Cafe Rouge

[Fattack]

I'm going for a meal at Cafe Rouge next week and was scouring the menu for healthy options and was very pleased to find that Cafe Rouge have items on their menu that are 600 calories or less! If you go to your local cafe rouge menu, you'll see these items marked with a "H" icon next to them.

Here's a nutritional review of each of the Healthy dishes:

The Nutrition Guide

 

[themango]

Thanks for this I live near plenty of Cafe Rouges but acutally haven't been for a while (Pizza express is my downfall), will have a gander at their menu

 

[Fattack]

You're welcome! Pizza Express is brilliant, love the leggera range!

 

[themango]

While we're talking about eating put. What do people do when they're going yo a restaurant with no calorie info
Online?

 

[Legomom]

After the great carvery fiasco of the other week I'm considering just not eating at a restaurant if I can't get any nutritional info! It was a really nasty shock when I got back!!

All I can say is most big chain brands have info on websites so check before you go! As often the things that look ok just arent!! little independent places can be easier as they are often more willing to be flexible about changes to a meal but can be harder to find the info. If in doubt pull up another chains info on a similar meal as a guide?

Sent from my iPhone using MiniMins

 

[Fattack]

While we're talking about eating put. What do people do when they're going yo a restaurant with no calorie info
Online?

I just try to bear in mind what type of restaurant they are and what kind of foods they will serve, and save a certain quota of calories for the staple dish that I think they will serve!

 

[themango]

Okay, so it's Ottolenghi - Home this restaurant. I can't even find a menu so I don't even know what they serve!

 

[happyhealthy]

I got out for dinner a lot, so I know this problem well. What I do is eat very light during the day. Then eat a 'healthy' ish choice on the menu. For example, a chicken dish or a tomato pasta dish. Most restaurants do spagetti bolognese so I usually go for that Usually the only things I avoid are creamy sauces like carbonara or cheese. And if there's a chocolate fudge on the dessert menu I can't resist
However, I think it's important to remember that you only live once, you're going to go to a restaurant and have a nice night out and enjoy it. Dieting is important but we can't be sitting in twiddling our thumbs as major social events like going to social dinners pass us by. Yeah it might make us that smidgen of a little bit slimmer not to go, but whats the point of getting skinny, then emerging to find you've got no friends left because you made yourself a social recluse in the process of getting there? Dieting IS important, but It can't rule our lives 24/7. Without sounding self-indulgent, this is the motto I've had and I've lost 60lb in 5 months , still got all my friends and still have a bloody good time when social times call - so there must be an element of truth in it.

But beware, if you step on the scales you'll see a bit of a water gain - just drink plenty of water for the next days, go easy and you will come back down to normal within 24 hours.

Hope you have a lovely night!

 

[happyhealthy]

And here's the menu: Menu for Ottolenghi

All those main courses look absolutely fine!

 

[Fattack]

For me, it depends on the restaurant and the company. I make a decision before I go out taking both into account (and I do the same for alcohol) - will eating what I like make the occassion better or worse. If it is a special restaurant like Ottolenghi (I have heard it is AMAZING and when I worked in a bookshop I always used to sneak through the book whenever I was supposed to be stacking it ) I'd probably try and save as many calories as possible, and even then maybe still accept that I might go over budget - but decide that it would be worth it. However, if I was going to somewhere a bit less extraordinary, like when I go to Cafe Rouge with my mum, I'd probably decide that going somewhere with her is the nice part of the outing, not so much the food - and if I eat say, the cheese platter for dessert it wouldn't really make the occassion any more enjoyable - if anything it would sully it the next day when I got on the scales !!

Happyhealthy's advice is, as always, fantastic - maybe try to eat light during the day, and do a bit of extra exercise - and most of all enjoy!!!

 

[themango]

Thanks happyhealthy for the menu I should have just googled Ottolenghi menu but clearly wasn't thinking straight... too much (or in my case probably too little) goes to your head.

I choose Ottolenghi for my birthday because I know it's got a lot of vegetarian stuff which otherwise I end up eating something boring and probably calorific. Very excited

 

[Fattack]

Aww, happy birthday in advance! Enjoy your day and your meal