My friend wants to show us the 'proper' version of her favourite cuisine. How do I say I prefer my usual restaurant?
Food"That place is fine, but let me take you somewhere proper," my friend said when I suggested the noodle restaurant near my flat. She'd grown up eating dishes I only knew from its menu, and she'd picked another restaurant across town.
I went with her last time and liked some of the meal. I didn't enjoy the part where each dish came with a question about whether I could now tell the difference. I answered enthusiastically because she was excited, then felt dishonest when I still wanted my familiar order the following week.
She's suggested another dinner and says she'll choose for the table. I want to learn about food she loves, but I also want to order things I enjoy without passing a taste test. How do I ask for that? I don't want to claim the restaurants are interchangeable; I just don't want choosing dinner to become a verdict on my sophistication.