The staff is happy
The first thing I look for when I walk into a restaurant is if people are happy and smiling. Do they walk out of the kitchen laughing because of a joke the cooks told? Are they genuinely happy to be there, even if they’re not standing in front of a table of paying guests? If so, chances are good they’re working for (and with) people they like. Don’t miss red flags that you’re about to eat at a bad restaurant.
You feel comfortable as soon as you walk in
Ambiance is key in a restaurant. It sets the tone for the food before you even sit down and look at a menu. Consider the decor, staff uniforms, plates and menu design and see if everything fits the type of food served. If so, the owners have thought out their concept, and that attention to detail should match the quality of the food.
The restaurant is full (even on weeknights)
Here’s the thing: People want to eat at the best restaurants, and they tend not to return to ones they don’t like. It’s not always the case, of course—everyone has different tastes. But, chances are good you’ll like a place if everyone else in the neighborhood does, too.
The server can answer your questions
This one tells you two things: how well the restaurant educates their staff, and how long the server has worked for the company. If management takes the time give their employees detailed information about the food (and, better yet, let them taste it), they’re probably putting that type of care into making the dishes, too. You might be surprised at what “polite” mistakes annoy your waiter.
They set expectations
I love it when a server responds, “Warm pink center?” when I ask for a medium-rare steak. Even better if the menu informs me that the paella or a whole chicken will take an hour to cook. Unmet expectations are the number one cause for bad restaurant experiences, so I know it’ll be a good one if they work hard to steer me in the right direction.
The menu changes frequently
It’s always a red flag if I see heirloom tomatoes on a salad in the winter. Or asparagus as the vegetable side in the fall. Many vegetables are only available certain times of the year, so restaurants that change their menu quarterly—better yet, weekly or daily—are featuring the freshest ingredients.
Not sure what’s in season? Check out these handy infographics.
The food is sourced locally
Do you notice any name-dropping on the menu? Is the bread made at a local bakery? Did the pork come from a local farm? If so, this restaurant is paying a premium for ingredients, and those high-quality flavors will definitely shine through in the finished dish. Find more things that restaurant owners wish they could tell you.
The menu is on the smaller side
A huge menu gives me nightmares: a ton of prep goes into making food for a restaurant, and there’s not enough time with larger menus. They require the assistance of store-bought sauces, dressings and things like pre-breaded frozen chicken cutlets. No, thank you! A menu with five appetizers, a few salad options and three to five entrees indicates the staff has time to prep every item from scratch.
They have an open kitchen
This isn’t a 100% giveaway of how the food will taste, but I always love a restaurant with an open kitchen. You get to see what goes on behind the scenes and how the cooks and servers interact. There’s also nowhere to hide, so you also get a sneak peek at the type of ingredients the restaurant uses.
Ever wonder what’s going on in the kitchen? We have behind-the-scenes restaurant secrets from a real chef.
The bathrooms are sparkling and clean
This is a fantastic way to judge the restaurant’s attention to detail. If they take the time to mop the floors regularly, clean up the overflowing trash bin and restock the toilet paper, chances are also good they’re keeping the kitchen (and your food) clean and at proper temperatures, too.
The post 10 Signs a Restaurant Is Going to Be Good appeared first on Taste of Home.
Lindsay D. Mattison