Support your local restaurant

Mimi Sheraton, the former New York Times restaurant critic, told me that when she gave up reviewing restaurants, she couldn't wait to cook -- and stay -- at home again. She relished the thought of not having to go out every night. But on her third or fourth night at home, she and her husband sat down at the dinner table, looked at each other, put down their napkins -- and acknowledged the inevitable. "Let's go out," she said. And they did.

By S. IRENE VIRBILA

November 19, 2008