What would you do in this situation? Your significant other is from Europe, and when you go visit family there, sometimes you meet his old friends/family and go out to restaurants. You're vegetarian, he is not, and it doesn't look too common in europe either, judging by what you see on the menus. He thinks you're being kind of a fanatic by not eating even a LITTLE meat because it seems like a natural thing to do to him, but you agreed to disagree on that point and you can both live with that and you don't talk about it much.
However, the big problem is the restaurants I've been to there all have set ups such that you choose your courses and you're expected to choose something for each course, and I've never been to one in which meat wasn't in all the main dishes, and possibly in the appetizer.... and often on the salad. Choosing just a small thing like a dessert or something at such a restaurant is not culturally acceptable, and you are likely to be insulted by the waiter if you try to pull that one. Am I supposed to try to avoid eating at restaurants? If we're on a road trip this is going to be difficult. I also don't want to take away any of my significant other's fun on the trip (we both usually enjoy restaurants. And I also hate to draw any attention to myself for my vegetarianism). I suppose I'd be tempted to order the least meaty stuff and eat around it. As for now it doesn't look like we're going back anytime soon - but since I know I'm going to have this problem I'm pushing for not going back and flying his family over here instead. What would you do?
However, the big problem is the restaurants I've been to there all have set ups such that you choose your courses and you're expected to choose something for each course, and I've never been to one in which meat wasn't in all the main dishes, and possibly in the appetizer.... and often on the salad. Choosing just a small thing like a dessert or something at such a restaurant is not culturally acceptable, and you are likely to be insulted by the waiter if you try to pull that one. Am I supposed to try to avoid eating at restaurants? If we're on a road trip this is going to be difficult. I also don't want to take away any of my significant other's fun on the trip (we both usually enjoy restaurants. And I also hate to draw any attention to myself for my vegetarianism). I suppose I'd be tempted to order the least meaty stuff and eat around it. As for now it doesn't look like we're going back anytime soon - but since I know I'm going to have this problem I'm pushing for not going back and flying his family over here instead. What would you do?