11 December 2006

The Law of Perfect Substitutes: The Background

I've mentioned overpriced yuckyfood establishments before in a food related post. Today, I shall share more about my convictions and findings that will help us all spend our money somewhere else. I mean, why would anyone want to pay too much for lousy food??!

One thing that binds Intuition and I together is our mutual love for good food and mutual intolerance for overpriced yuckyfood establishments. Can you imagine the conflicts that will arise if we don't see eye to eye in such areas? It will greatly decrease the quality of our dating life!

We meet about twice a week, and because he stays in the far West and I stay in the far East of Singapore, we always end up meeting in City Hall, the Great Compromise. Because we always meet in town, we have to eat in town (duh!), and because we do so, we have tried and tested many good places worth returning to, and several awful places that should never have seen the light of day.

One thing that we never understand is how these crappy places are always, always crowded. If the food is good, fine! But these are places that serves ketchup-laden soggy dough pizzas, intensely coloured sugar water (that also leaves your tongue and teeth discoloured), bland oily pasta, chicken-flavoured mayonnaise cardboard sandwiches and too-sweet-too-dry cakes for dessert. Why go there at all??? Oh, the agony! the agony!!

The only reason that I could think of for people settling for less-than-best in their food-life is because these detestable food chains are too conveniently located. The better, cheaper, tastier ones usually takes some walking around to get there. All the better, I say. You can work up an appetite, enjoy more conversation, and walk it off after the meal.

After saying so much, here's a little law that we work by: The Law of Perfect Substitutes. Example:
I crave for a sandwich. I could go to Delifrance, which is not cheap, serves dollops of mayonnaise with measly strands of chicken paired to perfection with wilted greens, OR I could go to Subway for their fresher, cheaper, tastier and healthier alternatives! Substitution!

The only catch is that you must know where is the perfect substitute being served. And I will be willing to share with you my database of perfect substitutes for pizza, pasta, western food, sandwiches, desserts etc if you'll be nice to me and share yours too! ;) Watch this space!

No comments: