I don’t base my choice of dining on any online reviews, I have a very extensive collection of people that I TALK with, people I’ve known for over 40 years, ex restaurant operators, hoteliers and critics that I’ve come to know personally for decades.
Well, GOOD for you. Not everyone is as well bred and extensively traveled as you, I guess, and have to rely on the utterly plebian task of having to look it up on the internet and then hoping for the best. 
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I like a good mix of both, holes in the wall/mom & pop joints and high end restaurants(but not Michelin 3*, too fussy and long winded for me). Two of my favorite meals in Lisbon were in a small hole in the wall joint that was just a couple of blocks away from my B&B that I stumbled upon whilst wandering the neighborhood, so good that I went back a few days later the others were at 1*-2* joints that came highly recommended by people I know and trust, especially my world travelling/food loving niece, she’s yet to steer me wrong . I’ll still plan and research my restaurant choices when travelling, but not to the extent I once did which was pretty obsessive 
And I’ll continue doing food tours in cities I’m not familiar with, they’re a great way eat and see your way through a new city.
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Oh that’s shitty luck. And good luck. It’s supposed to be good luck when that happens.
When I was in Yorkshire last, we winged it mostly. But I didn’t order any fish and chips.
Linda, one doesn’t have to be “well bred” to be “extensively travelled.” I was brought up in a mining area near Manchester UK. I was an ex professional Rugby League player with all the bruises. My first restaurant was in Manchester City centre, Bridge Street, and for those old enough to remember Egon Ronay it was in the top 500 restaurants and hotels in Europe and America. Nothing to do with breeding. Though unlike most Americans I was able to eat with a knife and fork at the same time.
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And THAT is all that needs to be said. One person’s disdain is another person’s joy and whimsy. Do what you like and how you like and the rest can piss off.
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I like your approach! And food tours have generally been a very good time for me, as well. I have done more Secret Food Tours than I can remember, and though the food is usually a few hits and a few misses, it is always a good time.
What I really want is a food tour that spends half the time on architecture. They have Jack the Ripper tours for goodness sake, how about a decent architecture tour!!?? I had one architecture tour in Lecce, Italy, where I found out who Starbucks stole their “mermaid” logo from.
Well, maybe there is more than one version.
That was actually a very good tour.
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Agreed. But what Tripadvisor will do is provide a list of restaurants that can be researched further. This is far better than visiting “Small Town America” in pre-internet days when the only restaurants you knew about were those you could see from your hotel or had driven past coming through town.
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Bear in mind the Greggs “steak bake” is a cultural class icon. And, no, of course it’s not very good.
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“Inspired by the iconic item sold by Gregg’s.”
I like the way they put that…
Another thing I like about the recipe is the brevity.
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Have you done any research??? 
Most food tours I’ve been on have been 75/25 food to history, culture architecture. My last food tour was in CDMX and the guide was very passionate, not only about the food but also the rich history of the amazing city. I regret not doing a Lucha Libre food and booze tour, but time was tight, maybe next time.
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Research? Well, I have spent quite a bit of time looking at Trip Advisor recommendations.
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LOL!
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Or relying on resto recommendations printed in Fodor’s or Lonely Planet. The AAA and CAA recommendations used to be pretty good.
Lonely Planet let me down in Travestere in Rome, in July 2000, 2.5 years before I joined Chowhound.
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Great update, as always love all the pics!!
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Nice photos, shame about the food.
Another fabulous installment! We saw so many castles in Scotland back in the day, and a couple outside of London.
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Wow. I must be hanging out with this country’s elite. They all use both, and most can even use chopsticks properly! 
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You need to go to North Wales for castles.
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