{"id":134238,"date":"2025-11-07T09:46:36","date_gmt":"2025-11-07T14:46:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.enchantedhome.com\/blog\/?p=134238"},"modified":"2025-11-07T09:53:30","modified_gmt":"2025-11-07T14:53:30","slug":"lets-talk-16","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wp.enchantedhome.com\/blog\/2025\/11\/07\/lets-talk-16\/","title":{"rendered":"Let’s talk…"},"content":{"rendered":"

**Always include random pictures to break up the text, in this case using holiday, because..why not!**<\/em><\/p>\n

Hi everyone! I\u2019m so glad you enjoyed my hotel-rooms post\u2014your comments were fantastic and honestly, I was surprised by how many of you felt exactly the same way. It was great validation for all my peeves!\u00a0 It definitely deserves a part two (coming soon), where we\u2019ll dissect specific hotel brands and share favorites. Click here if you missed that one.<\/p>\n

Today, a related topic: restaurants. We go out to socialize and enjoy the experience of being out, but if I\u2019m honest, our best meals are almost always at home (we both agree). I know exactly what goes into our food, and there\u2019s real peace of mind in that. So, here are my hangups with regard to restaurants-<\/p>\n

Cleanliness Is Non-Negotiable Numero uno:<\/strong> cleanliness. If I walk in and it doesn\u2019t feel clean or well cared for, I\u2019m out. And yes, I have a thing about wall-to-wall carpeting in restaurants. Cozy in a bedroom? Absolutely. But in a place that serves food all day, every day, I want a surface\u2014wood or tile\u2014that can be truly sanitized. (Strong opinion, I know\u2014but that\u2019s mine!)<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Side note for NYC\/Tri-State friends<\/strong>: If you\u2019re heading into New York City for dinner, the letter grade in the window matters\u2014a lot. Restaurants are graded A, B, C, or GP (Grade Pending). Personally, I only dine at Grade A spots. This isn\u2019t about formality\u2014an A applies just as much to a tiny hole-in-the-wall pizza joint as it does to fine dining. It\u2019s simply about standards and safety.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The Table Matters<\/strong> If we\u2019re going somewhere \u201chigh-end,\u201d I want a white tablecloth (and amazed at how many are increasingly forgoing this tradition). A freshly pressed, crisp one. I do not want to detect even a hint of stickiness on a bare tabletop at that price point. And while we\u2019re at it, a simple bud vase with a few fresh flowers feels like such an easy touch of grace and maybe add a few votives while you are at it. Napkins should be whiteIf I\u2019m wearing light colors, a dark napkin that sheds dye (hello, navy or black \u201cshadow\u201d on a dress) is a hard no. White napkins are classic, clean, and you can see they\u2019re clean. In my book, every fine restaurant should default to white.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Service & Timing<\/strong> Most fine restaurants get this right, but not all:<\/p>\n