HELP! Fancy restaurant for date night, need help with menu

TowsonChuck
TowsonChuck Posts: 65 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I dont know if your city does this. Here in Baltimore they do a "restaurant week" every summer, it's a great way to try a nice place and see if you like them with out the whole cost. Of course these "Fancy" places don't have nutrition info readily available.

So i'm asking this awesome community for some input. I've narrowed down my choices to things i'd actually like. So toss me some input, and potential ideas of calories if you have any clue. (I guess based on normal portion sizes)

Starters
Chilled Watermelon Gazpacho - Scallop ceviche, cucumber, micro arugula
or
Chicken Liver Pâté - Grilled bread, blueberry jam, pickled vegetables

Entree
Seafood Bouillabaisse - Saffron, potatoes, grilled bread, rouille
Provencal Style Chicken - Tomato, roasted peppers, soft polenta
Braised Beef Short Ribs - Garlic purée, rapini, horseradish
Roasted Lamb Sausage - Crispy potatoes, tzatziki, pomegranate

Dessert
Goat Cheese Donuts
Semifreddo
Seasonal Sorbets
Assorted Cheese Plate

I'd love to hear some thoughts or suggestions. I mean I kind of know what is clearly going to be the lowest calories. But Any input would be great.

Replies

  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    Gazpacho, chicken or boullaibaise, and then the cheese plate.
  • Aikigoth
    Aikigoth Posts: 40 Member
    You know what is really cool about fancier restaurants? The waiters know more.

    Call up and ASK about portion sizes for the meat.

    In general, gazpacho will be lower in cal than pate. The chicken will be the lowest cal entree and sorbets would be the dessert.

    EDIT: Sobert is lower in calories. It's water, fruit and sugar. Ranges from 125-150 per 1/2 cup- usually fancier placies use less sugar . Cheese is 110 per ounce plus whatever you put on it.
  • weightliftingdiva
    weightliftingdiva Posts: 522 Member
    I would pick whichever course I thought would be the most delicious and rich, and then choose lighter options around it.

    Like I would probably pick the short ribs (rich), and then have the gazpacho and the sorbet (seems lighter).
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    You seem to be under your goal, calorie-wise, on a regular basis. Based on that and the fact that this is a special event, I would get the Chicken Liver Pâté, Roasted Lamb Sausage, and Semifreddo.
  • jquijas
    jquijas Posts: 222 Member
    The best thing about a healthier lifestyle is the ability to enjoy the finer things in life once in awhile. I say eat whatever you want period! It is only one bad dinner. It won't hurt you in the long term at all. I would eat it all and punish myself at the gym the next day LOL.
  • xayles
    xayles Posts: 32 Member
    I agree with jemhh. As long as you don't do it on too regular basis then why not treat yourself for once. Just go for what you want within reason.
  • TowsonChuck
    TowsonChuck Posts: 65 Member
    You seem to be under your goal, calorie-wise, on a regular basis. Based on that and the fact that this is a special event, I would get the Chicken Liver Pâté, Roasted Lamb Sausage, and Semifreddo.

    That's very true! I try to keep Saturdays for a cheat day, especially since I am going to a baseball game.

    You guys are making strong points. I appreciate it all the feedback!
    Sobert is lower in calories. It's water, fruit and sugar. Ranges from 125-150 per 1/2 cup- usually fancier placies use less sugar . Cheese is 110 per ounce plus whatever you put on it.

    I didn't really know that about sorbet. I also assumed it was like ice cream.
  • TowsonChuck
    TowsonChuck Posts: 65 Member
    The best thing about a healthier lifestyle is the ability to enjoy the finer things in life once in awhile. I say eat whatever you want period! It is only one bad dinner. It won't hurt you in the long term at all. I would eat it all and punish myself at the gym the next day LOL.

    I plan to get an early workout in as well tomorrow. Doing some strength training, I'll probably add in a round of cardio. Just for good measure.
  • mrsmarit
    mrsmarit Posts: 229 Member
    Personally I would go with the following because they sound best to me, and I hate pate'. They should also be fairly low in calories depending on preparation.

    Chilled Watermelon Gazpacho - Scallop ceviche, cucumber, micro arugula

    Provencal Style Chicken - Tomato, roasted peppers, soft polenta

    Seasonal Sorbets
  • dopeysmelly
    dopeysmelly Posts: 1,390 Member
    They all look pretty tasty.

    I usually choose fish or chicken, skip dessert and get extra sides of vegetables, although if something really sounds interesting I usually just order that.

    Oh, and I make sure I have space for a pre-dinner cocktail, of course!
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    I'd go with the watermelon gazpacho, chicken and semifreddo (sorbet would be healthier though). But the rest doesn't really appeal to me anyway.
  • TowsonChuck
    TowsonChuck Posts: 65 Member
    Thanks for the help. I wasn't blown away by this restaurant, but by no means was it bad.

