How To Tell If A New Restaurant In Detroit Is Any Good
There are so many new restaurants all over the Motor City – but how can you tell if they’re any good?
First off, let’s be honest. Most of us judge restaurants well before we even try the food. First, there’s the online reviews . . . then there’s the curb appeal out front . . . then there’s the first impressions when you walk inside.
There’s a list online where people shared THEIR “tried and true” methods for accurately judging a new place . . . and there are some interesting techniques. Here are a few:
1. The menu. It can’t be too big, and it definitely can’t be sticky. Also some believe they should have a physical menu, even if it’s a sheet of paper . . . not just a QR code that you have to read on your phone.
2. The service. People look for servers who CARE. Do they have helpful recommendations? Do they note who ordered what, so there isn’t an awkward “auction” when the food arrives and people have to raise their hands for their food? Do they do quality control checks to make sure everything is right?
Others say an immediate red-flag is if the place is severely understaffed.
3. The cooking. Some people say they like to order simple things at first, to make sure the place can nail the basics. But others intentionally order something hard to see if the place has chefs, cooks, or just a microwave operator.
One person says they always order their eggs “over medium,” because it’s “basically impossible” to do perfectly. They don’t complain if it ends up too runny or too hard . . . but they CAN tell how skilled the cook is.
4. The clientele. Some say they like to look around to see if it looks like the place has “regulars.” But that can be good AND bad. If they ONLY have regulars, they might just be locals or friends of the staff who settle for what it is.
5. The cleanliness. Some people look at the windowsills and chair rails to see how clean they are, or check to see if the plants are dusty. The bathrooms should also be clean and stocked.
And some weirdos try to sneak peeks at the trash areas, even if they’re back behind the counter, to see if they’re organized or a disgusting mess. (Which seems like a very odd thing to do, right?)
