Food Glorious Food, Part 1
Travel - ultimately, its all about amazing, sumptuous fresh amazing food. Well, that’s the fantasy. Here are our tips to make sure the reality matches the fantasy and ensure you bring back memories of fabulous, authentic and well priced food!
Tips for finding a great restaurant (without another tourist’s online review.)
Many years ago (before the internet existed) I stumbled across a neat tip that has served me well throughout my VaVenturing.
I was hosted for 4 days by family friends in Lyon - THE gastronomic capital of France.
How could I thank them? It had to be really special. My hosts only in their late 20s, were already well on their way to curating their 500 bottle wine collection. So it was a bit daunting. Where to go, so many choices, how to even begin? How could i discern what would be up to their standards.
I went to the main square of Lyon at the crossroads of the higher end shopping areas and waited. When I saw the most refined French woman I enquired where she would go for an elegant and excellent meal. she he gave me her suggestion. I booked and although i made the reservation for 7:00pm (link to when and how to dine in Europe) my friends still talk lovingly of the warm lentils, the exquisite fish and the sumptuous dessert decades later.
Ask a local where they would go. And when you see someone who would eat at a restaurant you would like - ask them.
Shops keepers will be the best for a good but inexpensive neighborhood lunch spot.
And if you are in a hotel when they are bound to suggest a selected touristy restaurant - ask the concierge. - “Where would you take your mother for a nice dinner?” It’s never failed. Just recently, one of the best meals we’ve ever had in Rome (Trastevere) was here.
The French and the Italians especially, so savor their food and take such great pride in their respective cities they are only too pleased to refer you
The Late Dining Myth
Most of the guide books tell you that you have to accept eating late in most places outside the US. Yes, much of the world eats later than Americans — but let’s face it, after a lifetime of not eating at 10:00pm, you really don’t want to start now just to pretend you’re a sophisticated local. You’re hungry at 7.00, you want to eat early and maybe walk off a heavy meal before hitting the sack,
Here’s the trick. There is only one seating in most good restaurants in many of the countries you are visiting. No good restauranteur would think of rushing people to eat so that the establishment can squeeze in two sets of patrons. While eating later will certainly mean a livelier more festive environment, go ahead and make an early reservation when the restaurant opens. From the restaurant’s perspective — they’re looking at one couvert for the table for the evening regardless.
Our recommendation — book at 7:30. You will still be on the early side, but you can people watch as all your fellow diners arrive. And linger over your selections and your food — no one is going to kick you out.
How to use a menu that’s not in English
How to choose from the menu when there are so many options (and you don’t understand them all)? Its ok to let the staff guide you. Unlike many American restaurants, they’re not going to push the pre selected “specials.” Wait staff tend to be professionals and even if your server can’t speak English, they will find one who can and they’ll take pride in telling you what they have.
Interestingly, especially within EU countries, there is not only widespread awareness and understanding of allergy and intolerance issues, but rules and mandates that mean menus often have a range of symbols and data alerting you to potentially problematic ingredients.
Michelin restaurants — are they worth it, how do I get in?
Michelin stars - they’re the Nobel prize of dining. If you are a serious chef, your reputation lives or dies on the verdict of the anonymous judges of the Michelin Guide.
Bib Gourmand: Quality food at a value price. They must offer menu items priced below a maximum determined by local economic standards.
One Star: A good place to stop on your journey, indicating a very good restaurant in its category, offering cuisine prepared to a consistently high standard.
Two Stars: A restaurant worth a detour, indicating excellent cuisine and skillfully and carefully crafted dishes of outstanding quality
Three Stars: A restaurant worth a special journey, indicating exceptional cuisine where diners eat extremely well, often superbly. Distinctive dishes are precisely executed, using superlative ingredients.
Our VaVenturing Tips
VaVenturers can easily stick to Michelin bib and 1 star restaurants for that special experience on vacation. Don’t get us wrong — we love 2 and 3 star restaurants (especially if someone else is paying!) and stand in awe of the culinary skills of their chefs. But, unless your a gourmand, or happy to drop significant 3 figures per diner, we think you will get all the dining experience you could ever want and great value from bibs and 1 stars.
Think about booking a Michelin restaurant for lunch instead of dinner.
We picked this tip up in Avignon. We had heard about a wonderful Michelin restaurant around the corner from the Palais des Papes. We were only staying for two days in October and called to get an evening reservation. They responded that they were full and we hung up, so disappointed. But then we quickly called back and asked if they were free for lunch, ”Oui Madame”. What followed was a memorable 8 course meal around the theme of the tomato. Obviously this was the place to be - and the French equivalent of a power lunch as sitting behind us was the Mayor of Avignon!
So if you can’t get a dinner reservation - Get a reservation for lunch. You’ll get the same meal (most good European restaurants do not have separate dinner and lunch prices for exactly the same food.) You will have more time to savor the meal leisurely and then you can go wandering about your afternoon activities walking off the great food and wine ready for dinner that night.
They’ll almost always be a chef’s menu — go for it. The server will always ask you if you have allergies or particular dislikes and the chef will adjust accordingly — but put yourself in the hands of the kitchen — you won’t be disappointed.
How to Dress for a Good Restaurant
No need to over do. Dress smart. Avoid jeans. Wear a button down shirt and I always wear small gold looking earrings in Europe - you’ll be better treated if you respect the whole production and theatre of the meal.
And lastly, always unfold the cloth napkin onto your lap!
How much do I Tip?
Being a waiter in Europe is a profession. There is pride in the job. Waiters in good restaurants get paid a good wage and service is generally included. They appreciate the acknowledgement of their service. But much as you feel you may have to — its unnecessary and actually gauche to leave an American tip in the 15% -20% range. A few Euros — perhaps 5, is well received.