I have found that when my partner and I travel (especially on a budget and/or especially places where my grasp of the language is less than stellar) we tend to eat at franchise places that we know we can trust. For most meals we get market food and make fresh salads and sandwiches, but when we do splurge on a meal out we want it to be good.

For example, in France we started off looking for artisan bakers but often either couldn't find one, or couldn't find one that was open. So, we would eat breakfast at La Brioche Doree because even in the smaller towns we knew we could get delicious pastries, cheap there. We would split a breakfast special that included two pastries, a coffee, and an orange juice for about $4.

On the other hand, one day we decided to break from routine and went to a little Thai restaurant in a small town in the French Riviera. We were nervous but we couldn't resist the red curry chicken. The restaurant happened to be right next to the market. When we ordered the multitasking owner/waitress/chef left the restaurant, went into the market, and came back with a whole fresh chicken which she then butchered, cooked, and served to us. It was surreal - and delicious.

Who else has gambled on a local place when traveling and won? Or, lost?

(We won't mention the brutally bad British pub found that was a daft wager! Although curry night at a different pub was well worth the visit.)