    I went with the Watermelon Gazpacho, with scallops ceviche. The scallops were good, but it left the Gazpacho very briny and unappetizing. Then had the Chicken, which was great, I am going to recreate it at home and cut the calories on it down a good bit I am sure. I had a good deal of calories left so I splurged and had the goat cheese donuts. Which were amazing!

    Thanks for the input everyone.
  • martyqueen52
    martyqueen52 Posts: 1,120 Member
    Eat what you want dude.

    One night won't hurt you. You might wake up a few lbs. heavier from WATER RETENTION but you won't get fat.

    Fitness is lifelong ... not a monthly thing. Enjoy life and don't be so picky over dumb **** like this.
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
    This is a once per year event? I'd eat what I wanted and not worry about the calories.
  • oregonzoo
    oregonzoo Posts: 4,251 Member
    all of it.
  • firstsip
    firstsip Posts: 8,399 Member
    GOAT CHEESE DONUTS?!
  • Unknown
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  • merisaOct3
    merisaOct3 Posts: 197 Member
    IMO, it's easier to eat at nicer places than lower-end or even mid-range restaurants. Because they're using higher quality ingredients, as long as you steer clear of dishes with a lot of butter or cream, you're getting less added crap (salt & fat), I think.

    That said, I agree with what everyone else has said - there are some obvious lower calorie options, but call the restaurant in advance if you have questions, or eat whatever you want and enjoy it. Sounds like you're planning ahead with your workouts and weekly intake already.
  • PlumpKitten
    PlumpKitten Posts: 112 Member
    These seem to be the lightest to me:
    Chilled Watermelon Gazpacho - Scallop ceviche, cucumber, micro arugula
    Provencal Style Chicken - Tomato, roasted peppers, soft polenta

    But honestly, if I were you, I'd get the goat cheese donuts -- since when else are you going to have them?
    It's perfectly fine to splurge on an odd fine-dining restaurant if your calorie counts in general are good.
  • acpgee
    acpgee Posts: 7,960 Member
    Yum. Have a great time. I would have

    1. Ceviche & Gazpacho. Chicken pate is not only fatty, but you probably already know exactly what it is going to taste like.
    2. If I was thinking only about calories, the bouillabaise (go easy on the rouille because that is essentially homemade mayo) or chicken, but the beef looks really tempting. Sausages and crispy potato (especially the word crispy) will probably be high in fat.
    3. Seasonal sorbets because it is the lowest calories, unless portions were very dainty (as is often the case in fine dining establishments) and I were still hungry. In that case I would have cheese.

    I'm going to a fancy place tonight too. Menu is quite fishy. http://www.8hoxtonsquare.com/
  • TowsonChuck
    TowsonChuck Posts: 65 Member
    Eat what you want dude.

    One night won't hurt you. You might wake up a few lbs. heavier from WATER RETENTION but you won't get fat.

    Fitness is lifelong ... not a monthly thing. Enjoy life and don't be so picky over dumb **** like this.

    Thanks for the sound advice... and being constructive. Not really being picky, I was merely asking for suggestions and thoughts for this one meal., since I hadn't had most of these things before. Not really sure where the "monthly thing" came from... why the hostility?
  • millerll
    millerll Posts: 873 Member
    Glad you had a good time! Sounds like a wonderful meal. Life is for living, so I say it's OK to take a day off here and there. It's not the one-off days that derail us; it's what you do routinely day-in and day-out, IMO.

    Oh, and not to derail your thread, but your username caught my eye. I was born and raised in Lutherville, and went to Towson High School (a long time ago, ha-ha). I still have family in Baltimore, and I know how challenging it can be to find a healthy restaurant meal there.

    Best of luck!
  • TowsonChuck
    TowsonChuck Posts: 65 Member
    Glad you had a good time! Sounds like a wonderful meal. Life is for living, so I say it's OK to take a day off here and there. It's not the one-off days that derail us; it's what you do routinely day-in and day-out, IMO.

    Oh, and not to derail your thread, but your username caught my eye. I was born and raised in Lutherville, and went to Towson High School (a long time ago, ha-ha). I still have family in Baltimore, and I know how challenging it can be to find a healthy restaurant meal there.

    Best of luck!

    Nice. I went to Towson University, and stuck around in the Cockeysville area. My day to day is pretty solid. I take the day off here and there. I went to the Orioles game the day after this meal, which was the big reason I didn't want to go over board.
  • millerll
    millerll Posts: 873 Member
    Ahhh...stadium food! That stuff's a killer! But so worth it! I'd love to see an O's game - it's been years since I did. My brother went to Towson State - I remember when it was Towson State College, that's how old I am!

    There used to be a restaurant in Towson ( I think it's gone now) called The Crease. They had the best French Onion soup I've ever had. Ah, the good ole days.

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