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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To think my dinner party menu was better?

148 replies

TacticalWheelbarrow · 22/11/2012 16:55

A few weeks ago I invited a couple who have been friends with DH and I for years. Unfortunately the wife has been made redundant recently and they have been a bit stressed out. I offered to have them round for dinner and they seemed really up for it. So I for the evening I cooked:
Starter-homemade potato skins with bacon, cheese and mushrooms with a side salad.
Main- chicken fajitas with guacamole, sour cream, cheese and salsa (all in individual pots so everyone could help themselves) with nachos and jalapeños.
Dessert- homemade treacle tart (made by DH) and ice cream.

They picked at everything so I asked if it was ok and they turned round and said they had eaten a roast dinner before they had come. Shock

So they invited us round theirs for a dinner party and they served.
Starter- scallops which is fine yum. But it was one scallop with a purée thing, all very decorative but still one small scallop.
Main- a terracotta pot with layers of Aubergine, tomatoes, red onions and other veg in a creamy sauce with a small bit of salmon in soy sauce. Really nice but still really tiny portion.
Dessert- a chocolate mousse thing, lovely but served to us in a shot glass.
It was food that you get at one of them ridiculously expensive restaurants.
Now I had a good time and the food was nice but I was pissed off at the husband's comments. He said "it's amazing what you can do when you put your mind to it" and "we understand that you were pushed for time having two kids but your food was better than we expected." basically dropping hints about my food. He even made a dig about our wine when he brought out this expensive stuff and said "this may be a bit stronger for people who are used to echo falls". Hmm
It made me feel very uncomfortable.

Aibu to think well actually what I cooked was better than the cordon bleu (sp?) stuff they served?

OP posts:
Woozley · 23/11/2012 14:43

I don't think I have ever knowingly been to or hosted a dinner party, and I'm very middle class these days. I've had friends over for dinner esp at New Year and usually push the boat out a bit then. I've been round to friends and eaten, either something cooked by them, a take away or we've been out to eat. I've never been to the sort of affair where you only know the host and they have a seating plan and have paired you up with someone you might find "interesting" to talk to. Confused

TinyDancingHoofer · 23/11/2012 16:15

Yours does sound a mid-week child friendly meal rather than an adult dinner party. sorry.

flyingspaghettimonster · 23/11/2012 17:22

I would prefer their menu as I am not a fan of mexican or potato skins, but their rudeness of eating first and the comments were not on.

Loveweekends10 · 23/11/2012 17:25

They were rude. I wouldn't want them as friends but...
Yours was more food we have in front of the tv. Theirs was dinner party food.
Their not your type. Move on.

Loveweekends10 · 23/11/2012 17:26

Sorry they're not your type not their!

MarshaBrady · 23/11/2012 17:28

ah Slubber that makes me laugh. Sadly all my parties are the stand up variety currently.

Op your pudding is yummy (afraid I'm not keen on fajitas).

But moreover the bloke sounds ridiculous with his hints.

thebody · 23/11/2012 17:31

I actually didn't think anyone had dinner party's since 1988.

We either go out with friends or gather at each others houses and order a takeout.

But then me and all my friends work full time so not fucking cooking fancy shite on my precious weekend as too tired.

Oh and we have whatever wine is on offer in tesco.

Adversecamber · 23/11/2012 17:32

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

zukiecat · 23/11/2012 17:37

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Fakebook · 23/11/2012 17:42

Your menu sounds really stodgy. Theirs sounds a bit more special. I'd eat your menu but would admire the other one.

DragonMamma · 23/11/2012 17:48

You invited them to dinner and served them dinner.

They invited you to a dinner party and gave you dinner party type food.

I'd have enjoyed both but definitely not the Echo Falls rose I'm afraid! I think there's much nicer at the same price range

Laquitar · 23/11/2012 17:56

I love yours - spicy, rich, and plenty!

Theirs sounds a bit erm not enough for me Blush Tiny choc mousse for dessert?Hmm

I 've had similar guests once and i 've cut them off after that. Life is too short to spend it with pretendious idiots. I wouldn't invite them again.

You can invite me next time!

Lougle · 23/11/2012 17:56

Hmm..so you invited them to Chiquitos and they invited you to Claridges Smile

I love Chiquitos Wink

SneakyNuts · 23/11/2012 18:02

They were incredibly rude!

Your menu would have been my preferred option Wink

Laquitar · 23/11/2012 18:05

And it doesn't even sound that special.
If i'm going to have tiny portions it will have to be smth very special that i wouldn't have tried otherwise. I can cook salmon or aubergines and i can buymake mousse myself.

kerala · 23/11/2012 18:42

Your menu is nice for a kids meal or mid week. I would not serve that at an adults only evening meal though. But agree totally rude of them to comment negatively on what you served up dont know anyone that would do that.

Sounds like you have a clash of cultures! We had this when
DH and I stayed at a friends house for the weekend a while ago and it became apparent that we were to eat our dinner with the kids. We all had baked potatoes and baked beans then yoghurt for our evening meal, all finished by 6pm. And it was Saturday night! DH was like this Shock. Our like minded friends round here do the same as us - baked potato type tea for kids pack kids off to bed dim lights eat adult dinner at 8 ish eg coq au vin type boozy stew, tagine or curry, nice pudding with lots of wine. Not potatos and yoghurt!

claudedebussy · 23/11/2012 18:52

they had better food.

but they're rude and yours sounds like more fun.

Doinmummy · 23/11/2012 19:00

Stupid wine snobs. After years of forcing down posh , expensive wine I have now come clean and admit to only liking Leibfraumilch and JP Chenet Grin . I drink red wine too. I think it's a bit like the Kings New Clothes. Who says these expensive wines taste nice?

whois · 23/11/2012 19:03

*they had better food.

but they're rude and yours sounds like more fun.*

^ This

Your food is normal mid week tea, not really very dinner party.

charitygirl · 23/11/2012 19:16

The food snob is me is far more shocked by their pairing salmon and soy with a creamy veg side. That really doesn't sound like it would go.

VolumeOfACone · 23/11/2012 20:21

Last time I went to a friend for dinner I was given a bowl of pasta, and an ice cream bar out of the freezer. And wine. It was great!
Some people are horrifyingly judgmental in a way I didn't really realise before, and it makes me a bit scared to ask anyone over again!

XBenedict · 27/11/2012 12:53

The last dinner party I went to the hostess scolded her husband for bringing out the sugar bowl after dinner and insisted on using the Fortnum and Mason sugar cubes Hmm

Ephiny · 27/11/2012 12:58

I think both menus sound fine. However they were very rude if they made sneery comments about your cooking etc, surely you'd be gracious and polite about food someone else had gone to the trouble of making for you, even if it wasn't personally to your taste?

I wouldn't invite them again!

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