Please critique my dinner party menu!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do you really want a critique? I’d eat whatever you serve and be grateful, but I’d be wary of a spicy dish for people coming over for the first time. And sun-dried tomatoes are unpopular with a lot of foodies.

I had no idea of this. I love sun-dried tomatoes. They seem very non-controversial but what do I know?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm having our new neighbors over for dinner tomorrow night. They are huge foodies.

I'm planning on an apple and pecorino salad with walnuts and chive to begin, as well as some charcuterie/olives.

For the main course, I'm doing spicy salmon in red sauce with linguine and sundried tomato, and garlic bread.

For dessert, I made a coconut cake with fudge swirl.

I am wondering if I need another appetizer? They're bringing the wine.

Make ahead soup for another appetizer. And the menu seems lovely for a relaxed dinner.

[Anonymous]

Surely this menu is a joke meant to bait trolls. None of the dishes make sense with the following courses.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do you really want a critique? I’d eat whatever you serve and be grateful, but I’d be wary of a spicy dish for people coming over for the first time. And sun-dried tomatoes are unpopular with a lot of foodies.

Just because they’re “unpopular” and not trendy at the moment doesn’t mean op shouldn’t use it—they are still part of the dish.

I also don’t think anyone would be dismissive of sun dried tomatoes at a home dinner party even if they are foodies. If your friends do this, you need better friends.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do you really want a critique? I’d eat whatever you serve and be grateful, but I’d be wary of a spicy dish for people coming over for the first time. And sun-dried tomatoes are unpopular with a lot of foodies.

+1

Sun-dried tomatoes in smallish quantities taste like vomit. The only way to serve them to foodies is cut up in a sauce or spread, certainly not baked in bread.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do you really want a critique? I’d eat whatever you serve and be grateful, but I’d be wary of a spicy dish for people coming over for the first time. And sun-dried tomatoes are unpopular with a lot of foodies.

+1

Sun-dried tomatoes in smallish quantities taste like vomit. The only way to serve them to foodies is cut up in a sauce or spread, certainly not baked in bread.

Me again - just to be clear that was my critique. If I were your guest I’d eat it and tell you how wonderful it was. None of your guests are going to say anything but positive things.

[Anonymous]

Are you serving course style? I personally think it's too few dishes. But I do dinner parties and serve family style with a lot of dishes together on the table as I personally don't like to eat a big helping of any one things.
So I would add another hot vegetable side.
I assuming you know dietary restrictions of your guests and accounted for that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Surely this menu is a joke meant to bait trolls. None of the dishes make sense with the following courses.

I really hesitate to post because I don't want to seem mean but the OP asked for criticism so I'll be constructive. Even if each dish is well done and the guests like and can eat all the food (let's assume they can!) to me the dishes don't go well together.

If you are having a seafood pasta dish, you want appetizers and desserts that speak to that. Flavors like fresh veggies with s mediterranean essence: caprese, a fresh raddichio salad with a tangy viniagerette, squash blossoms, etc.. for the appetizer, and maybe something lemon for dessert like a lemon cake with a vanilla bean gelato or something italian like tiramisu.

It can be hard to put together a meal that is coordinated and to me, this menu is a fall salad, a sort of italian main, and a traditional bakery dessert. A little disjointed, but it can still be good!!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can they do tree nuts? I'd check. You have in in every course.

+1

[Anonymous]

Spicy
Fish
Olives
Coconut

Lot of potential landmines here. You sound like a fabulous cook though. I don't think you need another app.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would not do spicy unless you know they like it.

Actually I wouldn't do salmon either unless you knew they liked it.

Also would not do salmon. Salmon in red sauce with linguine does not sound appetizing and salmon can be kind of a polarizing fish.

[Anonymous]

Piling on a bit... sounds mostly good, but the tomato/ salmon combo does not. Have you thought about something more lemon based?

[Anonymous]

Why are people saying the coconut cake has caramel in it? It does not per the post.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why are people saying the coconut cake has caramel in it? It does not per the post.

Because people don't read.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Spicy
Fish
Olives
Coconut

Lot of potential landmines here. You sound like a fabulous cook though. I don't think you need another app.

DP. +1 I do not eat fish or coconut. Would not want spicy at a new neighbor's house...might need to return home.