Hunger is only one of the reasons we eat in restaurants, and perhaps the least important. There are many more desires eating out can fulfill: the pleasure we take in luxurious and interesting surroundings, being served like royalty, having new experiences. There's the social aspect: dining with friends, seeing and being seen, perhaps meeting new people — even enjoying a little inadvertent eavesdropping. Nowadays the armchair traveler can also be a dining-chair traveler, sampling dishes that are copies of what you'd be eating thousands of miles away — or, in fusion fashion, borrowing ingredients and inspirations from many different cuisines to create a whole... More >>>