Menu Feedback

missmagnolia

I'm a longtime lurker who rarely posts, but I love reading the menu posts and everyone's feedback, so I thought I would share my menu! (Just as an FYI- We're in New Orleans, and everything is set up in stations that are open the whole night, with people serving themselves throughout the night at their leisure.) My main concern is just having enough food. 

Passed Apps: 

- Fried Eggplant with Bechamel Sauce

- Spanakopita

- Mini Muffulettas 

- Chilled Shrimp with Remoulade Sauce

Soup/Salad Station: 

- Spinach Salad: Fresh Leaf Spinach with Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Shredded Carrots, Roasted Pine Nuts, Croutons, Light Sour Cream Vinaigrette (deconstructed station, not assembled)

- Shrimp and Red Pepper Bisque

Entree Stations: 

- Jalepeno Corn Bread Cake with Pulled Pork and Creamy Corn Macque Choux

- Roast Beef Carving Station with rolls and condiments

- Pasta Atchafalaya: Chicken and Andouille Sausage with Penne in a Tasso Cream Sauce, with garlic bread and Parmesan cheese

- Cheese Grits topped with BBQ Shrimp

Sweets: 

- Wedding Cake: Half white chocolate with fresh raspberry and marscapone filling/hald chocolate with dark chocolate ganache and raspberry filling.

- Groomscake: Croquembouche with vanilla-filled profiteroles 

Beverages: 

- Full open bar including non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages (beer, wine, champagne, liquors, sodas, juices, etc.)

- Mojito bar: Traditional and Strawberry mojitos

OliveOilsMom

OMG!  Can I come!!!! I will even pay for my own plate!  You make me want to jump on a plane to NOLA right now!

Your menu looks and sounds awesome.  My only concern is that its self serve, so people may take way more food than they can eat because its self-serve and a lot could go to waste.  Can you have servers dish out the food for your guests?  I would especially be concerned with the roast beef because some people may not even feel comfortable cutting the meat themselves.  Some may cut thick pieces and potentially you could run out quickly.  And as someone who is married to a non-fish eater, who also can't tolerate spicy foods - I know he would flock to that roast beef.

Lastly, what time of year is this?  The soup may go to waste if you are marrying in a warmer time of year.  And I say this as someone who had a soup course at my reception!  But we married in March in the NE, so a bit cooler still.

SaintPaulGal

Is the pasta deconstructed or assembled?  Because if the chicken and sausage are already in there, I don't see much of anything for those who prefer not to eat meat.

If this were my event, I would probably also add at least one vegetable side. You do have salad, but by presenting it as soup and salad station it comes across as more of a first course than a side.  Something like braised collard greens would round out the entree course and fit right in with the tenor of the meal.

missmagnolia

OliveOilsMom said:

OMG!  Can I come!!!! I will even pay for my own plate!  You make me want to jump on a plane to NOLA right now!

Your menu looks and sounds awesome.  My only concern is that its self serve, so people may take way more food than they can eat because its self-serve and a lot could go to waste.  Can you have servers dish out the food for your guests?  I would especially be concerned with the roast beef because some people may not even feel comfortable cutting the meat themselves.  Some may cut thick pieces and potentially you could run out quickly.  And as someone who is married to a non-fish eater, who also can't tolerate spicy foods - I know he would flock to that roast beef.

Lastly, what time of year is this?  The soup may go to waste if you are marrying in a warmer time of year.  And I say this as someone who had a soup course at my reception!  But we married in March in the NE, so a bit cooler still.

Thanks! Yes, servers are going to be at all of the stations, so that shouldn't be an issue. 

The wedding is in October, and we typically have pleasant weather at that time of year, so hopefully the soup won't be wasted. My other option was to do a gumbo, but the bisque was just so amazing at the tasting! 

missmagnolia

SaintPaulGal said:

Is the pasta deconstructed or assembled?  Because if the chicken and sausage are already in there, I don't see much of anything for those who prefer not to eat meat.

If this were my event, I would probably also add at least one vegetable side. You do have salad, but by presenting it as soup and salad station it comes across as more of a first course than a side.  Something like braised collard greens would round out the entree course and fit right in with the tenor of the meal.

