Why can't you get separate checks at restaurants in Western New York?
Some places do offer the service but plenty of others don't, and this is one of the most common complaints I hear from foodies/readers.
Seems to me that with all the computer and tech equipment we have these days, it shouldn't be a big deal.
And speaking of restaurant checks -- and I'm afraid we must -- why don't we ever see the table-side credit card machines in our restaurants? The server comes to the table with the machine, about the size of a cell phone, and the customer simply slides his card. The card does not leave the table. They are all over Europe in upscale places as well as cafes. Are we lagging behind here?
Questions, I get questions. All about where to find special and/or favorite dishes in Western New York.
Frankly, sometimes I can't answer. Here's an example: "My Mom loves fried chicken but never really eats it. Is there a place in the Buffalo area that you have found outstanding fried chicken? I would really like to take her for her birthday next week."
I love fried chicken too, but I really don't know a restaurant that serves it exceptionally well. OK. Everyone out there: What are YOUR recommendations?
Walking the trail at the Reinstein Nature Preserve Saturday reminded me again about how much I love to eat outdoors. So with summer on the immediate horizon -- or so they say --I'm thinking about prime picnic spots in the area.
My absolute favorite is the Niagara Parkway, the road along the river that goes into Niagara Falls. And the road that goes into Niagara-on-the-Lake is hardly shabby.
But both these places are in Canada and at lot of people are bridge-o-phobic this year. Who's got some really spectacular ideas on this side of the border?
That title is based on a very old (1920) popular song "Yes We Have No Bananas," but it pretty much describes the salad and sandwich situation today as many restaurants pull the popular fruit (yes it is a fruit) from their menus in response to an FDA advisory that some tomatoes in some growing areas (both domestic and international) may cause d an outbreak of salmonella.
Read all about it just about everywhere, including my column in Life and Arts today.
But it's important to stay cool because this is probably only the first of many food alarms that will occur this summer. Our global food supply which brings us food from all parts of the world is a mixed blessing. Food grown locally is easier to pinpoint and to control.
Meantime, how is the tomato scare affecting you? Any thoughts on what you're doing to ease your mind?
Just a thought based on my restaurant prices story today in the Life and Arts section: With restaurant food costs so high and with delivery and transportation costs increasing so rapidly, this may well be the beginning of a restaurant "buyer's market ." Maybe we should call it a "diner's market" because so many eating places may be inclined to offer deals to entice customers as the summer goes on.
There are signs of this already. Take a look at the ads in Gusto. More and more promotions, early bird deals, buy-one-get one free, half-price drinks and/or wine. We could go on. I'm mentioning this not to crow over the restaurateur's dilemma but as consumer advice. Going out to eat is fun and if you can do it in a cheaper way, so much the better.
And, if by eating out, you can help the good folks in the restaurant business out of the jam, they're in right now? Well, that's better yet.
