To feel like I cook better meals at home!

[WilsonMilson]

Went out for a bank holiday meal today with the family. Tried somewhere new. Same thing as usual happened when we go out for mid priced meals - felt disappointed and underwhelmed by the food.

It was a gastro pub. I had fish and chips - the oil it had been fried in tasted old, the batter was hard and burnt, the fish had bones and overall it was just edible but average. I cook much better and tastier food at home. I find this happens more often than not, unless we go to really expensive restaurants, which is not realistic to do all the time. The place gets great reviews on Tripadvisor too, so I was looking forward to it.

Anyone else feel the same way when eating out and think you make nicer food at home? I am a keen cook, and for the money we spent I could have cooked an absolute feast at home.

Totally agree op.

Much prefer home cooked food. We are both pretty decent cooks.

The only thing imo we can't make better is proper fish and chips from the chippy.

I forgot a reason.

• Getting together with friends is always fun, even if it isn't about the food

Last week i had what was probably the worst meal out i have ever had, Miller & Carter, it was vile. Even the steak knife couldn't cut through the steak. Much better to cook at home for a fraction of the price.

Mine is too in 90% of cases. What I object to is their attempts to cut portions, use cheaper ingredients and add on huge service charges (optional, of course not). I know we need to pay more now but don't take the piss - all in it together, right? 🙄

And bloody pizza. There’s another thing!! Why oh why would anyone of same mind procure two pizzas from the likes of Dominoes at a cost of approx. £35 when you could buy two nice pizzas from Sainsbury’s for under a tenner???!!!! I honestly don’t understand who does this, and/or why. It’s madness I tell you

Covid has changed our lives an awful lot. More and more we're finding that when we do eat out there's little effort made with anything. Politeness and helpfulness from the staff, food presentation, quantity and quality of the food. It's catch 22 I suppose because we go out far less since covid. We're happy at home and enjoy our own company which is lovely and better for the bank balance but sad really when we go out (recently for our wedding anniversary) and the food, once amazing is now very average, dogs everywhere and walked away wishing we'd just treated ourselves to a steak from the local butcher.

My theory is that those who rave about restaurant food don't add enough salt or fat to their home cooking.

I base this entirely on MIL. She was very indignant when BIL enjoyed some things "you never eat that at home" that I cooked.

You don't even put a sprinkle of salt and pepper on your veg, woman.

We don’t go out anywhere near as much now. I think it’s a result of being unable to recruit skilled staff on the budget available so places are just churning out burger and chips, fish and chips or steak and chips which anyone can do. The usual deserts are stp, brownie or ice cream churned out on factories. I think Brexit and Covid had a big influence as staff went home and never came back -and now they can’t. We can get nice food if we eat at lunchtime at an upmarket’s set menu. Sad.

<y DH does a lot of corporate entertaining so we have to eat out often. It used to feel like a treat, now it is more of a penalty.

The deserts are now the biggest joke in terms of price hikes. It is always the same bloody chocolate fondant, cheesecake and cheap ice creams bought in by almost everyone. The more upmarket places dump a flour or a sprig of basil on top.

Flower, no, actually, it is too hard to tell.

Absolutely agree. But it's a real problem when you can't be bothered to cook 😅. We went out today but I used my Tesco vouchers so didn't feel too bad. I like to go out for pizza as I can never re-create that.

Feel like this all the time. The service is awful these days too.

No, because I am not a good cook. But I do often think I could have picked up something better at M&S for a fraction of the price.

The supermarket ready meals have also gone up a lot though. Wasabi at M&S, Pret salads. I don't really see it as a cheaper alternative but at least you have a better idea of the ingredients. .

the ones with a huge menu spanning a wide range of food types
These are the certainly the places to avoid as you know nothing is going to be cooked to order and chef mic will be doing the cooking.

A smaller menu at an independent restaurant is usually the key. Doesn’t have to be expensive. There is a FANTASTIC Japanese place in town, you wouldn’t even notice it if you walked past. But the food is so good, properly authentic and cooked to order. One of the only places we go to now because everywhere else is meh and not worth it.

I only eat out at places where they do certain things, I know I can't fully replicate, for this reason. It's so great to be able to cook and make yourself happy at home for a fraction of the cost. Eating out can be nice in other ways though.

My DCs would prefer a German Doner Kebab over most restaurants. It is a smaller, refined version of a doner with some interesting sauces. No pretensions, well priced, filling.

Nope, I hate cooking and so am not a great chef so am easily pleased whenever we go out to eat 😊
(I ate out 6 nights out of 7 last week but we were on holiday!)

I'm often taken aback how expensive a meal out can be, for mediocre food

I like to keep a stash of eg curries in the freezer, so we can eat well / healthy / cheap

But sometimes, it's nice to go out for the atmosphere

Also I have lost a bit of weight, not eating out as much as we used to. Restaurant food is full of fat. These days I would rather go out for a nice show.

@Blueisthecolour1 I totally agree- I can have 2 top end large ones from M&S for about £13 - and guaranteed to be hot off my oven

Yanbu, cheap and cheerful, or high end for a treat only now. The middle ground is awful and so expensive too.

Totally agree with you OP. Rarely go out to eat and when I do I find the food disappointing. This includes some high end restaurants. I'm by no means a brilliant chef. I just think a lot of food is pre prepared and bought in rather than home cooked.

Does anyone else find that so often the food and hot drinks are cold as well?