Pre-fixed menu dilemma

I'll preface this by saying that I love food and love to go out to dinner; however I would say I eat very large portions (needed for training purposes) and would consider myself borderline obsessive compulsive when it comes to health conscious choices from the menu- nothing fried, no thick/creamy sauces, mostly chicken, seafood, veggies, and only whole grains, etc. This is the food I like and don't feel like I am depriving myself when this is what I order at restaurants. My dilemma is that because of these characteristics I have never felt like a pre-fixed meal would be a good option for me because I like knowing what i'm getting and don't like sample size portions; however this limits me to missing out on some of the best restaurants in the city- Alinea, Trotter's, Avenues, etc.
Am I correct in assuming that this is not my style of cuisine and that I should stick to the many great restaurants that are a-la-carte or am I really missing out?

forzagto wrote:Am I correct in assuming that this is not my style of cuisine and that I should stick to the many great restaurants that are a-la-carte or am I really missing out?

I don't think this is a judgment anyone else can make for you. But do note that Charlie Trotters has a vegetable tasting menu which may be right up your alley (perhaps other places do also; I don't know). Trotters is also very attuned to meeting guests dining requests and requirements. My suggestion is that, if you want to try it, give them a call and ask if they can design a tasting menu that fits your style.

why don't you just try a prix fixe/tasting menu sometime? then you'll know for sure. Personally, I think that yes, you are missing out. And you don't leave hungry when you've had a tasting menu, even though the individual courses may be small - in the end, you will have consumed a lot of food. And if this happens not to be the case, you can always stop for a snack on the way home. What do you have to lose?

If it's the amount of food you're worried about (as in, not enough) then I wouldn't be too concerned. Sure, portion sizes might be small, but at a lot of these restaurants you're going to be eating A LOT of courses. Trust me, if you do the Tour at Alinea, you'll be pretty thankful for those small portions.

If what you will be eating is a concern, just call ahead. I'm sure any of the better restaurants would be willing to work with you (at least to a point) to put together a meal that fits with any of your dietary restrictions. And if they can't, well, one meal off of whatever program you're on can't hurt .

Well I'm just the opposite of forzagto. I'm old, fat and the only kind of shape I'm in is round. And I hate vegetables. I like lobster and shrimp, but hate fish. Chicken falls into the tolerate category. But I feel the same way in that I don't think this is my kind of meal. It's not, as jesteinf called it, some kind of program. It's just what I like to eat. And I eat lots of it.

But I don't feel it's a matter of 'missing out' on anything. You can tell me how great the sauce is on the broccoli, I still won't like it. It could be the best broccoli dish ever created, but it's still broccoli.

I love great food, and I love Alinea and the rest, but I don't know that they matter if that's not your focus. Eating at these high-end places is, in a way, the training I'm doing. But they are not suitable for the training diet you appear to be pursuing. I've been to a few of these places where guys who sit at desks get enough food, but guys who are in sports stop for a hot dog on the way home, as they are still hungry.

So, ultimately, the question is really why do you eat out? If it's just to enjoy a nice, wholesome meal with friends and feel full at the end, then these may not be worth it to you. If trying cutting-edge food that is fabulous but perhaps not going to fill you up appeals to you, then try it. Because as much fun as it is, eating at the best restaurant doesn't matter unless it matters to you.

midas wrote:Well I'm just the opposite of forzagto. I'm old, fat and the only kind of shape I'm in is round. And I hate vegetables. I like lobster and shrimp, but hate fish. Chicken falls into the tolerate category. But I feel the same way in that I don't think this is my kind of meal. It's not, as jesteinf called it, some kind of program. It's just what I like to eat. And I eat lots of it.

But I don't feel it's a matter of 'missing out' on anything. You can tell me how great the sauce is on the broccoli, I still won't like it. It could be the best broccoli dish ever created, but it's still broccoli.

I think the advice posted above applies to your preferences as well. All of the high-end restaurants are happy to tailor a menu to your desires (and, in fact, would prefer that they do so, rather than force you to eat something you don't like). You can make them aware of your preferences in advance. Or, you can just show up at the restaurant, and look at the xx-course tasting menu at the start of the meal. If there are one or two (or ten) courses that don't sound good to you, these places will almost certainly be happy to make a substitution of something else that will wow you.

Also, some of the high-end restaurants offer a choice of a la carte ordering or the tasting menu, so you can decide which way you would like to go.

forzagto wrote:am I really missing out?

Yes, but that's OK. I don't ski, scuba, snorkle, hanglide, base-jump, or golf...

Although not quite as dedicated as you Forzagto, I am a strong proponent of healthy eating and in general stick to low fat meats, lots of veggies, whole grains, moderate alcohol, etc. Also, incidentally, for training benefits. That said, I also am addicted to delicious food, so I make a compromise when I go out. Especially in the case of a special or celebration meal, giving yourself up to the skills of a great chef can be a wonderful thing. After all, its only one meal. You can always go back to steamed tofu and kale the next day. In fact, in my younger days I was a more dedicated distance runner and every week that I ran 50 miles, I'd treat myself to a pint of Ben and Jerry's at the end of the week. Then again, I was 6' tall and 155 lbs, so the extra grams of sat. fat were not a concern.

So my personal recommendation is to accept the meal for what it is and enjoy the experience of something new and different. That is what these meals are about. If that's not up your alley, than stick to something else.

As far as portions are concerned, of the best prixe fixe menus I have tried in town, I left Trotter's and Alinea (12 course tasting) not entirely full. In both cases I think I had to down a sandwich (whole wheat bread, turkey breast, no mayo) when I got home to fill myself up. The food was excellent, but I'm just saying...I needed a snack. Avenues filled me up, but the chef (Graham Bowles) has since left and now starting his own place (Graham Elliots) to open soon, so I can't speak of the new chef. I've already mentally lined myself up at his door in anticipation of the opening. Schwa I don't really recall, but I think I left full. Then again, my wife wasn't a big fan of some courses there, so I really had a meal and a half.

Not that portion size is the reason for having these types of meals, but you did ask.

Go to Charlie Trotter's. You'll still have to overcome your disdain for small portions, but he uses very little butter and cream. Sure there's some saturated fat on the menu -- usually in the form of game/beef/dark meat fowl and of course, chocolate -- but otherwise, I consider it healthier than most of the other tasting menus in town. And to the extent you still want to ensure the meal meats your health requirements, call and explain your situation.

Two great entry points for supremely creative set menus:

Moto

Gaetano's

Both Chef Cantu and Chef DiBenedetto will fill you completely, respect any dietary wishes without advance notice (though it's always nice if you offer it), and will feed your mind and eyes in addition to your gullet. Getting a reservation at either is not a Sisyphean task like somə other places I can mention. Time to dive in! Stay a weekend in Chicago instead of going on a roadtrip, and for the cost of a hotel night (or less) you'll have an experince to remember for years. This strategy also works (as a nice reward, and/or part of a diet) for foregoing lunches for a while and putting your Hamiltons in a Moto jar.