By Jeff Sherman OnMilwaukee.com Staff Writer Published Oct 08, 2014 at 9:16 AM

For the eighth straight year, October is Dining Month on OnMilwaukee.com, presented by Locavore, the newest restaurant at Potawatomi Hotel & Casino. All month, we're stuffed with restaurant reviews, delectable features, chef profiles and unique articles on everything food, as well as the winners of our "Best of Dining 2014."

I wrote this blog in 2012 noting that most of my "where to eat" decisions were based on convenience and routine.  

I still find this to be true that I seem to eat at the same handful of restaurants because they are easy, close to home or work or I'm just comfortable there. Routine rules and when it comes to dining, deciding based upon quality, locally sourced ingredients, design, personality of the chef, price, etc., all still sound great. Yet, most of the time I decide where to eat based upon simple convenience. Where the restaurant is. Is it close? Do I like the items, the space and the owners? Do I know the menu? Done.

We are all creatures of habit, and to step outside the box I still make "new places I have to try" lists and force myself to go to places that I "always forget about."  It's Dining Month, so it's high time you do the same. Milwaukee's restaurant scene is exploding, and with more options than ever we all need to be -- I think -- more mindful on where and how we dine out.  

Do you agree? Do you dine out mainly based upon convenience or does your restaurant decision go deeper?

Jeff Sherman OnMilwaukee.com Staff Writer

A life-long and passionate community leader and Milwaukeean, Jeff Sherman is a co-founder of OnMilwaukee.

He grew up in Wauwatosa and graduated from Marquette University, as a Warrior. He holds an MBA from Cardinal Stritch University, and is the founding president of Young Professionals of Milwaukee (YPM)/Fuel Milwaukee.

Early in his career, Sherman was one of youngest members of the Greater Milwaukee Committee, and currently is involved in numerous civic and community groups - including board positions at The Wisconsin Center District, Wisconsin Club and Marcus Center for the Performing Arts.  He's honored to have been named to The Business Journal's "30 under 30" and Milwaukee Magazine's "35 under 35" lists.  

He owns a condo in Downtown and lives in greater Milwaukee with his wife Stephanie, his son, Jake, and daughter Pierce. He's a political, music, sports and news junkie and thinks, for what it's worth, that all new movies should be released in theaters, on demand, online and on DVD simultaneously.

He also thinks you should read OnMilwaukee each and every day.