How to manage the flow of dinner? Having a couple over

kylesbride87

DH and I have had people over to watch a game or what have you, but this is the first time we are hosting another couple for a true sit-down dinner. They are our neighbors and we are thanking them for helping us move furniture so I want it to be nice. I am serving Steak Gorgonzola pasta (like from Olive Garden) with Caesar salad, a warm baguette and wine. I've made this before so I am good with the cooking. I'm also going to just have break & bake chocolate chip cookies with vanilla ice cream on hand for a quick and easy dessert if they have room.

What I'm concerned about is the flow. We have salad plates with our china set, and I was going to set them on top of the dinner plate. Should I serve salad onto the plates as the first course? That feels too stuffy, and we have a nice salad bowl I'd like to let everyone serve themselves from. Should I bring the salad to the table first, and let everyone finish their salad before bringing the main course? Or should I bring everything out at once and let them sort of juggle their salad and dinner plates?

I realize I am over-thinking this! But growing up we always had a little salad bowl to the side, not salad plates, so I don't know how to do it this way! 

wweaver0

I think a bowl on the side is fine, and I don't see a problem with having a large salad bowl.  I would probably serve everyone myself, but that's just me.  Don't stress out, just have a good time!

TarHeels&Rebels

I think of two ways to do this: have salad on all the plates in advance before everyone sits down or pass the salad bowl around.  Either way would be fine.  I wouldn't have both the salad and main out at the same time if you have a small table.  I would clear the salad plates before serving the main.  Have your husband take the plates to the kitchen while you get the next course or vv.

6fsn

For ease- I'd put the salads on the plates and leave the main in the kitchen or on a sideboard.  After salad remove the plates, and serve the main.

I will say that my family tends to plate the salads and put the plate where a bread plate would be.  We serve the main before eating the salad.  We leave extras on a sideboard for seconds. 

pugznploons

if the table is big enough and you are wanting it to be a more casual dinner, i'd serve family style.  Have everything on the table and pass it around.  

I made the mistake of plating the salads before and some of my guests didn't eat the salad.  I had to throw it out in the end, boo.   

kylesbride87

Thanks for all your help everyone! I actually got so busy I didn't get a chance to check back. We ended up putting it all on the table and we ate salad first, and then dug into the main course. I probably should have left it in the oven - it was a little lukewarm - but oh well, it was my first time! All in all, it went pretty well, but I think I have a long way to go as an "entertainer"!

luckylove50

I'm sure that you were a great entertainer, considering how much thought you were putting into it.  Don't worry, you'll keep having people over and you'll be a seasoned pro before you know it and you'll look back at the "lukewarm" main course that you just served and laugh about how little you knew.