I don't understand the point of dining out sometimes

[alphatarget1]

Granted there is some stuff that's hard to make if you don't have the right tools (like deep fryer), but I bought a 1# steak from HEB (a Texas grocery store) and threw it on the cast iron skillet (didn't feel like firing up the charcoal grill), 10 minutes later, viola, a juicy steak just the way I want it.

If I wanted a 16 oz steak from, say, outback it would've costed me 15-20 bucks at least.

 

[zerocool84]

Wow are you serious??? I guess the people that have been doing it throughout history have been stupid.

 

[alphatarget1]

Originally posted by: zerocool84
Wow are you serious??? I guess the people that have been doing it throughout history have been stupid.

Doing what, dining out or cooking by themselves?

Blah to sarcasm.

 

[DaveSimmons]

Sure, you can make Outback, Sizzler or Black Angus quality food at home, but I don't consider that "dining out," that's fast food.

 

[alphatarget1]

Originally posted by: DaveSimmons
Sure, you can make Outback, Sizzler or Black Angus quality food at home, but I don't consider that "dining out," that's fast food.

True. A lot of people do (consider that as dining out) though.

 

[nageov3t]

I'm of the belief that food that you don't have to prepare yourself inherently tastes better.

 

[xSauronx]

Originally posted by: DaveSimmons
Sure, you can make Outback, Sizzler or Black Angus quality food at home, but I don't consider that "dining out," that's fast food.

waiting 20 minutes or better for a meal at outback isnt "fast"

i dont like franchise places for the most part. ive never been anywhere that would be considered "fine dining" but i absolutely love to cook for myself

 

[zerocool84]

Saying you don't understand the point of going out is like saying you don't understand the point of taking your car to a mechanic or hiring contractors to build or fix things for you. You could do it all yourself as well.

 

[alphatarget1]

Originally posted by: zerocool84
Saying you don't understand the point of going out is like saying you don't understand the point of taking your car to a mechanic or hiring contractors to build or fix things for you. You could do it all yourself as well.

You're right, I don't. I can do most of the things myself, haha.

 

[Descartes]

IMO, just get better restaurants. There's no way I can duplicate the quality of the better places. Just tonight we went to our favorite neighborhood Italian spot, and we had:

1) Bruschetta (yah, boring, but the wife is a vegetarian and it was the only veggie app tonight) with honey-infused tomato, house-made ricotta, house-made bread and local basil.
2) Codfish with portabello jus and I honestly forget what else.
3) Beet gnocci with goat cheese and candied walnuts. Absolutely incredible
4) Creamy truffled polenta. The truffle in the polenta is insanity.
5) Gorgonzola-fig risotto. Delicious.

No way could I do all that myself, and certainly not on a single night. Great meals are something you can remember your entire life, in my opinion. I'm not saying tonight was it for me, but every once in a while you really hit on something that you never forget.

 

[esun]

I think you picked a good example of a food that's easy to cook yourself (and better, quite frankly, since you can make sure it's done exactly how you like it). Lots of foods you eat out are a bit harder to make at home and would require more time/ingredients than is convenient for many people.

 

[pontifex]

but you don't have to spend the time to cook or clean up afterwards.

 

[zerocool84]

Originally posted by: alphatarget1

Originally posted by: zerocool84
Saying you don't understand the point of going out is like saying you don't understand the point of taking your car to a mechanic or hiring contractors to build or fix things for you. You could do it all yourself as well.

You're right, I don't. I can do most of the things myself, haha.

So you're just trying to show off then???

 

[Bignate603]

We tend to cook food ourselves, but buying food at restaurants has its place. We do it when we want something that we can't make easily.

 

[SarcasticDwarf]

Pasta is just damn hard to cook to restraunt level.

 

[sjwaste]

That's funny. I had a 16oz ribeye tonight. The steak itself cost me $20, so the post about it costing that much to eat out kind of made me laugh a little. I don't treat myself to it often, but I picked up a dry aged prime ribeye from Whole Foods to break in my new cast iron skillet. I suppose I should post pics.

A steak like that at a restaurant would be like $40. However, eating out isn't about the price. It's about the experience. Read what Descartes posted, he summed it up nicely.

 

[QueBert]

Originally posted by: alphatarget1
Granted there is some stuff that's hard to make if you don't have the right tools (like deep fryer), but I bought a 1# steak from HEB (a Texas grocery store) and threw it on the cast iron skillet (didn't feel like firing up the charcoal grill), 10 minutes later, viola, a juicy steak just the way I want it.

If I wanted a 16 oz steak from, say, outback it would've costed me 15-20 bucks at least.

My take, you can't make food at home as good - I should say as good as a good restaurant. If I want a steak I'm going to probably go to Donnovans. Yes it's going to be expensive but you cannot duplicate what they do at home. At best I would have to spend an hour driving to a high end butcher shop to get a qualify cut of meat. Something no supermarket offers. Then I drive an hour back, spend the time to cook it, mind you I don't have an oven even close to as good as Donnovans. So I spend 3 hours total to make a steak that's half as good. I think the extra $35 I'd spend at Donnovans would be money well spent.

Now for Outback, it would be no fuss on my part, cleaning sucks to me. I could get a Steak probably as good as one I'd make with meat from a grocery store, without the hassle. That's worth money to me. Plus, Outback has Aussie Cheese Fries, which if I tried to make at home would take well over an hour and not come out as good.

I love cooking, and I eat at home a lot, but there are plenty of meals made at home that won't hold up to a restaurant. I know a ton of ATOT elitists will come out the woodwork and try to tell me about their steaks cooked in an inferior oven. That are still somehow magically better tasting than one from Donnovans or Ruth Cris lol.

I would not go out for a Grilled Cheese for example because the one I make at home is fine, same for a few other meals. But when I want the best a lot of things you just can't make properly at home (steak & pizza come to mind)

 

[Zee]

why the fuck did you buy the beef from the supermarket? why not go raise a cow and then butcher it yourself too

 

[amicold]

Originally posted by: alphatarget1
Granted there is some stuff that's hard to make if you don't have the right tools (like deep fryer), but I bought a 1# steak from HEB (a Texas grocery store) and threw it on the cast iron skillet (didn't feel like firing up the charcoal grill), 10 minutes later, viola, a juicy steak just the way I want it.

If I wanted a 16 oz steak from, say, outback it would've costed me 15-20 bucks at least.

You're missing the point entirely. No one is going out to eat solely for the food.

 

[lxskllr]

Originally posted by: loki8481
I'm of the belief that food that you don't have to prepare yourself inherently tastes better.

+1

Even PBJ tastes better when you didn't make it yourself. That's why I steal lunches from the kids at the bus stop :^P

I eat well during the school year :^D

 

[Colt45]

ambience.

What did you do this weekend?

A. I sat at home in my underwear and fried a steak
B. I went to this nice greek place down the street, there was deliciousness and

ah whatever i dont care.

 

[us3rnotfound]

I've been to Wendy's a few times, and the cashier would always say "Dining Room?" meaning "for here or to go?" I always found that kinda funny :laugh:

 

[n yusef]

I don't understand people who consider steak to be the height of cuisine. It's so easy to make.

 

[trmiv]

The reasons we eat out sometimes:

1)I don't have to cook
2)I don't have to clean up after

 

[sandorski]

Originally posted by: Zee
why the fuck did you buy the beef from the supermarket? why not go raise a cow and then butcher it yourself too

He's a Noob.