When I go to sit-down, usually it’s at a Teppan-Yaki restaurant because it’s the day after or the hours after a long-distance run and I need some calories that are tasty enough for me to eat a lot of.
Other than that, I enjoy decent hotel restaurants, because they’re diverse enough these days that no matter what style of cooking I’d be in the mood for they’d usually have it, and good enough that it isn’t disappointing as frequently as chain sports-bar type places, and sometimes have a good wine list to boot.
I’m always game to try a new place, and if one is available, I’ll choose that first. When I arrive, I’ll ask what the chef recommends for a diner new to the establishment and order whatever that might be (with a few caveats regarding items I just don’t eat). If I’m going to a place I know, I will order a dish I would not make at home - often that’s seafood, but it can also be a dish with a lot of ethnic ingredients that I can’t find in my local grocery store or don’t typically keep at home.
I like what I call “dive diners” ---- places that are clean with fantastic food but maybe last decorated during the Eisenhower administration. Our all-time favorite is Don’s Under the Bridge in Pittsburgh
and it still looks the same 10 years later. Another great find for us was Kewpie Burger in Lima Ohio and I already mentioned the Tipton Moose. Places like those can't be described, they have to be experienced.
Most always, things I don’t make myself. Not because I can’t, but because I don’t. I don’t make fish and chips, nor fried chicken, nor dim sum. We rarely go out to breakfast because it never measures up to what I can do. There is a local deli that does a good breakfast sandwich, however.
There are easily 50 restaurants within walking distance of our house, from Olive Garden and the like to tiny places. Since I’ve retired we are going out more for lunches. We try to go to places where we’ve never been before. There is such churn that a new place will pop up within a year.
Best new discovery is a place selling Uyghur Cuisine - which is from China near Afghanistan and India, and has a lot more middle Eastern influence than normal Chinese food. (They sell normal Chinese food also.) I got a Lamb on crispy Naan dish which was one of the best things I’ve ever eaten. The Naan was deep fried somehow and was amazing. We also like non-standard ethnic food like Burmese and Ethiopian. The Bay Area is great for all this.
My husband travels internationally for his work, so he eats all kinds of exotic cuisines all the time. When he comes home he doesn’t want to eat out; besides, few of the local restaurants compare favorably to the ones he frequents when he’s abroad. Because of this, the only times I eat out are when he’s away … and even then, not so often. Usually Asian of some sort.
With my wife:
a) A really good Peruvian-Italian place we’ve being going for more than 20 years. (Tratoria Don Vito)
b) Thai / Ramen / Vietnamese
c) BBQ at a specific place (Kilo)
d) Peruvian seafood (Punto Azul)
All the family
a) Japanese food, not just sushi. (Edo or Don Katsu)
b) Tony Roma’s
c) Pollo a la brasa (usually Paso Obligao)
d) Kilo
If you don’t mind me asking, how old is your mom? It wasn’t all that long ago that chicken was considered a luxury meat. I’m not sure why, since they’re super-easy to raise, but it was.