Factors That Make A Memorable Fine Dining Restaurant
Posted by admin in Restaurant on May 12, 2012
Many people know what it is like to go to a fine dining restaurant and find that despite almost everything being perfect, the experience is let down by one small factor such as poor service or a noisy atmosphere.
When choosing a fine dining restaurant, there are four main factors you should consider. Each contributes to a memorable fine dining experience – service, food and wine, ambiance and location. If your chosen fine dining restaurant gets the combination correct, you’ll have a memorable experience and one that you will want to repeat!
Food and wine
This is number one because of course, you go to a restaurant to eat and drink! There are many factors that contribute to the quality of the food and wine. First up is quite simply, the taste of the food. This will depend on the chef and can be hard to judge – word of mouth or ratings from critics are often a good place to check. The other factor is selection; having a broad selection in the menu and room for changes such as specific dietary needs and requirements will mean that everyone at you table can find something to their liking. And don’t forget the wine or drink selection – it is important that a fine dining menu includes a range of drinks to complement the meals.
Ambiance
Even some of the best restaurants can be tainted by poor lighting, noisy rooms or a poor choice of music. It is a fine balance – not too dark, not too bright, not too noisy to talk, but not too uncomfortably quiet! Everyone has their own preferences depending on the occasion, so the best way to check can be by visiting the restaurant to book in person, and by selecting your table to ensure that you are in a place you will be comfortable. Read the rest of this entry »
How Is Sushi Healthy?
There are several factors that have lead to the increasing obesity of the American population. Jobs are less physically active. Hobbies are less physically active. Sedentary entertainment is amazingly seductive, and hyper-caloric processed foods are always at hand.
As a result, most adults, at one time or another, deal with issues of weight loss, nutrition, and health. It’s no wonder that various and sundry diet plans have become part of popular culture. Dr. Atkins is famous, and who hasn’t heard of a low carbohydrate diet? There is even a cookie diet.
With our country’s weight problem so interwoven with our culture, it might be wise to look toward other cultures that don’t exhibit these problems. It wouldn’t be worthwhile to look for answers in agrarian societies. Obviously, reworking our entire economy around weight loss and healthy isn’t likely. So, let’s look at other countries with similar economies.
How about Japan? The small island nation is certainly a high tech, service oriented economy much like our own. However, other than the Sumo wrestler, the Japanese are not thought of as suffering from a weight problem.
Let’s start by looking at the quintessential Japanese food: Sushi. Is sushi healthy? Sushi consists of small portions of rice (carbohydrates) and fish. Fish is almost pure protein. While some fish is fatty, most fish isn’t. Low fat fish includes tuna, albacore, halibut, red-snapper, and shellfish.
Although, some sushi can be fattening. Avoid rolls with mayonnaise or any other ingredient that includes saturated fat, such as Philadelphia rolls or tempura rolls. Stick with the simple, traditional rolls composed of rice and fish. Read the rest of this entry »
Choosing Side Dishes for Steak Recipes
Steak is not the kind of dish that you cook every day. This implies that you will only consider preparing it when you want to have a special meal. Making side dishes to complement the steak is crucial to ensure you get a balanced meal. The extra dishes can either add a hint of flavor or add a whole lot of extra flavor. The following are some smart tips to consider when choosing side dishes for steak recipes.
Vegetables
Pureed or mashed vegetables such as mushrooms and asparagus are suitable sides for a main dish made of beef. You can add chives, garlic, saffron or cumin to regular mashed russet potatoes. Additional suitable healthy side dishes include pureed or cooked parsnips, sweet potatoes, rutabagas and butternut squash. Besides, you can also add sour cream, butter or plain yogurt to the mashed veggies and season them using pepper and salt. For a healthier alternative, drip olive oil on broccoli and season it with lemon juice.
Grains
Including grains in the side dish is crucial to ensure that the body can get the complex carbohydrates required for extra energy. The grain braised in chicken stock makes a creamy risotto. You can make fluffy couscous using curry and chick peas to add to a beef dinner with an Indian theme. Buttered egg noodles provide a quick, simple and flavorful taste.
Salads and casseroles
You can either bake a casserole side dish or combine some fresh vegetables and herbs into a salad. Prepare scalloped potatoes that are baked with sour cream, plain yogurt or mascarpone. The gourmet version featuring cheese and macaroni includes feta and sweet cheeses, Gruyere, penne pasta and bread crumbs. Mix in shallots, arugula, sliced cherry tomatoes, champagne vinegar and a mandarin orange to get a balanced flavor and healthy salad. Read the rest of this entry »