I met a good friend, Viv, for dinner earlier in the week. We met through work and although we no longer work together our friendship remains, as does the restaurant we’ve been frequenting over the years. We regularly went there for lunch when we worked nearby and since then, when we meet for dinner, we meet there. It’s become our place. There are several practical factors in this, it’s central so convenient for us both, it’s reasonably priced for a night out and importantly, of course, we like the food and drink that’s served there. But more than this, we feel comfortable in this restaurant. I love its familiarity and how we are immediately relaxed in our environment.
Viv told me of one of her favourite times at this restaurant when she lunched with another friend there. They shared several bottles of wine and before they knew it day turned to evening and they were given the evening menus, so they stayed for dinner too. What a great story – that is feeling relaxed and at home in a restaurant.
There is so much we often associate with restaurants and so many memories we make in them. First date, old friends, new friends, family celebrations, etc. I can think of several restaurants that I associate with different people in my life and different times in my life. There is so much more to restaurant dining than simply feeding ourselves, as with food in general. This is life in the making.
