How to Get the Most Out of A Dining Experience
Hello, foodies! I trust your year’s off to a good start.
I know it’s well into the new year with 14 days passed and all, but I’ve been wrestling with this topic; to post or not to post; trying to get it all right in my head so we can go about the 2016 food quest right.
Attttaaaack!!! =b
You might have noticed that I didn’t have anything to add to the “Food for Thought” category recently. That’s because together with trying to find good places to eat in Baguio, I also learn something here and there about food, the food industry as well as tidbits on how it works. \m/
(We can credit this more knowledgeable me to the chefs and food establishment owners who are generous enough with their knowledge and their time, making an effort to make friends with me and giving me a little peek behind kitchen doors rather than leaving anonymous rants and/or demeaning comments on the posts here just because we have a difference in opinion about a particular place. Start your own blog, why don’t you, and rant there please. *tee hee)
Marlboro rolling hills, coconut crab, Fundacion Pacita in the background, fresh catch, Fundacion Pacita pako salad, Sabtang lighthouse in the background, the delectable Batanes flying fish daing, Ahau Rock Arch at Nakabuang Beach in Sabtang Island (“,)
Spoiler Alert: This post has sermon-like, me on my high horse tone to it, my foodie friends. (Me ranting on my blog. =b) For that, I apologize in advance. (I have some of our PH vacay sights, scenes, and tastes photos in this blogpost to hopefully work as a spoonful of sugar to help this hard pill go down.)
On my high horse. =)) His name is Chief.
We are living in the Age of Entitlement.
The sad state of affairs today, bad attitudes in order to get ahead/get a one up on others is tolerated. Please, PLEASE don’t be one of those people, eatsplorers. (I’m referring to both: Disregarding other people just to advance one’s self interest as well as being tolerant of bad attitudes from people who are only looking out for number one).
That said, I’ve narrowed down this how-to on getting … nay, MAKING the most out of a dining experience, to three steps.
A Malipano Island view of Pearl Farm.
1.) Do not set your expectations too high.
Otherwise, you’ll be setting yourself up for disappointment. I, myself, am still a student in this area. I expect a lot from everything, you see, that I tend to get disappointed a lot, too. Bad for the heart, I tell you. Oh, that tightness in the chest feeling, I relish the days that that doesn’t happen. =) )
I read somewhere that Mr. Shakespeare talked about this too. I thought to myself then, sod off, Shakespeare =)) … but we have to admit, he’s right. Expecting does take up all the room for being pleasantly surprised. And that’s a wonderful, wonderful feeling we’re missing out on when a particular visit to a restaurant blows us away.
If you expect anything at all, just expect to be fed (with plain food at that). =D
2.) Take a little control.
- If your order is taking too long, follow it up. Don’t seethe and stew in the background. 10 minutes in, ask about your order. If they gave you a time when it’ll be served to you and it still isn’t there then, inquire about it again.
- If there’s not enough flavor to your dish, utilize the condiments. Sometimes, a dash of salt is all you need. Some restos, I also found, have a tendency of playing it safe with the salt/taste … Must be all the eating healthy guidelines we’re inundated with in all forms of media today. *hihi
Arena Island Palawan to ourselves. This is the life. =) (A couple dishes from our five mealtimes a day, our casita, kayaking in the rain, the island from afar, hanging out on the floating deck, baby turtle on its way to living its own life.)
- For whatever’s wrong with your plate, call the attention of the staff to it. If the chicken is bloody, send it back. Meanwhile, also consider how much you know about proper prep for foodstuff. In this case, if you’re like me and you fall under the “inept at cooking” spectrum, I believe that the customer isn’t always right/flat out wrong.
- e.g. We don’t like the slightest reddish drop in our steaks but in truth, they’re meant to be eaten medium rare. (It’s best tasting, melt-in-your-mouth that way, they say. Yeah, the thought still grosses me out but I guess I have to suck it up and deal with that when I’m in a proper steakhouse.)
- e.g. Being Filipino, we like soups to be hot/warm. While it can be served hot too, vichyssoise is traditionally served cold. Laid on the table in front of us, we might be irritated that some restaurant has the audacity to serve us, paying customers, cold soup but actually, they’re just being true to tradition.
