There isn’t a much better time to be had than sitting out on a sunny patio over chips, guac and a pitcher of refreshing margaritas. Unless of course, it’s hunching over a dark wooden bar, chopsticks at the ready, to attack a platter laden with fresh nigiri next to a cold, dry sake. Then again, it may be a rooftop deck with an icy mug of beer beside a crispy slice of pizza. Specific preferences aside, there just isn’t a much better time than dining and drinking in a lively and interesting setting. I routinely try to connect all three dots and repeat as often as possible.
I have a reputation for always finding the good spots. This rep may or may not expand past my partner (in travel and romance) GoAwayAlex, but she has asked me to share some tips regardless.
The patio I conjured back in sentence 1 is a bright cocktail spot in Echo Park to which I brought Alex on our first date, after an introductory hike at nearby Elysian Park. On this occasion, we did not actually make it out to the patio, but sipped colorful, Mexican-inspired cocktails/mocktails around a small table beside the open-air bar while Alex told me all about her love of travel. She has since listed this date as an example of my ability to suggest the right place. First impressions are important, and this is certainly true for restaurants as well.
1. First Looks
If feeling spontaneous, you can simply walk into a spot that catches your first-impression fancy . I typically am not, and prefer to do a bit of research via Google. Photos, reviews, neighborhood locations, et al, are ways I gather a cursory impression of what I think the vibe will be. Another route to a first impression is an IRL review from a friend or acquaintance. If you value the same qualities in a bar or eatery, their opinion may be useful.
2. Cross Reference
Of course, if you are like me, you’ll take a friend’s suggestion with a grain of search-engine salt. Pop over to those reviews and take the temperature of consumer consensus. Past that, use Google to search out some blogs and review sites (Eater, The Infatuation, Time Out, etc.). If a spot comes up multiple times across your search, it is likely there is something there.
3. Trust Yourself…
Even if the online consensus on a place is solid, you still need to run it against your own taste and standard. The highest regarded place at a point on your travel itinerary might be a seafood joint for example. If you’re not a fan of fish, you may want to look elsewhere. Then again, if you’re the sort of person who prioritizes a great ambiance and is typically satisfied with the menu’s burger option, the seafood spot may work for you yet. Trusting your own taste also extends to weeding through negative online reviews. Don’t dismiss a place on this basis without reading between the lines. It is possible to see from a random reviewer’s tenor that they may be an unreliable narrator. It’s also possible that a recurring complaint (“the portions are too small for the price!”) may be something you do not care about. Try to look for a recurring complaint (“the music’s too loud!”) you do value, before X’ing it off the list.
4. …but Know Your Audience
It’s easy to get lost in solipsism amid the indulgence of fine food and alcohol and the narrowcasted window of the Internet at your fingertips. I personally love shellfish dishes and rum cocktails, so I tend to gravitate toward menus that indulge these whims. However, Alex is allergic to shellfish and prefers a whiskey cocktail (or, referring back to our first date, a mocktail of some variety). To satisfy the whole party, I need to open the search up. Luckily, there are usually so many good options that compromise isn’t a killer. If you plan to hit the town with a larger group, plan to open up the options even wider accordingly. Fortunately, in my experience most people are amenable to good taste even if they do not show a proclivity toward it. Lead them to the river, let them drink.
5. Think Locally, Eat Globally
Part of my personal quest to lead the people to the proverbial river is to focus on unique dining and drinking experiences. Don’t go to Chicago on vacation and eat at The Cheesecake Factory. See if a roadtrip stop-off has a quirky diner before settling for the McDonalds drive-thru. When visiting your in-laws, drag them out of their comfort zone and into a booth at a well-reviewed, recently-opened* bistro. Similarly, stretch the comfort zones of you and your dining companions in terms of cuisine. As global palettes expand, dishes from around the world are more on offer than ever, even in smaller arenas. Your mother might not overly enjoy her first Lao meal, but she’ll probably still talk about it for a while.^
*To 50s+ aged parents, any place opened in the last decade may qualify
^To average mothers, “a while” can extend into the next decade
Even if my methods are obvious to some or too broad to be of help, I hope you enjoyed my first GoAway guest blog post. Overall, I sincerely want everyone to enjoy finding new places to eat and drink as much as I do. At the very least, I hope you will be amenable to my future suggestions 🙂
Happy hunting and bon appetit!
Drew
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