Ironically, Outback Steakhouse has romantic significance for my husband and I, because that is where we went on our first "official" date and we also agreed to call each other our "boyfriend/girlfriend" that night as well. When I decided to be a vegan I had no misgivings that I would be expected to endure the occasional trip to Outback with my husband. He also happily received 2 gift cards for Outback this holiday season, and we used one of them to dine this evening.
The Outback Experience as a vegan is decidely different than when I was a meat eater, or even back in college as a vegetarian. There is very little on the menu that I can eat, and I guiltly decided to eat the bread and some bloomin' onion which based on internet information I know to contain egg. I also watched as my husband devoured a rack of bbq ribs and a mountain of cheese fries dipped in full fat ranch as we discussed the poor quality of the American diet.
It is hard to not be judgemental or cynical. I must admit that at times I felt myself becoming prideful compared to the carnivores pulling meat off with their teeth straight from the bone and dipping anything resembling a vegetable in lard surrounding me. But I also felt shameful for compromising some of my values too. It is a dilemma: do I let a place with fond pre-martial courtship memories be tainted by my vegan views? or do I lower my standards occasionally to maintain some marital bliss? I have no answers, but what I do know is that next time I plan to skip the bread and bloomin' onion, sneak in my own vegan salad dressing, and add an order of steamed veggies sans butter to my order.
Breakfast
Einstein Bros Everything Bagel with Hummus
Lunch
Subway 6" Veggie Sub
1 small can of Lima Beans
2/3 banana, and 1/4 orange
Dinner at Outback
4 small slices of pumpernickel bread dipped in olive oil/pepper blend
Small plate of Bloomin' Onion
1/2 of a sweet potato (lost the butter, kept the brown sugar!)
House Salad minus cheese and croutons, with oil and vinegar
The Outback Experience as a vegan is decidely different than when I was a meat eater, or even back in college as a vegetarian. There is very little on the menu that I can eat, and I guiltly decided to eat the bread and some bloomin' onion which based on internet information I know to contain egg. I also watched as my husband devoured a rack of bbq ribs and a mountain of cheese fries dipped in full fat ranch as we discussed the poor quality of the American diet.
It is hard to not be judgemental or cynical. I must admit that at times I felt myself becoming prideful compared to the carnivores pulling meat off with their teeth straight from the bone and dipping anything resembling a vegetable in lard surrounding me. But I also felt shameful for compromising some of my values too. It is a dilemma: do I let a place with fond pre-martial courtship memories be tainted by my vegan views? or do I lower my standards occasionally to maintain some marital bliss? I have no answers, but what I do know is that next time I plan to skip the bread and bloomin' onion, sneak in my own vegan salad dressing, and add an order of steamed veggies sans butter to my order.
Breakfast
Einstein Bros Everything Bagel with Hummus
Lunch
Subway 6" Veggie Sub
1 small can of Lima Beans
2/3 banana, and 1/4 orange
Dinner at Outback
4 small slices of pumpernickel bread dipped in olive oil/pepper blend
Small plate of Bloomin' Onion
1/2 of a sweet potato (lost the butter, kept the brown sugar!)
House Salad minus cheese and croutons, with oil and vinegar
1 comment:
i'm confused... i thought you said above that you found the bloomin onion to not be vegan, yet it was on your dinner menu from outback?
fyi, only the italian bread at subway is vegan!! (as far as the breads go)
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