It’s Easter time again and you thought that you had just got over the Christmas feeding frenzy. It’s almost like you wait the whole year for these festive days where you can dine out with family and friends. Your restaurant choice could make or break your evening with friends so be sure to choose wisely!
Selection of a Restaurant:
So what tips can you take when selecting a restaurant for a special occasion? Well first of all there will always be chat about a good restaurant, so ask your friends and work colleagues about their personal experiences and where they suggest you should dine out. Word of mouth is stronger than any other form of advertising so this should be your first step in the right direction.
The Venue:
You then would look for a place that is suitable for the crowd that you intend on taking out. Ask yourself: If there are children in the group is there entertainment for them? Is the music to loud for the older folk? Would you prefer no music? How crowded can the place become on a busy day? What is the interior lighting of the restaurant like and will you be comfortably seated during the evening? Generally the atmosphere is generated by your surroundings so pick decor according to your parties preferred taste.
Getting Value for Money:
Eating out can become quite expensive so make sure that you are going to get value for your hard earned money. You may need to pay a little more for good quality but you would like to be guaranteed that you are going to be happy with your meal. Also take a look at the wine list, are the wines handpicked for that special eating experience or have they been bought from the local store and just added to the menu? You would like to attend a restaurant where the owner shows a passion for the food that he prepares and this is generally indicated in the content of the menu, i.e. what is there speciality?
Hospitality:
Another big factor is the hospitality whilst you are there. You may find yourself in a bee hive where you get the feeling that they are trying to get you fed and out of there as quick as possible. That might suit you if you are a business man on a lunch break but making you feel rushed with your family around will definitely aggravate you. Then there is that feeling of sheer invisibility where you stand at the door of the restaurant for 5 minutes before you even get attended to. A good situation to be in is where the waiter attends to your needs but isn’t in a pushy manner and they are the voice of any restaurant so it is always nice to have someone friendly.
After a wonderful dinner with great company, don’t let it all grind to a halt when you have no designated driver for the trip home. Make sure that an arrangement has been made before the time with a selected member of your group or a taxi service. This will always make the festivities that much more enjoyable especially when you know that you will get home safely. And don’t forget to book your restaurant to secure your table!
Until later, happy Easter and happy dining!
REF:
www.foodandhome.co.za
www.wineanorak.com
www.independent.ie
