The secret to picking the perfect restaurant
Last month, I spent a couple of weeks holidaying in the UK. I caught up with friends and family, explored some quaint villages in the Cotswolds, and then my partner and I took the train from London to Edinburgh for a short city trip.
The journey up to Scotland gave me plenty of time to research options for eating out. But half an hour later, knee-deep in reviews, I was completely overwhelmed. Whatever I picked, I would be missing out on eating something better somewhere else.
But it turned out, my favourite restaurants of the trip weren’t featured in a magazine ‘top 10’ list or scrutinised in a Sunday supplement. My favourites were all those recommended by somebody we knew. For me, this included a Japanese restaurant with the tastiest sushi I’d ever had (people stick thank you notes to the walls in celebration), and a delicious middle-eastern eatery suggested by my sister.
So the secret to choosing the perfect restaurant? Let someone else pick. Ideally a friend – maybe they live there, or they’ve visited the place before. Failing that, ask a local. The woman who just served you that crisp gin and tonic – where does she frequently go for dinner?
Thoughts? How do you choose a restaurant while travelling? What are your dos and don’ts when it comes to picking?
Since we were in Scotland, we also ate haggis, shortbread, and deep-fried mars bars (delicious, by the way).
