Your Go-To Meal

When eating at restaurants, everyone has a “go-to” meal which they choose if they cannot find anything more appealing on the menu. This is not to say that this meal is a last resort by any means, but rather that it is so satisfying that you literally cannot choose another option unless you are absolutely craving something else. I would even go so far as to say that you feel psychological remorse when you ignore your instincts and choose something new in attempt to be “adventurous” or “different,” when deep down you know you wish you had listened to your “gut,” both literally and figuratively. I am not advocating limiting your choices, especially in the presence of top notch culinary excellence (wherever you may find it), but the next time your friend or parent says, “Hey, you always get that, how about trying something different for a change?” remember that you chose your go-to food for good reasons. Remind the nay-sayer that everyone has a dish that they are particularly comfortable with and they should not be ashamed in coming back to it frequently. After all, eating is synonymous with happiness; do not let insecurity get in the way.
My go-to meal is a chicken parmesan sub. The “Eating Well” food blog calls it a “neighborhood-deli classic” and I cannot think of a better way to describe its classification, mainly because throughout my childhood to this day I still order chicken parm subs from the same people at the neighborhood deli. Other than its ever-enticing juicy, greasy, meaty, and saucy components, the reason this sandwich has become my go-to meal is that, wherever I order one, it still reminds me of that small town deli that I grew up ordering from. I do not know if the chickens or any other ingredients they use are organic, but the amount of care that I continuously see the people behind the counter put into a sandwich as simple as chicken parm makes me feel blessed that I can eat food that is prepared this carefully, and it ignites a spark of hope in me that someday soon all will be able to eat food which is prepared in this way. That is why the chicken parm sub is my go-to meal.