slow news day ~ NYT list of What Restaurants Should Not Do.

Ron says…

Wow, we here at Fork You are getting lazy. So lazy that today, I’m taking the initiative and “Going Rogue”. 

Posting some unapproved nonsense, and plagerizing from the New York Times.

But before I begin… rest assured Fork You has 25 draft posts in the hopper, and several ideas in our collective melons.

Back to my original post…

In the New York Times – (yeah being the world reader I am) I noticed an article on One Hundred Things Restaurant Staffers Should Never Do (Part 1).

Reading through this first list is like a cornucopia of dining experiences here in West Virginia – at least it is for my hilljack ass.

Take a look at some of these -  here’s four of the first five.

1. Do not let anyone enter the restaurant without a warm greeting.

-  Ron Says - Well you would think this is common sense, but how often does it really happen.  Yes I get tons of “Hi, how are you”, “So nice of you to join us”..  insert lame ass greeting here.   – the problem is I don’t think any place ever actually sells it to me.  What I mean is I don’t believe it.  What I’m actually hearing is “Dammit, another costumer, I’ll never get out of here tonight”. 

- Susan says - One place that really did sell it was Hall’s Chop House in Charleston SC.

3. Never refuse to seat three guests because a fourth has not yet arrived.

WV Division of Tourism Releases 101 Unique Places to Dine in West Virginia

Check out this fantastic list of 101 unique places to dine in our wild and wonderful state on the WV Division of Tourism website.  Tourism partnered with the Collaborative for 21st Century Appalachia, and public input, to compile this group of eateries.

The Collaborative for 21st Century Appalachia is a nonprofit organization, formed in 2005, that promotes economic development in our area by emphasizing local ingredients resulting in a healthier version of traditional foods.  At the WVFARM2U site, you’ll find all kinds of great information, including a listing of WV restaurants that feature WV-grown produce and proteins. 

Back to the 101.  You’ll find the address, phone number, website (for most) and a brief description of each establishment.  Restaurants are listed alphabetically, so the order in which they appear is not related to a rating system of any sort.  As you can see from the map above, the list covers all areas of the state.

 Fork You has visited about a third of the places on the list, although some of those visits did not result in an official “forking”.  When traveling away from home, the list can provide dining inspiration, and perhaps one day we can say we’ve tried them all.

How many of the 101 have you been to?

Please, Please Tell Me Now – Why do Restaurants Run Out of Food?

Susan says…

Faithful reader, Garrett, posted a recent comment about going to a restaurant and learning that they were out of fish.  The place has FISH IN THE NAME.  It’s happened to me dozens of times at dozens of different restaurants. 

One time, Ron and I were dining out locally and we were told they were out of potatoes when Ron attempted to order a baked tubar to go along with his chocen hunk of meat at a steakhouse.  This was unacceptable to Ron who plainly informed our unfortunate server: “you know they sell potatoes at Krogers”.  (It was shocking to me, too, that Ron would be so bold.)

Backwood Restuarant Gems

I was looking for a map online the other day and rediscovered a great website for hiking in WV, MD, PA and VA. I noticed a link at the bottom of the page that caught my eye called Restaurants.

The site has quite a few backwoods gems, including the Alpine Lodge, which I have photos and notes from a meal eaten there several month ago. So look for that review soon.