Why would you find it odd that the Portuguese food you ate in England wasn’t as good as the Portuguese food you ate in Portugal?
Unless it was an attempt at sarcasm?
Why be judgmental?
Nando’s is not available in Montana where the OP lives.
I happen to love trying cafés (the type that primarily serve coffee) and cafes (the type that serve cheap breakfasts) when I visit the UK. Greasy spoons in the USA and Canada are distinct from British Cafes.
I also try the ready made food at Marks and Spencer, and Boots. I regret that I did not try Gregg’s on my last visit.
Taking time and spending money to try what ordinary people might enjoy is something some people who travel enjoy, even if the same people also enjoy Fortnums, Rules and the Savoy Grill.
I have used TripAdvisor as a source, as well as Reddit and Twitter, when I have not found enough information on HungryOnion.
I believe Ziv often decides where he wants to eat based on where he is and what he wants to eat, rather than relying on strangers’ reviews on the internet. I try to do that myself for around half my meals when I travel.
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Me too. If, say, your trip includes small towns in North America, it is often the only planning tool available to ID possible places to eat.
So long as you recognise that it’s a very flawed planning tool with its algorithms raising very mediocre restaurants to high on its list
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Crikey!
Greggs generate trade because of location and price. It’s cheap, the “food” quality is poor with little or no nutritional value.
Greggs Key Meat Content Percentages:
- Sausage Roll: 22% pork.
- Steak Bake: 32% beef.
- Chicken Bake: 17% chicken.
- Festive Bake: 11% chicken.
- Beef and Vegetable Pasty: 11%
These are very low meat content percentages by UK standards, not sure about the USA.
There are thousands of independent and family bakeries around the UK selling similar products but with much higher meat percentages, homemade etc. Cost a few pence more but absolutely worth it.
Life is too short to eat shit.
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And people the world over get to decide what they think is “shit,” and what isn’t.
Perhaps try not to be so incredibly judgmental about what others enjoy. You can still eat all the Far More Worthy Foods you personally prefer.
Live and let live is a pretty good way to go through life.
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Why are you attacking the OP?
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I hear you, Apple, but Nando’s was one of the better meals I had in Dorchester! LOL!
I like Mom and Pop places over fine dining, full stop. And a chain place like Nando’s can serve good food, as well.
In many cases, I believe that my choices from the menu leave more to be desired than the kitchens’ skillset. But as was noted above, perhaps more research on my part is merited. 
I use recommendations from people on this site more than anything else. But I do want to try places I have never heard of, as well. And I share the good, the bad and the ugly. As well as any scenery or animals that cross my path.
There are not a lot of great options in Dorchester, so Portuguese was worth a toss of the dice. It was not a hit, but it was not terrible, either. I am ok with it.
I enjoy this method of choosing meals from a quick look. As I mentioned above, perhaps I should do more research, but the whimsy is part of the appeal for me.
We all have our own way of approaching this. I have been doing my travel this way for 30+ years and have loved most aspects of it.
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I’ve heard great stuff about Nando’s actually!
I’m not attacking the OP. He asked why he is often disappointed with his choice of food. Starting from a decent base would be a good idea is all I suggested.
Certainly as he admitted himself a bit more research would help. He asked a question and I answered it based on his posts within the thread.
Nothing sinister, just my observations. Hardly attacking, he’s not Iran.
Luckily he didn’t ask for advice on this board otherwise he’d be eating at Greggs 
I actually enjoyed the read and especially the photos. Perhaps we need to be a bit more thick skinned.
Ask a question, expect an answer.
For my favorite sausage, I would recommend R J Balson and Sons in Bridport. From 1515 until now, same family runs the place. Same family since the Tudors were running the neighborhood, that is impressive.
Their apple and blood sausage were pretty darned good.
My knowledge of sausage is fairly limited, but I enjoyed all three varieties I got there.
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While I try to order from independently-owned restaurants when I can, I have enjoyed British chain food at these places:
Bill’s
Brown’s
Patisserie Valerie
La Tasca
Carluccio’s
Cote
Loch Fyne
These places are better than chains in Canada.
Shit is in the eye of the beholder.
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I like your approach.
I started hyperplanning around 2008, when I was posting a lot on Chowhound. I had lists of places I wanted to I wanted to try.
By 2013, I would make reservations for British restaurants in advance. I had to cancel my Ottolenghi reservation in Sept 2013 because my flight from Ireland was 2 h late, and we ended up at an ordinary curry house for dinner, which I pouted about.
