Ugh. I officially hate eating at restaurants now.

tribal351
tribal351 Posts: 72 Member
My son is in town for a few days. The wife and I took him out to eat last night. I wanted barbecue, (Austin has some amazing BBQ) but they wanted Joes Crab Shack. I figured it would be somewhat safe..
Successfully avoided the crab nachos, got an unsweetened iced tea, and ordered the Ragin Cajun steam pot. Ate nothing but the sausage, crab and shrimp. All of it was covered in a spicy rub, no idea what it was.
Walked away still hungry, and feel like poo this morning. Bloated, gained weight. No idea how to log my macros for yesterday, as they publish no information regarding weights of the foods in their pots... No idea what it was that made me feel so bad this morning.
Gonna go buy some steaks today, make sure I keep us out of restaurants for the remainder of his visit. Can't stand feeling like this.
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Replies

  • Dragonwolf
    Dragonwolf Posts: 5,600 Member
    Just don't go to Joe's Crab Shack, or if you go, talk to the staff about gluten friendly/free options. GF options are generally more low carb friendly.

    Most other places are actually pretty good about it. Burgers sans bun (lettuce wrapped), grilled whatever with a side of steamed or fresh veggies, etc. There should be a few threads around about tips for eating out.
  • RowdysLady
    RowdysLady Posts: 1,370 Member
    Oh no! I'm sorry that happened to you. I don't eat seafood so I can't speak to what it may or may not do to us but I personally love eating out because of those wonderful steaks in butter sauces, pork chops wrapped in bacon and great big juicy burgers without buns!

    I can commiserate with you though - I went to a chain place at the airport with when I was dropping my daughter off - TGIs or Apples or whatever...one of em...and I wasn't thinking that a bourbon sauce would be sweet so I ordered a bourbon chicken sand no bun, no mayo and it was sickeningly sweet! I though the bacon and cheese on it would be a nice offset for a breast of chicken - I ate two bites and the pickles/tomatoes. It was horrible and made me feel terrible. That lesson though, is what shaped me to never order anything outside the types of things I mentioned above. I have NO idea if I would even eat had I been at Joe's.... I'll also tell you any place that I can't get nutrient information OR if I don't believe the meals are "real" I won't go now either - I look online before I decide. What I mean by real is - I live in an area with a HUGE population of locally owned restaurants where no information is available. But places like (If you are ever in Canton, TX) Down Home Cafe has the most delicious breakfasts and they are whole, real breakfasts...I know that my egg is a freshly cracked egg not out of a box and my sausage patties are not stuffed with fillers.
  • dmariet116
    dmariet116 Posts: 530 Member
    Here is the info from Joe's website. Doesn't appear that the carbs would be a problem. Maybe MSG or something in the cajun seasoning.

    aeg40dvscq1g.jpg
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    I actually like going to Joe's. I usually get an arctic bay steam pot. I eat about half, and take the other half home for a stir fry.
  • daylitemag
    daylitemag Posts: 604 Member
    I no longer really enjoy eating out. There are some places that are better than others but mostly I just go to be social. I've adopted the over all philosophy that I eat to live and not live to eat.
  • dmariet116
    dmariet116 Posts: 530 Member
    I LOVE going out to eat when it's hot because I don't have to cook!!! :D
  • tribal351
    tribal351 Posts: 72 Member
    dmariet116 wrote: »
    Here is the info from Joe's website. Doesn't appear that the carbs would be a problem. Maybe MSG or something in the cajun seasoning.

    aeg40dvscq1g.jpg

    Thanks for that. No idea why I didn't see that when I looked at their site. I'm not sensitive to MSG, which doesn't actually seem to be a real thing anyway according to recent studies. No idea what made me feel so bad then....

