eating away from home: a great place to try new foods, even for picky eaters

I was recently interviewed for a fun story on Today msnbc.com travel section about traveling with kids and trying new foods. I laughed when one story told of the sushi restaurant and the little conveyor belts. We went twice to one of these restaurants on a recent trip to Seattle, and all loved the little conveyors, and the colorful plates. M tried a few new things, some she liked, some she didn't, but like with a salad bar or buffet, taking something new didn't feel like a risky investment, like it might if you had a $13 entree that may be rejected.What surprising things have you or your kids tried while away from home?It might be a school picnic, or the Big Box store.I've had parents tell me over and over that the picnic after religious services, where there was no expectation or pressure that the child eat, was where the child tried a new and unusual food, or the sample stands at Costco was where a child sampled Brie for the first time...)I used to time a snack to our Whole Foods run, and M would happily sample different fruits and cheeses, sometimes enough for a full snack, other times we would buy a banana or a slice of cheese pizza to round out the offerings. (Actually, we were friendly with the guy who made pizza, and he always gave us a slice for free, which I tried to turn down, but he insisted. Literally. Once he followed us through the store to give us the pizza. He was from Ethiopia, was super nice, and I think it was a cultural giving. M once made him a drawing too. I know in France, the butcher or cheese guy would always give my nieces samples...)So, there you have it, another rambly post, as I hurry back to this round of book edits :)  I