You're sitting in a restaurant in New Delhi eating the most heavenly tandoori chicken, or chowing down on some pasta in southern Italy. Imagine savouring all the tastes and aromas that you have till now only dreamed about. You may not get a chance to travel to all these places, but your taste buds and imagination can take you there.

Let the participants in The Gleaner-sponsored Restaurant Week (RW) provide temporary satisfaction to your cravings by opening up your palate to unfamiliar flavours. Be seduced by the tastes of the continents in a restaurant setting right here at home.

Remember that food, apart from being filling, should be fun. This RW, with the reduced prices, let your local dining experience take you to a happy place. Don't just go to those restaurants you've always visited, or order the same things you have year in and year out.

It's OK to cheat on normal. Take this opportunity to step away from the everyday fare and embrace cuisine you would never think of eating. Remember food never feels slighted. There are many places to choose from the 70-plus eateries that have signed on to RW this year, so go check them out.

If you're fighting the battle of the bulge, you don't have to miss out on the fun! Just do smaller portions. Don't eat the entire entrée if it's a large portion; pass on the dessert. There are always ways to get around whatever limitations there may be.

try new stuff

So grab a few friends and go out, try new stuff and let your palate take you where it will!

A little libation should help to lighten the mood and make you more adventurous.

Though having wine with our entrée is not a widespread practice in Jamaica, it is catching on. More people are choosing to enjoy a glass or two of wine in lieu of the sweet drinks and juices which were once the norm.

When deciding on which wine to pair with your entrée, convention dictates that you think complementary or contrasting - complementary in the sense of lighter wines with lighter fare or fuller wines with heavier fare; or a sweet wine may be paired with spicy dish to create a pleasing contrast. So you would find that, normally, a fish dish would be accompanied by white wine, while a hearty steak would be accompanied by a red.

But don't be a slave to convention. It's OK to go against the grain and choose a wine that suits your palate, because wines may taste different with certain foods. If food flavours are too strong, they tend to overpower the wine. So be careful - stay away from overly spicy or seasoned foods if you truly wish to enjoy your libation.

But whatever your choice, just have fun with it. Remember, it should be a totally pleasurable experience for you, so do what feels good.

When you step out for Restaurant Week tonight, don't be afraid to eat outside the (Styrofoam) box.

Tennesia Malcolm is a subeditor and freelance reporter. Email feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com and tennesia.malcolm@gleanerjm.com.