Dress for a 'fine" dining experience in America

[Mike C.]

Originally Posted by LabelKing

Many people also bring their own wine glasses, and cutlery to restaurants as well so a wine basket isn't particularly offhand or non sequitur.

The only time I've seen this is when Jack Nicholson did it in "As Good as it Gets." His character was mentally marsupialed... but I'm sure plenty of normal people follow this practice as well.

 

[LabelKing]

Now, I don't do this because it has a certain naff quality about it these days, especially among the Napa Valley/Trader Joe set with their BMWs and inane conversations of mediocre wines

 

[Nantucket Red]

Originally Posted by kennethpollock

Some people sleep around; my wife and I eat around-4 good restaurants a week.
We do not have too much choice here, once you eliminate the chains, the hip "scene" places where the food is usually terrible and recognize that all Thai restaurants seem alike to me, as do most Indian and many Chinese, etc. We are forced to go back to all of the "better" ones once every 3-4 months, even if they are far from perfect, just to get some variety (and we keep hoping for improvement).

The analogy of food to sex is a common one. The Japanese film Tampopo by Itami Juzo revolves around this theme. It's a masterpiece.

I've never been to Atlanta, but I imagine your options are pretty limited when it comes to Thai, Indian and Chinese. That's unfortunate. These cuisines, along with Korean, Japanese and Vietnamese are exquisite when done well. For most westerners these are an acquired taste that, unfortunately, too few acquire.

I had a friend who was a tremendous food snob and a great cook, but when it came to any Asian cuisine -- Indian excluded -- his knowledge and appreciation were embarrassingly lacking. He could not even manage sushi, which for most is practically second nature.

It seems to me that "hoping for improvement" is doomed to be a forlorn endeavor. Have you ever suggested improvements to the management? This might bear fruit if approached diplomatically. On a grander scale, have you ever considered moonlighting as a consultant to the resturant industry in your area? If you have the audacity to bring your own silver wine basket, you certainly have the balls to suggest improvements rather than wait for them to happen magically.

 

[Edward Appleby]

Originally Posted by LabelKing

Now, I don't do this because it has a certain naff quality about it these days,
LK, your taste is usually impeccable, so don't take this as too harsh an impeachment, but I can't imagine when it wouldn't have been a bit naff.

 

[LabelKing]

Originally Posted by Edward Appleby

LK, your taste is usually impeccable, so don't take this as too harsh an impeachment, but I can't imagine when it wouldn't have been a bit naff.
I suppose when used for picnic purposes.

 

[aybojs]

I hope this thread doesn't devolve into "let's bash those uncultured Southern cities," because it certainly shouldn't be a problem for a truly "experienced" diner in any reasonably large city to find quality ethnic food. I live in Houston and found a pretty authentic Szechuan place this past week thanks to the Houston Press, and tonight I enjoyed a wonderful takeout meal from an Indian restaurant that was packed, with myself being the only non-Indian customer there. I really doubt anyone who actually appreciated the variety of different cuisines and wasn't just dining for show or some other superficial reason not related to pure enjoyment of food would have trouble finding the same in Atlanta.

Indeed, while I would by no means call myself a gourmand, I would argue that Asian food, particularly Chinese, Indian, and Japanese, far outclasses anything non-Mediterranean European cuisine could hope to accomplish (disclaimer: I really dislike French food, as well as most fancy dishes thrown under the umbrella of "continental cuisine," and find them spectacularly overrated). But I'm guessing this presumptive dismissal of Asian cuisine stems from some outrage at seeing a fellow dinner guest across the hall not wearing a tie in a table at P.F. Chang's, not any actual experience with a hole-in-the-wall Shanghai-style dim sum joint or a South Indian dosa place.

 

[matadorpoeta]

bringing one's own wine and wine glasses to a good restaurant is relatively common; at least it is not unusual.

 

[matadorpoeta]

Originally Posted by Nantucket Red

The analogy of food to sex is a common one. The Japanese film Tampopo by Itami Juzo revolves around this theme. It's a masterpiece.
the best scene in that movie was when the mother gets up from her death bed to cook her family's dinner.

Originally Posted by Nantucket Red

I've never been to Atlanta, but I imagine your options are pretty limited when it comes to Thai, Indian and Chinese. That's unfortunate. These cuisines, along with Korean, Japanese and Vietnamese are exquisite when done well. For most westerners these are an acquired taste that, unfortunately, too few acquire.

I had a friend who was a tremendous food snob and a great cook, but when it came to any Asian cuisine -- Indian excluded -- his knowledge and appreciation were embarrassingly lacking. He could not even manage sushi, which for most is practically second nature.

you don't have to like every kind of food. there's nothing embarassing about not liking sushi or anything else. i love korean bbq but i find kim chi and their other fermented foods to be digusting.

 

[Get Smart]

Originally Posted by Nantucket Red

The analogy of food to sex is a common one. The Japanese film Tampopo by Itami Juzo revolves around this theme. It's a masterpiece.

yes it is. I love the in between vignettes with the gangster and his girlfriend.

on a similar note, The Cook The Thief and His Lover also revolved around that theme, literally.

all good points have been said regarding the OP....esp Nantucket Red who hit the nail several times.

