Last night's dinner

[vilakins]

I should post about last night's meal since people asked.

The restaurant was open to an inside courtyard all along one side, so the heat wasn't bad at all.

The set menu wasn't wonderful; almost everything but dessert had ham or seafood somewhere in it, and too many ingredients I didn't think went together. There were three choices for each course. The entrees (starters, for Americans) were a ham plate, Caesar salad, and squid with chorizo. I couldn't eat any of those so I asked for breads instead, since we hadn't been given any, expecting a small selection with dips. I got a tiny bread roll and a little ramekin of olive oil on a huge rectangular glass dish. WTH? The woman next to me also didn't want any entrees and ordered soup of the day which was gazpacho, served in a tiny bowl with a huge flat rim about four times the surface area of the centre. It was still better than my measly bread roll. The mains were lamb--but with ham risotto, fish with shrimps and prawn butter, and eye fillet with "sticky oxtail". Ugh. All of the main items were fine, but why over-egg the pudding with other types of protein? I ordered the eye fillet without the oxtail, and it was actually very nice, served with fresh asparagus, broccoli cream, and mashed potato. Desserts were yummy: a chocolate tasting plate (crème brulee, mousse and other yumminess); a selection of ice creams and sorbets; and lemon meringue. I went, of course, for the chocolate, though ice creams would have been a good second choice,

The place was very noisy, having the usual concrete floors and painted walls you get in fashionable places like that, so I had to yell at the people next to me and came home with a migraine. On one side I had a Polish couple whose English was difficult to decipher with so much background noise, and a guy from Christchurch on the other who bellowed at me about his career and his lifestyle block (hobby farm) and often touched me to make a point--and was a sprayer. I had to move my wine and water glasses out of range. :-P

Anyway. They handed out hampers from Nosh, the gourmet supermarket today, which is always good. :-)

Comments

[spacefall.livejournal.com]

Oh dear, I feel for you! ('can't eat that, can't eat that...no, can't eat that!') And the sprayer! O: But you survived, well done!

PS: Happy Hanukkah. :)

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

Last year, OTOH, was brilliant! It's a pity they didn't go back there, but I suppose they wanted to try something new.

Thank you! Latkes tonight!

[zoefruitcake.livejournal.com]

I hate it when it's so noisy, I struggle to hear at the best of time.

Still, hamper :0)

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

Greg left it at work because he forgot, which is a bit of a worry in this heat. I said he should go in today and get it.

[shimere277.livejournal.com]

What an odd menu! Here, that sort of dinner is almost predictable: 1 beef, 1 chicken, 1 vegetarian.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

They didn't choose any vegetarian dishes this time because "there aren't any in the company any more" (which is a poor excuse; it's a safe option for people who don't like the other choices) and they swore those were the best on a very weird menu. [rolls eyes] I'd have just chosen another place.

[jhall1.livejournal.com]

I'll eat almost anything, but even I would have drawn the line at lamb with ham risotto. What were they thinkong of?

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

Yeah, mixing two meats is just weird.

[emerald-happy.livejournal.com]

awww. Well, at least it's over. Chocolate makes everything better :-)

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

The steak really was good, and the chocolate dessert was lovely. I'd have been a lot happier actually if the conversation had been easier and more fun.

[emerald-happy.livejournal.com]

Yeah! *sits a cardboard cut-out of Vila next to you to talk to*

*grin, sneaks away*

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

Awwww. I could have ordered ice cream for him and eaten it!

[reapermum.livejournal.com]

How do they get away with not having a vegetarian option, it's such an obvious fall back position.

I'm lucky that I've never had to turn out for socials with OH, we can go out for our own pleasure.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

Two employees chose the menu, and got all meat because "there aren't any in the company any more", which is a poor excuse as you say. Greg also said there weren't any vege options for them to pick, but I doubt that very much. He was probably being defensive.

This is the only thing I have to go to, and it was very good last year, beyond all expectations. We do go out on our own a lot, and I'm rather hoping for Thai this weekend. It's even air-conditioned since it's in a new restaurant block down the road.

[hafren.livejournal.com]

I can never hear a ruddy word anyone says at those dos. I don't even pretend any more, just cup a hand to my ear like some mad old lady. It ruins so many meals out, not being able to talk to people!

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

I just yell "WHAT?" and lean closer (unless the person's a sprayer, but anyway I could hear him) and go quiet when my voice starts to get hoarse. A lot of places seem designed to increase noise levels. OTOH I used to go to a lovely old-fashioned German restaurant (now sadly gone) with carpets, drapes, and a wheezy hydraulic lift, and it was so hushed in there with all sound being absorbed, that I used to talk very quietly and not want to laugh. Fabulous food though. I mourn it.

[entropy-house.livejournal.com]

Well, on the bright side, you didn't roast. On the dark side the menu and presentation was bizarre. I cannot understand why there wasn't a single vegetarian option. And socializing under those conditions would have had me shaking with nerves in two minutes. *hugs*

Thank heaven for chocolate.:^)

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

People at the company chose the menu and "there aren't any vegetarians in the company any more". It's still a good idea to have them as they're a nice safe option for people to choose. And often nicer; I often go for them. Still, it was a very nice steak, and mercifully without an ox's tail.

The chocolate was wonderful! And almost too much, it was so intense. :-)

[entropy-house.livejournal.com]

I'm not a vegetarian, but there are other reasons not to eat seafood, ham, and beef. Heck someone could have been dieting, or felt slightly ill and wanted a lighter meal. Plus of course the people who couldn't eat them for reasons of allergy and religion.

