Valentine's Day - What Are Your Plans?
#11
  Re: (...)
We, my Hubby and I, go out to dinner three times a year. Valentine's Day, our anniversary, and my birthday. So restaurants are picked with careful consideration. I can't stand most chains - Applebee's, Chili's, most low-end steakhouses, because their menus are chock-full of empty calorie and salt-laden appies and entrees that Hubby shouldn't have.

This weekend we're going to go to McCormick and Schmink's steak-house brother, William Douglas in Cherry Hill, NJ. (www.williamdouglassteakhouse.com) I've read reviews that peoples have complained that they "salt" and "season" their filets and steaks with Montreal Seasoning and salt.

Ugh.

I've done the Montreal Seasoning, it's okay. Salt crusts skeeve the bejesus out of me. Reminds me of Disney World, the Caribbean resort main dining room that salted everything out the wazoo. We sent it all back to the kitchen. Besides, the Hubby can't have the salt, he's on high blood pressure meds already.

What would your response be when you order if you had this knowledge beforehand? I will ask them to not add the seasonings or salt.

And what do you do when an entree comes seasoned with something you weren't expecting in a restaurant? Even when you asked for it to be omitted?

Barbara
When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. Then find someone whose life has given them vodka.
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#12
  Re: Valentine's Day - What Are Your Plans? by BarbaraS (We, my Hubby and I, ...)
Quote:



I've done the Montreal Seasoning, it's okay. Salt crusts skeeve the bejesus out of me. Reminds me of Disney World, the Caribbean resort main dining room that salted everything out the wazoo. We sent it all back to the kitchen. Besides, the Hubby can't have the salt, he's on high blood pressure meds already.

What would your response be when you order if you had this knowledge beforehand? I will ask them to not add the seasonings or salt.

And what do you do when an entree comes seasoned with something you weren't expecting in a restaurant? Even when you asked for it to be omitted?





A lot of places "pre-season" meats to get a consistent product i.e., Chili's, Applebee's and the like. An independent is most likely to make it "your way." Now if something comes out any way other than how you ordered it...SEND IT BACK! That is it on that subject. As for salts and seasonings, the key is moderation. Eating out is not even close to being a healthy endevour. As you do not have any real control over the food you are eating. In these economic times a restaurant needs to do as much as possible to meet the needs of as many individual customers as they can. Customers need to feel like GUESTS once again and not be expected to show up regardless of what a restaurant does. Like I remind my staff from the Director of Sales and Catering to the waitstaff to the banquet staff to the cooks, we are not in a position to say no!

As for me Valentine's Day will be a 12+ hour shift on the line with reservations for over 150 on the books. Holly is not a big fan of Valentine's Day as it is when her Grandfather passed away several years ago.
"Ponder well on this point: the pleasant hours of our life are all connected, by a more or less tangible link, with some memory of the table."-Charles Pierre Monselet, French author(1825-1888)
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#13
  Re: Re: Valentine's Day - What Are Your Plans? by firechef ([blockquote]Quote:[h...)
Yeah, send it back, and/or tell them salty foods give him fits! He grows hair all over his body, his canine teeth elongate, he grows larger and eats the chef, sous and all kitchen help!
Don't wait too long to tell someone you love them.

Billy
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#14
  Re: Re: Valentine's Day - What Are Your Plans? by bjcotton (Yeah, send it back, ...)
Now if I could get someone to do that to my staff on my day off...
"Ponder well on this point: the pleasant hours of our life are all connected, by a more or less tangible link, with some memory of the table."-Charles Pierre Monselet, French author(1825-1888)
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#15
  Re: Re: Valentine's Day - What Are Your Plans? by firechef (Now if I could get s...)
Barbara - try telling your server that you have a low sodium diet restriction and see what they can offer. My daughter who is a former restaurant manager said, same as LJ, that they really want you to have a good experience. But, sometimes there are things requested that aren't possible. She worked in an Italian restaurant and people came in with their own non-wheat pasta and asked them to cook it for them... that was a no-can-do. She also told me about someone with an extreme shellfish allergy who ordered the mushroom ravioli thinking it would be fine. But, the lobster ravioli were cooked in the same pot and the customer had a bad reaction. She said that if they had known about the allergy, they could have recommended different options. I'm rambling here... I agree with LJ, If you asked and they said they could do a special and it's not what you ordered, send it back! You should have a a good meal and a fun time on your special night.

Our plans are for Friday night at a locally owned Italian restaurant recently reopened with our friends after dance class. I'll cook something special for dinner at home on the 14th.
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#16
  Re: Re: Valentine's Day - What Are Your Plans? by HomeCulinarian (Barbara - try tellin...)
Other than asking your server for a low-sodium restriction suggestions, there is really not much more you can do when eating out. Ordering a steak with no seasoning is probably your best option because of the individuality of the order - with maybe a baked potato.

Every year I'm torn between going out and cooking a fun dinner!! This year we're doing both - Valentines, we're going to Cedar Creek (mentioned in the post re the flavored olive oil) with some friends and Sunday nite I'm making Jacques Pepin's Choucroute Garnie and having friends in for that. So, fun weekend comin' up!
Retired and having fun writing cookbooks, tasting wine and sharing recipes with all my friends.
www.achefsjourney.com
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#17
  Re: Re: Valentine's Day - What Are Your Plans? by cjs (Other than asking yo...)
"Sunday nite I'm making Jacques Pepin's Choucroute Garnie"

And we'll all be looking forward to hearing about that one!
Maryann

"Drink your tea slowly and reverently..."
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#18
  Re: Re: Valentine's Day - What Are Your Plans? by firechef ([blockquote]Quote:[h...)
" A lot of places "pre-season" meats to get a consistent product "

Yes, even some independents. I would phone them in advance and ask. If they are all pre-seasoned, I'd be looking for another restauraunt.
Practice safe lunch. Use a condiment.
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#19
  Re: Valentine's Day - What Are Your Plans? by BarbaraS (We, my Hubby and I, ...)
We seldom go out to eat, but NEVER go out on Valentine's Day. The food is usually very bad, with a preplanned 'Valentine's Day Special' so you are really eating banquet food. Yuck! Usually the kids go to my mom's and I cook an nice dinner for hubby and me. We most often have scallops since it's our fav.

This year we are spending it with the kids and hubby wants to get a heart shaped pizza from Papa Murphy's for $7.99, we'll exchange cards and give the kiddies some candy.

Hubby already gave me my gift. Our first Valntine's together, as a married couple 10 years ago, he brought home a beautiful heart-shaped, velvet box from Godiva. This year he took that same box in and had it refilled. How sweet.
"Time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time."
Laura
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#20
  Re: Re: Valentine's Day - What Are Your Plans? by luvnit (We seldom go out to ...)
I agree! I think from now on, I'll just make a special dinner or go to the local Greek diner. I've already asked Hubby if he really wants to go out a few times and he's being insistent.

Next year...

Barbara
When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. Then find someone whose life has given them vodka.
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