SIL’s Restaurant Choice-not sure what to say/do?

[HamBone]

This is a very first-world dilemma, but I’d welcome opinions on how to handle this.

Thanksgiving is coming up here in the US and we’re having a family get-together with DH’s side. Yesterday, DH told me that one of his sister’s wants to arrange a meal out to a specialist restaurant that weekend and I’ve just taken a look at the menu. Its’s very limited and I can’t see a single item that I’d like to eat. DS won’t be keen either. We’re not fussy eaters at all, but there’s nothing available that we’d want to pay for. Plus, it’s not particularly cheap.

How should I approach this with SIL? I think that she wants to try this restaurant and likes the idea of arranging a family outing, but it’s daft to waste money on food people don’t want. Will we be party poopers if I gently say that it’s not to our tastes, but we’re happy for everyone else to go and we’ll see them later?

I feel bad about this though. ☹️

This happened me once at a seafood restaurant, big family dinner. I don’t eat fish, but thought they would have some option, vegetarian or at least potatoes (In Ireland) but no. Absolutely nothing but seafood, no sides, no chips, no soup not even bread. It was so awkward. And it was the most expensive place I was ever at.
in their defence it was just at the end of the covid restrictions so they were very limited but it was awful to be hungry and nothing I could eat.

So intrigued what the cuisine is of this restauraunt that apparently only serves aubergines?

If you don't want to post the whole menu @HamBone why not just post what you think the two most outlandishes dishes are or the most 'normal.'

To clarify, this isn’t the Thanksgiving meal, it’s on the Saturday afterwards.

Re. The beans and aubergines. They’re not actually on the menu, I was just giving examples of a couple of items that I don’t like. I only dislike black beans, love other varieties.

@Tracker1234 Hee, hee, my kids are the opposite of fussy, they’ve eaten everything from sushi to jalapeños.

I love how everyone is piling on calling me fussy, when it’s the restaurant that has a very limited menu! Each dish is carefully crafted, there’s no sides or salad options to choose from.

Anyway, I’ve never got to six pages on my previous posts so this is fun. 🤣

Aubergine is a bit shit. Goulash is my idea of culinary hell. I tried grilling it once with some cheese but had to apologise to the cheese afterwards. Looks nice though, shiny.

Can you not just nibble on a few sides, indulge in a few cocktails and go to McDonalds on the way home?

It's about family, not food, surely?

Just take a screen shot of the menu and blank out the name of the restaurant.

12 items isn’t that limited unless you’re used to Cheesecake Factory-length menus. But I’ll stop googling eggplant + beans + restaurants since those are only example items. New game: is it actually
mushrooms and cheese?

Aww, what's with all the aubergine hate! Such beautiful shiny things.

I made melanzane parmigiana for dinner last night. Very nice.

And you surely just have to love Baba Ganoush, for the name as much as the delicious taste. I just love saying it. Baba Ganoush! Sometimes I am tempted to order it just so I can say the name out loud. Baba Ganoush!!

I don't like pasta/pizza so one of those type places would be a no from me as the menu would probably be quite limited but I wouldn't say just because I dislike them items I'm a fussy eater.

I would absolutely say someone who dislikes all pizza and all pasta dishes, to extent that they couldn't find anything they could bring themselves to eat at an Italian restaurant, is a fussy eater.

There's nothing wrong with being a fussy eater - people can't help not liking things - but it's odd not to admit to it.

I think not eating any pasta dishes is quite fussy...

Yes, McDonald on the way home - that’s the destination for you, OP, you seasoning-hating-aubergine baiter 😡

Aubergines are my absolute favourite so now I actually really want to know the name of the restaurant!

Sorry but you ARE fussy!

@5foot5

Baba Ganoush is a great name, but nooo, it’s a foul concoction. 🤣

Come on, share the menu. It is the only way you are going to get meaningful opinions as to whether you are being unreasonable.

”hi SIL, thanks for inviting us. I’m sorry but we are going to have to pass this time, we will struggle to find meals everyone can eat at that restaurant. I hope you all have a fabulous meal, and we’ll join you at the next one.”

or add in a line about meeting them for a drink afterwards?

@HamBone there are likely to be additional specials and I’d actually be kind of surprised if the menu posted online is the same menu that will be available when you go. IME at restaurants like this they post a sample menu to give people an idea but have a different one when you go.

@Greatbigfluffytrousers Oi, I’m not a fast food addict!

Forgot to add… perhaps you could try calling the restaurant directly to find out for sure before declining.

Strange reply...Not like a whole long list of foods.

Hee, hee, my kids are the opposite of fussy, they’ve eaten everything from sushi to jalapeños.

Again, if you don't want people to think your kids are fussy, maybe don't tell them that your 15-year-old wouldn't like a single dish out of 12 on a menu because the food is 'seasoned' and some of them contain two fairly inoffensive vegetables

Are you afraid of posting the menu because people will see how unreasonable you are and perhaps this level of fussiness is just a petty way to preveent SIL from having her choice?

Here’s the ultimate fussy eater test:

Hands up who would eat crickets or grasshoppers?

OMG I really want to see the menu!!!