Please critique my first ever bbq menu

[Liud]

Hosting my first bbq this weekend in my first home.
Sadly the weather looks a little iffy but we’ll have a laugh regardless.

This is my menu. We have a few vegetarians. I think it’s a very easy menu as I can give dh the skewers I’ve premarinated. And the rest can be prepared in advance.

The only thing that really requires effort is the focaccia (I don’t love making bread but I love the recipe).

Its probably a bit carb heavy but I’ve done it that way with the vegetarians in mind.

Pasta salad
Homemade focaccia
Greek salad
Bombay new potatoes (dishoom recipe)
Butter herb new potatoes (for ppl who don’t like coriander)
Halloumi skewers
Veg skewers
Tandoori style chicken skewers (tastes better than takeaways imo)
Mint lamb kofte
Corn on the cob

Homemade mint chutney
tamarind sauce
Mango chutney

Crisps and shop bought dips
Nuts

Key lime pie
Profiteroles

Wine
Beer

Looks gorgeous 😋 - can I come ?

Oh, Dor, where’s the salad?

Vegetarians don’t eat seafood.

What time and where ?

You’ve literally said in this post here that you do that sort of barbeque regularly! 🤣

This is far more my kind of barbecue menu. Although I would probably not have the jacket potatoes.

I think the menu sounds lovely. Something a bit different to the standard burgers and sausages. I would have kept the foccacia too as that sounds nice.

I think with your updates it sounds great. I don’t get the obsession with sausages and burgers, I’d probably do them if I had children coming but there are a lot more interesting options otherwise. I speak for experience when I say do loads of haloumi, meat eaters will almost certainly want some too.
Have you got a second grill for veggie things?
Also make sure you have plenty of soft drinks and ice.

You might find you end up with extra meat anyway as people often bring stuff to barbecues. Whenever we have one, everyone brings stuff and we end up with loads!

Sounds great and you've got much better veggie options than your standard fake meat. I would expect a BBQ to be a carb heavy event, a bit like a roast dinner. I'm sure the potato dishes will get eaten up once people have had a few drinks.

Adding salmon is a good shout, when I read your menu I did think there was a salmon gap there but I want sure if that was just because that’s what I love. I’m all about veggie and chicken skewers, salmon, potato and salads. I always avoid the burgers and sausages.

and is very rigid on her idea of what constitutes a good bbq

So, not at all like all the posters on this thread with very conservative tastes who will only eat burgers and sausages @ChangeisntalwaysfortheBetter ?

Oh the irony.

It strikes me that most of the posters on here either eat children's diets or just don't like "forrin muck".

@Liud you know your guests better than the posters on here do. If you know they will enjoy your menu then ignore the posters who eat boring diets and who are unable to think of anything more imaginative than burgers and sausages.

Although, I must admit that while I would enjoy every bit your menu tremendously, I do like an overdone barbecued sausage 😁

Looks gorgeous. Veggies usually get rubbish food at BBQs but I would be delighted with this menu.😛

I agree that being rigid isn't the way no matter of your tastes yes. The issue is that op created the thread asking for critique, they didn't. Taste is subjective imo, and one size doesn't fit all unless you know your crowd.

I'm flabbergasted that so many here think your menu doesn't include enough meat and would choose burgers and sausages - presumably shop bought and thus UPF? - over homemade chicken and kofte.

Seriously, you know your friends and I guess you'll know a little about their food preferences, so just go with what you feel comfortable with. I'd aim for equal thirds of meat, carbs and salad (maybe extra non-meat options, depending on the number of vegetarians), plus fruit and ice cream for dessert.

PS: is there room for me..... can I come 😁

Seriously?
Buffet maybe at a pinch but not a BBQ

I'm veggie and I would be delighted. I would have a bit of everything apart from the meat and would think you had done a great job with the catering.

Id swap the pasta salad for a roasted veg cous cous. It would compliment the rest far better in my opinion.

I guess it depends who you are inviting. If I was coming I'd think even though I'm fussy would be safe at a bbq for options but there's not much I would eat there. You need to offer some kind of burger or sausage for any fussy eaters.

Ignore the negative Nancys! What time do you want me?

Would be delighted to not be presented by a sausage and burger at a bbq, fucking hate the things and we almost never do them 😂
your menu sounds nice, I wouldn’t eat the pasta salad and would prefer a big thick juicy steak as an addition but it’s a nice menu with plenty of choice.

yes I agree.....not bothered about only lamb or chicken but there is nothing plain. I think it depends if you know your guests...if you do and you know what they will enjoy then no need for a critique....but if there are people you don't know well, then I'd make sure there is something plain and run of the mill.

You do need some normal meat, the salmon has not helped the menu. People will be looking for a more plain meat. I know few of my family would enjoy this bbq sorry.

Sorry, I’m with the burger people and I’m not a fussy eater. Wouldn’t touch pasta salad or cous cous or anything like that and the potatoes don’t go either.

Too many skewers (fiddly and annoying to eat) especially with sloppy potatoes and olives and feta and pasta rolling round on the plate whilst trying to balance a slab of focaccia on the side.

Salmon really doesn’t go so I wouldn’t add that at all

That sounds absolutely delish to me, I like a bit of variety.