Goin' out for dinner

Is it just me, or has the allure of going out to dinner been waning lately? Growing up, it was always exciting to go out to eat. The food was something we just couldn't quite get at home, and for some reason, was always really tasty. Back then, I could eat out every day, and oftentimes did.

As I've grown up, it seems that I am expected to shy away from the kiddie food of years past, my old staples of burgers, pizza, and subs, and delight in the "sophisticated" tastes of seaweed and rice (aka sushi), dandelion salad (aka lawn weeds), or the trendy "Fresh" Mex. (Fresh Mex is another topic of its own that I may delve into next week.) Then there are the more common dishes and the chain sit-down restaurants. But that is the problem -- they are the common dishes. Don't get me wrong, they are tasty. We're talking about pasta with alfredo sauce, chicken stir-fry, lasagna, or country-fried steak. But nowadays, these kinds of foods never seem to have the magic and excitement that a pizza or even a box of Chicken McNuggets with hot mustard sauce had for me when I was a kid. These are the kinds of foods I can easily make at home. In fact, I get much more excited to experiment in my own kitchen with these recipies. I can invite several people over for mighty calzones with their choice of homemade pesto or red sauce, and all kinds of fillings. And I get value for my money. It costs about the same to feed these mighty dishes to a dozen friends as it would to feed one or two people the same things at an Italian restaurant.

Although my palate has expanded over the years, strangely, I still have many of the same guilty pleasures that I enjoyed going out for as a kid. And I'm not talking about the bacon sandwich with just ketchup that I still think is great -- you could never find a restaurant serving that. I am talking about the simple fast food burgers, Round Table pizzas, and old fashioned traditional Mexican food. These kinds of things have a unique taste that just can't be replicated at home.

In an effort to understand my thinking in my old age, here's what I've narrowed it down to:
1. I have not biggened my palate like unto my peers.
2. I have become cheap, always expecting something better than I can do for the money I pay.
3. I have actually become a food snob, with a healthy respect for my old stand-bys.

I'm hoping it's number 3, mostly because it makes me appear a little more positive and matured. As many of you know, I do love to cook, and it only makes sense that I would want to have a hand in preparing the dishes that take a little more time and creativity to produce. I'm happy to knead semolina and eggs to make my own ravioli, but I will still feel free to stop at good ol' Burger King from time to time for the kiddie treats. But when I need to satisfy my other grown up tastes, don't be surprised if I grill up a burger at home, gushing with ketchup, mustard, and lots of red onions, sliced just the way I like them.