Le meilleur moment au restaurant
English version below the pictures
Depuis que ma femme Janine et moi sommes à la retraite, nous n’allons pas souvent au restaurant. Nous y sommes allés principalement pendant les vacances et maintenant de temps en temps pour des anniversaires ou lors de courts déplacements dans la région. Nous sommes ravis quand nous y allons. Le meilleur moment pour moi, c’est quand je rêve en buvant l’apéritif pendant que je choisis le menu : autant de perspectives délicieuses, autant de plats savoureux inscrits sur la carte. Vous prenez le temps de savourer à la fois ce qui est écrit et ce qu’il y a dans votre verre. Que de promesses ! Comme toujours, le meilleur moment est le début.
Enfin la sagesse est d’envisager chaque temps de notre vie comme un commencement, un nouveau commencement..
Since we retired, my wife Janine and I don’t often go to restaurants . We have been there mainly during holidays and now occasionally for birthdays or on short trips around our area. We are delighted when we go. The best moment for me is when I dream while drinking the aperitif while I choose the menu: so many delicious perspectives, so many tasty dishes on the menu. You take the time to savor both what’s written and what’s in your drink. So many promises! As always, the best time is the beginning.
Finally, wisdom is to consider each time of our life as a beginning, a new beginning.
Et le moins bon c’est quand vous avez à régler la note !!!! 🙂
And the worst is when you have to pay the bill !!!! 🙂
fauquetmichel 
What an interesting menu you have there!
It’s nice seeing you out and about. ❤️
Yes it was a great time Suzy; ❤
Yeah some bills are shocking. The other day we ate a huge filling meal and about fell over when it was only $17 bucks. That is a fast food meal anymore. Not a good sit down meal.
When we are hungry every meal seems good ; sat down or stood up! 🙂 Do exist in America special restaurants for truck drivers like in France ?
There are some nice sit down restaurants in truck stops but mostly anymore it is fast food which we avoid. We cook the majority of our meals on the toaster oven in the truck.
Bravo, I see you are well organised for yout truck trips . What basic food do you cook in the truck ? <
I do burgers, enchiladas and fajitas, a couple of chicken dishes, Philly cheesesteak wraps, and caseroles for the main meal. We do a lot of chicken strip or nuggets, pizzas, shrimp, fish, etc that is precooked for our small meal.
I had to go to Google to find what Philly cheesesteak wraps were. I found . It looks like a kind of big sandwich with a variety of foods inside. It must be very good and nourishing. I have to look if we find any in Amiens (my city) !
I like it better than a burger. We have been on a wrap kick. We heat the shrimp and chicken nuggets and make wraps out of the with lettuce and cheese and honey mustard.
Me too, I would prefer the Philly cheesesteak to the burger.. Wraps are certainly refreshing and tasty . You are teaching me much about American food .! 🙂
Your welcome. I love bread but at the same time there are healthier options.
You are right. However In the wrap the lettuce brings green veggie for diversification and vitamines . 🙂
Yes. I add bell peppers and onions to the meat for added flavor.
It must be a delight ! ❤
It is.
That is sure ! ❤
Lovely post, Michel!
I’ve not been to a restaurant since Covid.
I do enjoy perusing the menu, while sipping some wine.
Bon appétit!
As I says in my post, I think indeed reading attentively the menu in sipping an aperitif is the best! 🙂
Ha! Paying the bill is definitely the worst! Perusing the menu can be a long process. One of the restaurants we frequent has changed their menu twice in the last 2 years. Since we have have been ordering carry-out, we have been agonizing over the new choices and usually end up eating quite late!
Are modern times compatible with good restaurants where you have time to choose and taste?
YAY for restaurant outings! Good food! Great company! Fun conversation! 🙂
Your wisdom about new beginnings touches my heart, Michel. Thank you!
That looks like a big menu! 😮 Ha! Too many choices, maybe?!
Wonderful photos…you look like you are pleasant-dreaming! And Janine is looking for the money to pay! 😉 😀
(((HUGS))) ❤ 🙂
PS….Ha, when my hubby and I were first dating (Just teenagers), he'd get the bill for the food, look at it, clutch his chest with one hand, and look shocked…just to tease me! The first time he did it, I'm thinking, "Oh my gosh, we didn't order THAT much food!" Then I realized he was teasing me. For old times sake, he still does that on occasion all these eons later…and we laugh and laugh! 😀
I imagine what you feel when you saw the hubby looking chocked by the bill !! A good one ? Not sure but well memorized, Carolyn! 🙂
Do you remember what you eat at this firt meal at the restaurant ? Probably, not but who knows? 🙂
He only did that shocked routine to make me laugh. 😀
I do remember! He took me to a nice restaurant owned by a wonderful Mexican family. I ate a salad, and a chicken taco. I had a Tostada with my meal, too. But I let him have it to eat with his meal. 🙂
This meal was a beginning ! 🙂
Yes! A beautiful beginning! 🙂
You remember it so well, Carolyn . ❤
great wisdom shared here Michel, and you look so relaxed … maybe dining out could become a more regular habit? Poor Janine … lovely ambiance in the pics, nice post 🙂
A regular habit? Perhaps this would make the restaurant lose its charms , Kate ? ❤
could be but I wouldn’t mean weekly … every few months as a treat maybe 🙂
I agree, Kate
🙂
Peggy Flora said:
We enjoy eating out as well, Michel!
