Good food and company

I often go out for a meal with some friends. In fact, that's our main activity together out of work. True, we do live in other cities and we all work hard. They, in addition, are married / in a partnership, so they have other priorities during their time off. So, we try go grab dinner after work once in a while, before we all go in different directions.

Anastasia is the true leader, and she is also the one with the impressive reference list on places to eat and/or drink. She will suggest a place, and we will invariably agree. We know we will always enjoy the food, and, oftentimes, the atmosphere too. My favourites so far are Beyrouth and Portugalia, but I also really like all the others we've been to. I often recommend these places, feeling certain those who follow my suggestions will be pleased.

However, I wonder whether I am a good referent. The thing is, I realised something a couple of months ago. I realised, and here I confess, that I don't really care about how unique the food is, or how amazing the decor. I don't really care about going out for "good" food. It may be I don't really know whether what I'm eating is truly that good. Oh, I can differentiate between fresh and stale food; I can appreciate good seasoning; I recognise lazy cookery. But I just, simply, sincerely do not truly care. 

What I care about is who I'm with. 

Yes, it seems cliche, but it's the honest truth. I know this because, when, a couple of months ago, my nephew and his fiancee came to visit, I loved going to McD's and BK with them. We had the most common items on the menu, then we sat down to chat, sharing updates, laughing, being silly together. The food was in no way important, as I had told them. What mattered was that they were thoroughly enjoying themselves eating food they don't often get to, anymore (they live in a village in an eastern-European country). My honest lack of interest in the culinary aspect of the event only made it easier for them to relax about their choice. 

Actually, thinking about it, the fact the food was so unremarkable may have made it an even better experience. My focus was on my time with them, it was undivided. It made our connection that much more important. This, in turn, makes me think about people who try to impress others on a date by taking them to a fancy restaurant; or, worse, the people who consider being taken to an upscale locale a necessity.

I like food. I like eating. I like enjoying the bounty of this world in the myriad expressions of cultures, flavours, cuisines.

But I love my people, way more than I care about food. 

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