    Still, I guess the only way to truly control my intake is to cook it myself.
  • Zenwenner
    Zenwenner Posts: 166 Member
    My best friend wants to take me for lunch tomorrow to this Japanese restaurant that is something of a tradition with the two of us. I want to go, but I can't really think what I can eat there. Sashimi maybe, but all the rice in the sushi...the batter on the tempura...the sweet teriyaki sauce...its just all looming over me going "you'll feel like *kitten* tomorrow!" :( What to eat?
  • sammyliftsandeats
    sammyliftsandeats Posts: 2,421 Member
    @Zenwenner Do you guys generally order rolls and stuff to share? Try getting sashimi with miso soup. Or ask if the chef can make the rolls without rice - some may be able to work something out for you.
  • Zenwenner
    Zenwenner Posts: 166 Member
    We usually get mixed tempura, california rolls, dynamite rolls, tuna sashimi, and prawn sunomono and we share all of it. Looking into it, it seems to scream carbs!! I'll be going after my Saturday morning lifting session, so I will have already done my exercise for that day too.
  • sammyliftsandeats
    sammyliftsandeats Posts: 2,421 Member
    Zenwenner wrote: »
    We usually get mixed tempura, california rolls, dynamite rolls, tuna sashimi, and prawn sunomono and we share all of it. Looking into it, it seems to scream carbs!! I'll be going after my Saturday morning lifting session, so I will have already done my exercise for that day too.

    Maybe your friend will understand if you want to order less carbs and more sashimi? You can also order teriyaki and ask for the sauce on the side. That way, your friend can use it and you can eat the meat/veggies.
  • Bonny132
    Bonny132 Posts: 3,617 Member
    Working lunch and gluten free. Got taken to a pasta/pizza restaurant. Ended up with a superfood salad, upset tummy and the look of a pregnant woman. I understand why you hate eating out. I left most of my meal uneaten in the end.

    I don't mind eating out personally, I hate it when I have no choice in where to go. At least my work place has finally gotten their head around the fact I need GF food to be able to eat at all.
  • anglyn1
    anglyn1 Posts: 1,802 Member
    @Zenwenner both my local sushi places will make my rolls wrapped in cucumber instead of rice! They're actually really good that way!
  • RalfLott
    RalfLott Posts: 5,036 Member
    anglyn1 wrote: »
    @Zenwenner both my local sushi places will make my rolls wrapped in cucumber instead of rice! They're actually really good that way!

    Great tip! Is there a Japanese term for it?
    (Hungarian?)
  • Rebeck1983
    Rebeck1983 Posts: 5 Member
    When I go for sushi I order Chirashi Don, which is mixed sashimi over greens with a spicy sauce on top-- it's usually served over rice but I just ask them to swap out the rice for some extra veg. Just make sure that the sauce isn't loaded with sugar!
  • RalfLott
    RalfLott Posts: 5,036 Member
    edited August 2016
    Rebeck1983 wrote: »
    When I go for sushi I order Chirashi Don, which is mixed sashimi over greens with a spicy sauce on top-- it's usually served over rice but I just ask them to swap out the rice for some extra veg. Just make sure that the sauce isn't loaded with sugar!

    Any tips on what sauces to ask for in order to avoid carbs? Thx!
  • Zenwenner
    Zenwenner Posts: 166 Member
    anglyn1 wrote: »
    @Zenwenner both my local sushi places will make my rolls wrapped in cucumber instead of rice! They're actually really good that way!

    Wow I had no idea they could do that! I will definitely ask! Thanks for this tip, @anglyn1 !
  • Rebeck1983
    Rebeck1983 Posts: 5 Member


    Any tips on what sauces to ask for in order to avoid carbs? Thx! [/quote]

