What to eat?

$60 steak is amazing. Be sure to get the crab meat and shrip cocktail as an apetizer.

"Oh - the ladies ever tell you that you look like a fucking optical illusion?"

Get a big salad.

You don't make friends with salad! You don't make friends with salad!

"I made enough gazpacho for everybody!"
"What's gazpacho?"
"It's cold tomato soup."
"Go back to Russia!"

Sea Urchin Ceviche

So...Whats the verdict :) Can I get some legit advice. I know it's probably a bit of a silly question to begin with but I'd like to go in compared from every angle.

You can't go wrong with pasta. It shouldn't be too expensive either.

Dude, I may be wrong, but just order what you like? Obviously don't be a jerk and order the most expensive items just to do so. I also wouldn't order anything too messy. You covered both points in your original post, so what's the issue?

i can't believe this post...

this post is pretty funny but I guess everyone has their own opinions. for me, i would probably avoid a large entree that you would be eating with your hands and could get messy(i.e. cheeseburger with the works) and stick with either a fish, chicken or pasta dish with a fork and knife.

You will only get the job if you order a chicken dish. Anything else and you'll be banned from wall street.

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Either you sling crack rock or you got a wicked jump shot

What's next, questions on how to take a shit in finance? oh wait...

Dude, get whatever you want to eat. Usually at interview lunches, recruiting lunches, dinners, sponsored events, WHATEVER, you get what you want. The BSD across the table from you will be getting the largest steak on the menu, with a seafood tower for an appetizer and a bottle of cristal (or just some good scotch).

People who ask questions like this are possibly the biggest tools in existence. If you are worried about a "messy" entree you should probably just learn how to eat. You will, at some point in your career, be in a suit in Texas and need to eat some really messy BBQ while with a client.

If you want the pasta or the chicken dish, by all means be that tool who tried to make sure people liked him by getting something cheap off the menu that won't offend a potential vegan.

Such a great show, and a good episode - although I think was actually "you don't win friends with salad".

Shit, I think you're right.

Had to pull up my favorite quote from the episode:

If the people you're going to lunch with have been to the restaurant before, just ask them something along the lines of "what do you recommend here?" Should be a safe bet to not screw up or whatever it is you're worried about.

It's just a little airborne, it's still good!

Homer: Wait a minute wait a minute wait a minute. Lisa honey, are you saying you're *never* going to eat any animal again? What about bacon?
Lisa: No.
Homer: Ham?
Lisa: No.
Homer: Pork chops?
Lisa: Dad! Those all come from the same animal!
Homer: [Chuckles] Yeah, right Lisa. A wonderful, magical animal.

Guy at Pork Fat factory: Hey, what's that smell?
Homer, behind window: Mmmmm pork fat.

Mr. Burns: You know, Smithers, I think I'll donate a million dollars to the local orphanage. When pigs fly!
[Both Burns and Smithers start laughing, but then a pig flies by their window]
Smithers: Will you be donating that million dollars now, sir?
Mr. Burns: Hmm, no I'd still prefer not.

you could either ask what the other people what they would recommend or if you don't feel comfortable with that, just look through the menu pick out a couple of things you think you would like, then make sure you order last. if the server asks you first, just tell her to come back because you are deciding between two things. then just listen to what the other folks order and pick something similar. other then the aforementioned ways, just choose what you want, most people will probably not care and make sure you have good questions to ask the other people, that way you will have time to eat while they are talking.

"I'll be going to lunch with a few guys this week as a part of my interview. I was wondering what type of food to order that isn't too messy and would seem appropriate. For example I won't be ordering a $60 steak or anything."

what restaurant are you going to?

if you're worried....follow the leads of others, particularly in terms of whether to get an app or not.

on all the interview type meals i've been on, i'd say a flag is only raised if the interviewee a) makes a big mess, slurps, sauce splashing all over the place or b) blatantly orders an extremely expensive dish (a $60 steak is ok. a $250 kobe beef steak is not).

this continues by the way for team dinners too...suffice it to say when you're internal you order from a different part of the wine list than when you're with brokers. i've seen meals for 5 at steakhouses in manhattan cost $300 and i've seen a meal for 5 at the same place cost well over $1500. just be smart about it.

oh and for the record, I think the strip house is definitely the best steak in manhattan.

Jimbo.

One of my friends, who had recruiting this past spring, also had a dinner interview. He said another candidate ordered a salad only. When one of the recruiters at the table asked the guy why he ordered so little, the guy candidly said he gets blood in his stool when he eats too much meat.

Yup, that will shut them up. Oh my God that is awesome. I am seriously laughing so hard at my desk.

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Either you sling crack rock or you got a wicked jump shot

I like where this is going...more Simpsons related threads please!