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Yummy Links: From Toby Young to Chopped

partysugar — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 07:45:51 -0800

Get to know Toby Young, Gail Simmon's replacement judge on the second half of Top Chef 5.- Metromix New York
Eat less by making mini desserts. - The Kitchn
Start planning now for the ultimate foodie Super Bowl. - The Epi-Log
Is it OK to answer your cell phone during dinner? - Chow
Creative sipping: do it yourself wine glasses. - Hostess With the Mostess
What to do with leftover wine. - Serious Eats
Meet the cheftestants on Food Network's upcoming culinary competition, Chopped. - Eat Me Daily

What Would You Do?

YumSugar — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 09:00:44 -0700

We've all been in crazy situations, and I want to know how you handle entertaining fiascoes and bad restaurant behavior. I'll present a situation and you tell me what you would do. Here's today's scenario:

Your parents are visiting from out of town. You want to take them out to a nice but not too fancy dinner as a send-off, but it's Sunday and lots of places are closed. You've been wandering around for a while, and now everyone is hungry! You duck into one of the city's regarded restaurants on the off chance they have a table, and they do.

When you sit down, you realize this is much more of a fine dining experience than you were seeking. Three-course meals are the only option, and the price tag is high.

Not quite French Laundry level, but you were looking for something more casual. You can afford it, and since you're already seated, it's awkward to leave. What do you do? It happened to me, actually. Find out what I did.

Do or Don't: Putting Your Napkin on the Plate?

partysugar — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 09:00:00 -0700

Yesterday DearSugar and I got into a debate about what you should do with your napkin when finished eating a meal. She said it was tacky and rude to put your napkin on the plate, but I told her I've done it before. What do you think? Is it bad manners to put your napkin on the plate when finished eating?

Source

Let's Dish: Have You Had a Birthday Dinner Nightmare?

YumSugar — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 03:00:59 -0700

Yesterday I came across a hilarious and poignant column in Slate discussing the drawbacks of the dreaded birthday dinner. "I hereby propose that the birthday dinner go the way of the $4 cup of coffee, the liar's mortgage, and the midsize banking institution," its author proclaims.

The truthful description of his birthday dinner nightmare includes awkward small-talk, excessively-ordered appetizers and drinks, and inequity when it comes to paying the hefty tab. Not to mention that since everyone celebrates once a year, birthday dinners can be frequent and repetitive. For this reason alone, I can't say I attend every birthday dinner I get invited to, and I never hold my own.

Still, it can be nice every now and then to catch up with old friends and meet new ones. What about you? Are you a fan of the birthday dinner? Have you been subjected to your (unfair) share of disastrous birthday dinners?

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Do You Call to Cancel Reservations?

YumSugar — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 09:00:07 -0700

I dine out with friends and family all the time, and inevitably there are always scheduling changes. When I need to cancel a reservation, add or subtract a party member in a way that would affect table count, push dinner back, or am running late, I always make sure to call the restaurant - and more often than not, they thank me for calling. Do you do the same?

How to Request a Separate Bill When Dining in Groups

partysugar — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 10:15:00 -0700

Last week I was out to sushi with a large group of people. When my friend suggested that we share a bunch of rolls and equally split the bill at the end of the meal, I hungrily agreed. The majority of the table was in, but the lovely couple seated to my right preferred to order on a separate bill. While this can lead to an awkward meal, the duo knew exactly how to handle the situation. To check out their advice to elegantly get out of the group order, read more.

Upon arrival at the restaurant, tell the hostess or waiter you want a separate bill. Splitting bills at the start of the meal, instead of the end, is much easier on the waitstaff.

Don't feel the need to reveal your reasons for a personal bill to the group. No one wants to hear about your acid-reflux problem, disgust for mushrooms, financial instabilities, or loss of appetite.
Take part in the group conversation. Speaking with only the person you are sharing the bill with will further isolate you from the group.
Tip the waitstaff well. They took the time to accommodate your needs as a customer so reward their kindness with generosity.

Did I forget something? Share your tips for gracefully requesting a separate bill below! Or simply get that group-dinner-bill-nightmare off your chest in the comments below.

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Do You Text at the Dinner Table?

YumSugar — Fri, 29 May 2009 11:45:08 -0700

Modern society has widely embraced technology in every aspect of life, from music and shopping to reading and cooking. But have we gone too far? A recent New York Times article weighs in on the issue of texting, emailing, and tweeting while eating - something that etiquette expert Cindy Post Senning calls "texting anarchy." Marriage and family therapists also concur, citing texting while eating as an increasing complaint among couples in counseling. I'm no stranger to sending a text or two at the table, especially if my companion is in the restroom or on the phone as well. Still, I have to agree that this form of communication should probably stay away from the dinner table, unless it is necessary and relevant. What are your thoughts? Are you guilty of texting at the table?

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How Do You Feel About Toothpicks in Restaurants?

YumSugar — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 12:50:08 -0700

Toothpicks may be the perfect utensil for bite-sized appetizers, but many restaurants still offer them for another purpose: to keep food out of one's teeth. In my experience, trays of toothpicks have always been ubiquitous at casual restaurants, yet I've always felt iffy about publicly picking something out of my teeth. How do you feel about toothpicks being offered at restaurants?

Source

Do or Don't: Bringing Outside Food/Drink Into a Restaurant

YumSugar — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 12:30:07 -0800

Last week, New York Times critic Frank Bruni broached the question of whether it's kosher to bring outside food or drink into restaurants. I've noticed at some places - most recently at a popular neighborhood coffeehouse - that a growing number of establishments have barred customers from bringing items (such as water) inside. Bruni cited an example of a friend getting turned away from brunch at a New York diner for arriving with a Starbucks coffee in hand, and argued in favor of the establishment. "It strikes me as a measure of disrespect," he writes.

What are your thoughts on the issue? Is Bruni being too extreme when he calls it disrespectful behavior?

Tales From The Darkside

YumSugar — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 13:07:42 -0700

Last weekend I had a wonderfully unique opportunity to dine in the dark. And when I say dark, I mean dark, as in I was blindfolded. It was an interesting experience, if not a rather difficult one. More than once I picked up my fork and put nothing in my mouth, and I'm not even going to tell you the number of times I shoved a green bean into my eye. And because my fantastic tablemates were also blindfolded, I definitely threw social etiquette out the window, propped my elbows on the table and used my finger as a way to get my food on the fork.

The SF Dark Dining event took place at the Fort Mason Center and while the windows were blacked out, it wasn't really dark enough. So we took our dark napkins and tied them around our eyes and awaited our meal. The menu was rather ambitious for a place with no kitchen - the caterers had to prep everything before hand and finish it off in convection ovens - and it resulted in just so-so to not-so-good flavor. However, the experience was quite interesting as my sense of smell and taste were definitely heightened. Pine nuts suddenly became PINE NUTS and blue cheese was BLUE cheese.

While I wished they had paired down the meal options and went a much simpler route, it's something that I'm glad I did. The cost is currently $95 per person, and even though it's a three-course meal, I didn't feel that the food was worth the experience. However, this was their first time running the event, and they were definitely taking a lot of feed back and getting used to the "kitchen". I think the event can only get better, and if you do go, be sure to wear dark clothes (or a bib!).

To check out some pictures of the dark dining prep - I love the way the waitstaff look in night vision goggles - as well as a link to some video footage, read more

Check out TasteTv's video of the pre-dark set-up.

Note: the pics are from the check in process before the lights went out. Also, note how the tables are plain as there is no need for decorations.

View 11 Photos ›