Let’s meet the restaurant people halfway, guys. Like regular people, they can’t read minds.
Cheers from Dos Palmas, Palawan! ^^,
3.) Keep on stepping.
Or in the words of Dory, the ever cute blue tang fish in Finding Nemo: ♪ “Just keep swimming” ♪ ♫ Please don’t let a bad dining experience deter you from going on eatscapades. There are many other restos, so much the world has to offer us. (“You’ll never know, unless you try” … what’s out there.)
I understand it’s hard, because the same is true with me but when you can, muster enough courage to try the snafu place again. Who knows, you might find a favorite in this resto if it succeeds to surprise you then. (After a second visit and they still aren’t on their A game, all rightie then, you can write them completely off your list. *hee)
Feeding frenzy in H2O Hotel. Can you find Dory?
In first visits that aren’t so good, also take into account the state of the restaurant when you visited. Did it just open its doors to the dining public? Are they understaffed? Being more understanding is easier on the heart, too. ^^,
There, I’ve gotten all this off my chest. A year and a half in the making, this post was. I have said my piece. On with the food adventure! (Fingers crossed, as more empathetic and nice diners. (“,) ) (Down with entitlement tendencies! Oh, I hear House of Cards’ Frank Underwood saying “You are entitled to nothing.” *heehaha)
I hope these tips will help you have more delightful experiences eating out. A joyful, fulfilling and prosperous 2016, all!
Like this:
Like Loading...
Tags: #1, A game, adventure, age of entitlement, Ahau Rock Arch Nakabuang Beach Sabatang Batanes, always righ, ambiance, anonymous rants, Arena Island baby turtle releasing Palawan, Arena Island casita Palawan, Arena Island Narra Palawan, Arena Island Turtle Sanctuary Resort, background, bad attitude to get ahead, Baguio, baguio best restaurants, Baguio blog, Baguio City, Baguio City eatscapade, Baguio City eatsploration, Baguio City Philippines, Baguio dine, Baguio dining escapade, Baguio dining how to, baguio eat, baguio eat Baguio food for thought, baguio eats, Baguio eatscapade, Baguio eatsploration, Baguio eatsplorer, Baguio eatsplorers, baguio food, baguio food adventure, baguio food adventures, baguio food blog, Baguio food blogger, Baguio food escapade, Baguio food establishments, baguio food for thought, baguio food guide, baguio food map, baguio food photo blog, baguio food quest, Baguio food review, Baguio food reviews, baguio food trip, Baguio foodie, Baguio foodie blogger, Baguio foodies, baguio foods, baguio guide, baguio guide what to eat, Baguio how to, Baguio Philippines, baguio restaurant blog, baguio restaurant blogs, Baguio restaurant connoisseur, Baguio restaurant food, baguio restaurant guide, baguio restaurant map, Baguio restaurant review, Baguio restaurant reviews, Baguio restaurants review, Baguio restaurants reviews, baguio restaurants to eat, Baguio where to eat, Baguio Wright Park horse Chief, Baguio Wright Park horse riding, Baguio Wright Park horseback riding, bake, Basco Island Batanes, Batanes, best, best hot chocolate drink Bohol Old Heidelberg restaurant Peacock Garden Hotel, best kept secret, best restaurants in baguio, Beth, better, binge, blog, blogger, blogs, blogs about baguio food, bloody chicken send it back, breakfast, business, businesses, call the attention of staff, can't read your mind, center, chest, chests, city, City of Pines, coconut crab Batanes, comfort, comfort food, comforting delicious mami, comforting soup, compare, comparison, comprehensive baguio food blog, comprehensive details about Baguio food, comprehensive information about Baguio food, connoisseur, consider proper food preparation techniques, cook, cost, costs, craving, cravings, customer, customer can be flat out wrong, customer can be wrong, customer is always right, customer isn't always right, customers, dash of salt, Davao Pearl Farm, delectable, delicious, delight, delights, demeaning comments, difference in opinion, dine Baguio, dining around baguio, dining out, dinner, discover, discovering, discovery, dish, dishes, disregard other people just to advance one's self, don’t let bad dining experience deter from eatsploring, Dory Finding Nemo, Dos Palmas Island Resort, Dos Palmas Palawan, down with entitlement issues, down with entitlement tendencies, eat, eat and dine Baguio, eat baguio food, eat out baguio, eat-in-baguio, eateries, eatery, eating