Maybe visiting somewhere once doesn't really qualify you to give much of an opinion.....oh hang on...this is Geoexpat. We all have opinions on everything especially the things we know nothing about. Or at least posters seem to take that approach.
Why on earth would you go to a restaurant and just order a side? Sometimes I wonder what planet you live on. Maybe it's just me....if I'm not hungry, I don't waste my time going to restaurants. I've got better things to do with my time.