Making eating out special again

One of my resolutions for 2018 is to make eating out a special occasion again.

Growing up, eating out was something my family only did occasionally and at select restaurants. In large part this was because my sister and I were not easy to take out to restaurants when we were younger. I apparently had the habit of loudly drumming utensils against dinner plates; Sumi, while more well-behaved, knocked over at least one glass of water during every meal. So when we did eat out, it was at casual restaurants (that tolerated our shenanigans) that still served pretty darn good food (to make all the stress worthwhile). Even after my sister and I outgrew those antics, we still ate most of our meals at home because my Mom cooks food tastier and healthier than most restaurants.

Sometime after I left home for college, eating out became a commonplace occurrence. Living in a college dorm meant that I went from eating home cooking for all my meals to being forced (by the lack of kitchen and the compulsory meal plan) to eat ALL of my meals out. And these meals out weren’t special anymore; in fact, many of them tasted terrible. I started cooking for myself once I went out of state for medical school and residency, but I still ate out multiple times per week. I was busy and there was only so much room in my freezer to stash away the food my Mom sent me. And again, I wasn’t eating great food when I ate out. Maybe once a week I’d eat out at a nice restaurant or a good food truck. Otherwise, it was fast food from the hospital cafeteria, frozen meals, and the like: not especially tasty or healthy.

The last two years, however, I’ve been lucky to live with/near family and enjoy some amazing home cooking on a regular basis, thanks to my aunt and now my mom. Both are adventurous cooks who not only make excellent South Indian food but also explore other cuisines. After watching them make dishes like chicken tagine, lamb burgers, pad thai, enchiladas, and passionfruit bread pudding, I feel inspired to cook more food at home tailored to my tastes and health needs, rather than settling for okay food prepared somewhere else.

Hence this year’s resolution to make eating out a special occasion. When I eat out, I want it to be for food that is special: tasty, unique, and prepared as healthy and freshly as possible. It doesn’t have to be as exotic as the food in my pictures from a past anniversary dinner at Minibar in DC, but I want my outside food to be a notch above what I am willing to make at home. If I’m going out for Italian, for example, I’ll go to the place that makes its own cheese and pasta on site; or if I want Indian food, to the place that though very casual makes the best naan in town (and possibly the world, based on my tests so far).

Now, I’ve been extremely lucky to have my mother nearby to help keep my fridge stocked with healthy, tasty meals. Otherwise, with a young baby, Karthik and I would likely be eating a lot more subpar takeout and pre-prepared/frozen meals this year. The addition of baby Ajay to our family also means that eating out requires a lot more planning; no more popping into a place and finding seats at the bar where we can order food.

Some of the steps that I’ve taken so far to make eating out a special occasion again:

• Stocking my kitchen: I try to have staples on hand in the pantry and freezer that I can use to prepare a quick meal or (more frequently) parts of meals to go with other leftovers in the fridge. This reduces the temptation to order takeout, etc. because I can have an easy meal ready in the same amount of time. Garlic, chili flakes, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar can make almost anything taste amazing.

  

• Making a list: And I mean a serious list. My list of restaurants to check out is sorted by geography so that once my weekend plans are set, I can easily pick a nearby restaurant to visit. I also spend a little time researching the restaurants before adding them to my list. At the very least, I look at the menu to make sure the place is likely to have several entrees that I will eat and that the prices are not outrageous. Sites like Yelp are useful for hours and menus, but the sheer number of choices often overwhelms me. Most of the restaurants on my list are added based on the recs of family and friends (still the best way—they have good taste!) and looking at the lists from local restaurant week websites and articles/lists by food magazines and food critics.
• Planning way ahead: Both for cooking at home (it’s no fun grocery shopping hungry) and for eating out. Most of the time, we plan for occasions like birthdays and anniversaries weeks in advance. But what about Saturday date nights? Unless I want a 9 PM dinner or to wait an hour for a table, I need to plan a little further in advance than the night before in order to enjoy some of the restaurants on our list.

  

• Eating lunch out: Especially when Ajay is coming with us, lunch out is easier for everyone involved. Baby’s in a better mood, we’re not ruining anyone’s special xxx dinner if he’s loud, and usually there’s less of a crowd so everything from seating to the bill happens more quickly. Early dinner (by 6) also work for places that don’t have lunch hours.

Anyone else have other tips?