Meh.

[Bad_Rich_Chic]

Originally posted by Mr. Man
But a non-vegetarian never needs to go to a place to not eat meat? So it is better that I have a side of asparagus and cooked carrots at a fancy steak place than a meat person actually having some sort of vegetable stew once in their life? Doesn't seem quite fair to me.

Anyone with dietary restrictions may only subject others to those restrictions if those others won't notice or it can be legitimately considered a treat (for the others). If your meat-eating friends don't notice that none of the food on the menu includes meat, then groovy. (However I've noticed that some vegetarians I know seem to have forgotten what real food tastes like, and therefore think that people won't notice when taken to restaurants that serve nothing but runny curried tofu slop.) If you diet requires you to eat nothing but oysters in black truffle sauce with a nice Austrian Riesling, feel free to impose it on me any day of the week. The Mr. cannot eat shellfish or fungi, but he would have to just suck it up and pretend he doesn't mind one whit while we chow down.

The rule holds whether the dietary restriction is religious, medical or moral, and whether the restricted one is host, guest or recommending a restaurant. If you can't eat anything on offer, don't, and if you find you often can't eat anything (due to weird allergies or keeping Kosher or whatever), get into the habit of eating before you go out. You're supposed to pretend to be there for the company not the food, anyway.

That being said, if your friends are eating $40 steaks while you eat a side of creamed spinach for lack of other options and then they try to split the bill equally, I'd be pissed off.

Otherwise I suggest boning up on regular restaurants that happen to have some decent things you can eat, which you can then throw out as suggestions without fear of being labled a veganazi. If you're vegetarian and get to NYC, try Galaxy Global Eatery on Irving Place. They have some meat, but a lot of vegetarian stuff that is actually interesting enough to appeal to omnivores.

That being said, whoever insists anyone goes to ANY restaurant without alcohol is a moron.

God knows 2.

Interestingly, the various practicing mormons & muslims I've known never insist on going to places without booze. They just don't order anything with "wine sauce" in the description.