Friends have booked a fish restaurant I am going to hate...

[Embarrassed]

Going out with good friends tomorrow evening to the theatre and for early dinner beforehand. DH organised the details with the other bloke who offered to book a restaurant as he works in town and knows more of them. Apparently he asked DH if I ate fish, to which DH says he replied, "yes some, but not shellfish" (which is true).

We've just been sent the meet up details with the restaurant address and I've looked it up and I can see from the menu that there is going to be NOTHING that I will feel comfortable eating there.
It's a specialist seafood restaurant which serves A LOT of shellfish and raw fish and fish presented 'whole'.

I have a weird relationship with fish and DH knows this. I don't like the soft slimy texture in my mouth; the idea of digging meat out of shells makes me shudder and if a fish is presented to me whole, eyes and all, it makes me feel physically sick.

If I do eat fish it's usually the firm steak type - tuna, salmon, swordfish, or something that's filleted and no longer looks like fish (yes, hypocritical, I know). (There's nothing like this on the menu)

I don't know what to do?

• Be honest, tell them I don't like the restaurant and say we'll meet them later?
• Offer to find somewhere else (the problem is that the other couple are 'foodies' and I can't imagine them liking anything I'll choose)
• Eat beforehand and just go for a drink (and perhaps smoked salmon/bread, which I could probably manage) and try not to look at any of the plates?

I'm a bit miffed as I wonder if DH knew it was this type of restaurant but didn't tell me as he quite likes seafood, but of course we don't tend to go to seafood restaurants.

Even just looking at their Facebook page is making me feel like gagging right now I don't want to waste money on something that is going to make me feel sick.

"I love artichokes, on pizza, too, but that place sounds rank."

Seriously? Because no garlic bread?

SneakyGremlins only if the alternative would make the other person physically uncomfortable. The normal thing to do with friends is compromise to get somewhere you're all ok with. If its one person's birthday or one person booking for a large group you have the option of not going but if the people matter more than the food, you find a happy medium.
My friend hates Indian food, I love it. She matters more so we never go out to an Indian restaurant even though there's a small no.- Indian food option. We go Italian and both have a good choice of foods.

Yep, because no garlic bread or substitutions. I hate pickled artichokes (like then otherwise) and ginger and offal so I'd have been fucked for anything to eat. And no garlic bread.

I'd love the seafood restaurant, though. Mmm, shellfish.

Oh didn't realise it was a birthday dinner

Well have a quick trawl anyway

Trust me that pizza place was shocking. They were clearly trying to avoid the typical pizza clichés but in the process they removed everything most people like about pizza.

MorrisZapp

Doesn't sound appetising sounds very try hard.

What's wrong with a good old Margherita Prakata with options too add 🤔

To

I believe you, Morris. And no garlic bread. Bet even the salads were some poncy crap.

Two and a half leaves of chard and three pomegranate seeds and a diagonal jus slash.

Martha i read that in the style of the masterchef narrator 😂 its always a 'red wine juuuuus' and the way they pronounce "chorizo" literally makes my eyes water. Chor-ee-thooooo just ARGH!
Im all for fancy food but yes there are limits so fair enough Morris
You did inspire me to put a pizza in though which is going down a treat

Er waves how would you pronounce chorizo then? Because choreetho is how the Spanish say it and they should know...

Your criticism is the equivalent of a Spanish person telling you that (for example) you have to pronounce “sausage” as “shossige”.

I can’t decide whether the Little Englanders on this thread are taking the piss or not. If they are, it’s really funny. If not it’s really depressing.

Er, that is how you should pronounce chorizo, waves...

@MorrisZapp It wasn't PerBacco was it?

Bert I am pretty sure that the PP who did not eat pizza in Barcelona was joking/ self-deprecating re the garlic bread. I read it in the voice of Peter Kay .

Yes I was being a tad satirical about the garlic bread. I'm perfectly at home with a decent foccacia.

I don't mind interesting flavours but trust me on this, four adults who travel a reasonable amount could not find an acceptable pizza on that menu.

We don't undertake the walk of shame lightly!

If it’a your birthday treat then definitely say something

Poor OP. Looks like salmon messed up.......

Best to enjoy and don't think what might have bream

I don’t like curry or rice and would therefore never choose to go to an Indian restaurant. Therefore if it was my birthday and friends suggested an Indian I would ask to go somewhere else I would enjoy more. However if it’s someone else’s occasion/turn to choose then I go along and there is always something I can eat, even if it’s just naan bread!

Im well aware that is how it is pronounced, its just the way that particular narrator seems to over do it to spoof like levels 😂

Little Englanders Bertrand? But you can’t decide if they are taking the piss? Hmm. [whispers] I think it might be you.

I literally don’t understand why you just haven’t politely said that DH got it wrong and you really would rather go somewhere which isn’t predominantly fish. I assume that you’re all mature adults. There are loads of places to eat in London and you will get a table elsewhere.

This is just a nonissue to me

How did it go OP?