Good work, Menu Detective.
You finger-picked between standard options and boring choices to find that hidden gem of deliciousness hiding way down in the corner. Now when anyone asks about the food and nods politely you can smile a sneaky smile, clear your throat, wipe your napkin across your lips, and scream out a great big word.
AWESOME!
Send your awesome story and photo to 1000awesomethings [at] gmail.com
— Email message —
“Six years ago when I was a junior in college, I received an interesting parcel in my mail. It was a notebook of graph paper describing a friendship between me and someone in my creative writing class. The strange thing was that, although I admired this person, we hadn’t really spoken. The first page in the notebook suggested beginning a friendship through letters, to be written in the notebook and passed back and forth. To my delight, we spent the entire year writing each other, sharing stories, photographs, poetry, and all sorts of things. We each added 25 items every time–from “Soft Pretzels” to “When I’m Driving in My Neighborhood and I See Someone Bent Straight over While Gardening,” eventually totaling 500. It was a bright spot in an otherwise dark time. Every new “Awesome” post on your blog reminds me of my friend, and that, in itself, is pretty awesome.” – Lindsey
Photo from: here
“I should have got what your ordered.”
“…Yes. Yes you should have.” (:
Love the picture in that notebook, Lindsey!
agree…
it’s really awesome
Oops, I read this wrong.
I thought it said when the person working at the restaurant agrees with your choice( for reals, not just for show).
But that is pretty awesome too!
That notebook bit was pretty awesome too…. What and interesting way to try and get to know someone. I’m kind of jealous no one has ever passed me something so cool! :)
This is never me, but it is almost always hubby. He gets something, I envy him and then I get it the next time we go to that place.
I let my daughter pick out my food while we are out. I’ll give her a few choices that I like and she’ll pick one for me. She loves to do it.
My friends and I have been having menu choice competitions for about 6 years now. Last December, for the first time, I finally won! This is definitely an awesome thing!
as a recovering waiter, i can say with full confidence that the WORST thing to happen is when everybody at the table asks each other what they’re getting. what does it matter? you’re eating with YOUR mouth, not his! just venting :) thanks for the post. i do remember ordering for the whole table because of my restaurant experience and people loving it. not only did they not have to think, but they got to eat good. awesome!
I love that sketch! I remember it from college. I’m building a world for you!
http://explodingdog.com/title/iambuildingaworldforyou.html
This happened to me when I was at an Indian restaurant with my family once. It made me feel so smart. And the best part was that it was my first time at an Indian restaurant and I knew virtually nothing about all the different types of curries.
Hi Neil — Just discovered your site. Have to say I was kind of skeptical at first, believing that “awesome,” and a few other superlatives have lost their power for their sheer overuse — essentially, that if everything’s awesome, then nothing is. But you manage to pull it off with good writing, a light spirit and a sense of humor.
Great concept, well done! I’ll be thinking of a worthy submittal.
Welcome to the site!! We’ll be looking forward to your input, thoughts, comments, and awesomeness
Hey Neil.
Just a quick personal note regarding this post. I think I can provide a slightly different opinion.
This one really got me thinking.
I actually do not enjoy this feeling. I always feel uncomfortable when my family and friends are not enjoying their meal as much as I am, especially if they feel they made a wrong decision.
I love this blog though. So glad Google Reader suggested it to me a few months ago :-P.
Apologies to my vegetarian friends, but last night I was at a fancy-pants restaurant and I ate pig tail and bone marrow. I never would have ordered it, but one of my friends I was eating with told me she had recently read a book by an economist who suggested you should always order the weirdest sounding options on the menu… The rationale is that things that sound far-fetched wouldn’t be on the menu if they weren’t amazing. The rest of the stuff, which naturally draws our attention, are there to be the “safe” option. You probably won’t go wrong, but you might miss out on the amazing dish. I’ll admit, I was skeptical at first, but I think there’s something to it… I liked the pig tail.
Um….pig tail and bone marrow?? I’m all up for trying new and interesting foods, but I don’t think I will ever be brave enough to try this.
Come down south, Bekah. We eat everything on the pig from the rooter to the tooter.
I hear you, Bekah! I never thought I would be brave enough to try it — or admit to it afterwards — but, it was delicious! TrixieRix — I think from the rooter to the tooter is my new favorite phrase!
If I am indecisive, which can happen in “my world” often, especially at a new restaurant, then I love to ask everyone at the table, especially if the other’s have been there before.
I went to a fancy restaurant one time and I hadn’t a clue, especially when I saw the prices and I have a small appetite and so a friend who was used to this experience made a suggestion for me and it was seafood covered rice pilaff and hollandaise sauce, and this was in 1992 and I still salivate…over the food and my heart still thumps a special rhythm for that friend. Good job, good mate, good God, I’m hungry, hmmm that’s odd, I just ate!
Alecia,
What an awesome “road map” to really get to know someone.
Things like this can be put together and purchased now.
For example a mom’s journal layed out to children, similar to that of a baby book. Very bright!
Katie, I’ve book marked for a closer look later.
Thanks to you both for sharing.
Definitely a plus to have the social praise when you strike menu gold! :-)
With Love and Gratitude,
Jeremiah
Don’t most of the great awesome classics have that picture of the baby? This is a great classic post. . . where’s that baby?
and hey Lindsey. That sounds like a fun and creative idea. It’s a really cool memory to share. I bet you have lots of great quotes to take from that book too!
i don’t find this awesome, because…i’m usually the one to order the wrong dish on the menu and then be envious for the rest of the meal of my friend’s choice haha.
on a sidenote, i finally got The book of Awesome from my local library…it’s next to me right now…i’m pretty excited to read it!!! :)
This happened to me when I went out to lunch with the parents and Aunt.
I picked a sort of Barbecue (or honey) Glazed Chicken Panani and everyone else was envious. :p
Unfortunately I had a cold that day so I was probably the person least capable of tasting anything in the group. Sucks. :(
Its funny because we always we at subway, i havent sat down at a real restaurant in a long time.