Archive for the ‘Food & Restaurant’ Category

Should I buy new or used restaurant equipment?

Wednesday, July 13th, 2011

It depends on the piece of equipment and how used it is. Some commercial kitchen equipment have short life spans, like ice makers, and are better suited to leasing or buying new with a warranty. Other pieces of kitchen equipment, like gas ranges, are like dinosaurs that live forever with minimal repairs and can be bought used with confidence.

Picking Live Fish At A Seafood Restaurant

Wednesday, January 19th, 2011

When you are looking at the endless tanks of fish at a seafood restaurant, you might not be sure which the best choice is for you. There are some important things you should consider when you are going through this process and many of these tips will not only get you some of the best tasting seafood, but will also help you to avoid sicker animals as well. Here are just a few of those tips that should help you in this process. What you should know first is that fish tend to get nervous when they are placed in a new aquarium after they have been in the sea. You will often see those that are having a tougher time not eat and hide in the corner of the tank. The same can be said for shellfish as well. If you find a cowardly choice, do not select it. Instead, your best choice is to find one of the more active offerings as it will be a bit more tender and should have more meat on it.

Another important thing you need to take into consideration is that a fish that is dull in color and has a lack of a shine will be sick. Even if the scales look good, look at the eyes of the fish and make sure they are shiny and black. If you are looking at a tank that contains a fish that looks less than healthy, you probably do not want any offerings from it. Disease can spread very slowly and you do not want to consume any of the fish that are exposed to this unspecified disease. A good seafood restaurant that offers fresh fish will avoid having these in their tanks.

If you are still unsure of this process, you can always ask your server as well. These individuals will be trained in helping you to select the best choices possible. Along with that, you can discuss with them the flavors that you prefer and they will be able to make a selection for you based on your taste as well. This is especially good if you are visiting a seafood restaurant that has different flavors and sauces placed on their fish. Take your time to look over a few establishments before you head out for dinner. Often you will be able to find out online if the seafood restaurant you are considering is a well received one from food critics and peer reviews as well. These reviews can also help to steer you in the right direction as well. Along with that, you will also be able to perfectly match your budget to the right establishment as well.