    I usually go for straight-up sriracha sauce, or sriracha mixed with a bit of mayo:)
  • Kitnthecat
    Kitnthecat Posts: 2,073 Member
    I personally think that any restaurant should be able to make substitutions for gluten free and low carb eaters. Don't be shy to ask your server, even at a fast food restaurant, what they can for you. Lettuce wrapped burgers at fast food restaurants, swap out starchy items for grilled, steamed or roasted veggies or salad, ask for extra butter to place on veggies and meat dishes. I had Applebees make wonton tacos in lettuce leaves for me once. Restaurants generally want happy satisfied customers.
  • Gallowmere1984
    Gallowmere1984 Posts: 6,626 Member
    Man, I genuinely feel bad for you guys who HAVE to eat this way. It's not because I love carbs, but because if I do accidentally eat a bunch of them, the worst thing I get is some bulk-up in the muscles, and feeling like my body is a burning building, and ridiculous energy levels for a few hours. Being left feeling hazy, bloated, and miserable due to potentially hidden ingredients would piss me off to no end.
  • RalfLott
    RalfLott Posts: 5,036 Member
    Good point. Plenty of good cooks are happy for any excuse to go off - menu, and the prices are often pretty good.

    If not - and especially if the prices are high (like for a naked slab of salmon or tuna sans tater tots) - that might be a sign to pulll up stakes....
  • Shells918
    Shells918 Posts: 1,070 Member
    Sushi rolls without rice are called Naruto rolls. Every place makes them a bit differently but it's usually crab, shrimp or salmon with avocado, wrapped with cucumber with a sauce. I've had some delicious ones but to me it's just not that filling.
  • Zenwenner
    Zenwenner Posts: 166 Member
    I limited myself to only one order of rolls, where I used to always have two - so not much rice. I felt fine although my son told me later when I *ahem* farted that it smelled like "something rotten in the state of denmark" and I couldn't help but laugh...
  • sammyliftsandeats
    sammyliftsandeats Posts: 2,421 Member
    Zenwenner wrote: »
    I limited myself to only one order of rolls, where I used to always have two - so not much rice. I felt fine although my son told me later when I *ahem* farted that it smelled like "something rotten in the state of denmark" and I couldn't help but laugh...


    Hahahahaha!!!!

  • RalfLott
    RalfLott Posts: 5,036 Member
    edited August 2016
    Zenwenner wrote: »
    I limited myself to only one order of rolls, where I used to always have two - so not much rice. I felt fine although my son told me later when I *ahem* farted that it smelled like "something rotten in the state of denmark" and I couldn't help but laugh...

    Carbs are hazardous to the ozone layer.
  • Dragonwolf
    Dragonwolf Posts: 5,600 Member
    Man, I genuinely feel bad for you guys who HAVE to eat this way. It's not because I love carbs, but because if I do accidentally eat a bunch of them, the worst thing I get is some bulk-up in the muscles, and feeling like my body is a burning building, and ridiculous energy levels for a few hours. Being left feeling hazy, bloated, and miserable due to potentially hidden ingredients would piss me off to no end.

    It's a mixed blessing. On the one hand, you can't get away with "slipping" or "cheating," so it keeps motivation high. On the other hand, you have to be really diligent about everything.
  • LauraCoth
    LauraCoth Posts: 303 Member
    I LOVE eating in restaurants. Salads with meat or seafood. Bunlesss burgers with everything on them and extra salad. Steaks. Sashimi. The list is endless.
  • BaconSan2
    BaconSan2 Posts: 260 Member
    I love eating - anywhere - everywhere
  • dmariet116
    dmariet116 Posts: 530 Member
    Do they have a hibachi grill? Then it would be easy to choose.
  • canadjineh
    canadjineh Posts: 5,396 Member
    Mongolian Grill is a great place/way to eat too.
    They are all essentially exactly the same: get a bowl, fill it with the raw ingredients and sauces, and then watch as they use their high-temperature mega-skillet to cook it up in a jiffy. Very exciting stuff. (That sounds sarcastic, but I actually mean it! It’s fun!) They also are pretty darn cheap for a meal out.
    Expect to find a long buffet complete with frozen meat shavings, veggies, tofu, and sauces. Just grab yourself a bowl and fill ‘er up with whatever strikes your fancy. There’s always a guide posted by the sauces for common flavours (watch out for sweetened ones like Teriyaki, etc) or just mix it up and have fun. Then leave your bowl on the counter beside the man with the giant grill and go sit down. They bring it to you after cooking. Skip rice and udon noodles as a side, of course.