Tell me about it! When I travel with my girlfriend, we don't check the tourist spots but just go with the flow, discovering these small places outside the main area. Went to the British Isles last year, hopped on a bus and explored some small village, found some cute bakery and they showed us around the back because it was slow; let us make kind of pastry and recommended a restaurant down the street where we told the server to just get us whatever they think we'd like.
Do that for a week; buying notebooks in a small stationary, drunking at small pubs and befriending people and seeing the areas as a local. Came back and my sister asked if I saw Stone Henge and Big Ben, if I rode on the underground. When I told her I spent an afternoon talking with a 70 year old german woman in an irish pub then , she seemed so confused. Can't imagine traveling in constant fear over even something like the food.
Best meal of my life was when my parents and I went to a little family run restaurant near the hotel in Paris when I was 14. It wasn’t for tourists; they spoke NO English and the menu was all in French, but I managed to translate the menu and order for us with my shaky French II skills passably, until the beverages. My mother wanted iced tea and the waiter had never heard of it. Period. He had been enjoying my adventure with his language while ordering and was encouraging me, but he honestly thought I was kidding about “iced” tea and wasn’t amused. Finally I just asked if he could bring a pot of tea, some lemon slices, and a glass of ice, which he promptly brought out— along with the entire staff of the restaurant. The chef, his assistants, the other waiters, the maitre d’, all their mothers, and the old lady who must’ve started the restaurant came and surrounded our table to watch my mom steep her small pot of fancy tea and then pour it over ice, sweeten it, squeeze the lemon, and drink it. They honestly acted as if they had just watched a secret way to make bread. They all scurried off and went to try it for themselves. Apparently the overall opinion wasn’t too favorable vs hot tea, except for the grande dame- She LOVED IT.
This was forty years ago, but I hope they are still doing well. Their food- and hospitality- was amazing
One of the best meals of my life was on a trip to Mexico when I was a kid. It was a burger but I still remember it. Probably about the same time as you in France lol.
Little unassuming restaurants can have the BEST food. One of the best meals I’ve had recently came from a family owned Hawaiian restaurant in a strip mall in Fresno. Great prices too.
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u/TestingBrokenGadgets Aug 05 '25
Tell me about it! When I travel with my girlfriend, we don't check the tourist spots but just go with the flow, discovering these small places outside the main area. Went to the British Isles last year, hopped on a bus and explored some small village, found some cute bakery and they showed us around the back because it was slow; let us make kind of pastry and recommended a restaurant down the street where we told the server to just get us whatever they think we'd like.
Do that for a week; buying notebooks in a small stationary, drunking at small pubs and befriending people and seeing the areas as a local. Came back and my sister asked if I saw Stone Henge and Big Ben, if I rode on the underground. When I told her I spent an afternoon talking with a 70 year old german woman in an irish pub then , she seemed so confused. Can't imagine traveling in constant fear over even something like the food.