Yes, the worst is when you pay the bill! 😀 But going to restaurants is a lovely experience, especially when it’s one of your favourites that serves delicious cuisine. ❤
Some restaurants are like dreamlands, Marion!! 🙂
Brought a smile. Great pictures.
I am glad you smiled , Bonnie !
You know you had a gustatory delight when you remember a meal from long ago. I once had lambchops prepared in garlic and butter in Forbach, France (across the French-German border from Saarbrueken) at – I even remember the name of the restaurant! – the Pigeon Blanc. They were so perfectly prepared and delicious, I had to resist picking up the bones to gnaw on them like a dog to get every bit of deliciousness out of them! I had those chops 50 years ago and still remember how delicious and satisfying that meal was. I hope your restaurant meal was as satisfying, Michel! It looks like you had a souffle of some sort from the photo of Janine.
I am glad my post recalls you tasting memories from a French restaurant, Doug! 🙂
But I think there are good restaurants in your State too.
Yes, there are. i think Americans have become more tuned into fine dining since Julia Child’s book MASTERING THE ART OF FRENCH COOKING and her highly entertaining television show on public television demystified making fine food in the French manner.
I am glad , Doug, to hear the good gastronomie spreads in the US . But I have to say many French fastfoods are like American ones ( hot dogs, hambrurgers , etc . 😉
Yes, when I left Paris in July 1971, I bought a sausage in a roll and a can (!) of Beaujolais wine. The sausage roll was heated on a vertical rod that made a cavity for the sausage, which was dipped in a nice Dijon mustard. The sausage then was slipped into the roll. Not exactly a hotdog, and the can of wine was a pleasant change from Coca Cola.
I have the same memory ,Doug , in those years 1970’s at Gare du Nord ( railways station at the north of Paris ) . In waiting the start of the train to go home I ate a ” saucisse chaude ” ( hot sausage ) prepared as you say. Great time ! 🙂
I hope you had a “vin ordinaire” in a can, just as I did! It wasn’t great wine, but it went well with the sausage. Of course, I left from the station to the east.
I did not take wine but a big glass of beer!! 🙂
That sounds pretty good to me! I ate mine on the train, so the canned Beaujolais was a better way to go.
We went several times to Beaujolais where we bought the different vintages: Julienas, Chenas, Moulin-à-vent, and Saint-Amour. It was a pleasure to ride in these hills from vintage to vintage . When we tok holidays we managed to go in a region with vintage !! 🙂
Makes perfectly good sense to me that one would do that! Where I was in Germany was an easy day trip to the Deutsche Weinstrasse, and I enjoyed my visits there and enjoyed, of course, sampling and buying really good wines at reasonable prices. I did visit Hunawihr during the vintage, and learned I enjoy wine more than picking grapes on a hill. LOL!
I imagine easily those visits were good to get high spirit , Doug.
Yes, because they all involved good times with friends!
Yes ,of course ! 🙂
Always fun to go out and enjoy the company, the food, and the wine.
Yes , Rachel, this gives us high spirit and good mood ! 🙂
We haven’t been inside a restaurant for a very long time, since the pandemic. I think I will have a lot of anxiety when we finally do!
You are right, paying the bill can ruin the mood, lol.
We wish, all of us, this pandemic goes away soon, Susan. ❤
My favorite statement: “Finally, wisdom is to consider each time of our life as a beginning, a new beginning.” This is great wisdom.
This restaurant looks like it had great atmosphere. I hope the food met your expectation. At least I know you had great company!
Much love,
Caroline ❤
yes, Caroline, we are not often deceived at the restaurants ! However a good choice is needed. ❤
A wonderful post. I love going out to eat, but with the pandemic we are not able.
Hopeful this pandemis goes away soon, Nico .
I hope so Michel! We have a political battle here, in that far extreme right is against the vaccine and often against wearing a mask when needed, This creates terrible problems and makes us all unsafe.
We had problems too in France with masks and principally about vaccine . But now I think the things go better and I hope the pandemic is behind us
Excellent! Thank you my friend.
Take care of you both, Nico.
Anticipation is half the fun, and when it comes to perusing a menu it is certainly true. As I recall, we had no trouble finding good food in France; but oh! In Germany they served so much heavy meat and all the vegetable were pickled. I thought I would starve to death. I’m sure tastes have changed in Germany in the intervening years.
