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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be disappointed with a veggie only menu?

246 replies

Chewbecca · 19/06/2019 14:44

We booked an event at our local wine shop ‘summer Mediterranean supper club’. £45 for 3 courses including paired wines. Menu tba.

Event is tomorrow and the menu has arrived today and it is 100% veggie. I do enjoy veggie food but can’t help but feel a bit ‘short changed’ and my committed meat eater DH is really unimpressed.

It is a fab venue with great owners that always put on a good evening.

AIBU to be disappointed?
Would you tell the venue you were a bit disappointed?
If you would, how would you say it, terribly nicely?

Thanks.

OP posts:
jennymanara · 19/06/2019 18:56

I think semi freddo is pretty dull. Maybe just different tastes then?
I think it is the main course in the menu that really lets the menu down though.

Mabellavender · 19/06/2019 19:00

Yanbu

I’d expect the main to be meat or fish at least.

HeartsTrumpDiamonds · 19/06/2019 19:01

OP will you come back after the event and report back how good/bad/otherwise the food was?

IncandescentShadow · 19/06/2019 19:05

YANBU. Its a bland and not very varied menu, and I don't see the point in something vegetarian but so heavy on dairy...

I'm disappointed in the number of posters who have suggested you "give a vegetarian menu" a try. As if no-one who is not vegetarian has never not eaten a non-meat dish before. I'm not vegetarian but I quite often have non-meat dishes. But I'd struggle with that menu because I don't eat fried food and I wouldn't want to stuff myself with feta.

BertrandRussell · 19/06/2019 19:09

“I think semi freddo is pretty dull.“

I made a raspberry and pistachio one that was amazing. I think it was from the BBCGoodFood website.
I’m not convinced by the feta cheesecake as a main course-although i’ll obviously have to try and make it now! I’d probably have made roast vegetable tarts- non vegetarians usually like those. With some really good salad and maybe some new potatoes in case people feel the need for more carbohydrate.
(Do I get the job? My arancini are fabulous- and they only have a little bit of mozzarella- no other cheese at all!

Original poster
Chewbecca · 19/06/2019 19:09

hearts I’ll Be Back!

I bet it is gonna be great!

OP posts:
HorridHenrysNits · 19/06/2019 19:22

I think I'd likely go for your menu over theirs Bertrand.

The more I think about it, the more I reckon the dessert is fine. It's the combination of the starter and main. It would also be ok to keep the feta heavy main course and combine with a light vegetable starter. I suppose the feta cheesecake is bound to be served with some kind of vegetable but nonetheless, for an Italian veggie menu it just seems very low in... veggies!

MrMeSeeks · 19/06/2019 19:35

I wouldn't like it, i hate all of those! I wouldn’t mind one or two veggie courses but i wouldn’t be eating that night!

Stumpedasatree · 19/06/2019 20:02

I would happily eat a vegetarian dish, although I am not vegetarian, and have no food intolerances (apart from wheat), but that menu would send me running as it would be too dairy heavy and 2 of 3 dishes based on cheese. Unimaginative and cheap sounding to me. YANBU. I think I would be gagging by the time I got to the semifreddo because of the richness of it all.

Hope it pleasantly surprises you. Phenomenal wine can make any food taste better though!

BertrandRussell · 19/06/2019 20:25

“I wouldn't like it, i hate all of those! I wouldn’t mind one or two veggie courses but i wouldn’t be eating that night!”
Surely everyone likes arancini and posh ice cream?

BertrandRussell · 19/06/2019 20:26

“2 of 3 dishes based on cheese.“
Which two?

sanmiguel · 19/06/2019 20:36

I'm veggie (mainly vegan) so my family eat a lot of veggie to make it easier at home. My husband would be most upset if he paid for a veggie meal out as he looks forward to his big slab of meat!
I think it's a risky manoeuvre providing just veggie as although most people don't eat meat every meal, I'm sure they'd prefer the choice to be theirs!

StealthPolarBear · 19/06/2019 20:46

"ChocChocButtons

Fair enough but I do think we’re gearing towards more of this pandering. It feels like pandering to the vegetarian/vegan obsession that ppl are currently under."
As a vegetarian I agree. I love the fact there's more choice but I hate the assumption that everyone's giving it a go.

The raspberry thing sounds lovely.

StealthPolarBear · 19/06/2019 20:47

CountFosco if you're anywhere near stockton I can recommend a lovely and very reasonable Italian :)

Herbalteahippie · 19/06/2019 20:58

Would the sky fall in if you didn’t have meat for a meal? It might really nice and you won’t need the meat to feel complete. Spare a thought for those who have to endure without any food.

Original poster
Chewbecca · 19/06/2019 21:16

No, being a bit disappointed doesn’t equate to the sky falling in, no, thanks for that revelation.

OP posts:
nanbread · 19/06/2019 21:35

I would be disappointed because (as other posters have said) the menu doesn't appeal at all. Nothing to do with it being vegetarian though. It's simply not what I think of when I picture Mediterranean food, which should be fresh and vibrant, mostly vegetables and salads, maybe some fish, bread, olives, fruits etc. It sounds stodgy and lacking variety.

Hopefully it's one of those things where the menu sounds crap but when it turns up it all works beautifully, is well portioned and there are lots of sides and garnishes which set it off.

Stumpedasatree · 19/06/2019 21:56

@BertrandRussell the cheesecake and arancini usually have cheese in the middle, mozzarella or something.

Beachcomber · 19/06/2019 22:42

Feta cheesecake as a savory main course sounds foul.

I'm not surprised you're disappointed, it's a crap menu. And not typically Mediterranean. Weird.

jennymanara · 19/06/2019 23:35

herbalteahippie You do realise most meat eaters actually eat some meals without eating any meat or fish in them? Even those who are conservative in their food tastes will do this.

BigChocFrenzy · 20/06/2019 00:02

I eat mostly Mediteranean, which imo is.
masses of veg, olive oil, some fruit, often fish, cheese, eggs, yoghurt, small amounts of wholegrains, seeds, nuts

I can easily accept the omission of fish in a 3-course Med meal,
but sounds like hardly any veg and that menu is dairy-dominant

A disappointing & very limited "veggy" menu

I dislike deep-fried food, so no arancini for me
I rarely have sugary desserts either

TigerJoy · 20/06/2019 00:26

YANBU. I'm a flexitarian (don't hate me!) And eat a lot of veggie food but that is a strange and samey combo. I'm also lactose intolerant but loads of southern med food doesn't need to involve dairy, so I'm perplexed that all 3 course do.

There are more interesting things you could have had e.g. tomato bruschetta / stuffed courgette flowers then mushroom and truffle pasta / asparagus risotto / parmigiana melanzane that are veggie and really interesting and tasty, and give you a contrast between courses

I hope you have fun though!

Gth1234 · 20/06/2019 03:05

if you haven't paid, I would cancel.

I have never seen a vegetarian option in any restaurant that looked substantial enough for me.

HeartsTrumpDiamonds · 20/06/2019 03:09

Looking forward to it Chewie Smile

thatmustbenigelwiththebrie · 20/06/2019 06:57

I'd be OK with it, I think. But I went to a work event the other week where the menu was vegan and I was very unimpressed with that! Give me real cheese and chocolate any day.