Read other professionally written restaurant reviews to get a feel for their structure and content. You can usually find good sample reviews in local newspapers or magazines; one example is provided in the Background Text section. Avoid reading only reviews from websites such as Yelp or TripAdvisor, which tend to be very short and very uneven in terms of quality.

People have one main reason to read a review of a restaurant: to decide whether to eat there. So your goal will be to give readers a sense of what your experience was like. Obviously you’ll want to describe the taste and smell of the food being served, but experiences also rely on sight, touch, and sound. Consider an elegant restaurant that had jarringly loud music blaring while couples attempted to eat an expensive gourmet dinner. Would the sound affect their experience? Probably.

Try to pick a restaurant that will provide something interesting to write about — and read about. Before trying out a new restaurant, many people will seek out opinions from people who’ve already eaten there to help make decisions about which restaurants are worth a visit, not only in terms of food but also in terms of atmosphere, quality of service, and more. Restaurant reviews are a popular source for gathering these opinions and observations.

When you’re taking pictures, keep in mind the other diners and the restaurant staff. Many people object to their pictures being taken during what they consider a relatively private experience. It’s become relatively common for people to take pictures of their own meals, but you should do so without calling a lot of attention to yourself — turn off the flash on your camera or smartphone if possible. Exterior shots of a building are usually noncontroversial, but you should ask permission before taking a lot of pictures inside, particularly if you’re taking pictures that show people prominently in the foreground.

Consider taking other people with you so that you have more than one main dish to sample. If you go to the restaurant with a group of three or four people, you can order a range of appetizers, entrees, and desserts that you can all share so you have a wider range of experiences. You can also ask your friends for their thoughts about the experience.

Take notes as you eat and be sure to record your impressions of all senses as discussed above.