12.02.2010

Business Lunches

It's not easy being vegetarian in Texas. We are normally good at "spotting our own kind" - finding places with a reasonable selection. But there are times where we aren't making the decisions. Business lunches are a perfect example. I once had to go to Chamberlain's Fish Market & Grill with my team to entertain a client and it was very obvious that I would be having the dreaded "vegetable plate". I love vegetables, actually, but I do like to have a real entree option too. So the first thing I learned is that Chamberlain's has a distorted perception of "vegetable". They consider rice, mashed potatoes, and french fries as vegetables. Can someone give these people a food pyramid diagram? I digress...anyway, I ordered steamed broccoli, asparagus, mashed potatoes, and french fries. The broccoli arrived as a slender head of steamed broccoli. A head of broccoli! My bad. Was it too much for me to expect that you would actually cut the florets off for me? We vegetarians don't exercise the butter knife in our cutlery unless it's for butter. And my goodness, can you at least please put some salt, pepper, and/or butter on this steamed head of broccoli??? How can you even call yourself a chef?????

Vegetarians are totally unwelcome at many establishments (probably due to my sarcastic attitude) and we are a nuissance to many chefs (especially in TEXAS!).

We vegetarians must coexist with the omnivores but sometimes I wonder why they even let us drink from the same water fountain as they do.

2 comments:

  1. this is hilarious and i so totally agree! since when does a veggie plate equal a carb plate?! and why, oh why, do restaurants insist on sending out huge pieces of (what looks to be genetically modified) vegetables? especially steak restaurants. like if i really wanted an entire enormous, uncut green bell pepper i'd just go to albertsons and gnaw on one there! :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. I missed your "writings"! Thanks for doing this!

    My friend was once invited to Japan for a Business Dinner specially hosted for him. He had politely denied stating that he was vegetarian.

    He was assured that there would be a special counter for him. He accepted.

    The starters were served and he immediately knew what was to come ahead! Green Grasshoppers.

    Anything Green is vegetarian for the Japs!

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for posting a comment! Check back soon for my reply!