Child Portions

[Big Boy]

Just before I moved to Thailand, I had an operation, which reduced my stomach to only 20% of its original size. As such, I can't eat normal sized meals.

I often look at adverts by restaurants such as Palm Bistro, Terrace 90, Mango Resort, etc and my mouth starts watering. However, I rarely cross the threshold of these establishments because I hate wasting food. The only times I will go is if my son is with me and he can help me out.

Certainly the 3 examples given do portions far too big for me to eat. I am wondering which, if any restaurants do child portions. I never turn up alone, and often have several others in tow, but I hate wasting food.

OK, my wife is a fantastic cook, and can satisfy my need for a junior Sunday roast etc, but it would be nice to give her a rest sometimes.

[PeteC]

Another thought is a buffet. You'll have to pay the set adult price though, but of course you can eat as little or as much as you want. Pete

Edit: Thinking about this more, even if you find a place with a child's menu, you may get into an endless circle with the waitress..."the child's portion please"...."...I can't, you're not a child...". It could actually be a good comedy routine. The end solution may be what you're doing already, eat what you can and take home the rest.

[Dannie Boy]

Another thought is a buffet. You'll have to pay the set adult price though, but of course you can eat as little or as much as you want. Pete

Edit: Thinking about this more, even if you find a place with a child's menu, you may get into an endless circle with the waitress..."the child's portion please"...."...I can't, you're not a child...". It could actually be a good comedy routine. The end solution may be what you're doing already, eat what you can and take home the rest.

Yes, you'll be best friends with your dogs
I presume you've already asked the aforementioned restaurants whether they could provide you with a smaller portion for a lower price?

[Big Boy]

I avoid buffets because you normally pay over the odds to make a pig of yourself, which I can't.

In the UK, it used to be able to get a main meal, but in a child's portion. I'm not looking for the child's menu, which will offer a fish finger, chips and beans - I'm looking for real food in smaller amounts, but I think its a concept that hasn't reached Hua Hin yet.

I presume you've already asked the aforementioned restaurants whether they could provide you with a smaller portion for a lower price?

No, I'm asking here as the stated restaurants read the forum.

When I've been to any of the afore mentioned, it hasn't been a problem as my son has been with me.

[PeteC]

Another point is that any child's menu I've seen here, it really is child's food. Granted, this experience has been mostly in hotels. Small bite size hot dogs with chips or fries, tuna sandwich, small portion of kow pad, chicken nuggets etc.

Edit: Posts crossed BB.

[richard]

I'm in the same boat BB.

What I do is to eat half. Ask for a doggie bag and eat the rest at my leisure at home later in the day or next day. That way I can additions to the meal at home too

[hhfarang]

At restaurants that serve huge portions, I often take half home, heat and eat it for the next meal or the next day even.

Edit: Ah, Richard, our posts with the same idea crossed.

[richard]

I do also eat at many places that will tailor your meal according to your likes in both content and size. They adjust the price accordingly

[Mango]

Hi BB,

We actually say in our menu that, if you have any special requests that have not been covered, please ask us!
So I'm happy to tell you that, at our restaurant, you can order as much or as little of any combination of any dishes or ingredients we have available and the price will be adjusted accordingly.
So a half portion is no problem at all.
We also cater for vegetarians, vegans and non-gluten diets.
As long as we know, we will do everything possible to make sure the customer gets exactly what he/she wants.

This coming Sunday, we will be offering a roast lamb lunch. We will publish the details tomorrow on the Mango Home Bistro thread.

At the end of next week, we will also have a visiting chef from Pakistan who will prepare a buffet evening of Indian, Pakistani and Middle Eastern dishes - please see the Mango Home Bistro thread at the beginning of next week for more details.

The same applies to a buffet - if you think you can't do it justice, then we can plate up a meal from the buffet for you and, again, we will adjust the price to be as fair as possible.

We hope to see you at Mango Home Bistro soon.

[Big Boy]

Thanks for the response Mango. Unfortunately Mrs BB doesn't eat Lamb, so we'll have to give this weekend a miss. The Indian, Pakistani and Middle Eastern buffet is very tempting, depending upon day.

We'll definitely keep an eye open for that, and will look forward to a Sunday in the not too distant future.

[Vital Spark]

I also have a small appetite (always have done), and I'm immediately put off eating when I'm presented with a huge plate of food. I'd love it if every restaurant had two portions - small/normal (large). I'd happily pay 75% of the cost for 50% of the food. When I was back in the UK with my mum (who's 80 years old, and has a smallish appetite) I could order a 'pensioner's' portion for her, but couldn't for myself. The waitress at the pub even had a look outside to make sure that there was an 'old lady' to eat the smaller portion! When will restaurateurs/pub landlords realise that we don't all eat like a horse.

VS

[oakdale160]

If you look at a restaurants expenses, the cost of the food is a relatively small part of it. Rent, taxes, wages, bribes, utilities, equipment, upkeep etc is the major part. So a reasonable cost for a half portion would probably be 80-90% of a full one.

[Big Boy]

My main concern is not the cost, but the potential waste. Or more likely me making myself ill when trying not to be wasteful. If it's on my plate, I will attempt to eat it - with a low capacity stomach, I feel really awful for several hours if I over do it.

Many Thai restaurants do smaller portions, but I'm being deprived of foods I like because those restaurants don't serve the foods I crave.

[richard]

I also have a small appetite (always have done), and I'm immediately put off eating when I'm presented with a huge plate of food. I'd love it if every restaurant had two portions - small/normal (large). I'd happily pay 75% of the cost for 50% of the food. When I was back in the UK with my mum (who's 80 years old, and has a smallish appetite) I could order a 'pensioner's' portion for her, but couldn't for myself. The waitress at the pub even had a look outside to make sure that there was an 'old lady' to eat the smaller portion! When will restaurateurs/pub landlords realise that we don't all eat like a horse.

VS

VS you are talking about the UK. Here IMO it is no problem

My recollection of the UK way back was that many pubs offered smaller discounted meals for pensioners presumably at cost price. A non pensioner asking for the same is obviously pushing his luck. Landlords are running a business and have to think of the bottom line for there own sakes.

Used to take my old man when he was 96 to the pub and he'd tell them to stuff the children's menu and bring a 'cut down' man's meal. I ended up eating the other half

In Thailand it's easy almost placesl will allow you to take in your own booze and will willingly tailor your content and size of food accordingly (as posted before). I cannot see what the fuss/problem is here in Thailand

[Mango]

Thanks for the response Mango. Unfortunately Mrs BB doesn't eat Lamb, so we'll have to give this weekend a miss...

Hi BB,

Not everyone has to have the Sunday roast... If there is someone in the group that would prefer to order something from the menu, that's not a problem.