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Quick Reference - Food

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Restaurant Selection

Picking the spot is the battle.

  • Huge menu with multiple cuisines → probably frozen
  • You should look at the exterior of the restaurant and have a good idea of the offering. A confused exterior or vibe about what they serve → NG.

Picking from the Menu

  • Peruse the menu and figure out their specialty
  • Go for in-season, regionally fresh ingredients
  • Specialty → Popular → High Ingredient Turnover → Fresher stuff
    • Corollary: avoid items that are rarely ordered
  • Don’t order something they don’t specialize in
    • Don’t get pizza at a non-pizza place (do they have an oven?)
    • Burgers can also be screwed up – way too dry or overcooked
  • Backup Strategy: get Hard-to-screw-up items: wings, fried food, smash burgers
  • Ask the server what they recommend. Their answer reveals a lot. Sometimes they’re transparent (e.g. if they are trying to steer you away from a certain dish because maybe they get complaints on that dish a lot) or their answer indicates they’re not working there a long time.
  • At fusion spots, trust the waiter to guide you; you’re paying for the exploration

Shawarma Toppings

Chicken Shawarma: Chicken, Fries, Garlic sauce, green pickles (not turnip) – that’s it!

Beef Shawarma: Beef, Tahini Sauce, Parsley, Tomato, Onions. (Plus pomegranate sauce)

Wine

Red Wine Strength Spectrum (Lightest to Boldest)

  1. Gamay (Beaujolais): Lightest, low tannins, very fruity.
  2. Pinot Noir: Light-to-medium, silky, high acidity.
  3. Grenache/Garnacha: Medium, fruit-forward, moderate tannin.
  4. Merlot: Medium-to-full, smooth, versatile.
  5. Tempranillo: Medium-to-full, savory, earthy.
  6. Malbec: Full, ripe dark fruit, velvety.
  7. Shiraz/Syrah: Full, spicy, high alcohol.
  8. Cabernet Sauvignon: Full, highest tannins, bold structure.
  9. Zinfandel: Full, very high alcohol, jammy

White Wine Strength Spectrum (Lightest to Boldest)

  1. Muscadet: Lightest, bone-dry, mineral, crisp.
  2. Pinot Grigio: Light, neutral, refreshing.
  3. Sauvignon Blanc: Light-to-medium, high acidity, herbaceous/citrus.
  4. Riesling: Light-to-medium, high acidity, ranges dry to sweet.
  5. Albariño: Medium, citrusy, slightly saline.
  6. Chenin Blanc: Medium, versatile, honeyed notes.
  7. Gewürztraminer: Medium, aromatic, lychee/floral, off-dry.
  8. Viognier: Medium-to-full, aromatic, stone fruit, lower acidity.
  9. Chardonnay (oaked): Full, buttery, creamy, rich.