How would you go about finding your ideal place in which to eat? For many people, it’s all about finding the right mixture of food, ambience and price. Of course, exactly how we go about measuring that balance may vary somewhat, but those are the basics that we are all after.
What does great food mean to you? This is clearly an interesting topic and one that has been receiving an extremely large amount of coverage in recent years via a number of media outlets. Indeed, some people would say that it’s hard to move without finding yourself faced by the latest television show demonstrating how we can all become so much better at cooking.
Those programmes are certainly aspirational, but many of us are aware that we may never become Michelin-star chefs. That doesn’t mean, of course, that we wouldn’t wish to eat in restaurants where the chefs are able to meet such high standards of cooking.
But great quality food to one person may not necessarily have the same implications for someone else. There are times when you want gourmet cooking, but there may be occasions when you are really looking for something that feels simple, homemade and genuine. In many ways, we are incredibly fortunate in having access to such a range of different types of cuisine too.
Whether you are like an Indian meal, beautiful Mediterranean-style cooking or a traditional Roast dinner, the options can often appear to be endless. Your choice may depend upon how you feel about food genuinely, or may simply reflect a spur of the moment decision, based upon what you would like to eat at that moment in time.
Most restaurants will naturally try to specialise in some way. Chefs will often have particular expertise and will want to ensure that they provide good quality meals, providing a consistency. That consistency should also be matched in standards of service.
When you go to a restaurant, you expect to be treated in a certain way. Most of us like to feel that we are welcome guests and that we’ll be treated as such. Fantastic service won’t make up for a dire meal, but it’s certainly true that dreadful service can undermine brilliant cooking.
The chef may have worked incredibly hard to conjure up some delights, but if they reach your table cold (when they should be piping hot), or you find yourself waiting an age to have your order taken, or your drinks provided, then you may find that you aren’t too keen on repeating that experience anytime soon.
It’s tempting for some restauranteurs to assume that customers want waiters and waitresses to reach for the stars, providing a level of service that may seem particularly hard to attain. In reality, most diners would settle for polite, efficient service.
There’s also the question of the wider atmosphere in the restaurant. If I’m visiting a new town or location, then I’ll often base my choices on where the locals are evidently eating. If a restaurant looks pleasant from the outside, but appears to be empty within, then alarm bells will start to ring. Why is it that the restaurant isn’t attracting more paying customers? Could it be that locals are aware that it has a poor reputation for the quality of food or service?
A busy restaurant can create an appealing atmosphere, helping to present a more interesting environment in which to enjoy your meal. This assumes, of course, that the staff are able to deal with a larger number of diners and that noise levels don’t interfere with the overall experience.
What about the cost of a meal? How does that have an impact on your dining choices? To a certain extent, this may be a reflection of the event, or the day in question. If you’ve popped out for a quick, light bite, then your expectations could differ considerably from a special, birthday meal. In the case of the latter experience, you may already be imagining that you will be paying a bit more money, but it should also be acknowledged that there is likely to be an expectation that the dining experience may be to a higher standard.
Does this mean that grabbing a light lunch brings with it the expectancy of a poor quality meal, combined with a low price tag? That would clearly be an inaccurate description of what we would tend to hope for. Just because a meal is on the lighter side, that shouldn’t be an indication that quality should suffer.
Having said that, there would always be that realisation that eating in a fast food outlet, for example, serves a rather different purpose to a fine dining experience.
What’s acceptable in terms of the price that you are likely to pay will also vary, reflecting how frequently you eat out and whether you are prepared to pay a premium for a particular dining experience. There’s also the added issue of spending a little bit more money on drinks, together with any additional extras that may be associated with an evening out.
Pulling the experience together, it’s clear that there are numerous choices involved and that there’s a lot of personal preferences to consider. When choosing a Guernsey restaurant, people think carefully about all such choices. That’s why The Hook (St Peter Port) remains a popular option for many, with its variety of food and reputation for excellent standards of service.
Guernsey Restaurants 