Menu manoeuvres
Asking for what you want

 

Article By: Melanie Leyshon   Print   Email

 

Turn eating out into a more relaxed occasion by making small changes when ordering - they can make all the difference. Chefs and restaurants are accustomed to tailoring their dishes to customer requests...so don't be scared to ask for what you want. Here are a few ways to make eating out work for you.

A few golden rules

1. Avoid unrealistic demands - work with what's on the menu, rather than asking for something they'll have to start from scratch.

2. Ask your waiter to ask the chef for an alternative to a particular dressing or sauce. Most chefs are used to devising menus on the spot, so will usually be happy to accommodate small omissions.

3. Before ordering, ask the staff how a dish is cooked. Check whether the fish is pan-fried or grilled and ask for the healthier option. Also, beware of sauces - hollandaise and bearnaise, for example, are made with a heap of butter and usually high in POINTS® values. If it isn't clear on the menu, ask your waiter whether the sauce is tomato-based or cream-based, and choose a tomato-based option.

10 top menu tweaks

• Ask if they would serve crudities with a dip to start - most kitchens are well stocked with raw vegetables.



• If you're having soup, make sure it's served without creamy accompaniments or croutons - ask for a dollop of natural yoghurt instead of cream.



• Salads taste fine without dressings, but also ask for separate servings of oil and vinegar so you can measure a healthy serving of oil. Steer clear of mayonnaise.



• Opt for tomato-based sauces or a little mustard with grilled meats.



• Marinated meats and fish are good choices, as the base is usually made of herbs, wine and vinegar. Such marinades provide wonderful flavour without the added kilojoules.



• Seared dishes are another good choice. They will have a light coating of oil, but nothing excessive.



• Ask for vegetables to be unadorned, without butter or cream. Potato mash usually comes with lashings of butter, so best to go for boiled potatoes.



• If you're in a pizzeria, ask for less or half cheese, so you don't find yourself munching through a mountain of mozzarella.



• For dessert, stick with fresh fruits or a small scoop of gelato or sorbet. This is the trickiest course for avoiding POINTS values, so best to be realistic or choose to have a skim milk tea or coffee instead.