Help with dining out at this restaurant?

I'm meeting some people at this restaurant tonight and am trying to plan ahead of time what to eat. I'm cutting back on the rest of my day's calories just because I know people tend to underestimate restaurant food and I'd rather play it safe and save a lot of my calories for tonight.

Can anyone look at this menu and make some suggestions? My first thoughts were the flank steak salad or the McDuff salad with grilled chicken added.

http://grittys.com/fmenu.php

Replies

  • thavoice
    thavoice Posts: 1,326 Member
    I'm meeting some people at this restaurant tonight and am trying to plan ahead of time what to eat. I'm cutting back on the rest of my day's calories just because I know people tend to underestimate restaurant food and I'd rather play it safe and save a lot of my calories for tonight.

    Can anyone look at this menu and make some suggestions? My first thoughts were the flank steak salad or the McDuff salad with grilled chicken added.

    http://grittys.com/fmenu.php
    Find some foods you like there that would keep you within your caloric range for the day.

    Pretty simple.
  • 86_Ohms
    86_Ohms Posts: 253 Member
    You can also order a burger or something and just take off the higher calorie items (ie. the bun). Then get a side salad.

    Sounds like you already know what your game plan is.
  • TAsunder
    TAsunder Posts: 423 Member
    I would order lobster. But, I've never been to Maine so it would be quite a treat for me.
  • DanaDark
    DanaDark Posts: 2,187 Member
    I'd go with the tacos with grilled steak. Would avoid the sour cream personally.

    Although... flour tortillas for the tacos seems so... ... white >.>
  • ashleydanforth1
    ashleydanforth1 Posts: 9 Member
    The salad seems yummy! I would have to get a beer there. Love that place!
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Well it depends on how many calories you have left for dinner and what you like. But probably a turkey club with veggies and just mayo on the side, not in. Salads are great but between the nuts, the cheese, the croutons and the dressing, you can look as 800+ calories in one...
  • Allegi32
    Allegi32 Posts: 302 Member
    I have 1420 for the day, until I exercise, usually I'm around 1500. I only anticipate using about 400-500 before dinner, so I have a little bit of a buffer.
  • Allegi32
    Allegi32 Posts: 302 Member
    I would order lobster. But, I've never been to Maine so it would be quite a treat for me.

    LOL, my husband and I hate lobster. Actually we don't eat any seafood. People think we're crazy because we live here. :laugh:
  • Allegi32
    Allegi32 Posts: 302 Member
    Well it depends on how many calories you have left for dinner and what you like. But probably a turkey club with veggies and just mayo on the side, not in. Salads are great but between the nuts, the cheese, the croutons and the dressing, you can look as 800+ calories in one...

    Oh I like the turkey club idea. That's the thing with salads, they can be tricky. I was hoping to be able to calculate the individual items and be fairly accurate. But it might be easier to just go with something else. Thanks!
  • Allegi32
    Allegi32 Posts: 302 Member
    You can also order a burger or something and just take off the higher calorie items (ie. the bun). Then get a side salad.

    Sounds like you already know what your game plan is.

    THat's not a bad idea at all. Meat and salad might be easiest to track. Thanks!
  • AnikaP81
    AnikaP81 Posts: 59 Member
    Personally I would go with the Fresh Berry Caprese Salad and add shrimp, but since you said you don't like seafood, you could add grilled steak or chicken instead.
  • hill8570
    hill8570 Posts: 1,466 Member
    I have 1420 for the day, until I exercise, usually I'm around 1500. I only anticipate using about 400-500 before dinner, so I have a little bit of a buffer.

    With 1000 calories to play with, you can go with pretty much anything (within reason) as long as you eat half there and bring half home. That's assuming you don't drink your calories.
  • smarionette
    smarionette Posts: 260 Member
    I was traveling this weekend and my strategy was 1) skim menu for non-breaded protein 2) apologize to server immediately for being a pain and 3) ordering non-breaded protein with plain steamed veggies or a salad with just vinegar. Since I wasn't asking for anything way of the ordinary, or complicated I had to problems. One chef sent me out a balsamic reduction (not on any menu item) to go on my fish because he saw I was being really strict about fat.

    That said, If this is just a sometimes thing like you are on vacation, ignore the above and just eat with an eye towards being reasonable and responsible.
  • TAsunder
    TAsunder Posts: 423 Member
    I would order lobster. But, I've never been to Maine so it would be quite a treat for me.

