Going away for 1 night - food ideas

[JustPassingThruHere]

Hi all,

DH is taking me away overnight and wants to eat dinner at a restaurant.

However, I've suggested making a meal at home and taking it or using the kitchen where we're staying to make something there.

To be honest, I find restaurant prices extortionate for carb loaded, inferior food and would rather our money was spent getting good quality wine or visiting an attraction as part of our day.

Any recipes which commute well or aren't too much trouble to cook in a strange kitchen?

We like all foods just not oven chips, white potato, pasta or deep fried people.

Thanks!

Deep fried people!!

Have you got a recipe please 😆

Surely part of the pleasure of a night away is going out for a meal?

Any kind of stew or curry can be heated up really easy

or ask for recommendations- there are plenty of decent pubs out there that are rather carb lite to my way of eating / or serve a range of options

😀

Op just take what you would make at home or maybe a stir-fry so it is quick and easy. Personally i would go out for dinner reasturants have options.

Probably for many people but not me, usually. Food usually looks better on the menu. We're going to Stratford, though, so if you have any recommendations, they'd be gratefully received!

Agree with this. We are firmly self-catering holidaymakers (we have just returned from a week in Scandinavia and cooked every night) but we would definitely eat out if we were only going away for one night, assuming it's a city break type holiday in a hotel.

Sabai Sabai for Thai
or there’s a Greek that I’ve forgotten the name of
There are other restaurants that are pretty decent if you’re meat eaters, but I’m a fussy vegetarian and find Stratford doesn’t cater terribly well to me, unfortunately.

Self catering in Stratford. Looking forward to breakfast at cafes but not convinced about dinners.

Consider eating at a restaurant especially as your dh wants to. Lots of places do low carb options now. Have a google.

I know you've mentioned not being a pasta person but Lasagne travels well and is always better when heated the second time.

Curry is also good reheated.

If you are planning on chopping anything take a sharp knife because even in the loveliest self catering places the knives are always blunt.

Oooh Lambs is lovely. Sure not cheap but nice atmosphere and for me , one night away is such rare time that I can’t be arsed prepping, cooking and cleaning up after. Especially as the kitchen and tools I’ll have won’t be as good as at home.

For breakfast there’s a lovely cafe whose name escapes me that does utterly beautiful warm banana loaf with pecan butter, both home made. Food of the gods 😁

If you want to cook a meal at your destination, I recommend steaks. They are easy to do and there won't be leftovers to manage. You can add the sides you like: green veg/salad? jacket pot? Plus you can splurge on a great wine to go with them.
OR ... since it's just one night, go to the restaurant and choose your own low-carb meal. I've been doing this for years. Enjoy not needing to prep and clean up.

Think it’s Box Brownie cafe

How about a nice boxed curry or Chinese feast? Kind of a middle ground?

Surely the whole pleasure (well some of it!) of going away for the night is NOT having to cook your own dinner - and more importantly not having to clean up after it!
Not all restaurant food is beige carbs, served with deep-fried people 😋 😜 I don't mind paying good money for good food.

I agree the husband wants to eat out i would just eat out.

Thanks it's not just low carb it's the cost of cheap meat, like rump steak, I just find extortionate.

I think I'm alone in thinking a side salad with 3g of lettuce, 3 tomatoes and an 8 oz steak for £20+ is a joke. Maybe I'm in the wrong century lol

My DP liked Lambs. I was given bog standard pasta, which very much felt like the chefs weren’t interested in veggies at all. So annoying!

I’d be really disappointed to not eat out if I were your DH, we always self cater for full holidays but eat out several times and would always eat out on a single night away, I’d look for vouchers or other ways to spend less on an attraction during the day in order to budget for it. Most places have lower carb options now and you can skip starter and pudding and just have one drink (even just have tap water). Then maybe go to a bar for a drink afterwards. I really cannot imagine just staying in for the evening, you might as well stay at home and do a day trip.

I’d be really disappointed to not eat out if I were your DH, we always self cater for full holidays but eat out several times and would always eat out on a single night away, I’d look for vouchers or other ways to spend less on an attraction during the day in order to budget for it. Most places have lower carb options now and you can skip starter and pudding and just have one drink (even just have tap water). Then maybe go to a bar for a drink afterwards. I really cannot imagine just staying in for the evening, you might as well stay at home and do a day trip.

Maybe you are...

But you're paying for 1) the food 2) staff wages to cook, serve, clean... 3) the cost of running a restaurant 4) insurance 5) the extra va-va-voom that chefs give to a dish (which is probably butter and salt, along with their experience)... and more I'm sure I haven't thought of.
You're not paying supermarket prices because you're not getting a supermarket experience.

Where's the fun in going away for the night? You have to cook and clean up after your own dinner?

Obviously you have a problem spending money on good quality food, but I don't think that way. I appreciate every delicious mouthful 😋

Also, yes, £20 is a lot more than you’d pay for a rump steak to cook at home, but you are paying for someone to go and buy it, cook it, prepare the sides, bring it out, take the plate away and wash it up so you can sit and enjoy the time together rather than having to do all that other stuff.

Buy a good steak or fish and fresh vegetables.
Stir fry the vegies and grill the steak or fish.

Be sure to go out for breakfast though!
It is one meal that you can have cooked to your exact liking and it is not as expenseive as dinner.

Maybe have lunch out instead? You can often get a set menu price for lunch. Then you could do posh cheese, crackers, wine for dinner.