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Don’t let the published menu restrict you.
I try to frequent non-franchise restaurants (support local small business) where chefs may have more latitude. That way if I don’t find anything on the menu I want, then I just ask for what I want.
I.e., “Will you ask the chefs if they could substitute the [hidden carbs] sauce with a simple bernaise or HWC/white wine sauce?” -
Salads with protein are served most everywhere. Olive oil and vinegar or lemon on the side please.
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“Don’t bring bread or chips to the table” (if I’m alone). “It will go to waste.”
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Choose places that recognize and appreciate foodies. They love to serve customers who are thoughtful about food. Someone mentioned checking online menus. Yes! Also peruse their website for their philosophy (purpose, values, etc). You’ll find clues about their orientation toward foodies.
How do you Restaurant-Keto?
Oh, I had forgotten about molcajete. My place does this so well. I’ll have to order it without the base of rice they usually put in the bottom to soak up the sauce. Love that sauce, so spicy good.
Good for you. I don’t think I could do it, but I’m also about 500 miles away from the closest CB, so the rare time I go, I can’t NOT get hash brown casserole.
That is tasty. Haven’t ha it since going keto, though.
I did find out that even though it’s not on the menu, they’ll make you an ommolet.
Maybe we frequent oft enough that they’re more accommodating, don’t know. But they treat us very well.
Dinner at a specialty burger place the other night. Subbed fries for ceasar salad, hold the croutons, and the burger was a 6 oz patty with mushrooms, bacon, and cheese on a bed of baby greens instead of a bun eaten with a fork and knife instead of held in hand.
An actual molcajete is a lava stone morter and pestle. Restaurants will use it as a big bowl to hold a bunch of different meats and or seafood and sometimes veges usually in a Chile Verde sauce. It’s a big serving enough for two people.
Went to Mission in Scottsdale Az last Saturday night.
Appetizer was two sticks of steak and pork belly.
Guacamole made tableside, I ate with a spoon.
Then had a porketta stuffed with chorizo and topped with garlic sauce! I didn’t have to ask for any modifications. I simply gave my hubby the white bean purée.
Yum!
I am very lucky to live in a city that has over 800 restaurants! I’ll bet st least half of them
Cater to us Foodies.
Great advice.
I went to Denny’s today and did a “Build Your Own Grandslam” thingy. I picked eggs, ham, bacon and sausage.
I do spicy salmon/tuna/scallop hand rolls without sushi or termpura bits. It’s a bit messy to eat, but oh so yummy! I also order avocado “sashimi”.
[quote=“cmartel2, post:32, topic:35519”]
hand rolls
[/quote]I’ve always wondered about hand rolls–do they have rice?
I’m laughing at myself! My comment should say that I request it without rice (not without sushi!)
Most restaurants have been quite accommodating with this type of request.
I was just thinking too that years ago, in the Phillipines, I was served spicy salmon mix in a glass that we ate with a spoon. It was delicious. Maybe I should ask for that next time. Or served as a tartar, on a plate.
What did they sub instead of the rice? I have have a favourite Japanese restaurant and a while ago I went there. Had their dynamite rolls, beef teryaki, general chicken (which is beeaded) , and 3 tempura shrimp and veg. Ended up so sick overnight praying at the porcelain alter. It was was a lot after being keto for months but not like I had a whole cake or loaf of bread so I was actually pretty surprised at how strongly my body reacted. I’d love to go back but only if I can modify stuff. The food and flavors are so yummy but I don’t want to go through that again.
There was no substitution for the rice. It was just a hand roll without. Very difficult to do for regular rolls, but hand rolls seem to work. Lots of fish, spicy mayo, avocado and some sesame seed. I’ll admit it’s messy, but oh so yummy!
When I go out for sushi, I stick to sashimi, ask for gluten free soy sauce (the place I go to regularly has it, some places don’t… I’ve thought about bringing my own!!!), and I get hand rolls, tataki (without the sauce), edamame… I stay away from everything else.
Pizza express , had to go there for a work meal thing and I just had the ceasar salad no breadstick no croutons extra eggs and no anchovies as I don’t like smelly fish.
- Local steak house- I get a steak, salad, and a veggie, or a Bacon cheese burger, no bun, on top of a side salad.
- Ruby Tuesday- the salad bar is huge with lots of good options and I love their Chicken Bella.
- Any place that serves breakfast all day- I order a huge omelette, no toast, no hash browns.
- Pancheros- (the Mexican Subway)- I order a salad with both chicken and steak, veggies, cheese, sour cream, pico, and lots of guac.
When I first started Keto, we went to a Mexican restaurant and I was too afraid to order my food keto-fied. I ordered a standard steak burrito. I opened up the tortilla, grabbed a fork and only ate the steak and veggies.
Chinese and Mexican were singled out in Dr. Atkins’ New Diet Revolution as being very difficult on Atkins. The man was ahead of his time.
This was at a French restaurant in our restaurant neighborhood. Paid a dollar up-charge to sub out fries for mushrooms, with a grass fed hanger steak, bordelaise sauce and maitre d’hotel butter.
It’s also good to ask questions about prep and have an idea about how things are made in restaurants. Work things out in whatever app you have on your phone, and ask some questions. You can always lead with something like, “I’m low carbing, or Atkinsing or ketogenic, or paleo.” That’s generally sufficient to get waitstaff on your side, either from their knowledge or to ask the kitchen staff.
I should mention also, that I tip generously for this type of service. 20+% on after tax total.