 

[LabelKing]

Originally Posted by Get Smart

yes it is. I love the in between vignettes with the gangster and his girlfriend. on a similar note, The Cook The Thief and His Lover also revolved around that theme, literally. all good points have been said regarding the OP....esp Nantucket Red who hit the nail several times.
Gaultier costumes. I think people should wear more Gaultier for dining out.

 

[Jill]

Man, some of you guys are harsh.

I lament the same diminished standards of public dress and behavior as does Mr. Pollock. But I'm afraid it's not going to improve any time soon. It's a macro cultural thing for which I think we can thank Silicon Valley and their darned "Casual Friday" mentality. (Sorry Californians. You know I love you anyway!!)

I can't imagine anything with my line-of-sight dissuading me from eating / drinking anything I wanted to consume. But I can understand Mr. Pollock's frustration and disappointment. Some people value the overall dining experience. There just aren't too many venues that offer that type of ambience nowadays. I'm certainly not an apologist for Atlanta. But the poster(s) who denegrated it as another uncultured, unsophisticated Southern hamlet with only "You kill it, we grill it" type eating establishments has certainly never been there. Atlanta is the 11th largest city in the US. Probably has 4-5 million residents in the metro area. Just FYI. I LOVE London and love every Londoner I've ever known. So no offense intended. But London isn't exactly famous for its culinary prowess!

I only wish I could afford to dine out 4 times / week at finer establishments. But I fear I'd start the year as a diner and roll out the other end as cargo.

 

[VKK3450]

Originally Posted by Nantucket Red

I've never been to Atlanta, but I imagine your options are pretty limited when it comes to Thai, Indian and Chinese. That's unfortunate. These cuisines, along with Korean, Japanese and Vietnamese are exquisite when done well. For most westerners these are an acquired taste that, unfortunately, too few acquire.


Actually, there are some quite good Chinese (Cantonese) and Thai in Atlanta although the Indian is a bit lacking. Variety of other ethnic cuisines along with some excellent "kill it and grill it" places, but you have to look for them.

I highly doubt that any of them will fit with KPs dress and service standards, so I will refrain from discussing them further.

K

 

[Violinist]

Originally Posted by Jill

Man, some of you guys are harsh.

I lament the same diminished standards of public dress and behavior as does Mr. Pollock. But I'm afraid it's not going to improve any time soon. It's a macro cultural thing for which I think we can thank Silicon Valley and their darned "Casual Friday" mentality. (Sorry Californians. You know I love you anyway!!)

I can't imagine anything with my line-of-sight dissuading me from eating / drinking anything I wanted to consume. But I can understand Mr. Pollock's frustration and disappointment. Some people value the overall dining experience. There just aren't too many venues that offer that type of ambience nowadays. I'm certainly not an apologist for Atlanta. But the poster(s) who denegrated it as another uncultured, unsophisticated Southern hamlet with only "You kill it, we grill it" type eating establishments has certainly never been there. Atlanta is the 11th largest city in the US. Probably has 4-5 million residents in the metro area. Just FYI. I LOVE London and love every Londoner I've ever known. So no offense intended. But London isn't exactly famous for its culinary prowess!

I only wish I could afford to dine out 4 times / week at finer establishments. But I fear I'd start the year as a diner and roll out the other end as cargo.

Jill, I don't think anyone's really ripping on Atlanta. The point is this guy seems to like stuffing his face in style, and where he lives, he can hardly find a positive experience. He loves to talk about his orgasmic experiences in other cities, so why doesn't he just move there? A lot of his statements are predicated on classist ideals, so you'd think a "snob" like him would just have enough of it and move somewhere that can accomodate his aristocratic whims. Either he's some sort of massochist, or there's something he isn't telling us.

 

[Bouji]

Originally Posted by Violinist

Jill, I don't think anyone's really ripping on Atlanta. The point is this guy seems to like stuffing his face in style, and where he lives, he can hardly find a positive experience. He loves to talk about his orgasmic experiences in other cities, so why doesn't he just move there? A lot of his statements are predicated on classist ideals, so you'd think a "snob" like him would just have enough of it and move somewhere that can accomodate his aristocratic whims. Either he's some sort of massochist, or there's something he isn't telling us.

Yes, I would just like to post this quote because what Violinist says is exactly my meaning; Jill, I don't know whether you have read KP's previous threads. For this reason, perhaps your understanding of what I posted is justified, but it's not the case. As Violinist says, nor am I saying Atlanta is a bad place, but it's not where he is going to find what he wants.
As for London and its cuisine; and I am sure KP will agree with me on this one, it is very good. Sure it does not have the rep. but that is because people genrally come to England and they want to eat English food, the fact of the matter is English food is not that good in a broad sense, I won't digress further. My point is, London does have a lot of restaurants, which cater to KP's (and I admit my own as well) whims and fancies.
I have the same desire from a restaurant as KP claims to have. It's just that we go about it in different ways. I would never carry a wine basket. I would never let what other diners around me wear spoil the atmosphere for me. I certainly do my best to not let any form of bad service ruin my evening. After all, you can reflect your dismay in a tip, and at the end of the day the servers suffer more than you by providing bad service.

 

[RJman]

Originally Posted by LabelKing

Now, I don't do this because it has a certain naff quality about it these days, especially among the Napa Valley/Trader Joe set with their BMWs and inane conversations of mediocre wines
Also because it might be illegal in your circumstances?