[bigdamnxenafan.livejournal.com]

Hmmm there are a lot of things on that menu that I wouldn't eat either. The desserts sound fantastic though. Too bad about the noise and the sprayer. :(

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

The dessert was great, and the steak was very good too without any ox's tails. I wasn't impressed with the ungenerous (to say the least) bread roll.

Ah well. It's over for a year. It's a pity they often make bad venue choices (and that was by no means the worst) because last year really was good: excellent food, good conversation, and acceptable noise levels. Once we went to a place where half the place was a dance floor and we couldn't talk at all--while sweltering in the crowded heat. [rolls eyes]

[astrogirl2.livejournal.com]

That is kind of a bizarre menu. I'm with everyone else who's surprised there wasn't a vegetarian option. I think it's rare these days, at least in the US, not to have one. Is that less true in NZ, or were these particular people just inconsiderate?

Well, at least there was chocolate! Things are never as bad as they could be if there's chocolate. :)

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

Most restaurants offer vegetarian meals, and some even flag them and the vegan ones. It was the people at Greg's company who chose the set menu who were inconsiderate. I keep telling him to make sure there's always a vegetarian option, but to quote the two who made the selection, "there aren't any in the company any more". So what? It's a safe option for people who, like me and the woman next to me, didn't want anything else. But this is the company which served ham sandwiches at a training session run by a guy from the US with an obviously Jewish name. I blushed for them.

When I used to go on courses, I always said I was vegetarian, just to avoid the ubiquitous ham and other pork products. We must rival Denmark in pig consumption. :-P

The chocolate was excellent (as was the steak), and so intense, it was almost too much. Almost. :-D

[astrogirl2.livejournal.com]

It was the people at Greg's company who chose the set menu who were inconsiderate.

Yeah, that's what I meant. I don't think I've been to an event like that in years where the company or whoever didn't make a point of offering a vegetarian option. (Which does seem to be more common than offering a kosher option per se, but, yeah, works for both.)

But this is the company which served ham sandwiches at a training session run by a guy from the US with an obviously Jewish name. I blushed for them.

The clueless thoughtlessness, it burns! Not that there aren't plenty of people in the US with Jewish names who are perfectly willing to eat pork. But, geez, you don't assume. It sounds to me like these folks need a serious lesson in, y'know, the existence of other cultural/religious practices.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

And if the menu was so weird, these were the sanest options (which they claimed), then why didn't they pick another place?

I just think it's standard politeness to offer vegetarian options, but I've been at functions which have very few or none in the buffet. Mind you, there's usually chicken, but I prefer to avoid meat at room temperature.

[jhall1.livejournal.com]

Presumably other people brought their partners as well, so whether there were any vegetarians working for the company should have been irrelevant. Hopefully different and more considerate people will be choosing the menu next year (not to mention choosing the restaurant).

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

Apparently they asked if anyone had a vegetarian partner, and since no one did this year, they didn't pick anything. [rolls eyes] That isn't the point. It's a good option for people who don't fancy the others.

[vjezkova.livejournal.com]

Good, it is over and I think you will recover soon at home, with all your dear things around.
Oh, I can imagine myself in such and event with my English...brrrr.-)

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

It was hard to hear anyone there (except for the bellower on my right). I took one of my precious migraine pills when I got home and was fine in the morning. :-)

[luinielle.livejournal.com]

The set menu sounds... interesting. :o) At least you enjoyed the chocolate.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

The steak was very good too, once I 86'd the oxtail. :-)

[kerravonsen]

How ruddy inconsiderate! (is cross on your behalf)

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

Where I worked before, there were always good set menus at work dinners with one or two good choices for each course. For some reason, Greg's company has an ongoing problem with picking bad menus and venues. Last year was wonderful, for a novelty; I wish we could have gone back there.

[nautile26.livejournal.com]

Arggghh! I hate the whole noisy restaurant thing; I always spend the night nodding politely because I can't hear a thing when there is too much background noise.

The menu sounds very odd indeed. Really why restaurants don't understand that simplicity is always the best option when catering for groups. I'm organising our office do this year for about 50 people and have chosen meals that are light and uncomplicated. And it is very impolite not to ask invited guests if they have special dietary needs.

Anyway, it sounds like you survived the evening fairly well.

Happy Hanukkah! :)

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

I don't know why they like it that loud. It must be awful for the waitstaff to have to work in that din. I know hushed isn't good for conversation, but everyone having to yell is just stupid.

Simple is good. You only need one kind of meat on a plate, and you don't have to smother it in weird things just to be different.

Thank you! :-D

[pinkdormouse.livejournal.com]

Agreed with everyone else that a lack of veggie options makes no sense. It's the easiest way to accomodate the largest number of cultural dietry requirements as well as the actual vegetarians.

Personally, if I was organising, I'd do one red meat main course (probably lamb as it allows for the greatest inclusivity), one white meat or white fish, and one vegetarian.

Oh, and I tend to view entrees and starters as subtly different, since it is possible to have a multi-course meal with both on the menu.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

I know; you'd think that's the natural thing to do even if there aren't any vegetarians because it gives people an option if they don't fancy the meats. Greg says the two women who chose the menu said that there weren't any vege options, but I doubt that. If it's true, then that's terrible; every restaurant should offer them.

I described entrées as starters because to Americans, "entrée" means "main course". I don't know any other word for them.