FOOD NEWS
Can't Decide On A Dinner Order? Stick To The Restaurant's Theme
By Chase Shustack
You usually know what's good at the restaurant you frequent, but when visiting a place for the first time, it's normal to feel nervous about all the new, appealing choices in front of you. These options might confuse and overwhelm you at first, but to narrow things down, you should look around and base your choices on what the restaurant is trying to accomplish.
If you can't decide on a dish, La Cuchara chef Ben Lefenfeld suggests knowing the restaurant's theme to help you figure out what to order, saying, "Do not order fish at a steakhouse or steak at a seafood restaurant." Keep in mind what the restaurant is built around, focusing your order on that, and if the restaurant has made a certain food or food group its headliner, try it to see what all the noise is about.
If you're in a restaurant with no clear theme, it's best to ask your server for their recommendation, as they should know about the food their restaurant is serving. However, Washingtonian warns that your waiter may be trying to "upsell" on a dish you may not want, so it helps to remember that it's merely an opinion while you'll make the final choice yourself.