We live in one of the best cities in the world when it comes to eating. But do we really appreciate it? Are we really "enlightened," adventurous eaters who enjoy the richness of our multicultural metropolis in every bite? You've got to wonder when certain readers polls suggest that the majority of us think that the Mandarin is the best Chinese restaurant in the city.

On the other hand, maybe our problem isn't that we don't enjoy our restaurants enough, but that we enjoy them too much. (That's what StatsCan might suggest, anyway.) It's certainly easy to get carried away with all the good places to eat - sometimes even to the point where you forget you ever used a stove...or a savings account.

So what's the story? Do we need a crash course in food appreciation - or self-restraint?

Should you be looking for some guidance on how to make the most of this fine city when it comes to all things edible, here's my two cents:

Nurture a relationship with your favourite restaurants, but be willing to see other people (er, I mean places). Test your boundaries. Allow yourself a taste of the finer things without forgetting the merits of the cheap stuff. And cook - for yourself, and for others. Put Loblaws aside and shop around to make your home cooking something special: try Chinatown, Whole Foods, Bloor West Village, St. Lawrence Market, Pacific Mall...the possibilities are endless. In short, use the diversity of the city to your culinary advantage.

Of course, everyone's appetites are different...how do you fill your hunger?