Conquering French Bistros on the Carnivore Diet: Your Essential Guide

Embracing the carnivore diet doesn’t mean sacrificing the joy of French cuisine. French bistros may seem like minefields with their sauces, sides, and bread baskets, but with strategy (and mm food), you’ll dine confidently and deliciously. Here’s your survival guide:

Why French Bistros Challenge Carnivores

• Hidden Ingredients: Classic sauces often use flour, wine, sugar, or vegetable purees as thickeners or flavor bases.
• Ubiquitous Sides: Dishes frequently come with potatoes, salads, or vegetables, complicating "no substitutions" menus.
• Language Barriers: Explaining "zero plants, only animal products" can be tricky without precise French.

Your mm food App Game Plan

1. Scan Before You Sit

Use mm food’s real-time menu scanner to:

• Translate Dishes Instantly: See which items are meat-centric without deciphering "sauce chasseur" or "julienne de légumes."
• Filter for Carnivore Safety: Set your diet profile to "carnivore." The AI flags dishes containing non-animal ingredients, highlighting safe bets like grilled cuts.

2. Order Like a Pro

Always Choose:

• Grilled/Poached Meats: Entrecôte (ribeye), côte de boeuf (rib steak), côte d’agneau (lamb chops). Specify "sans sauce" (no sauce) and "sans accompagnement" (no sides).
• Fish/Seafood: Saumon grillé (grilled salmon) or bar cuit au beurre (sea bass cooked in butter). Request no lemon or herbs.

Avoid Classics Like:

• Dishes with "en croûte" (in pastry), "terrine" (often contains vegetables), or "farci" (stuffed).
• Saucy stews (coq au vin, boeuf bourguignon), which include wine/vegetables.

3. Navigate Hidden Traps

• 🚫 Bread & Butter: Politely decline the basket. Butter is usually safe, but confirm it’s 'beurre laitier' (dairy butter) without plant oils.
• 🚫 Cooking Fats: Ask "Est-ce cuit à l’huile végétale ou au beurre?" (cooked in vegetable oil or butter?) using mm food’s phrase translator.
• ✅ Substitutions: Request extra meat instead of sides. Most bistros will oblige if asked politely.

4. Leverage mm food for Communication

Use the app’s custom request generator to show staff: "> Je suis carnivore strict : uniquement viande/poisson, beurre, sel. Pas de légumes, sauces, herbes ou huiles végétales. Merci !" (I’m strict carnivore: only meat/fish, butter, salt. No vegetables, sauces, herbs, or plant oils. Thank you!).

Top Carnivore-Friendly Bistro Picks

Dish Customization Tips Steak Frites Hold frites (fries), sauce, salad. Request butter-basted. Oeufs Cocotte Confirm no cream/cheese additives; opt for eggs + butter only. Plateau de Charcuterie Skip cornichons/pickles; focus on cured meats.

Final Tip: Advocate for Yourself

Staff appreciate clear requests. With mm food translating your needs flawlessly, you’ll savor exquisite French meat dishes stress-free. Vive la carnivore révolution!