I did not know you travelled in Europe, Judy. Probably Germany is progressing for the food like for everything! 🙂
Love your latest posting.. With Covid-19 we do not eat out. Have done so only 2 times in nearly 2 years. I cook at home, most all the time from scratch. I have had to be creative when using the same foods to make it like a brand new dish. I grew up on homemade meals so not so hard and I know what is in it and not all the additives like prepared foods, etc. Yes now, I know when we get to eat out again, I will enjoy the meal fully. In my country and state of Washington, we are required to wear a mask and be vaccinated. This pandemic too shall pass, but I wish it would hurry along faster. We are not getting our yard ready for winter and I hope to have most of it done by November 1. Yes, it will be like an adventure when we can freely move about and eat out. Your meal looked wonderful. And yes, that glass of wonderful wine. God Bless ❤ Marilyn
I agree with you, Marilyn. The self made meals are good like those prepared by Janine . And indeed when we will be rid of the masks you will like going to a restaurant ❤
C est ça, il faut profiter des choses que la vie nous donne ….c est tellement bon et ça fait du bien ….je te souhaite bon courage pour cet après-midi et à samedi je vous embrasse fort carole
Merci , Carole . Je viens de voir tes deux belles photos du soir en “sulky” 🙂
Avec un soleil déjà bien bas sur l’horizon.
We are the same as we only go out for a meal on special occasions now , but that always makes the experience more enjoyable. I had the privilege of enjoying some wonderful meals with Janine and you 🙂
Yes it was a pleasure for us too, Julie ! 🙂
Kathy Colvin said:
We haven’t been to a restaurant in about a year. But we do enjoy eating out occasionally. Hopefully we will be able to do it again soon. Glad you could enjoy your experience! ♥
Hello Michel. I love this post and I do find it interesting. We go very seldom to eat in restaurants. It happens normally when are on vacations or making short visits to another towns. We combine in Finland visiting our towns, eating there and in the evening going to the local theatre. Many hotels sell packages with hotel night and theatre. Thank you. Have good day. Amitiés, Matti
Visite d’une ville, soirée au théatre et nuit à l’hôte! : ceci me semble très attrayant, Matti.
Oui, je me demandais si cette habitude n’existe qu’en Finlande ! Lorsque le théâtre local et l’hôtel se sont réunis pour trouver des idées pour ce paquet, nous avons eu droit à un verre de boisson pétillante gratuit ! 🙂 Bon weekend. Matti
C’est une excellente habitude finlandais , Matti . Je n’ ai pas connu cela en France . Cependant lors de notre dernier voyage en Normandie l’hôtel nous proposa quelques visites touristiques à faire .
Que bien ça! Matti
L ‘hôtel nous a fait visiter des endroits où nous ne serions pas allés de nous mêmes.
Ça me donne envie d’aller au restaurant !!!
A samedi Papa !
C’est certain , Véronique, qu’on ressent souvent une réelle détente au restaurant quand on peut y aller . A demain!
This post is delightful.
I’m so glad you enjoyed your restaurant visit and took the time to share it with us.
I like sharing happy times !! 🙂
Surtout qu’en France il y a de très très très BONNES tables !
Cette histoire de virus nous en tient éloignés ….. hélas pour l’instant.
Santé bien à vous 2 !
On espère y retourner bientôt, Anne-Marie 🙂
sounds like a lovely evening. I think when you don’t go to eat out as often you appreciate it all the more when you do. I wonder what you ate 🙂
I don’ t remember what we ate at this time . The last time we went to a restaurant was a year ago , Tudy , because the pandemic . But we hope to go soon. It’s why I wrote this post! 🙂
❤
It sounds like you enjoyed a delightful break from cooking and cleaning up the dishes…It looks like Janine is paying…i had a wish to dine in a French Restaurant…in France.
Love,
votre amie
Francoise.
I am sure In Florida you can find “French” restaurants not far , Françoise
I know it may also be hard for you , but perhaps with the children?
❤
Another good part about a restaurant is we don’t have to do the dishes.
This is so true, Gail !! 🙂
I am happy you and Janine were able to go out and enjoy a good restaurant meal together. I love your quote “Finally, wisdom is to consider each time of our life as a beginning, a new beginning.” Thank you for sharing that wisdom! ❤️
Much love to you, Janine and the family, ❤️
Lavinia
Thank you, Lavinia .Yes life is a eternal beginning. ❤
C’est bien connu, Michel, c’est comme tu l’écris, toutes les bonnes choses ont une fin !
mais c’est pour cela que nous nous réjouissons pour que tout recommence !
bises ! bonne semaine à vous !
Tu as tout à fait raison, Maidy. . Je ne saurais pas mieux dire.
Amitiés à toi.
