how to request a raw entree salad in a cooked restaurant

[theresaann]

I just saw this, looks really helpful. This is something you can print out and ask a waiter or waitress to give to the chef:

Special Entree Salad Request
Note to the Chef:
I appreciate your creativity! I'm on a special raw foods diet and would like an entree-sized raw vegetable salad with as many of the following ingredients as you have available:
1. fresh (raw) greens (radicchio, arugula, escarole, endive, spinach, dark green lettuces, watercress, basil, dandelion leaves, romaine, frisee, bok-choy, etc.)
2. tomatoes
3. sun-dried tomatoes
4. olives
5. raw pine nuts
6. hot pepper
7. red bell pepper
8. cucumbers
9. avocado
10. vidalia onions and/or red onions
11. fresh herbs
12. shallots
13. jicama
14. lemon wedges, and
15. extra virgin, first cold pressed olive oil on the side that I can use as my dressing.
Thank you very much

[Secret Heart]

I used a card similar to this recently at Milestones here in my city and they brought out a GORGEOUS, huge raw salad..they even had cheesecloth on the lemon wedges to prevent the seeds from dropping into the salad..it was on a serving platter for crying out loud! I was so impressed at their accomodating me and their creativity that i wrote a glowing letter to head office.


Heather

[juliebove]

I could be off base here, but aren't most olives cooked? As for your list, most of the places I've dined at would not have a lot of those things in their kitchen. My tactic is to start with a restaurant that serves a variety of salads to begin with. Sometimes they will have a suitable salad already on their menu. If they don't, then I'll pick the one that is closest to what I want and then just ask them to leave off those things that I don't want.

[macybare]

olives are cooked?

[rawpriestess]

MOST olives are cooked as they are either in a can or bottle,

also the brine is usually NOT make with sea salt, but table salt, highly toxic.

and if they are in olive oil, I doubt it is truly raw cold pressed

but SOME are, so it's up to you.

[aromaticwings]

Do raw olives taste different then the canned olives? Can you describe the difference in taste?

[Lucinda]

I always get terrible looks and attitudes from waiters when eating out... and to make things worse, when I am with my mother she always apologizes, like I am some huge burden to all involved! It makes me really upset sometimes... :(

[JennaBoBenna]

I always get terrible looks and attitudes from waiters when eating out... and to make things worse, when I am with my mother she always apologizes, like I am some huge burden to all involved! It makes me really upset sometimes... :(

aw, Coco, that sucks :( When I was at a restaurant I told the waiter I only eat raw veggies etc and I was brought a huge platter with cut up veggies, and I could only eat some of it before I was filled up, you know? And my mom said in a snooty voice that I should eat more because they made that especially for me. and i'm like "uh....I'll eat as much as I can". :rolleyes:

[levamssg]

Theresaann
I have a list made out that is similar to the one you posted, but don't always use it. Basically, I tell the serving person that I am raw vegan, and ask what they have in the kitchen that isn't already cooked or steamed that they could slice/chop & throw on a plate or in a salad. Tis interesting that most of the time, when they start thinking about it and naming items, they include cheese and croutons and yes, olives.

So I say wonderful! to the items they've listed that are really raw, and add to please NOT put on the cheese because I'm vegan, and I also don't do breads and prefer no olives. So go ahead to create something without those specific things but with the others they've mentioned (go easy on the iceberg please) ... always following it up with a big smile and saying "be creative" ....

Almost always I end up with a huge raw vege plate/salad creation that the server is quite proud of. If a stray olive or crouton has made its way into it, I just pick it out, no problem.

I don't see ordering special like this any different than asking for meat to be cooked in a certain way, or for dessings/sauces "on the side".

[Nature_is_Yummy!]

Gosh, I just assumed that if I order a salad, it will be raw! Are most restaurant greens cooked!?!??!

[levamssg]

The greens are fine, they aren't cooked, but some of the Other ingredients are not raw ... olives, croutons, marinated peppers, pickled beets, (from jars) etc, or Vegan, such as cheese, eggs.

Bottled dressings are never raw.

[Revvell]

Theresaann
I have a list made out that is similar to the one you posted, but don't always use it. Basically, I tell the serving person that I am raw vegan, and ask what they have in the kitchen that isn't already cooked or steamed that they could slice/chop & throw on a plate or in a salad. Tis interesting that most of the time, when they start thinking about it and naming items, they include cheese and croutons and yes, olives.

So I say wonderful! to the items they've listed that are really raw, and add to please NOT put on the cheese because I'm vegan, and I also don't do breads and prefer no olives. So go ahead to create something without those specific things but with the others they've mentioned (go easy on the iceberg please) ... always following it up with a big smile and saying "be creative" ....

Almost always I end up with a huge raw vege plate/salad creation that the server is quite proud of. If a stray olive or crouton has made its way into it, I just pick it out, no problem.

I don't see ordering special like this any different than asking for meat to be cooked in a certain way, or for dessings/sauces "on the side".


My experiences exactly. IF a server gave me a "terrible look" (which I've never experienced) I would ask for the manager and make my request to him/her.

I had a former co-worker apologize for me being specific one time. After telling her that I'm not a child and do not EVER act as though they are responsible for me, I told her, this is this person's job ~ to SERVE me and give me what I request. Why on earth would I go someplace to eat and not get what I want? Of course, I don't go to steak houses expecting a raw vegan meal although, I've been told, they tend to have the best salad bars. Some day, I may even go and check it out.

IF you know ahead of time where you are going to go...call ahead and speak with the manager and/or the chef.

Revvell

[levamssg]

yes, Revvell, I've done that too -- called ahead to see what my choices may be.

I attend landlord luncheons a lot, and usually don't have any choice on the location. On one occasion I called ahead to see what they may have and the best I would get is iceburg lettuce and a bit of tomato. So I tucked an avocado and orange in my purse -- I cut up the avo and squeezed half the orange on for dressing, and chunked the other half in the salad as well. So I had a nicer salad with very little inconvenience.

Usually, however, if they think it may take longer to prepare, they have something special pretty much made up ahead of time so I get my food the same time as everyone else. Restaurants are like any other business, they want their customers to be happy and tell others to eat there. I know I make sure to tell other raw foodists about places that have treated me well!