If you are a vegetarian or vegan you already know that eating at restaurants can get quite complicated sometimes. Many restaurants are not yet ready to offer a menu designed completely for vegetarians or vegans unless they receive specific requests and directions well in advance.
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If you Vegetarians o vegans you already know that to eat at the restaurant sometimes it can get quite complicated. Many restaurants are not yet ready to offer a menu designed entirely for vegetarians or vegans unless they receive specific requests and directions well in advance.
So when we find ourselves having to eat away from home at the last minute it could happen that we arrive at a place where we will have to settle for what the menu of the moment offers. In these emergency cases we learn to orient ourselves to understand if in the menu we can still find something suitable for us, maybe asking for some small changes.
As an appetizer, for example, you can order a mixed seasonal salad and bruschetta to be dressed with extra virgin olive oil, tomato or sauces suitable for you depending on what is available.
For the first dishes, if you are a vegetarian you should not encounter major problems, especially if you choose pasta and if you identify the most suitable condiments for you among what is indicated in the menu. If you are vegan, pay attention to fresh pasta, tagliatelle and gnocchi, as they may contain eggs.
Both vegetarians and vegans should be well informed about the preparation of soups, risottos and broths, since the broth used could be meat based.
How second dish vegetarians can orient themselves on cheeses and vegetable side dishes. Vegans will be able to ask for a mixed dish of vegetables, specifying to exclude butter and dairy products as a condiment and during cooking. Lacto-vegetarians and ovo-vegetarians will also act by always asking the waiters to specify the ingredients of the dishes on the menu and inquiring about any alternatives.
Some options for enriching a second dish are legumes, mushrooms, olives and pickles. Also inquire about the ingredients of flans and quiches on the menu and other preparations that you could order as a main course.
As regards the desserts, vegetarians should be especially careful with cheesecakes, puddings and jellies on tarts, which may contain isinglass. In addition, vegans will have to take into account milk, eggs and dairy products. In the case of desserts, one of the simpler choices for vegans is to order one m and to inquire about the ingredients of the ice cream with which to accompany it. Often the tastes of the fruit ice cream I am vegan.
Who wants to order wine o beer, can ask for the availability of veg drinks or ask directly for specific brands suitable for vegetarians or vegans. For veg beers, wines and spirits consult the list Barnivore.
If, on the other hand, it is not an emergency occasion but of a lunch or dinner to be planned in time, we can try to anticipate. If we can, we choose a trusted restaurant that will be able to meet our requests and choices without problems.
What about lunches and dinners at the restaurant on the occasion of family reunions, weddings and other celebrations? In these cases, we strongly advise you to get in touch in person and well in advance with the restaurant where you have been invited.
It is important to provide information on which dishes you would like to be included in your personalized menu. Do not be afraid to give suggestions to the cooks or those who take care of the menu. Otherwise, the risk is to find yourself in front of a couple of poor plates of grilled or boiled vegetables, very little compared to the ten-course menu that will be served to the other diners.
If you are lucky, however, you will encounter restaurants ready to respond to the requests of vegetarians and vegans. Better always test the ground in advance however, in order not to be literally left dry.
Which ones are they your experiences and your suggestions to eat veg at the restaurant?
Marta Albè
Photo source: Her Campus
Read also:
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