When I was younger it was always a big deal for our family to go out to dinner. It wasn’t because we couldn’t afford to eat out; we just didn’t do it that often. Perhaps this is one of the reasons why I enjoy dinning out so much.
I grew up in a fairly small town where we thought there was nothing to do (cliché, but true). So, when we were finally allowed to drive, visiting restaurants was definitely a form of entertainment. We had our regular spots, favorite waitresses, and of course, our go-to menu items. I can remember hanging around these places for hours even after the bill was paid. Thinking back, this was probably our attempt to be cool and the closest thing to experiencing the actual bar scene. Most importantly, it was an escape.
As news about the economy gets worse by the day, I think people will be looking for simple ways to escape and forget their troubles. In my mind, checking out a new restaurant and trying a new dish is one of the best remedies. It worked as a teenager and it still works today.
All this reminiscing has me thinking about my ultimate appetizer at age 15. After wasting a few hours at the Crystal Mall, there was nothing better than the clam chowder in a bread bowl from Charley’s in Waterford, Connecticut. What was your ultimate meal at that age?
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I grew up in a small town within a big city and we had similar traditions. Our hangout was the local Denny's. In high school I was the skinny, shy girl who actually threw a party my senior year and did not allow for the consumption of alcohol on my parent's property...the party had cleared by about 10pm but at least no one got in their cars drunk! Therefore, I wasn't considered cool and it wasn't too often that I participated in the Denny's hangouts but when I did I ALWAYS ordered the cheese fries with a side of ranch dressing. Funny you mention "your attempt to be cool" because what made cheese fries ultimate (Denny's food can't take all the credit) was the experience of just being there as part of the "cool crowd." Fast forward 11 years and I am still not that cool but a lot of my ultimate meals are from the local restaurants were my friend and I go to escape from a long day...on occasion I allow for the consumption of alcohol! Ha.
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