Comments on: Restaurant Lessons I Should Know

By: Susan

Susan — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 23:10:41 +0000

I’m with everyone else on the additional oils. Whyyy do restaurants feel the need to drench everything in oil?? I ordered grilled veggies at a place once that were seriously like an oil soup. And I’ve even gotten pita bread that has been drenched in oil. I’ve also learned my lesson on ordering sandwiches – always ask for the bread dry! Almost every place butters the bread to make it “yummier.” I used to get really shy about ordering at restaurants, but now I’m quite direct about exactly what I want. A lot of the time the people I’m with will just tell the server that they’ll have what I’m having
.-= Susan´s last blog ..‘F’ is for Balance =-.

By: julie

julie — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 16:41:14 +0000

I totally hate when that happens, especially when I didn't ask because I thought I knew a place. If not too awful, I might eat it, or eat some of it, other times I'll try and trade with dining companion (most of my male friends will eat turds if you put sugar and salt on them), or at least share their dish. I detest both mustard and sour cream, and sometimes they'll have a whole list of ingredients, leave one of these out. I'll complain about that, for sure. .-= julie´s last blog ..Thoughts on reaching goal =-.

By: Sagan

Sagan — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 16:00:21 +0000

I took the boyfriend out for his birthday to a really nice French restaurant a few weeks ago, and while the food was delicious and I KNEW it would be loaded with cream and such, I was NOT expecting nearly everything to be fried. Because it was really tasty, and because I’d been expecting it to be a caloric meal and all, I did eat it all anyways, but it’s good to know for the future that that place serves just about everything fried. I’d go again, but I’d be veeeeery careful about what I’d order- or I’d go on a very special and rare occasion.
.-= Sagan´s last blog ..The Living Healthy in the Real World Guide to Grocery Shopping, Part Four: Where to Shop =-.

By: MamaBearJune

MamaBearJune — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 08:54:45 +0000

Oops, forgot to say “HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!”
.-= MamaBearJune´s last blog ..Ultimate Abs ball =-.

By: MamaBearJune

MamaBearJune — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 08:47:57 +0000

Yes, thought I would be brave and order tilapia. (I don’t normally eat seafood.) Every other restaurant I’d been to, the tilapia was grilled. It came with a breading that was about 1/2 an inch thick. Thankfully, the breading just scraped right off.

Reading my new book “400 Calorie Fix” and she talks about how restaurant portions have changed and how most of us don’t know what a serving should look like. Our bowls, plates and spoons have all gotten bigger! This book is awesome because it teaches you what a 400 calorie meal looks like.
.-= MamaBearJune´s last blog ..Ultimate Abs ball =-.

By: Babbalou

Babbalou — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 00:33:37 +0000

I’m normally reluctant to send food back and hesitate to make a scene or cause unpleasantness but in this case I would have called the server over and said had I known the chicken was fried, I would not have ordered it. And then I would have said, “Unfortunately, I can’t eat this.” At this point, I’d send a nice letter to the restaurant manager, telling him or her about your experience, and explaining how your special dinner was ruined by inadequate information on the menu. I’d suggest they provide more information, and certainly indicate when food is breaded and fried. Hopefully you’ll get a nice response. I must go only to restaurants that do a good job with descriptions on the menu – I rarely have to ask questions to get something I want to eat. Nancy, that’s a terrible story about meat in your pasta – I hope you made them replace it! It reminds me of a story I read about someone taking a guest whose religion prohibits the eating of pork to a midwest restaurant. An inquiry was made whether a particular dish contained pork, the answer was no. Sure enough, the dish comes and it’s loaded with pork. They called the waitress over and pointed it out to her, and she says, “That’s not pork! That’s bacon!”

By: Nicole, RD

Nicole, RD — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 22:35:21 +0000

Bummer! That is really unfortunate. I probably would’ve sent it back, though I hate doing that and try to avoid it. I hate confrontation and being viewed as “needy”! I do ask a lot of questions in restaurants. It drives my husband crazy, but when I order a salad I ALWAYS ask for it to be made with spinach or Romaine — not iceberg or whatever else they use.
.-= Nicole, RD´s last blog ..Awards to pass along…and truffles galore =-.

By: Annimal

Annimal — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 20:15:29 +0000

I hate it when a restaurant changes a dish without updating the menu. I am like you that I have a hard time sending a meal back, but I am getting more assertive at this issue. Actually, I’m finding a lot of times they are glad to hear about your dislike, because they can’t change a bad meal unless they know you don’t like it (you just stop going there or stop ordering it). I complained about my favorite green bean appetizer and the waitress said, “oh, thanks for letting me know, we changed suppliers and didn’t feel they were up to our standards”
Restaurants want and need your business. Politely pointing out your issues will help them succeed.
I would have sent that pasta dish back. It was absolutely horrid and unacceptable.

By: Lauren @ Eater not a runner

Lauren @ Eater not a runner — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 20:09:01 +0000

I hate when you get something and it doesn't come out as expected. I think you are right that the more questions you ask the better! .-= Lauren @ Eater not a runner´s last blog ..Penguins, Lemurs and Kangaroos…oh my! =-.

By: Mia

Mia — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 19:41:45 +0000

Happy Anniversary!

I admire your will to not eat it. I am often too hungry to push food around and end up eating some part of it. I will agree with Carla above that before I go to a restaurant, I will check out the menu on line prior to arriving with my choice in mind. That way I don’t sub come to my hunger and choose something less healthy.

I also have to agree with Vickie about nutritional labels changing! How can THAT happen?? Sometimes calorie content will jump 10-20% or the protein amount falls!

It all goes to show how in today’s world you have to constantly work to stay on top of things!