I travel less now. I recently deleted most of my lists for restaurants I want to try at home and abroad.
When I visited Montreal last year, I booked one restaurant in advance and winged the rest of my meals, sometimes making an online reservation an hour before dinner.
I follow quite a restaurants I’d like to try or revisit in the UK on Instagram, but I don’t make concrete plans in advance.
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One of the best sausages I’ve eaten was a sausage that came with my Full English at my hotel in Penzance.
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I see all online tips as flawed, or potentially flawed. LOL
You’re one of my most credible sources! I have not been disappointed by any tips yet.
I admit I found the fish pie at J Sheekey underwhelming. Trying that fish pie opened up the door to making fish pie at home, and I love 3 of the Hairy Bikers fish pie recipes.
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But Zoe I would have thought that a certain group of people, perhaps those that write on a food based forum, might be able to discern between shit and something a little better?
I once had the opportunity to eat shit for my lunch, I was in Filey on the north east coast of Yorkshire. Eating fish and chips on the sea front. A seagull deposited its previous consumption all over my food as it flew over.
I turned down that particular opportunity.
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Isn’t that 99% of reviews we read online? Doesn’t matter whether they’re here on HO, or on TripAdvisor, or Yelp, or countless other “review” sites on the interwebs. You’re reading reviews from “people you don’t know”, without any idea of their experience with food and beverage.
You read; you choose to decide for yourself if the reviews are valid or not, and base your decision to eat at that establishment after forming your own opinion about the food, atmosphere, wait staff, pricing that has been described.
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I am back in London after a couple days in Bournemouth/Christchurch, where the walks and the architecture were almost as much fun as the food. My first meal in Bournemouth was at Ki Ccin Sushi bar, where I ignored the sushi entirely and went for the gyudon, which was a bit on the sweet side but rather good. No complaints!
Next morning I hopped a bus to Christchurch, which was my real area of interest. Started at a casual place called the Raft for their Breaky Pan/English Breakfast with a nice black pudding and a decent cappuccino. All in all, a rather good breakfast!
Then it was off to Christchurch Priory, which is an amazingly beautiful place. There is a small museum 77 steps up a spiral (helical as I was later lectured) staircase. Again, simply a beautiful building with great views.
I then walked over to the Stour, where I saw something that reminded me Seurat’s de La Grand Jatte. I saw no women with umbrellas but I did see a woman with a cane and I was sorely, sorely, tempted to ask her to hold it up like an umbrella. I failed to do so and will regret it always.
Yes, I am too easily amused.
Then I hopped the ferry to Muddeford Beach/Hengitsbury Head, which was another great boat ride and walk. Excellent way to spend a morning or afternoon.
When I got back to Christchurch I was feeling a bit peckish so I visited Roma Italian Deli and ordered one of their Romolo sandwiches on ciabatta bread. They serve it with mayo, oddly enough, but I asked for it with oil and vinegar and he did not seem TOO shocked by the request. A very nice sandwich, I ate it in the graveyard of the Priory. Beautiful architecture, a sunny day, quiet neighbors and good food. I was a happy camper.
The next morning I was running late so I bought a cornish pasty from Cornish Bakehouse in Bournemouth, the lamb and mint variety. Pretty darned good with a decent amount of lamb, which is not always the case. Only 15% on the label, but it seemed to be more on the plate.
Then it was to South Western Railway and a short trip to Highcliffe Castle, which again, was a very impressive bit of architecture. Took the “Back of the House” tour for just £5. What a bargain! I really recommend this home, it is in a state of partial renovation after two disastrous fires in the 1960’s, but they are doing a great job of repairing the damage and saving what they can.
My final meal in Christchurch was an off the cuff stop, The Ship, more for ale than food, and the food was not the best of my visit. Lamb and leek pie sounded good, but it was the type manufactured off site. Lots of dough and little lamb, but the bar tender was a very sweet young lady and the ale was good. So I will chalk that one up to my lack of prep. LOL.
I took a bus home and saw this impressive bit of wall art. Nicely done!
The next morning it was back to the Bournemouth Railway station and off to London for a short stay before I head home on the 1st.
My does should have had their fawns by now, and most of the wildflowers I planted will probably be dying a slow, unwatered death, so it will be a mixed bag when I get back to my house.
I really expected a tougher sort of wildflower when I first started planting them a couple years ago. 
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