The pasta is assembled. However, the pulled pork entree and the grits are all deconstructed, so people could get the cornbread, grits, and/or corn macque choux all solo if they wanted. I don't have any vegetarians or vegans coming, only pescaterians, so the seafood dishes should be ok for them. But agreed, another veggie could help. 

ILoveBeachMusic

OMG! My mouth was watering before I finished reading you apps! It sounds delicious and makes me miss the South. Your guests are very lucky. It all sounds delicious but that soup made me whimper.

OurWildKingdom

Yum! I want to crash your wedding!

missmagnolia

Thanks everyone! I'm excited, the wedding is getting closer and so taking care of these details is fun, and quite honestly it's all I want to do right now! Two questions: 

1) Should I add coffee and hot tea service during cake? (I'm not a coffee/tea drinker, so I didn't think of this.) How high would this rank on something you would want? 

2) These are the side dishes offered by my catering co. I know another veggie was suggested, but these aren't really green/healthy veggies: Sweet Corn Macque Choux, Saffron Rice with Pine Nuts, Praline Sweet Potatoes, Cajun Dirty Rice, Potatoes Au Gratin, Scalloped Potatoes, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Spinach Audubon, Cajun Green Beans Amandine, Cheese Grits, Cajun Hash Browns with Tasso. Any opinions? I already have the corn and the grits incorporated into other dishes. Not sure if any of these would solve the extra veggie problem.

SaintPaulGal

My two cents:

1)  With my crowd coffee and tea would be incredibly desirable.  Probably not too expensive to add, either, unless you are doing an espresso bar.

2) Green beans sound the best to me, followed by the spinach. The other options all sound pretty heavy/starchy.  I mean, they all sound delicious, as does your entire menu, but if I were eating this meal I would like something a bit lighter to round things out.

ILoveBeachMusic

missmagnolia said:

Thanks everyone! I'm excited, the wedding is getting closer and so taking care of these details is fun, and quite honestly it's all I want to do right now! Two questions: 

1) Should I add coffee and hot tea service during cake? (I'm not a coffee/tea drinker, so I didn't think of this.) How high would this rank on something you would want? 

2) These are the side dishes offered by my catering co. I know another veggie was suggested, but these aren't really green/healthy veggies: Sweet Corn Macque Choux, Saffron Rice with Pine Nuts, Praline Sweet Potatoes, Cajun Dirty Rice, Potatoes Au Gratin, Scalloped Potatoes, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Spinach Audubon, Cajun Green Beans Amandine, Cheese Grits, Cajun Hash Browns with Tasso. Any opinions? I already have the corn and the grits incorporated into other dishes. Not sure if any of these would solve the extra veggie problem.

I agree that the green beans would be my first choice followed by spinach. As for coffee, I would offer it even though personally I might not drink it depending on how much dancing and such I'm doing. I tend to drink a lot of water!

jacques27

I would definitely add the green beans to counter-balance all the starch and cream.  And/or see if there is a way to add a roasted (or regular) veggie tray to the salad station maybe.

I would also add coffee/tea.  My coffee drinking friends really enjoy having it to cut the sweetness of their desserts.  Also, if your full bar includes things like Bailey's, Kahlua, or Irish whiskey, you may find people partaking in more coffee than you might think.  I also know that towards the tail end of the night I stop drinking alcohol and like to have a cup of coffee or two before I go home.

OurWildKingdom

Mmm, roasted vegetables. That sounds fantastic, @jacques27.

missmagnolia

Thanks everyone! I will definitely add the coffee and tea service. They do also have a fresh or grilled veggie display, so I could use that as an additional side. 

levioosa

Yes to grilled veggies! 

SP29

Yes to tea/coffee!

Yes to veggies!

Menu looks delicious!

downtondiva

I definitely agree on the grilled veggies and think they'd go nicely with a lot of the other food you're having. 

Also, your menu looks amazing and is making me hungry.

MesmrEwe

How do I get an invite - I'll bring a mighty fine toaster as a gift!

Your menu sounds amazing! While coffee/tea is nice, I'd consider just having it as one of your bar options that if guests would like they can have at any point in the event.