No-Guilt Eating Out

Scallops with lemon-asparagus risotto

I have found one solution to eating out with less guilt and fewer calories: find an accommodating waitress and ask for portions to be split and shared--with three friends. Frugal, as well!

On our Wednesday night girls night out we had expiring coupons to redeem at our favorite gathering spot. Every coupon includes a least one free dessert. We opened a few and decided on a free appetizer instead: nachos, shared. Hm. What entree could be shared? (Okay we were old-lady slow, trying to agree on a seafood deal-of-the-day.) After checking with our wonderful waitress, we decided on the smaller portion of scallops with lemon-asparagus risotto with basil olive oil and garnished with baby greens, split 2 ways, buy-one-get-one half-off!

 A very modest portion, this entree was artfully placed on 4 plates for our convenience and was rich and satisfying. But guess what? We still had a little tummy space for dessert--a huge brownie sundae, split easily with the implementation of 4 spoons.

Big plates-small portions

We enjoyed a happy hour-priced beer, the nachos, 3 scallops with risotto and a quarter of a brownie sundae without being stuffed! The bill, with one coupon opened at the restaurant and one coupon received by email and accessed on my phone--less than $10 each! Four Dutch women, watching their budgets and (sort of) watching their waistlines, were happy.

Of course, in order to keep our waitress friendly and accommodating, we had to tip generously on an amount not based on all the discounts!

Our newly-engaged waitress told us she has rented a barn a little north of here for a July wedding--a month when three of us have birthdays to celebrate. I think it would be fun to crash her wedding--just to say hello and take a photo--not to cause any trouble!

Brownie Sundae (ate most of this one myself last summer)