is actually ironic that America's favorite food is actually Italian in origin. One might think that such examples of Americana like turkey, potato salad, or even the formidable hot dog would take their place as the champion of the American stomach. Yet, it is those odd, round pies with cheese that are the top food from Alaska to Florida. Considering their popularity, I thought it would be a good time to talk about what makes the best pizza restaurant. The answer is very simple: Great pizza.

So what makes a great pizza? First, lets start with the foundation. A pizza will only be as good as the dough that is used. Pizza dough should be made fresh daily. It should not be made beforehand and frozen. The dough has to be able to actually absurd the tomato sauce. Dough that has been frozen loses some of its ability to absorb. The dough also must be pounded and rolled so that the surface is completely flat. Any wrinkles will simply create air pockets that will make an inconsistent pizza.

Next, the tomato sauce can make all the difference. It should be spices with oregano and basil so that it has a flavorful edge. yet too much spice will overpower the pizza and yield an unappetizing concoction. remember, a good sauce compliments the cheese, it doesn't fight with it.

Speaking of cheese, make sure your pizza place uses real mozzarella, not a cheddar blend. Pizza cost about 10 cents per slice to make. It is a very high profit item. There really is no need to skimp on the cheese. Cheese should be grated and spread uniformly covering all the tomato sauce. There should be no blank spots and no clumps of cheese.

Finally, the toppings must be both diverse and fresh. There is no need today to store mushrooms in cans for six months. Think fresh and you are thinking good pizza. Be original, almost anything from eggs to anchovies can go on a pizza. A good pizza restaurant is not afraid of experimentation.

It is really quite simple to review restaurants and share your findings. If you can't get to a computer to read my column and figure our where to dine, here are the five most important characteristic to use in evaluating restaurants:

1) What is the atmosphere like? What this means is how you feel when you walk into a restaurant. Is the place clean and attractive. Is the temperature agreeable. Do the lighting fixtures, wall colors, and table and chair designs lend themselves to a comfortable place to sit and eat. Is the volume of noise tolerable. There are thousands of places to eat. If I don't like the atmosphere, I am pretty sure the food will be bad. On the other hand, if the decor is interesting and exciting, I can guess the food will be too.

2) Is the service professional? Even the best restaurants can suffer from poor service. Unfortunately, having poor service can ruin an otherwise enjoyable dining experience. You should wait no more than five minutes between sitting down and speaking with a server. Food should take no more than twenty minutes from the time it is ordered. When you ask for a bill, it must appear within five minutes. These are the rules. Servers should be friendly and attentive, but not overly chatty. My relationship with the server is that I want him or her to speedily bring me the food I request. Unless I am interested in striking up a romance with the server, I really don't care to know what their names are.

3)  Does the food look good? Even before we have taken the first bite, our expectations can be heightened or lowered just by the display. We don't want messy plates. We don't want our peas touching our potatoes. We want the food we ordered looking like it was prepared with special care just for us. If the chef has taken the extra time to carve the salad tomato into a rose, he has probably done a good job cooking the main course first.

4) Does the food taste good? Of course, at the end of the day, this is the most important quality of a restaurant. No matter how good the service, no matter how warm the atmosphere, if the steak tastes like it was from a donkey, I'm afraid I will not be returning. Remember it is always an eater's market. There are always more restaurants to try. The competition in the dining field has always produced places of excellence.

5) Were the process reasonable? I don't expect a brilliant meal at an outstanding French restaurant with a wine to cost $20. Likewise, I don't expect a tomato sandwich to cost $20 either. The cost must be commensurate with the food. Diners gong to very fancy establishments expect to pay more. We don't mind, just make sure that it is worth our while.

Every town has a Jack's cafe, or at least it should. Jack's is the place where the food is not so great, the service is slow, and the prices are slightly higher than they out to be. Yet, for some strange reason, we all love Jack's. It is a place that becomes familiar, where we know what to expect. Chances are we will see old friends every time we come. It is this familiarity that is the attraction.

Many people have a favorite piece of clothing that has seen better days. I remember an old sweater that I kept around well after I should have tossed it. It just felt good to put it on. I was used to the feeling. Jack's is like that. I know I will never walk out of Jack's raving about the hamburger or tuna salad. But then, after all, there is only so much that you can do to either a hamburger or a tuna sandwich. They won't be a meal to remember, but on the other hand, you will fill up and be on your way. Sometimes, that is all you need.

Places like Jack's always list fancy dishes somewhere near the bottom of the menu. Yet if you ask, the server will tell you that they are out of that entree. In truth, they have not served the fancy "specials" for over eight years and want to keep the streak intact. Just order the tuna. Believe me, you, the server, and the short order cook will all be very grateful.

When I was younger, I used to go to Jack's twice a week. It was where we would all meet to discuss the latest news over a tuna on rye. Today, while I miss that carefree age, I can still treasure my memories by sitting on a stool at Jack's and watching the new crowd come in out of the corner of my eye. And of course, I can still get the tuna on rye.