Frank Bruni, who was the food critic of the New York Times since 2004, gives some dining advice in his last column for the newspaper. Responding to what is the best and safest way to navigate a menu, Bruni offers this:

Scratch off the appetizers and entrees that are most like dishes you’ve seen in many other restaurants, because they represent this one at its most dutiful, conservative and profit-minded. The chef’s heart isn’t in them.

Scratch off the dishes that look the most aggressively fanciful. The chef’s vanity — possibly too much of it — spawned these.

Then scratch off anything that mentions truffle oil.

Choose among the remaining dishes.

His other answers are interesting but once you’ve reached the end you’re going to be hungry.