Restaurants- No Menus

We had an awesome dinner in Houston at a place called Fuad's where the chef came to our table and asked us what we were in the mood for, what we liked, stuff like that. They have a menu as a back up plan, but at the time, they graded your guests and the chef offered to cook whatever they want to eat as long as he had it in stock.

Houston also has an Italian restaurant called Damiens, if you sit at the chefs table right there in the kitchen, the chef come see your table and asked what all you want, what you want the mood for, and offers his recommendations. Both were awesome experiences and would have a recommend for anybody who is wanting to eat something fun in Houston

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Is this a new trend?

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McDonald's started it 50 years ago.

My favorite place in San Juan has it written on a white board that they bring to the table. Short entries require some explanation from the waitstaff.

not any worse than no lights and 3 pt type menus

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What place in Gulfport?

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Ajax maybe?

Ancora in NOLA has a menu, but specials & sides are chalked on the wall. I dislike this approach, as at times, I can't read the handwriting, can't clearly see the text if I'm seated on the absolute other side of the room behind a dozen tall people, or am seated with my back to the chalked-up wall. It's not hard to PRINT in large, block letters...nor is it hard to write daily specials onto a cheap paper insert or post-it attached to the regular menu.

Remember when beer/wine companies gave away promotional, stick-on, menu insert holders? You'd open a stock menu to see the little lozenge-shaped insert holder, which usually held a hand-written list of the day's goodies.

Coquette does this as a 5 course themed meal on summer Tuesdays. You go in knowing the theme but not the dishes. They give you a menu when you sit so you then know what to expect, but only thing specifically ordered are drinks. Great deal at $45.

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I don't know of too many restaurants that list their specials in the menu. Most of them are communicated by the waiter/waitress.

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Another thing I dislike: recited-only specials...at least have a specials board somewhere, or a single table card. I don't want to listen to a server recite 8 damn specials and then look at the menu and try to remember if he/she listed something that sounds better. I'm trying to relax, enjoy myself, chat w/dining companions...I don't want to study for a quiz. If a resto is offering more than 2 specials, write the damn things down somewhere. Especially if each special has five ingredients whose provenance must be declaimed by the poor server.

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Another thing I dislike: recited-only specials...at least have a specials board somewhere, or a single table card. I don't want to listen to a server recite 8 damn specials and then look at the menu and try to remember if he/she listed something that sounds better. I'm trying to relax, enjoy myself, chat w/dining companions...I don't want to study for a quiz. If a resto is offering more than 2 specials, write the damn things down somewhere. Especially if each special has five ingredients whose provenance must be declaimed by the poor server.

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This bothers me too, especially when none of the specials really stand out from the regular menu, but then I talk myself into maybe trying a special and having to later ask the waiter "can you repeat what you said about the fish special, how was it cooked and served again?"

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Menus aren't cheap

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Are clipboards and paper really that expensive, though? I've seen a lot of restaurants with this approach.

I'm not a fan of a couple boards with the menu at sit-down places. I won't walk out like OP, but I do prefer to look at a menu at my table without studying a chalkboard.