Takeout orders that work

Many of the foods we love at our favorite restaurants when we dine there, we’d never order for takeout. In some cases, we have two menus in mind: items we always order in person and items we order to go. For example, at our favorite pub, we enjoy fish and chips in person but pick up their shepherd’s pie or chicken pie for takeout. Their great chef delivers a perfectly fried, non-greasy, crispy order of any fried food every time. We also know from experience that certain menu items, like the pies, reheat well.

Best for Takeout

As we reviewed a list of the most popular takeout foods, some were obvious, and others made us question if the person ordering was oblivious to food quality. We understand why pizza tops the list. We’ve all learned how to reheat pizza in a toaster oven or air fryer, and some of us even eat it cold for breakfast.

We love picking up a pizza to take home, and we often order more than we plan to eat when dining at our favorite places. What’s more, we love several pizza styles and try to give various places all a bit of our business.

Asian cuisines also offer many options for stewed, stir-fried, or braised dishes that reheat well. We opt for Mexican plates vs. tacos but understand that others will include those plus burritos and quesadillas.

We love Indian food and have a wonderful restaurant nearby where we can pick up many favorite meals. Salonki, the Boston chain, has some tasty takeout options.

Finally, we add many soups, salads, and sandwiches to our takeout list. We always order dressing on the side for salads and tend to choose the ones that are meals rather than sides.

Not For Takeout

The first category on this list is fried foods. While there are exceptions (we’re talking about you, Korean Fried chicken wings), most fried foods suffer from the restaurant kitchen to your plate at home unless you live within a quick walk and pick it up yourself.

We don’t understand the popularity of burgers and fries for takeout unless you are going to pick it up and eat it on your way home. If it’s a fast-food burger and fries, it might be okay by you. If it’s a quality burger, we feel it’s best eaten within sight of the chef.

Delicate food, like many seafood dishes, is better enjoyed straight from the kitchen. While some pasta dishes, especially casseroles like lasagna, work, others will go from al dente to soggy.

Guidelines

As you review a menu, think about what that food will look like after 45 minutes. Now think about the items you’ve ordered in the past and enjoyed not only as today’s meal but also as leftovers. To save time in our week, we often order enough items to last a couple of days.

Be specific with your order. If you like spice, order the three-hot-pepper option. If you don’t, or the restaurant is new to you, order mild and ask for some hot sauce or peppers on the side. If you don’t like some of the sides or additions, ask for them to be left out.

Finally, when a restaurant tells us our food will be ready in 25 minutes, we show up early. You improve the quality of your order if you wait for the food instead of the food waiting for you.

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