Modern restaurant/dining trends that annoy you

[ThistleAmore]

I'm supposed to be packing for a work trip, so obviously procrastinating wildly, and got to thinking about stuff that annoys me in modern cooking (and yes, I realise this is the very definition of a #firstworldproblem).

The lack of plates is an obvious one, but I also find this weird trend for not bothering to cut up vegetables irritating, too: call me old-fashioned, but I think whole carrots are for horses, and prefer them to at least have been introduced to a knife before they find their way onto my plate.

What gives you indigestion (physically or spiritually)?

Calories on menus.
Booming music.

"I wonder how many vegetarians know that"

They will know. Or, at least people who are vegetarian for moral/ethical reasons would make a point of checking their cheeses. Vegetarians who just don't like meat wouldn't be bothered.

BillywigSting I thought the jury was out regarding wooden vs plastic chopping boards. Wood has natural anti microbial properties. This article is interesting.

"Gosh yes to waiters interrupting every few minutes"

This is much, much worse in the USA. Waiting staff expect a minimum 20% tip and never leave you alone when you are eating.

I think I need to organise a meet up i Wolverhampton.

This place is everything I want.

www.rossoenero.org/

Waiting staff speak to you in English, they do have accents because they are actually Italian.

They take your coat.

They follow the 'rules' I was taught as a child. So you get a menu and are asked if you want a drink. Your drink comes, and if it's water it's i a jug with ice.

You can spend second or an hour looking at the menu, as soon as you put it down they take your order.

If they do screw up then they sort things, so last time I was there my companion didn't want lemon in his dringk, they appologised and they made a new drink, no fishing the lemon out and reserving.

Food comes on a plate and with veg, on the weekday lunch menu veg is on the plate, on an evening they bring a dish to the table.

Again they do not hovver until you have put your knife and fork down and they clear your plates.

Puddings do come with a bit of chocolate or a dusting of icing sugar.

The chips are fried (my didning companion doesn't like Italian food, he had garlic bread and chips).

You can see part of the kitchen but it's not 'on display' and you don't get the smells.

Even when they are officiolly closed they don't hurry you.

Oh I don't work for them BTW.

Oh and sorry to the veggis, you would be oncips only as well. Well maybe bruschetta.

restaurants that only serve a tasting menu

for a start, I have one or two firm dislikes. No matter how exceptionally you've cooked a swede, I still won't enjoy it.
But even for the resolutely unfussy, surely if a particular tasting plate is amazing, you want more than a couple of mouthfuls? And if not so amazing why bother?

Basically, if I want slightly too small portions of things I probably won't like, I'll save myself a few quid and go to my sister's.

Small plates - i want a meal FFS and I'll go to a tapas place if I don't.
Tasting menus in less than upmarket restaurants, just a rip off.
Wine flights - it never comes at the right time.

Paintbrush smears of the sauce across plates

Pickling!

And definitely the needing the table back at a specific time

Things in ramekins and pots - chips, coleslaw, beans. Just put it on the plate! hehe that's me, I always put beans or coleslaw or anything 'sidey' like that in ramekins - looks so much nicer. Admittedly I only started it when I had children and they don't like the food all going into each other!

I hate these tall tower things that started off like kebabs dangling from a crane, but rather ridiculously I saw sausages like that at a restaurant recently and it was just mean to be sausage and mash, haha!

Absolutely everything on this thread I agree with. My pet hate is those bloody knives that have weird handles. Like a normal knife but the handle has been rotated so the wide at part is at the top IYSWIM. The sodding things spin around in my hands and food ends up flying off my plate.

Impolite waiters and waitresses. I was at the pub earlier this week and the waitress did not take my order properly. I also avoid pubs that don’t have a menu on the table either. Limited space to move around is also a pet hate of mine.

puppymonkey the bars with secret entrances piss me right off. I'm blind enough as it is. I just need a farking door fgs!

I would like to point out that when you order water the reason why you sometimes don't get it is because it's free, doesn't go through the till, so is therefore not on my list and forgotten about. I've done this a few times, I usually get it first now, so I don't forget! 😬

Not being able to book a table (happening increasingly in London) and having to queue around the block for 90 mins.

'Pulled pork' appearing everywhere.

Chips not being just simple chips - they have to be triple-cooked - or worse, the abomination that is 'curly fries'.

For me is the fact that everywhere is SO BLOOMING NOISY!!!!!

Having to order vegetables as a side dish. Since when are vegetables and salad not part of the included meal meaning you have to pay £3-5 more if you don't just happen to want meat with some potato? 

Hate getting food on slates or (oft-stinky) boards. Especially when the sauce starts to run off the sides.

(I'm sure you're all familiar with this site already but... We want plates )

Also Jenga-style chips (which are usually really stodgy and horrible). I live in Belgium, home of the world's most perfectly delicious chips which are pretty much always twice fried. They never mention this fact poncily on any menu here - they are just frites.

"Sides" makes me want to scream. As does paying an extra fiver to have some veg on my plate.

Also "mash", e.g. "potato mash". Err, you mean mashed potato?

After reading this thread I had lunch today - my calamari came on a slate!!

I was in Dishoom on Tuesday, we went at 5pm. When we left there was a queue of about 100 people. It was a huge restaurant too, the kings cross one. I don’t do queues.

RonniePasas Oooh, I'll look on YouTube - I like Dara!

any dish described as dirty eg dirty fries

The dish not including sides is how it is in lots of Europe - in Italy if you order a steak, you get a steak.

I ordered a lasagne in a local Italian restaurant in the UK and the waiter said “you know it doesn’t come with anything? People expect there to be salad or garlic bread.”

Oh and when you've gone out for a cuppa and a scone, to a cafe like M&S or John Lewis etc the teapots always dribble bloody boiling tea everywhere but into the sodding cup. Usually the lid clatters off and crashes into the cup too. Plus the handles are so small you need asbestos fingers to pick them up.

I end up sat with a puddle of tea on the tray or table, on the saucer and soaking into my beloved scone.

blimey all of the above

stop calling me" Guys "and ordering me to "enjoy" just bring it on one plate without any sub bowls or plates dont put a bloody napkin (not serviette ) under my burger
If you are not going to take my coat at least have somewhere that I may hang it
Dont add a service charge , my local pub did this the other night for a sunday roast , cheeky fuckers If i am pleased with my service I would like to tip whoever served me and like her to keep all of it rather than get split between the rest of the staff ( who may be useless )

If I go into a pub to eat allow me the opportunity to have a drink at the bar rather than having to sit down and wait for a drink to be brought over
oh and a smile goes a long way !