a nice restaurant that's also has decent nutritional info?

Red lobster has a bunch of healthy options.

it's your birthday so enjoy. Thank being said you can always ask how it is made and specify no butter, salt etc. fish and grilled is always a great choice and ask for any sauce on the side

Macaroni Grill has a yummy kabob option with grilled veggies (ask for no butter). About 400 calories, as listed on the menu...less without butter.

The "Eat This, Not That" rated Red Lobster as an A- saying "Compared with the other major sit-down chains and their four digit fare, Red Lobster looks like a paradigm of sound nutrition. The daily rotating fish specials, ordered either blacken or grilled, are the centerpiece of a menu long on low-calorie, high-protein entrees and reasonable sides"... it is considered America's healthiest chain restaurant, but the trouble comes when it comes to the fryer - so stay away from those food items.

Avoid heavy cajun sauces, combo dishes, anything labeled "crispy" and stay away from biscuits. You won't go wrong w/ broiled or grilled fish w/ a side of vegetables.

The book says: Have the Peach Bourbon BBQ shrimp and scallops with broccoli (585 cal, 27.5 g fat, 1640 sodium), Wood grilled peppercorn sirloin and shrimp (560 cals, 21 g fat, 2210 mg sodium), Live main lobster 1 1/4 lb steamed (45 calories, 0 g fat, 350 mg sodium), or the Lobster, Crab, and seafood stuffed mushrooms (380 cals, 21 g fat, 1050 mg sodium).

Romano's Mac got a B+ but if you go, they say get the Aged Beef Tenderloin Spiedini with roasted veggies (410 cals, 12 g fat, 620 mg sodium), Veal Chop (520 cal, 17 g fat, 860 mg sodium), Spaghetti Bolognese (570 cal, 19 g fat, 1480 mg sodium), or Mozzarella Alla Caprese (330 cals, 16 g fat, 550 mg sodium).

Whoops sorry for the double post...not quite sure how that happened?


Anyway- going somewhere that does have fatty options doesn't mean you can't order something that isn't absolutely horrible for you. Just order smart. Eliminate fried options, sauce on the side, no cheese (or easy cheese) and no extra butter. It is easy to still eat sensibly while eating something tasty.

Applebee's under 550 menu was quite good. http://www.applebees.com/Menu_Under550.aspx

all resturants... just watch what u order. no fried foods and ordering things without mayo, whole wheat options where available, lots of water to help with appetite... salad instead of fries. dipping fork into dressing instead of pouring it on salad--no croutons. ive only came across one place with no healthy option---which was a small bar that only did fried foods.

ive had one resturant where the food was in butter sauce---a expensive resturant and it was grilled lemon chicken that had the sauce. i had a baked potatoe option instead of mashed potatoes (you dont know what they r using in mashed taters--butter, cream, etc), and it had steamed veggies and instead of soup i had salad. the sauce was mostly on the plate, and the amount that was on the chicken wasnt to bad--wouldve been the equalivlant of probably 1/2tbls of butter--if it was pure butter which it wasnt. When i get a baked potatoe i dont have sour cream or butter but season it with pepper and eat it at the same time as another item on my plate if its dry and bland.

Ive lost 24pounds in 5weeks and ive gone out to dinner a minimum of 2x a week.

also you could save half of meal for leftovers.

red lobster i had garlic shrimp skewers, a few lobster nachos, a cheddar cheese biscuit, a lobster tail, rice pilaf, brocolli, and was under 500calories, but red lobster is pretty expensive and u said not expensive.

Dont be afraid to ask for things such as "light on the butter" or "do you have another sauce instead of this butter sauce", or "light on the cheese" or whatever...just ask for things and usually they can work something out for you