What food do you avoid ordering when out of the home, because you make better at home?

[IzzyGone]

What do you not order when you go out to eat as you know you'll make a better version yourself and therefore pick something else?

Mine is banana loaf, nothing flash but mine is better than coffee shop version.

Same.

I'd never order any pasta, curry, risotto, roast dinner, most cakes because I can can cook them better. But I don't have a deep fat fryer so can't make proper fish and chips at home.

Yes, I love pasta, but mine is tastier and less salty than a lot of restaurant offerings!

Not to blow my own trumpet but more and more these days the food when I eat out is disappointing and overpriced and not as good as I make myself at home. Most pasta, pizza, deserts, pies, stews, soups, wraps are all much nicer at home even for ethnic styles of cooking I am getting to the point where I prefer my own cooking. I think exceptions might be really good Indian and Korean food, perhaps some Japanese dishes. We went to a Thai place the other week we had previously really enjoyed I had the Pad Thai and DH had a Red Curry, we were both really underwhelmed and agreed what we make ourselves at home is nicer and other have said the same recently.

I am not sure what to make of this, either I am a veritable MasterChef or quality in restaurants is going down hill.

A roast-type Sunday lunch.

I do get this mindset. It's nice to socialise but I resent paying for something I can make a better job of at home.

I think this way, I want something that I can’t easily do for myself / get at home

Exactly. I don't order pasta or anything plain or easy to cook and I don't go out for a roast dinner.

I prefer to order things where I don't have the optimum cooking facilities or ingredients to make them. The exception will be Indian food as I make a lot of Indian meals at home anyway, but I love a curry out with friends.

Another reason we eat out less often is that portion sizes are getting ridiculous. In some places we could make a meal do for the two of us. I am not a competitive undereater at all, but I won't see 60 again and my metabolism isn't what it used to be.

This. And it’s especially disappointing (disgusting) when roast potatoes are deep fried

Things like tray bakes eg Costa Tiffin bar. The one I make absolutely blows that out of the water. My Chilli Con Carne is usually much better too.

Once every few years, usually in the autumn or winter, I crave a roast that I haven’t had to make myself, especially if there’s only me and DH at home. So we go and have one, at a pub, or a gastropub, or a bistro, or a carvery, or a fine dining fancy pants place - I’ve honestly tried every type and price point of restaurant.

And then I remember, without fail, why I don’t do it more often. It’s never not disappointing. There’s always something badly done, or fannied around with, or missed off altogether.

I think I’m always somehow chasing a memory of my grandma’s beef & Yorkshire with horseradish, gravy and really crispy roasties. She was a genius at it. So yeah, roast dinners. Now my mum and grandma are gone I’d rather eat my own than anyone else’s.

Most Indian food available is
Bangladeshi food
Confined to Northern India and completely ignores the South and West of India.
Thai food is for Western tastebuds ie bland.

Macaroni cheese - mine is superior to anything I’ve ever had not at home

Def pasta...going out for a meal is a treat so I wouldn't order something on a often typical meal rotation (kids' fave...they are obvs more than welcome to order that though,up to them!)

Mexican unless somewhere more authentic,as also have frequently at home and I love cumin.

coffee. my bean to cup does the most amazing coffee. I never have coffee out anymore as it’s always inferior.

Lasagne and stew, and I’m not even a good cook!!

Baked potatoes as they never have the right filling to potato ratio for me.

Steak pie as most places serve it as stew with a separate square of puff pastry that just turns into crumbs when you touch it. Nothing beats the bit of soggy pastry you get between the crisp top and the meat when you have a properly done steak pie.

I think really it’s just a roast.
Dh is a fantastic cook and very diverse and inventive so if it were purely about the quality of food I’d probably never eat out. But I love eating out and do it a lot, for the company and ambience and mostly go to nice places and avoid chains where possible.
A roast on the very rare occasion we’ve had one out (when invited by family to join them for dinner out on a Sunday) has been so disappointing that I’d never choose to order one when out now. I’ve learnt my lesson!

Pre packed sandwiches, i have yet to find one that is full or tasty.

Most food actually, I prefer to eat out only if it’s either better than I can make or is unusual and therefore I haven’t ever made it. Except of course when staying away from home.

I never order things like lasagna, curry (unless authentic), steak, most European food actually.

i only have a limited eating out budget so i use wisely

An omelette, a sandwich or toastie, most basic cakes and biscuits, jacket potato, most salads, soup. Most dishes involving chicken if quite ordinary ingredients, salmon in nearly all forms. Tomato sauce based things, lentil or bean based dishes. Pasta.

Oh yes and coffee, I make it so much better

I don't really eat out in places where the food isn't as good as or better than I could make at home.

For some people who are exceptionally good at cooking certain dishes, places like that simply don't exist though.

Hence the OP asking which dishes they avoid, not which restaurants.

I agree about most "Indian" restaurants but I enjoy eating Bangladeshi food.

Re the Thai food I don't agree at all. When you say bland do you mean not chilli hot enough or not enough aromatics?

I don't agree that going out is more about the socialising or vibe than the food.

Both the socialising and vibe are better in my house - children are more relaxed, as are parents. It's more comfortable, quieter (sometimes), no dogs (hurrah!) and there's more alcohol available so if only 1 person wants white wine, then that's fine.

The only down side about eating at home is the clearing up - but if you have people to talk to/help you, that's easier too.

Chicken. I don't know why but I can't eat chicken im restaurants. I just can't but at home cooked by my husband it's fine.

I doubt it. They probably have an over-inflated view of their own cooking ability or are very picky about how they want something done, or don't have very good places to eat near them. There are a lot of mediocre to poor places to eat in the UK. I'm a very good cook but don't flatter myself that a decent pub or restaurant with a proper chef, can't match or better me on most of the dishes I would make at home.