How to get takeout like a food critic, from one of Charlotte’s best food critics.
Here’s how we order pizza at my house: First, we place the order. Then, we turn on the oven. Finally, someone goes to pick up the pizza (“rock, paper, scissors” works for that part). Then, the designated driver rushes home and slides it into the hot oven for 10 minutes or so.
I’m lucky enough to have several good pizza places around me. But there’s no chance, whether I drive to get it or use a delivery service, that my pizza is going to arrive at the peak perfection of straight out of a pizza oven. (And, of course, we all know that going to pick it up instead of using a delivery service allows hard-pressed local restaurants keep more of their money.)
Living with COVID-19 restrictions since March (wait – it’s really been more than seven months?) has given most of us more experience with takeout food. Sure, you’re probably cooking more.
But we all need breaks, and our local restaurants need takeout orders if they’re going to survive until the restrictions are lifted.
With help from Twitter suggestions and my own experience, I put together a few points that may make your takeout worth the splurge:
(1) Hold the plastic packets
If packages of napkin/plastic fork/salt are reaching snow-drift levels in your kitchen, ask the restaurant to skip them. They may forget in the rush of service, but it’s a worth a try. Same for packets of ketchup, soy sauce and mayonnaise. Do you really need them?
(2) Get out real forks and plates
Up your game and give your food a chance to shine. Take it out of the to-go containers and use an actual plate and fork. Some higher-end restaurants may even have playlists on their websites, so you can go for ambiance.
(3) Choose your food genre carefully
Burritos hold up better than burgers. Pho and noodle soups will do great if they pack it with the noodles on the side. Seafood is tricky, because it can turn into pencil erasers when you reheat it (sushi travels well, though). Salads work if you get the dressing and meat additions like shrimp or chicken on the side to reheat gently. Tacos with condiments on the side are easy to reheat in a dry skillet or even in a microwave. Skip the guacamole if you can resist – takeout is too hard on it, and who wants brown goo on their leftovers?
(4) Speaking of leftovers: Two meals are better than one.
Get an extra order of rice for fried rice. Cooked beans come in handy (add them to soup or mash them for refried beans). Roast or rotisserie chicken will be great the next day in soup or a stirfry. A lot of people order two pizzas at once, then immediately wrap individual slices of the extra one in foil, plastic wrap or resealable bags for several days of lunches. (Or breakfasts. No one is here to judge you.)
(5) Or don’t: Order a kids’ meal.
I heard from a lot of people who order kids’ meals for takeout so they don’t have leftovers. You usually can’t do that in a restaurant, but if you’re ordering from home, it’s your call.
(6) Order carefully
Ask for French fries without salt (they’ll have to cook a fresh batch, so you avoid the heat lamp, and you can salt them and reheat them at home). Ask for burgers and sandwiches to be packaged “open” (bread or burger top off). Get nachos with the chips in a separate bag. Order drinks without ice and add your own. One trick: Order steak rare and reheat it to medium-rare easily in a cast-iron skillet.
(7) Think about the drive home
We heard from a lot of people who use heated passenger seats to keep pizza warm. Lift lids or open containers, particularly on fried food, to keep it from getting soggy. Keep an insulated bag (Costco and Trader Joe’s both sell good ones) near the driver’s seat to slide hot or cold things in.
(8) Plan your reheating
If you get a burger, ask for condiments, lettuce and tomato on the side so you can reheat the patty in a skillet. Toss the bun halves cut-side down on the skillet, too, to dry and crisp them. French fries, wings and most fried foods re-crisp beautifully in an air fryer, or spread them on a baking sheet in a hot oven. (Although many people consider eating fresh french fries in the car to be their reward for agreeing to go pick up the food.) Stir in a tablespoon of water before you reheat rice, or whisk in a tablespoon of milk before you reheat mashed potatoes. Several people also mentioned using a microwave, turned off, as a hot box to keep takeout food warm when they get home.
(9) Special note on reheating cold pizza
There are a dozen swear-by methods out there. My tried-and-true method: Put slices in a dry nonstick or cast-iron skillet – no oil, no water – over medium-high heat and press down on it lightly occasionally until you feel the heat coming through the top. Flip it over to re-melt and reheat the toppings and flip it back over. Yes, it can be a little messy on the top, but it’s far superior to microwaving, broiling or baking.
(10) Do the right things
Whether you use a delivery service or pick it up, tip generously if you can. And remember: Delivery services charge restaurants, so if you really want to help your neighborhood place, drive over and pick it up.
This story was originally published October 9, 2020 at 9:00 AM.