healthy guidelines, eating out Baguio, eating out in baguio, eats, eats baguio food, eats baguio foods, eats in Baguio, eats in Baguio City, eats-ploration baguio, eats-plore, eats-plore baguio, eatscapade, eatsploration, eatsplore, eatsplore baguio, eatsplorer, eatsplorers, eatsploring Baguio, entitlement tendencies, establishment, establishments, expect a lot out of everything, expect to be fed, expectation is the root of all heartache Shakespeare, expectation root of heartache, expectations, expectations setting up disappointment, explore, explore Baguio city, explorer, explorers, fancy, fantastic, feeding frenzy, feeding frenzy Manila H2O Hotel aquarium, find, find good Baguio food, find good food in Baguio, Finding Nemo Dory just keep swimming, fingers crossed, flat out wrong, flavorful, flying fish daing Batanes, follow up orders, food, food adventure, food adventures, food and drink, food escapade, food establishment, food establishments, Food for thought, food for thought baguio, food for thought category, food preparation, food preparation knowhow, food quest, food trip, food trip in baguio, food trip with Xine, food trips, foodie, foodie trip, foodie trip Baguio, foodies, foods, fresh fish Batanes, freshly caught fish Batanes, Fundacion Pacita Batanes, Fundacion Pacita Batanes pako salad, funds, gastronomic, generous Baguio chefs, get a one up on others, get the most out of Baguio dining, get the most out of dining out, get theirs, good, good Baguio food, good eats, good eats Baguio, good food, good foods, got this off my chest, great, great time, guide, guide to restaurants in Baguio City, H2O Hotel Manila, Happy new year, happy new year Baguio, have to admit, hint of saltiness, hotel, House of Cards Frank Underwood, House of Cards Frank Underwood quotes, House of Cards Frank Underwood you are entitled to nothing, how to, How to get the most out of a dining experience, hunt, I like salty but not salt, icky eating salt, inept at cooking, inquire about your order, inundated with healthy eating tips, just keep swimming, just opened, Karla, keep eatsploring, keep food tripping, keep on stepping, knowledgeable Baguio chefs, learn about food food industry behind the kitchen doors, learning, learning something here and there, life, life with lots to offer, list, living in the age of entitlement, location, location in baguio map, location of baguio restaurant, looking out for number one, lunch, make friends with chefs, make good on salt sprinkling ritual, make the most of eating out in Baguio, make the most out of eating out, Malipano Island Davao, Manila H2O Hotel aquarium full of salt water fish, Manila Mall of Asia Highlands Steakhouse baby lobster, mark, marks, Marlboro Country Batanes, me ranting in my blog, medium rare, medium rare steak, meet half way, meet me halfway, meet restaurant people halfway, melt in your mouth meat, melt in your mouth quality of meat, memories, memory, menu, mind readers, more empathetic and nice diners, more to offer, more understanding is easier on the heart, murdering steaks, muster enough courage, new meaning to food for thought, new meaning to food for thought baguio, no.1, no1, not in A game second time completely write off list, not mind readers, Old Heidelberg at Peacock Garden Hotel Bohol, Old Heidelberg restaurant food Bohol, on a high horse, on with the food adventure, order too long follow up, origins, others can not read your mind, P3, P3 food trip, pako salad Batanes, Palawan Arena Island, Palawan Narra Arena Island five meal times a day, Palawan Narra Arena Island Turtle Sanctuary, pampering, passion, passion for food, peek behind kitchen doors, people are not mind readers, Philippines, photoblog Baguio, photos, pines, place, places, places to eat, plate, playing it safe with flavor, pleasantly surprised, post year and a half in the making, premium meats melt in your mouth, price, private island Arena Palawan, proper food preparation, prosperous new year to all, prosperous new year to Baguio, quest, quests, Race, Racuh a Payaman Batanes, Racuh a Payaman Marlboro Country Batanes, Racuh a Payaman rolling hills Batanes, rating, ratings, relish the days, restaurant, restaurants, restaurants playing it safe with flavor, Sabtang Island Batanes, Sabtang lighthouse Batanes, sad state of affairs age of entitlement, said my piece, salt, scrumptious, search, searching, seethe and stew, self interest, sermon like tone, service, Shakespeare, Shakespeare