Restaurant portions

**Bren In Pots** · 22-10-2009, 12:02 PM

Originally posted by janeyo View Post

That doesn't really count as a portion of veg?!

Not according to the 5 a day guide it doesn't

Sounds like you wont be visiting there again.

**SarzWix** · 22-10-2009, 12:02 PM

I was talking to the restaurant owner about this last time I was out with Dad. The reason he gave was because if they send out full serving bowls of veg, 99% of them generally come back uneaten. If people are paying a lot of money for a big slab of steak for instance, they would consider it wasteful to fill up on veg and leave the expensive meat.

**tiachica** · 22-10-2009, 12:03 PM

That's why I usually ask for an extra serving of veg. The British restaurant diet goes straight to my hips.

**Polly Fouracre** · 22-10-2009, 12:05 PM

I think 'tis called Newvo Kwisine or some such. Whatever, the only people who'll get fat on it are the one's selling it. Whenever we eat out I always think that I could have made as well or better at home and for a fraction of the price!

**HeyWayne** · 22-10-2009, 12:06 PM

Oddly enough - I was talking to LadyWayne about this subject not so long ago. Only I was suggesting we try and cut down to restaurant sized portions.

**Pumpkin Becki** · 22-10-2009, 12:09 PM

Restaurant portions always annoy me. Most main courses are too enormous and biased towards the protein element, meaning my OH is too full to have a pudding, and then i feel bad for wanting one, so I miss out.

The best portion control I've ever experienced was on the Kent and East Sussex Railway. They have Pullman coaches and offer Sunday lunch and Saturday evening meals. Its very swanky. Sunday lunch is 5 courses and Saturday evening is 7!! But the portion sizes are so perfect that we've never been beaten yet!!

**SarzWix** · 22-10-2009, 12:28 PM

It made sense to me, why would the restaurant owners/chefs send out large amounts of veg, if they just get sent back uneaten? The one I spoke to was quite happy to have someone asking for extra, but just can't afford the waste of throwing them away for everyone else, or having to try and make an edible soup with all the leftovers. Seems to me that the problem lies with the average consumer, rather than the provider

**OllieMartin** · 22-10-2009, 12:40 PM

It gets on my wick when they serve your main dish and then bring uber-boring bowls of over-boiled veg out for everyone to share.
a) It isn't cooked to compliment my meal
b) It's pretty tasteless
c) I don't like sharing food, I'm a greed boy!

**SlugLobber** · 22-10-2009, 12:55 PM

I do hate the waste thing, but I am thought of as being unusual for asking for a doggie bag. I ate in a pub a while ago and had their mexican special. It was delicious, but the portion could have fed two, easily. I did eat way more than I should have, but didn't want to waste the rest. The owner put the leftovers on a china plate with cling film. She said she didn't remember the last time somebody asked, but was quite chuffed that I did (yes, I did take the plate back!).

I always ask for a doggie bag at restaurants that do take away. They do react with surprise, but they've always seemed to be very pleased.

Can't think of when a portion has been too little, though. I suppose whenever there's a gap, I just reach for the pudding menu!

**Eco-Chic** · 22-10-2009, 01:53 PM

My sister and I have 5 dogs between us so I always ask for a doggie bag and tell them to just scrape it in because it really is for the dogs.

I over ordered in a restaurant I was in recently and I gratefully took up their offer to take away what I couldn't eat.

**FROSTYFRECKLE** · 22-10-2009, 02:48 PM

The worst place for their portions is the pubs attached to Premier Inns (only eat there if I'm staying at the hotel) - waaay too much meat and as for their veg

, last time it was a tablespoon of frozen peas with my liver and mash. I love veg. My usual portions for dinner is 3/4 of the plate veg and wee bit of protein. Tonight it's Quorn fillet plus broccoli, carrots, peppers and green beans.

**organic** · 22-10-2009, 02:49 PM

The Missus (well, "Miss" technically - no she's not my teacher!) I go to Nando's a fair bit and there's NOTHING wrong with their portions.
Half a chicken each, a fat pile of spicy chips, the starter size is JUST right to be finishing it as the chicken arrives and the coleslaw we order as if it was some kind of religious requirement is just enough too!
I've never left any, but I've never gone for desert either!

Really I want a good hearty meal. In Edinburgh I went to an Italian (the name of which, most annoyingly escapes me right now - it's opposite the Omni centre anyway) and had a pasta dish that nearly made me cry it was so nice. The wine was great, the portion size was PERFECT - I ate myself silly, choked down a bit of cake and couldn't move for a while afterwards for fear of bursting.

Needless to say we went back again the following night and did it all over again.

My pet hate, though, is soggy broccoli. URGH!!!
If I wanted mush I'd have blended my own at home!

Soft carrots after a couple of hours in a stew pot... heaven!
Soft carrots after being over boiled and served with soft broc, baby corn and other assorted mushy S***E - PHILISTINES!!!!

I'm sorry.
I got a bit carried away there.

I'm going to head down to the plot and take it out on the weeds.

**Two_Sheds** · 22-10-2009, 03:00 PM

When I was in New York a few years back, my friend ordered a meat salad. Out came a piled up plate of ... meat. No salad.

All the portions were massive - I ended up saying please serve me just half a portion please because I hate waste. The staff thought I was mad.

**OverWyreGrower** · 22-10-2009, 03:04 PM

I can easily eat a full 3 course menu, with side orders of veg etc in a restaurant...

The only thing that has EVER phased me was in Vegas... I ordered a 'Lite' portion of chicken goujons and still had enough chicken pieces to feed a family of four!

Announcement

Restaurant portions

Restaurant portions

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Latest Topics

Recent Blog Posts