The upside of being a workaholic is the eating out. Michael and I are avowed restaurant people. When we first started living together Michael and I ate out a lot. Like 'I'm having trouble thinking of any meal I really cooked in that apartment' a lot. Oh wait, there was the time I used Tony Chachere's to blacken a catfish not knowing Tony Chachere's is just salt (not "seasoning"). I don't recommend cooking catfish this way.
We've radically adjusted our habits and now instead of a 20/80 relationship of eating home to eating out we are at a far more respectable 75/25...fine, 60/40.
Anywho...the crazy work schedule has put a damper on my will to do anything at night, let alone cook dinner. So we've hit the restaurant scene pretty hard this week. Much to our enjoyment. However, navigating the restaurant scene while trying to eat local, sustainable, etc. can prove challenging.
Michael and I don't claim to have mastered this just yet and we admittedly have some pretty large loopholes to our diet when eating out (um, I'm pretty sure Michael Pollen and other locavores wouldn't approve of our 'grandfather clause' allowing us to eat Texas BBQ at our local joint in Atlanta, but MAN the pulled pork and ribs are to die for). But we've gotten much better--and have even cut down our BBQ intake by about 75% because we always feel just a little guilty. (Side note to the Atlantans: Kevin Gillespie is opening a BBQ joint which will feature two locally raised slow-roasted pigs daily as the whole menu.)
Now there are a ton of restaurants in our neighborhood ascribing to the local food movement, so we have loads of options running the gamut from the world's best hamburger (I swear. Come to Atlanta and I will buy you one and you will cry at the awesome) to Mexican to breakfast. But we too find ourselves in 'regular' restaurants not knowing their food sourcing tactics.
Here our usual rules for eating out when not eating at a farm-to-table restaurant:
- No usual mammals
I say usual, because the exception we make here is game meat. Bison, elk, wild boar, venison are not farmed at such a mass scale yet to ruin the earth, the meat, etc. So game is...game (lame). - The more organic/natural options, the better
Lots of larger chains are starting to get into the trend and we're willing to support the movement: Jason's Deli, Ted's Montana Grill, Chipolte all offer some great options. - Know your seafood; eat smart
We are at risk of losing some ridiculous number of fish species in our lifetime due to over harvesting. This chart will help you make better choices. Unfortunately this means no more tuna sushi, never ordering Chilean Sea Bass and having to ask in-depth questions about harvesting methods before I order my favorite, Red Snapper. But I really want my kids to be able to eat these fish too. - Talk to the waiter/cashier/etc.
If you have a question about something, just ask. Many times there are local, seasonal specials or organic options not specifically labelled. Just ask the waiter. If there's not an option, use the other guidelines here...but if there is, you'll be glad you asked. - Look for the seasonal fruits and vegetables
If you see watermelon on the menu in January, I'd be skeptical. It's not going to taste very good and lord knows how far it was shipped to get to your plate. Look for things you know are in season for a better tasting meal with less environmental impact. - When in doubt, go vegetarian
Unless you're eating at one of those Brazilian steakhouses, pretty much everyone offers vegetarian options. Even Taco Bell and McDonalds. And because there is such a focus on it, these vegetarian options can be just as delicious (if not more so) than their meat counterparts. Beans and rice, tofu in Chinese food, Indian food is inherently veggie, for you Southern folks there's the veggie plate, pasta, the options are pretty endless.
Go forth and enjoy a dinner out! We just did pizza (jalapeno pesto anyone?) and arugula salad. Delicious.
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