quote on expectations, simple, snack, snacks, snorkeling kayaking in private island Arena Island Palawan, social media healthy eating tips, sod off, soft opening restaurant, something amiss with your plate, spoiler alert, spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down, spot, sprinkle of salt, sprinkling of salt, stand up for yourself, staple, start 2016 right, start a new year of food quests right, steps to make the most of eating out, sticking to tradition, student in life, student in this area, student of life, summer soups served cold, swallow the hard pill, take a little control, take control, take into account state of restaurant on your visit, taste, tasty, tend to get disappointed, the spot, three steps to get the most of dining out, tightness in the chest, time, tips, tips dining out Baguio, tips how to get the most out of dining out, tips make the most of eating out, tips to have more delightful dining experience, tips to memorable time eating out, to post or not to post, tolerated bad attitudes, treasure, treasure chest, treasure chests, treasures, treats, tried, tried all Baguio restaurants, true to tradition, Try, try eating at Baguio restaurants, try it bloody, try snafu place again, trying to get it right in my head, understaffed, utilize condiments, vacation scenes, vichyssoise traditionally served cold, wall fish tank H2O Hotel Manila, well into the new year, where to eat, where to eat in Baguio, where to eat in Baguio City, why don’t you, wonderful feeling when restaurant blows us away, wrestling with the topic, x, x marks baguio food in baguio map, x marks baguio restaurants in baguio map, X marks the spot, Xine, xmarks, xmarks baguio, xmarks baguio food, xmarks baguio restaurants, you are entitled to nothing, you'll never know unless you try
X Marks the Spot for Good Baguio Foods 
Ang ganda naman sa mga napuntahan nyo. Favorite ko Batanes!
Hello there! They really are wonderful places, go na rin! *hihi I know right, the Batanes trip was just wow. I never knew I could miss a place that isn’t my home. Thank you so much for visiting the blog! Happy explorations and eatsplorations to you! (“,)
Well written, Xine! You are so right about the age of entitlement. Some people don’t care who they walk on as long as they get what they think they deserve, something they did not even work hard for. Beautiful photos! Batanes has always been on my bucket list of places to see and I have yet to check that from the list. Keep up the good work! 🙂
Hello there, again, Candy! Thank you so much for dropping by the blog, reading and leaving comments on the posts! Always much appreciated!
Here’s hoping this post can give those types of people something to think about and that they can start changing for the better. So true, it’s not because we’re paying customers that it gives us the right to be rude/overly demanding to the people working in restaurants. At the very least, we’re paying for the food … not to be worshiped. =b Shyeew.
I hope you get to see Batanes real soon and that you enjoy your visit there as much as we did. I didn’t want to leave Marlboro Country. Ohh, to lay on the thick carpet of grass just staring at Mt. Iraya, the birds flying by and the carabaos lazily munching on the grass. *sighs
Again, thank you, thank you, Candy! (“,)
Wow. All these places are in the Philippines? Please start a travel blog too. I would love to know how you planned your trips to Batanes and Davao Pearl Farm.
Good tips about getting the most out of dining out. Many people will benefit from reading this. Cheers!
Hello, Janna! Yes, really more fun in the Philippines, no? *hihi Thank you so much for the vote of confidence, but there actually isn’t much to planning trips … I’m just good at following itineraries =b
I’m glad you like this post! Fingers crossed it does benefit people. Thank you so much! Happy (Baguio) food trails! (“,)
This makes so much sense! It’s ridiculous when I recall waiting for 50mins for my order when I could have saved myself the trouble and agitation if I just asked, where’s my order?
Hello there, lån! *hihi happened to me eating out with my Jollibee friends back in the day too. I guess it happens to us once in our lives. As long as we know better in the future, I guess, we’ll be fine.
Thank you so much for looking in on the newest stuff on Find Good Baguio Foods! To dining experiences that go smoothly for both customers and restuaranteurs! (“,)