This is something I think almost everyone has experienced so I was wondering what people here thought: say there is a restaurant that you do not go to often because it is far away, because it is expensive, whatever the reason.
At this restaurant there is a particular dish that you love. Whatever it is, it is the best ~that~ that you ever had. So, here is the dilemma, the next time you go do you order the dish you know you love and can’t have very often or do you try something else and hope you will love that as much as the first thing?
If it’s a menu item that I really love, and I know I wont have it again for many months, I will go ahead and order the favorite standby.
If it’s something that I like a lot, but it’s not an all-time favorite, I might try and branch out a bit and order something else. (I might tell the server about the favorite dish and see if they recommend something else that may be in a similar vein)
If I’ve only had that perfect dish at the restaurant, I wouldn’t take the risk on something new. If I’d tried other dishes before finding the perfect one, and they were nearly the same quality, or I’ve had that fabulous dish enough times to satisfy me until the next trip, I might try another one.
This happens to me at a great Japanese restaurant we have here. Everytime I go there, I intend to order something new, but I always end up ordering sushi.
Since the recession, we don’t go out to eat nearly as often as we used to. So, if I was going to a restaurant that I rarely went to, I’d order the favorite. If I was going out to eat once a week or so, like I used to, I’d be more likely to experiment.
This actually happens to me regularly. I go to Ljubljana about twice a year and there is restaurant there, that I really like. I always end up ordering the exact same dish (which is also the dish I ordered when I first went there). I’m usually with a group of friends or family, so over the years I’ve had the chance to sample some of the other dishes but none of these samples has persuaded me to change my standard order.
I have a restaurant and dish just like what’s described in the OP. Luckily, we used to live very close to the restaurant and went often enough that we were able to try everything on the menu, so now we can just order our favorites with a clear conscience.
I have been to a restaurant near where I work maybe more than 200 times over the last 20 years. I have probably had about 10 different dishes there, and all have been excellent. However I have had 9 dishes once and the Beef Rendang over 200 times. I usually go with a workmate, and although the restaurant is enormously popular and always crowded we get seated and served without any more than a nod, no ordering required. A huge steaming bowl of Rendang, a pot of coconut rice and a jug of ice water.
If it’s my second time to that restaurant, I’ll order something different, hoping it’s even better. If it’s my tenth time to that restaurant (say), I’ll go with the favourite.
This. If I’ve tried a couple of different things early on and nothing compared to my favorite dish, I’d have no problems ordering only that from there on out.
I would get my gf to order the dish. She is great at deconstructing, then reconstructing, a recipe. If she tries it I’m pretty certain she can then make it.