I found the sign outside of a restaurant named Manna's intriguing, but it scared me. It advertised a seafood boil for $9.95. I went inside. The number of patrons inside surprised me. Most were selecting their meal from long buffet tables. In the back was an order window where signage listed more steamed options. I read it and then exited the store.

I stood outside, looked at the sign again with a photo of the meal and asked myself, “What’s stopping you?”. My memory flashed back to when I was young and begged my mother to take me to Tad’s steakhouse on Broadway in NYC. It too had signs with photos and a bargain price. The steak was beautifully prepared over flames, but it was tough and hard to chew. You definitely got what you paid for. Would this meal be history repeating itself?

I went back in, ordered the seafood boil and sat down. Others at nearby tables were enjoying their buffet selections. When the seafood boil arrived, it was perfectly cooked and I enjoyed it. I asked other diners how were their dinners and they replied, “Great”, this was a place they enjoy and had visited before.

I mentioned what restaurant I had planneI will have to visit again to find out. My first visit definitely exceeded my expectations.

How do you decide whether or not to try a new restaurant?