Lounge
Master the art of ordering for a large table
Summary
Ordering well is a skillful combination of choosing the right flavours and textures to build a meal and making sure enough food is on the table so nobody leaves hungry
So, the dinner plan finally made it out of the group chat. Schedules were matched, a restaurant was picked, reservations were made, and you have arrived for an evening of catchups over some great food at a restaurant you’ve all been meaning to try. The conversation begins to flow thick and fast but the food cannot keep pace. Why? Because you and the gang just can’t decide on what to eat.
Ordering for a large table—to me it would be more than five people—is both an art and a science. As the expert eater at the table, I’m often tasked with the pleasure and pain of this chore. Not to toot my own horn, but admittedly, ordering well is a skillful combination of choosing the right flavours and textures to build a meal and making sure enough food is ordered so nobody leaves hungry. It also means considering the group’s particular preferences which could span everything from vegan and gluten-free to pescatarians who can’t eat shellfish and vegetarians who don’t like tomatoes.
Personally, I enjoy the group order because I get to scan the menu and anticipate the needs and wants of my loved ones. But I will admit that I have my own, not-so-altruistic reasons for doing this. I always have my professional eating hat on so, ordering for the table allows a more expansive view of what a restaurant is doing. Is that buzzy dish that everyone can’t stop taking pictures of a one-hit wonder, or is it consistently good? Tasting a little bit of everything gives me a wider understanding—I can think a little more deeply about the flavours used across the menu, how they go together, and where there are strengths, weaknesses and surprises.
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In my experience, when at a restaurant, most people want to eat something yummy/experimental/comforting but don’t want to be saddled with decision-making. And so over the years, I’ve devised a set of rules to follow, that almost always has a 100% success rate, i.e. happy bellies and elevated moods.
RECRUIT A PARTNER: To start, it always helps to recruit a fellow enthusiastic eater for the process (so that you also have someone else to blame in case the food isn’t received well). Scan the menu for dishes that immediately jump out at you. If it’s something that both of you are excited and curious about, get it.
SHARING PLATES ARE FUN: This may seem obvious, but when out with a group, sharing plates are the best way to go as they allow everyone to try a bunch of things without being saddled with a giant portion of “I shouldn’t have ordered this". Sadly, the average restaurant sharing plate often ranges from three tiny pieces of dim sum to a giant bowl of salad at the same place, which makes the task of ordering slightly complicated and mathematical. Always ask your server how many pieces a plate will have so that you can pick wisely.
A MATTER OF CHOICE: Can’t pick between the mushroom tacos or cauliflower tacos? Get both! When dealing with finger food or plates with three or four portions, I find the wiser thing to do is to get two different ones. Sure, that means that not everyone can try both dishes, but at least you can decide on which one you prefer and order another portion.
BEWARE OF THE BILL: All those small plates can add up. The worst thing to happen at the end of a meal is for you and your gang to be hungry after paying a hefty bill. Balance your meal with tiny nibbles and large plates to ensure there’s enough to go around. That could mean ordering a mezze platter instead of a plate of sliders. See a main course dish on the menu you’re interested in? Share it as an appetiser with the table.
IT’S ALL ABOUT BALANCE: In theory, all your friends think they’re experimental eaters. But let’s be honest, not all of them are. Thinking of doing a pizza with grapes and a funky cheese? Remember to balance it out with a crowd-pleaser, like a pepperoni or truffle mushroom. Most people want to try something different but if it is too different, it runs the risk of alienation.
EAT MORE PLANTS: Dining out with a group of veggies and non-veggies? Always order more vegetarian food. For starters, you probably need the fibre but also, veggie dishes tend to take less time for the kitchen to prepare. These plates are often the first to arrive at the table, and the first to be demolished, with little left for actual plant-eaters to enjoy. Order wisely. And yes, fries could pass as more veggies.
END THE MEAL WITH CARBS: Getting a risotto or a biryani or a pizza to round out the meal is always a good idea. Nutritionists recommend eating carbs last (to reduce glucose spikes), so make sure you do this at the end so that everyone leaves satiated.
Apart from the food ordering, here are some house rules to follow when dining in a large group.
ALWAYS PASS FOOD DOWN THE TABLE: No one wants to be stuck in a corner with limited access to the good stuff. Being a good dining companion also means monitoring if someone could do with another helping.
SHARE, WITH LIMITS: We Indians love sharing, so feel free to try someone else’s food but be mindful of your cutlery. My husband gets the ick when people dig their forks into his plate and will usually order another portion of what he’s getting, just for the table. Yes everyone likes to share, but not necessarily their saliva.
With all of these complex math equations and dietary preference balancing, remember, the most important thing is to tuck into some good food and have fun. I know I do.
Word of Mouth is a monthly column on dining out and dining well. Smitha Menon is a food journalist, India’s only 50 Best Tastehunter and the host & creator of the Big Food Energy podcast. She posts at @smitha.men on Instagram.
