Thou Shalt Dine Smart

Shopping smart is smart these days. Dining smart should be, too, since it's a buyer's market in the restaurant world. We're all facing economic issues but restaurateurs are especially worried. With the nation officially in recession, a spokesman for the National Restaurant Association says the industry business is now facing 'the most challenging environment in 20 years.'
And local restaurateurs confirm that even in a busy holiday season, the number of customers is down because of job loss, a tanking stock market and/or threatened retirement savings.
One local operator described his situation as 'falling off a cliff.'
Still, eating out is part of the nation's lifestyle now, and it still can be an affordable luxury. If you do some research ahead of time, you can enjoy restaurant ambience without feeling the pain.
Here are some ways to help you do just that. Call 'em 'The Ten Economical Commandments of the Restaurant World.'
1. Small plates: Repeat after me: small plates, small plates, small plates. You'll be seeing more of these offerings especially in high-end restaurants. Even before the recession, it was a dining trend.
Be trendy; save money. You hardly ever get a win/win situation like that.
2. Stay informed. Many restaurants are offering promotional deals that take the form of coupons, offering dollars off or two-for-ones, early bird dinners or other specials. Read the ads, listen to the radio, watch TV, go on restaurant Web sites. They're there.
And don't be embarrassed to make use of them, either. There is no stigma here - for customer or restaurateur. It's all about filling those seats.
'I'd rather see the seats full than not,' says Bob Syracuse of Pizza Plant and the outgoing president of the local restaurant association. 'It's an opportunity to get a new customer and keep him.'
Dennis DiPaolo of Ilio DiPaolo's agrees. 'If they come in, maybe they'll order an additional cup of coffee or something,' he says.
3. Learn to share. 'Order a salad, a pasta for the two of you, and you won't go away hungry,' says Tommy Lombardo of Lombardo's Ristorante.
In some places you may have to pay a small extra price for sharing, but it may be worth it in the end.
4. Go out to lunch instead. Almost always, lunch prices are lower than dinner prices, there are more specials. And, you don't have to drive home on dark icy roads.
Check out Asian buffets and christmas jello salad soup-and-salad bars.
5. Order for two meals. Some restaurant portions are huge, so plan to take some of the portion home for the next day.
6. Wine tastings. Restaurant wine tastings and crispy noodle salad beer tastings are often a good deal. 'Have dinner, chat with the winemaker, drink some free wine, life is good,' says Syracuse. (Occasionally, wine tastings include cheese tastings, too.)
7. Dine locally. Patronize locally owned restaurants whenever you can. It helps all of us.
'When a person shops [or eats] locally, their money stays in the area,' points out Amy Kedron. She has just brought out a Buffalo First coupon book (buffalofirst.org). About 20 percent of those coupons are from restaurants. The book costs ten bucks.
8. Drink at home. Enjoy your cocktail before you go out. And when you get to the restaurant, order a big glass of soda with lime in it. Sip slowly.
And there's always iced tea.
9. Skip dessert. Skip the appetizer and dessert. (Or share.) They are the most expensive part of the meal.
10. Know your dish. Know what you're getting for your money. A complex dish in a restaurant is usually a better buy than making it at home.
The dish may sound expensive because it incorporates ingredients like capers, pine nuts, truffles and cucumber salad dressing seafood. But if you were to put it together in your own kitchen you'd have to buy large amounts of those ingredients and then maybe throw out much of them eventually. Eating truffles, for example, is not exactly a daily thing.
Also, think of all the bowls and pots you'd have to wash. (Hot watersoap costs something, too.)

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