    LOL, my husband and I hate lobster. Actually we don't eat any seafood. People think we're crazy because we live here. :laugh:

    That's absurd. It's almost like you are living a Stephen King novel, instead of living where he writes novels.
  • rkm57
    rkm57 Posts: 1 Member
    When I go to Gritty's I either order the mussels (takes forever to eat and they're light) with a gritty salad (dressing always on the side- I tend to get dressing and thin it.) or one of the subs with a side salad - dump everything off the bread and toss it with the veggies - nice filling high protein salad. They will broil haddock for the fish sandwich if you ask nicely. I don't eat wheat and I don't like the gluten free substitutes so I usually order burgers or sandwiches and take it off the bread. (my Italian husband cringes every time. ) Eat outside if you can tonight. It's gorgeous up here.
  • maplehouse200
    maplehouse200 Posts: 53 Member
    House salad and 4 Red Claw Ales should do the trick.
  • Allegi32
    Allegi32 Posts: 302 Member
    Oy. After all of that, we're going somewhere else. With a less accommodating menu. :( It's all crap. Ugh.

    http://www.seadogbrewing.com/pdf/SeaDogMenufullweb.pdf
  • TAsunder
    TAsunder Posts: 423 Member
    Oy. After all of that, we're going somewhere else. With a less accommodating menu. :( It's all crap. Ugh.

    http://www.seadogbrewing.com/pdf/SeaDogMenufullweb.pdf

    Since you don't do seafood, maybe the waldorf wrap or the cashew quinoa salad?
  • 86_Ohms
    86_Ohms Posts: 253 Member
    Oy. After all of that, we're going somewhere else. With a less accommodating menu. :( It's all crap. Ugh.

    http://www.seadogbrewing.com/pdf/SeaDogMenufullweb.pdf

    You know you're just going to do this:
    You can also order a burger or something and just take off the higher calorie items (ie. the bun). Then get a side salad.

    Sounds like you already know what your game plan is.


    THat's not a bad idea at all. Meat and salad might be easiest to track. Thanks!

    Calling it. Calling it meow.
  • sljohnson1207
    sljohnson1207 Posts: 818 Member
    I would get the chicken wings and that strawberry & goat cheese salad
  • Will_Run_for_Food
    Will_Run_for_Food Posts: 561 Member
    Not eating before you go is a bad idea - it's only going to make you want to eat more. At least have an apple before you go out so you're less tempted.
  • mrsmarit
    mrsmarit Posts: 229 Member
    Oy. After all of that, we're going somewhere else. With a less accommodating menu. :( It's all crap. Ugh.

    http://www.seadogbrewing.com/pdf/SeaDogMenufullweb.pdf

    You could do the NY sirloin.. the average calories for that seems to be about 500-515 with a good amount of protein. Then just do a double side of the market vegetables.. total should be around 600 -625 depending on the veggies.


    Now I want a steak
  • hill8570
    hill8570 Posts: 1,466 Member
    Oy. After all of that, we're going somewhere else. With a less accommodating menu. :( It's all crap. Ugh.

    http://www.seadogbrewing.com/pdf/SeaDogMenufullweb.pdf

    Hmmm. Lots of non-crap on that menu. If you don't do seafood (and I assume that means no salmon, either), how about the NY Sirloin? Even if you eat the entire 12 oz, that's maybe 500 calories. Market Salad (dressing on the side) and Market Veggies for the sides, If your calorie budget is 1000, that should even leave room for a beer.

    <chuckle> Looks like mrsmarit and I think alike, but she beat me to it :-D
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    I would probably do the lobster dinner and add mussels. Either that or the Ale Steamers or possibly the Baked Haddock...but the whole Ritz cracker thing is kind of a turn off for me...not a big fan...I would think Panko would be so much better.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Oh that baked fisherman's pie sounds delicious :heart: well if you like seafood and don't count calories :laugh:

    Lots of options there - probably the chicken sandwich or the fish tacos or the turkey BLT with mayo on the side. Or a 8oz pub steak with veggies and no gravy.
  • thedarkwombat
    thedarkwombat Posts: 123 Member
    When I know I am going to dine out I save my calories. I actually skip breakfast anyway but on a dining out day I skip breakfast, have a 300 calories soup for lunch, then I have 1500 calories left over and pretty much eat whatever I want at the restaurant and count it as 1500 even though it is less.
  • Allegi32
    Allegi32 Posts: 302 Member
    Since I know everyone is just on the edge of their seat waiting to hear...

    I went with the 8oz. pub steak, dry, and a side garden salad with balsamic vinaigrette. Cut up the steak and put it on the salad and it was SO good. Of course, now I still have like 500 calories to eat and I haven't exercised yet. LOL
  • mrsmarit
    mrsmarit Posts: 229 Member
    Oy. After all of that, we're going somewhere else. With a less accommodating menu. :( It's all crap. Ugh.

    http://www.seadogbrewing.com/pdf/SeaDogMenufullweb.pdf

    Hmmm. Lots of non-crap on that menu. If you don't do seafood (and I assume that means no salmon, either), how about the NY Sirloin? Even if you eat the entire 12 oz, that's maybe 500 calories. Market Salad (dressing on the side) and Market Veggies for the sides, If your calorie budget is 1000, that should even leave room for a beer.

    <chuckle> Looks like mrsmarit and I think alike, but she beat me to it :-D

    Steak loving minds think alike.. I still want a steak too