By Abdul Mondal
Deciding where to eat when you’re traveling always seems to be a tough choice. There are usually dozens of sushi places, pizza joints, fine dining restaurants, and other types of eateries that get great reviews. How do you decide? Well, there are some hints about where to go and where not to go when you’re in another city or town. Here are some tips to help you choose where to eat when traveling.
Avoid Places With Barkers
A “barker” is someone who stands outside an establishment and tries to get passersby to come in and patronize their business. If a restaurant is good enough, it doesn’t need a barker to drum up business. They’re too busy making great food to serve to their customers to worry about bringing other people in. They know that their food will speak for itself and don’t need someone to vouch for their menu.
This tip is also useful if you ask a concierge at your hotel where to go to eat. Sometimes, concierges are provided kickbacks from not-so-good restaurants to send business their way. As such, you never know if the concierge is truly recommending the restaurant because it has good food or if they are just trying to pad their wallet. Certainly, you can get your concierge’s opinion, but it probably shouldn’t be the only one you listen to.
Leave The Tourist Beat
Yes, there can be some decent restaurants in main tourist areas, but more often, you’re going to find the best eateries on quieter streets and in small spaces that don’t get a lot of attention. These restaurants don’t have to spend a fortune advertising to tourists because they get their business through word-of-mouth. They are usually where locals eat when they go out, so you know their food is not catering to the masses, making it a more authentic experience.
Look For A Small Menu
The more items there are on a menu, the less attention the chefs pay to perfect each dish. They also have to purchase most of the ingredients ahead of time to make sure they always have enough on hand to make any dish a customer can choose. With a small menu, though, you can almost bet that most of the ingredients used to create their dishes are fresh and often purchased the same day from local providers. There’s nothing better than food made with fresh ingredients, so even if another restaurant has the same option on its menu, go with the restaurant with fewer choices.
A small menu also typically means that the restaurant has spent its time perfecting its signature dishes. They aren’t copying food from a chain menu and they aren’t trying to be something they aren’t, like a restaurant that has seafood, Italian food, American food, and pizza all on the same menu. Sure, it’s nice to have something on a menu for every taste, but having too many choices dilutes the restaurant’s identity.
Take Online Reviews With A Grain Of Salt
Since there are literally dozens of ways to define “best” or “top,” it’s not very helpful to search online reviews for “best Italian food” or “top restaurants for Chinese food.” It might be a way to find some eateries where you’re at, but what might be considered “best” for one reviewer may not be considered “best” for another.
For example, if you’re looking for authentic handmade pasta, which would make the experience awesome for you, but another reviewer believes that the sauce is what makes a restaurant good, you’re going to be disappointed. For that reason, it’s always a good idea to do a little more research into any restaurant you’re considering to see what their specialties are and whether any of their food has won awards. This will give you a better idea of what you’re going to get when you eat there.
Ask The Locals
You will almost never go wrong with a restaurant choice from a local. Of course, one local’s opinion is just that: an opinion. Try to get several suggestions and recommendations and be specific about what you’re looking for in a restaurant. For instance, say, “Hey, do you know where I can get some excellent handmade pasta in town?” instead of “Where’s the best Italian restaurant?” This will help locals give you recommendations that will meet your expectations.
Conclusion
Eating out when you’re traveling can be a crapshoot, but if you know how to identify the best restaurants in an unfamiliar city, you’re bound to find a new favorite eatery for the next time you’re in town.
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