A few weeks ago, we were having dinner with some friends in Chelsea, at their favourite restaurant. It was wonderful in every way and as far as dining experiences go, one of the most enjoyable I’ve ever had. The food was sublime, both comforting and thoughtfully intricate, the wine delicious and in abundance and the service impeccable. What I mostly loved though, was the familiarity between the staff and our friends; they’ve been loyal customers for many years now and are being treated with the warmth and care usually reserved for old friends. Throughout the meal, we talked a lot about the restaurant and our friends’ long lasting love affair with it and what was clear to me was that, apart from the quality of the food and the atmosphere, the main reason for their frequent visits was that they kind of felt at home there. Never once was the term ‘best’ used to describe either the place, or the food or even why our friends favoured it.

Coincidentally, a while ago I came across two interesting articles, which really made me think about how we go about choosing where and what we eat and drink: one discussed the relatively recent food- related obsession with the best (best ingredient, best market, best restaurant and so on); the second was a love letter to a now closed old favourite restaurant and a subtle reminder of how our favourite dining spots deserve our support, especially amidst the overwhelming constant appearance of new ones, many of which are quickly labeled as being ‘the best’.

When it comes to food, I’ve come to realise that I’m willing to try pretty much anything. I’m not a fussy eater, even though I do have favourites, and I never discriminate between ‘high dining’ or street food. As long as it tastes good and is presented in a decent manner, I will happily eat it, and probably ask for seconds. At the same time however, I love the comfort that routine brings: when I grab a coffee on the go, I want to be from my favourite coffee place; I want to say a sleepy good morning to the barista and get a (less sleepy) one back. I usually prefer having brunch at places I’ve tried over and over again for the comfort they evoke and the pleasure of familiar dishes. I don’t care if they are the best; the fact that both the actual place and the food (especially that) bring back memories suffices. My favourite meals are the ones I’ve had with friends or family or both. They’re never perfect, but they are fulfilling and satisfy more than my tastebuds. Likewise, I prefer a dining experience that makes me more or less feel at home: excited and overwhelmed, at ease and relaxed, surprised or even speechless at times, just like any familiar routine or dinner with loved ones would do.

I’d love to know, are you desperately (or excitedly) looking for the next best thing or tend to disregard rankings and merely follow your senses?