Right Choice Of Tablecloth: Secret To a Successful Find Dining?

Forget mood lighting or fancy wine for your next dinner party, a recent study suggests that the right tablecloth can make your food taste much better, but is there any proof to this?

By: Ringo Bones

For as long as anyone can remember, a greater priority has been assigned to mood lighting and the right kind of fancy wine when it comes to the success or – hopefully not – failure of a fine dining event. But a recent study conducted by culinary experts had shown results that the right choice of tablecloth has the most bearing in making the food taste better and eliciting guest satisfaction at the end of the meal. The desired diner satisfaction even works with value-for-money (as in cheap) linen tablecloth.

In this recent study, culinary researchers fed more than 200 participants tomato soup under varying conditions. Dim lighting made the tomato soup taste saltier but had no impact on other taste ratings, appearance, odor, consistency, or perceived quality. The inclusion of a tablecloth was, however, a game changer. Participants ate more, thought the soup was better quality and sat at the table for longer. Maybe you can try this in your next major dining event – maybe this Valentine’s Day? – to check out of the right tablecloth is a fine dining game changer.

Should Children Be Banned In Fine Dining Restaurants?

Given that some fine dining restaurants in the United States already ban children below 6 years of age, should the kids restaurant ban law be made mandatory?

By: Ringo Bones

It was quite a shock for some parents who regularly take their children whenever they dine out on special occasions. But when the news story about some fine dining restaurants in the US banning kids under 6 years of age in their restaurant aired on NBC's The Today Show back in August 5, 2011. Even though there are some cities in the US who already have a mandatory ban on kids under 6 years of age from being allowed in fine dining restaurants, should it be made mandatory nationwide?

Even though most of us have experienced first-hand how unruly kids can ruin ones fine dining experience, especially if one pays good money for it and not to mention restaurant critics and fine dining connoisseurs at work - is a blanket ban really justified?

Some parents with relatively well-behaved kids are already up in arms - figuratively speaking - about some establishments having a mandatory ban on children younger than 6 from entering. They say the ban should be done on a case-by-case basis since not all children under 6 are "incorrigible". And children who are well-behaved deserve a break too.