Dear Michel, you are amazing. You take the ordinary, and put the extraordinary in it. I felt like I was sitting across you both at the table and feeling the beauty of the evening. I hope your meal was exquisite.
Love,
Zakiah.
Yes , Zakiah, we keep a great memory from this meal and I am glad you like my ” philosophy” at the restaurant ! ❤
It’s nice to go and enjoy yourself once in a while!
Hope you and Janine are well. God bless you and your family Michel ❤
Thank you, Gayle . I will think especially of you during those days. ❤
It’s nice when someone else cooks for you! 😀
Yes , I agree with you, Marica. ❤
Rarely do I eat out anymore. Recently it has been a cost-cutting measure, but even before that I was disillusioned with it, at least for dining on my own. When I do take a meal outside I most like the Korean restaurants. They have delicious fare (to my taste). Koreans are also great social eaters, so it is most fun to watch the crowd in a Korean restaurant!
What you like to find in a restaurant this is the good atmosphere and social link., Neil.
I agree with you but I would ad a good food and good wine ! 🙂
I agree! I live in a university town, near the campus, though, and so the restaurants are mostly fast food and in any case cater to student tastes. On the other hand, many are ethnic cuisine of some kind, which compensates if it’s authentic.
We have in Amiens restaurants offering meals inspired from other countries in Europe and also asian and african . We travel in eating .
I’m really good to know you finally made it to the restaurant. It was quite an experience, wasn’t it? I wonder what dishes you ordered, and if it satisfied your taste.
This pictured meal at the restaurant was a few years ago and I don’ t remember exactly what we ate..
Next time I will try to memorize and send this to you, Louisa .<3
we do not eat out at all anymore. Not even at the fast food places. Since I have no sense of taste or smell anymore since my concussion with cardiac arrest over 3 yrs. ago, I hate the idea of eating and paying for food that looks so wonderful, and I cannot enjoy the flavors!! Ken eats anything, and we don’t eat nearly as much as we used to, so eating out is a waste! I get depressed even looking at pictures of beautiful food, and wonder what they would taste like. I really miss the taste of food!! Not the smell as much. I look at menus online at times, and see so many things I would like to try. It is surprising how much we rely on our sense of taste!! And smell? There are many times I am happy I cannot smell things!! LOL Hugs to you and Janine!! ❤
I am so happy to read you, Nancy, and I understand that no longer having a sense of taste it is quite useless to go to a restaurant. We go there a lot less also because of fatigue due to age and also because of the epidemic.
If all goes well we are going a little before All Saints’ Day to my native region for a day trip and we will eat in a simple restaurant at mid-day.
Thanks again for this comment I reported to Janine. We have so much in common . ❤
Enjoy your trip, Michel. I always enjoyed visiting Arizona again, and reliving good memories of growing up there. Now, my family is all deceased, and son Jeff moved away from there to the east coast. Nobody there to visit anymore, and neither of us can drive the 2000 miles to get there. And the city I grew up in has changed so much that it isn’t the place I remember—-except that the mountains there never change! I talk about growing up in Arizona, but I was already 8 years old when we moved there. Have only visited my home town once in northern New Jersey—just 20 miles from New York City. That was a trip in 1963, to introduce Ken to my mother’s family in southern New Jersey–grandmother, aunts, uncles, cousins. Only drove past my northern home to show Ken where I lived then. My father had died earlier that year, and the house had been sold a couple years after he remarried. We did visit a couple of his relatives on that trip, too. Anyway, I think that so much of Europe has kept its old world charm, compared to the U.S.. Your home is so gorgeous, for sure!! Have to stop talking. Granddaughter and 3 great-grands will be arriving for a short visit in a couple hours. Youngest is 4 mos. old, and haven’t seen him since he was just a couple weeks old! Hugs and love to you and Janine!! ❤
Tomorow we have a trip during a day to my birth area to visit the graves of my family . We visit since 1956 then with Janine: 1961
Every year people go away and like you I have only one cousin (and she is not well ) .
The place has very changed too and i don’ t recognize much my birth place even if we go twice a year
Love to you both ❤
I’m glad you got out and had a good time.
Hugs
Thanks, Elizabeth ❤
Bonjour ou belle soirée MICHEL belle semaine vois-tu
Notre amitié, c’est comme une fleur
Elle est née et a su s’épanouie re tout en douceur de jours en jours
Elle peut durer une vie, pour toujours entre nous
Où s’arrêter et se faner en un jour
Alors savons la préserver bisous Bernard
Cest vrai le moins c est quand on doit régler la note mais l’appétit y était
Tu es la sagesse -même, Bernad . Tes mots sont très justes .
Tes images sont aussi magnifiques.
Amitiés
How lovely that you could go to a restaurant. I have not been to many restaurants in the last two years. But I have enjoyed going to the few that I went to this year.
is that an aperol spritz? 🙂