The only reason to eat at a restaurant.

To quote Tom Waits, "...Get you a little something that you can't get at home..."  Now get your mind out of the gutter, we all know what Tom meant but the sentiment is the same when it comes to food.

The only reason to eat at a restaurant, beyond a social gathering, is to get something that you likely wouldn't make at home.  A good example for me is Pad Thai.  While not difficult per se this is a dish that requires a significant amount of speciality ingredients and by some accounts a looooong prep time.  This is difficult when cooking for just two people.

There is one "restaurant" that I do like appreciate love.  It only serves one meal a week.  Everything is hand-made from scratch and locally sourced.  Here is the menu.  So in addition to an incredible meal A Simple Path is a reverse soup kitchen.

A Simple Path is the program in which students (who come from homelessness and poverty) learn nutrition, sanitation, meal preparation, and menu selection. Then, for Friday lunch, they serve the public the food they’ve prepared on a donation basis. All funds are put back into the program, and let A Simple Path have more students!

Now that there is something that you can't get at home.