Dining out…

Not easy, but not impossible!  I never thought I would be one of "those" people who wanted to know the details of any food preparations in a restaurant.  I have learned how helpful it is to check out the menu before hand.  In the beginning I would email the menu to my Guru for suggestions!  Just about every restaurant has a website in this technical age we live in! If you still aren't certain and want to feel more confident, call and talk to a manager of the restaurant, tell them your dietary needs and ask for suggestions.  This has also proven very beneficial to me!  In this challenging economy, restaurants want your business and are usually very accommodating when they can be! Let's start off with something easy.  One of my first ventures out was to a steakhouse. 

A few helpful hints...

Start with something simple like a shrimp cocktail, with added horseradish to the cocktail sauce and extra lemon you have a  perfect beginning.  Salad is always a good alternative, but again, be wary of any cranberries, nuts or cheese and especially the dressing.  I always get my salad without the dressing and just ask for an extra bowl of lemons. This might sound boring to most, but I love to be able to taste my food and not have it coated in flavors to disguise the freshness of what I want to eat.   For your main course order a lean piece of steak, I do love the beef tenderloin and I do order the bigger one - not the petite!   BEWARE!  A lot of places will finish off a perfectly wonderful piece of beef with butter!  Why, OH Why?  Just a bit of salt and pepper, grilled to you desired temperature and it is just as tasty.  A side of steamed vegetables, again, without the butter and you are good to go!  Most grilled vegetables will be drenched in oil ahead of time, therefore difficult to ask for without the oil! Then the dessert menu comes, which used to be my downfall!  Now if feel the need for dessert just ask the server if they have any seasonal berries available.  A glass or two of red wine and there you have it - finally a night out!