When ordering, are you a creature of habit?

Hi everyone! I'm a newbie to y'all but I've been lurking here for several years so you're not really new to me. Anyway, I finally decided to officially join this community, and I'm happy I did.

I thought I'd start off by asking y'all if you tend to be a creature of habit when you're ordering at certain restaurants. I know I am. I really want to be adventurous and to try new things, but it's so difficult when I find a wonderful meal.

For example, when my husband and I go to Simply Thai, I always get the same thing...Thai eggplant. I really want to try the other entrees on their menu, but I love the eggplant so much that I just have to get it again and again. Whenever we go to The Ole Hickory Pit, I always get the mutton barbecue and fried cornbread. At Nam Nam Cafe, I can't resist the tofu eggplant in clay pot. At Highland Coffee, it's all about the chai. In cold weather months, I choose the chai tea latte with almond milk. When it's warm outside, I gotta have the blended chai (frozen) with almond milk.

You get the idea...I'm a creature of habit. I always say I'm gonna try something new, but when I find something I love, well, I just gotta have it.

What about y'all? Are you more like me or are you more apt to try as many things as possible at your favorite restaurants, cafes, and coffee shops?

Welcome, and interesting question!

I tend to alternate. If it's a "favorite" restaurant, I know I'll be back, so about every other time I'll order a favorite dish, and every other time I'll try to pick something that I don't recognize or that I can't make at home! Even if the new dish is a flop, I know I can go back to my favorite next time.

Thanks for the welcome and for chiming in, Andrew!

[Robin Garr]

Hi, Sheila! See, that was easy, wasn't it?

Glad you're here, and thanks for posting a thought-provoking question. This is a tough one for me, because in my work as food writer, i have to go new places and try new things. I don't get to repeat much.

But when I go to favorite places on my own, ding-danged if I don't turn into a creature of habit! The frites or the caballeros at Caffe Classico, or the asiago risotto cakes if I want a meal. The St Matthews pizza (classic margherita) at Coals. The veggie burger at Grind, and so it goes ...

Robin, thanks so much for your reply, your warm welcome, and the tips to begin my involvement here. I really appreciate it. And you're right...it wasn't so hard.

[Robin Garr]

I told you that our Merrie Little Bande is a friendly and welcoming place, Sheila! Looking at your user name with the accented letters, i almost greeted you with "Dober dan," but figured I'd hold that for the second post.

Welcome to the conversation Sheila! Great to have another voice in the mix!

For me it depends on the restaurant. Some places have a dish that is just so good, I can't imagine getting anything else (Havana Rumba for instance, I always get the Chicken al Mojo). While at others I have a small handful of favorites that I rotate (Yang Kee Noodle, Firecracker Chicken and Island Green Curry). And yet others, where I am ready to try anything and everything on the menu (Bunz, where I think I have tried every single burger on the menu and have also exhausted the secret menu as well).

I think that's the fun of being in a city with so many great choices, even when you are a creature of habit, there are opportunities to avoid getting into a rut!

Right you are, Robin, and I'm happy to be a part of the band!! I was very surprised to see the accented letters. Thanks for much, and dobra don to you too! That was also unexpected; I certainly didn't expect anyone to speak in my husband's native tongue. I regret that I can only speak a few words and phrases of his language though. Despite my failure at learning his language, however, I'm quite successful when it comes cooking and baking Yugoslavian cuisine. In fact, he says my Bosnian pita bread (lepinje) is better than the bread he grew up with. Now If I could just master making my own phyllo dough from scratch. I've made it, but I still haven't mastered it. I plan to keep trying though.

Thanks so much, Ronnie! I appreciate the welcome and your input! You mentioned Havana Rumba, and now I'm craving their mojitos and yuca con mojo. Those two things are a must when I visit there. You're absolutely right about it being impossible to get into a rut here in Louisville. If you're wanting to try something different, the choices seem to be endless!

I go back and forth. I could never go to De La Torre's without ordering Miguel's most excellent grilled calamari, but I did also try out new dishes there as well (sure miss them!) Sometimes it's not about the restaurant itself but about the food item in question - I will order oysters pretty much anywhere, just to see how they compare with other offerings around town. If Hot Browns were smaller, I would make comparisons of them, too!

Welcome, Shiela.

I tend to be a creature of habit when I'm ordering at certain restaurants. At Brasserie Provence, I have a hard time not ordering the French Onion Soup, the panisse or the beignets. When I order from the small plate menu at Volare's bar, I habitually order the meatball slyder. I can't resist the Asopado. However, at Mussel and Burger Bar I way to busy trying to work my way through the menu. Anosh Bistro hasn't been open long enough for me to establish a favorite, but I haven't made a poor choice yet.

I used to be a creature of habit- pretty much always got the ribeye if it was available at whatever restaurant I found myself. Since having bariatric surgery last spring, however, I tend to order much differently than I did before. Since I can only eat small portions I often order off the appetizer menu or side dishes, or else try to order a dinner that I know will reheat well (alas, this does not include steak). Also, because I do my best not to eat carbs, I've started trying a lot more vegetables and sides. I never considered myself a picky eater, since I like ethnic food and spices- unlike 90% of my friends and family- however, because I never liked cheese, fish/seafood, chocolate, alcohol, or rosemary...well, that rules out a LOT of dishes obviously, so I guess I really was a picky eater? However, my tastes have really changed since surgery. I have tried scallops and blackened mahi, and loved them both. I can eat some salmon. I even tried some spicy sushi and went back a day later for more! I still won't eat water bugs (shrimp, lobster, etc) though. Oh, and while on vacation this fall I ate my very first cheeseburger. I wasn't kidding when I say I hate cheese! But I have found that if a burger or chicken has a little bit of melted pepper jack, I don't mind it at all.

Still don't like alcoholic beverages or chocolate

So I guess you could consider me a reformed creature of habit? I'm having a blast trying new things

[Robin Garr]

Sheila, I've traveled in Slovenia and Croatia, but never got to Bosnia or anyplace farther south. I only learned a few words!

To do a little plug. If your having problems breaking being a creature of habit you could always go to a restaurant that changes its menu every week... say I don't know..ummm...Wiltshire on Market! as for me I have my go to favorites. Red state burger at bunz. Chicken quesadilla with a side of Chipotle aioli at El Mundo ( kind of a fat kid). But one of my favorite things is to go to a new restaurant and just order a table of food to try as much as I can, because I don't know when I will have time to get out again!

Sometimes it's not about the restaurant itself but about the food item in question...

Leslie, I like to compare mojitos.