Birthday Celebration Help
 

It's me again!

In two weeks, I am heading to NYC to take DW (and my MIL) to see Mamma Mia on Broadway for her bday! The hotel does NOT have a fridge so I plan on bringing a cooler with us for the drive up (hey, they HAVE to have an ice machine, right?) stocked with veggies and cheese and nuts and sandwich meat for my snacks.

My issue is dinner.

DW and MIL want to go to Carmine's for her birthday evening celebration. This restaurant is a "family" style restaurant meaning, you order one dish and it feeds 4 people.

I know they will want pasta, which I will not have. But what items would you recommend I order? Worst case scenario, we order a salad (dressing on the side I hope will be fine with them) and I order an entree and a veggie for me only and have leftovers to give to someone on the street (since there is no fridge in room).

Please see the menu below. What do you think? Thanks in advance!

ETA: The menu is too small as an attachment. Here is the link: http://www.carminesnyc.com/pdf/menus...Dinner44th.pdf

Great idea to plan ahead! Why don't you all share a veggie from the Vegetable and Sides section and then for you, why not an appetizer like:
zuppa de mussels or clams
chold antipasto
roasted peppers with anchovies and mozzarella
spicy scarpariello wings
I'm assuming that the appetizers are a larger size too. Or, if you like, you could get clams from the raw bar and a salad?

I agree... with the ideas and that you are smart to plan ahead.

I like the portobellos and those are more meal-like to me than most veggies. And maybe the fish of the day, filet mignon, one of the chickens dishes without the pasta. Hopefully they won't want fried!

I love Mamma Mia and have seen it more than once (with my own mom). Much better than the movie!

They won't do veggies (DW hates all those on the list besides, she is considering this her celebration meaning INDULGENCE).

DW might go for the mussels idea, MIL won't. And I don't eat meat on the bone ;) Which is why it's always hard trying to go to these types of places where it's gotta be one for all. They will DEF get pasta but I like the salad, fish and portobellos idea. If I wind up not eating it all, I wind up not eating it all.

It's all a matter of planning and staying away from the chicken Parm! Thanks for your thoughts girls!

We ate there a couple of years ago. REALLY good food! Of course I was not on SB back then!

We had the cold antipasto which you could eat most of, the chicken scallopine-not sure if that was breaded or not, but if not you'd probably be ok with something like that, a pasta and vegetable.

Between the 3 of you, you could order an appetizer (or skip it, you'll still have plenty of food), 1 pasta dish (for them), 1 chicken or fish entree for all of you to share(just make sure to ask for no breading and light on the buttery sauce if any) and a veggie side. We got broccoli and the portion was HUGE. (Just noticed you said DW does not like veggies- you can order the broccoli and get your 4.5 cups in one meal LOL)

Good thinking, planning ahead! Have fun!!!

Jenn, I often order only sides for dinner. You could also say you have "dietary restrictions" and ask them if they could do a steamed veggie plate or something like that for you. I have found restaurants to be very accommodating to my vegetarian-ness and I'd bet you'd find the same.

I'm perplexed...usually I have a good answer. Assuming they were ok with the salad/dressing on the side, I might consider either the portabella mushrooms or a meatball side(for myself) and let them order whatever they wanted. I always look at cost, too, and those items were cheaper.

It's hard because the portions can't be split-that's my understanding, anyway.

Debbie and Kara-

Thanks for the input. I have no issues with leaving food on my plate ;) I don't want to do just veggies though as that might be what I opt for by way of lunch.

I think I might just have to suck up the cost at this point. I don't want to disappoint DW or myself. I plan on asking what the shrimp scampi is cooked in (if all butter then I will pass) and or the fish of the day. If not, I might do mussels and either spinach and/or portobellos. It all depends. MIL has some picky eating issues (she doesn't like/can't have garlic, onions, shouldn't eat fried foods -- she had some stomach surgeries because her esophagus tied itself in a knot around her stomach?!!?) so it all depends.

I am just going to have some options by way of apps and main dishes and if not, then I will deal. Thanks for giving me that confidence I need to just suck it up and deal :)

I think if you just stay away from the bad carbs you can let the fat slide a little. That's usually my tactic when eating a special meal out (or someplace where food choices are quite limited). Nothing is more depressing to me than a bare salad with diet dressing.

What about calling the restaurant in advance and asking if they'll make you a serving for one of something on the menu that is SB friendly that you want? With notice, most restaurants are pretty accommodating. I have a friend who is a vegan and she does this all the time if there isn't something clearly on the menu that she can eat.

Enjoy your trip!

Thanks TG! Nope - they won't. I did ask, sorry I didn't update the thread. I also emailed to ask them about what they cook in. They said a combo of olive oil and butter -- but I should ask the day of as the fish, for example, might be a "broiled haddock" or "fried/breaded shrimp."

I will work it out, I am sure. Thank you ALL for the helpful suggestions!

I was wondering if you had been to this dinner yet (I was thinking about it since we are going to Arthur Avenue for lunch today) and then I saw it was in two weeks. I think you should enjoy yourself and stay as close to plan as possible. Do a couple of extra workouts that week if you think you may not remain totally on plan.

Let us know what you end up having! Yum.