what condiments do you expect to see on a restaurant table apart from salt and pepper?

Answer 1

depends what class of restaurant you visit!

I would expect salt and pepper on all tables

but in a chinese - soy sauce
in pizza hut - the spicy chilli seeds and parmasan cheese
in an Italian, balsamic vinegar and parmasan cheese
in a pub a selection of sauces in sachets, vinegar
in a coffee shop, brown sugar white sugar etc

I think all different really!

Answer 2

When I go to a restaurant in the UK I cannot help comparing to what you get abroad.I think us British sell ourselfs short by clinging on to awful old traditions because that is the way it has always been.The condiments tray is a good example.

some restaurants are trying but I really would like to see a black pepper mill instead of that awful white stuff that makes you sneeze.My partner has to have a gluten free diet so cannot have it as it is padded out with flour.Also wine vinegar and olive oil would be good, like the spanish have if only to breath a bit of life into the tasteless salads you always get to pad out your dish.

The other thing I really object to is the practice of having a basket of plastic sachets of sauces and condiments; makes you think they can't really be bothered to make the effort.

Answer 3

There was a buffet I worked in a number of years ago, we kept salt, pepper, sugar, and a sugar substitute on the tables. Other stuff - like ketchup, mustard, A1, soy sauce, etc etc we kept on a cabinet for customers to take if they wanted some.

Answer 4

Depending on the restaurant, i`d say Vinegar and oil as a rule.

In italian restaurants i would expects balsamic vinegar and oil and chilli flakes.

I hate to see bottle or sachets of sauces on the table and would rather the waiter/waiteress asked if any were required and brought a small amount in a dish.

Answer 5

oh it depends on the restaurant

i hate seeing lots of things on the table if i am out for a romantic meal - salt and pepper is enough - the rest can be brought if it is needed

if it is somewhere with friends or family and casual then ketchup and hot sauce are essential too!!!

i have a thing thought that i wont go anywhere where there is vinegar on the tables - it is the smell.....

Answer 6

It depends on the restaurant but anyways, some restaurants have soy sauce, fish sauce, ketchup (usually tomato), hot tobasco, vinegar, white pepper, oyster sauce (I guess for soups or noodles), hmm, so far those are the condiments I've seen.

Answer 7

I always kept sugar and sugar substitute packets on the tables, with ketchup and mustard along with the S&P. It was a casual dining restaurant.

Most of the casual restaurant here though have the sugars, maybe a bottle of ketchup, and olive oil and balsamic with the S&P.

Answer 8

sugar,sweet'n'low,equal, and the rest depends on the type of restaraunt. At an Italian place you might expect to see red pepper flakes and parmesan cheese, at chinese I want soy sauce, at a steak place A-1 and worcestshire sauce, Seafood I want malt vinegar, Ketchup and mustard anda jelly caddy at Dennys

Answer 9

Relish, vinegar, olive oil, tomato ketchup, brown sauce, Tabasco sauce, chutney, pickle, mustard. Hope that will give you some ideas for flavouring! Of course they won't all be on show in the restaurant, but ask, and I'm sure they will bring them along.

Answer 10

In a chip shop then definitely vinegar!!
Upmarket place- rock salt and cracked black pepper with teeny tiny spoons for serving!!
Greasy spoon- a ketchup bottle in the shape of a tomato!!