Someone please help me figure out what to order...

Jenny_Rose77

Hi. So, I find it really hard to eat out and stay on plan. I feel like every time I ask for substitutions (say, veggies instead of pasta as a side) or ask to be only given a half portion, the waiter tells me "Eeeet eeeezzz imposeeeeble." (I don't know why he always has a French accent, but he does.)

Anyway, I have visiting in-laws in town tonight and my MIL wants to take us out. Here is the menu of where we're going:

http://www.thestandardgrill.com/menus/dinner.pdf

Assuming that they won't allow substitutions, what would you order to stay as close to plan as possible?

justaspoonfulofsugar

What a lovely menu

There are loads of things to choose from,personally,I would be ordering the steak with bernaise if there is someone to share with(or even if there isn't..you could bring back the rest) and a side of broccoli rabe

As for a starter,oysters are a good choice or crispy pork belly..actually,loads of the apps look primal/paleo friendly.

Enjoy,would love to be going there tonight..yum!

Dragonwolf

Couple other assumptions:

1. Some amount of dairy is okay (aka - Primal and not so much strict Paleo)
2. What is on the menu is what you get (I hate when places only list 1/3 of what the meal actually includes)
3. Things can be held

Anything from the raw bar.

Appetizers:

Organic kale (hold cheddar if strict)
Baby romaine salad (hold croutons)
Marinated beets
Chicken liver mousse (hold baguette)
Steak tartare
Seared Sullivan County Foie Gras (hold toast, but probably defeats the purpose of this dish)
Crisp pork belly (! bacon! The gribiche is a little questionable, depending on the oil used, but I wouldn't fret over the small amount overall)


Main dishes:

Roasted Atlantic Hake (potato seems to be the worst of it, and if it's more than a soup or sauce, you can probably just not eat it)
Maine Diver Scallops (yogurt's about the worst of it, and it's a fermented food, so it's not a bad off-plan choice)
Whole Roast Chicken
Berkshire Pork Chop (hold spaetzle)
Colorado Lamb Chop & Belly (hold lentils)
New York Strip
Dry-Aged Rib-Eye Steak
Porterhouse Steak

Sides:

Sauteed broccoli rabe (assuming the chili doesn't have beans)
A good pickle

The fries and crispy potatoes side dishes are "okay" options. There are better options, but there are also worse ones. The two big issues are the high carb content of potatoes, and the fact that both are likely deep fried, which risks cross-contamination with breaded foods, and the fact that most fryer oils are high in Omega-6 fats, which oxidize at fryer heats. As a rare treat, and coupled with the high-nutrient foods that the restaurant offers (particularly the raw bar stuff), I wouldn't worry too much over it, though, if you really don't like pickles and need another side dish, or don't like/can't get sauteed broccoli. Worst case scenario, you eat a few and share the rest or something.

On a side note, I think you hit the Jackpot for Paleo-friendly restaurants. It's not perfect, of course, but it's certainly not as hostile to Paleo as some restaurants I've seen.