FeedithNOLA: Hosting an UberEATS dinner party

This face says, “What do you mean I’m going to bed before the party?”

It’s natural for one’s social life to change in a Post-Kid Era. Suddenly, plans for wine and cheese at Bacchanal turn into play-dates at Audubon Zoo. It’s even more difficult for us to keep up with friends who don’t have kids. As much as they would politely deny it, most probably don’t want to eat an early bird special at 5:00 p.m. while we take turns chasing our toddler around the dining room. But a kid-free status should not exclude them from our social circle. Surely true friendship transcends philosophizing about discipline in early childhood and poop-talk. Plus, those who knew us before we had kids serve as a much needed reminder, when our toddler is doing a combination donkey-kick/plank to avoid a diaper change (If you hate it that much, just use the damn potty!), that we were people long before we were parents.

True friendship is defined by the care that we show one another in hard times.

Well before Edith, I had to fly out on Thoth Sunday to see my sick grandmother. Our friend, Randall, stuck with us from Iris through Endymion to make sure I squished my Mardi Gras joy into one day. When my husband passed out on our front lawn after Endymion, Randall drove me to Bucktown where we ate a gulf-sized portion of crustaceans and even paid for the meal because, “You’re having a really bad Mardi Gras.” In our Post-Edith Era, we see Randall, who does not have kids, a third as much as we used to.

Life changes, but your friends don’t have to. All it takes is an 8:00 p.m. bedtime, a little creativity, and UberEATS to throw the perfect at home dinner party without even having to pay a babysitter. And what Randall lacks in potty-training-talk, he makes up for in glorious kid-free-flexibility.

We invited Randall and his lovely girlfriend, Lauren, to dinner on a random Tuesday night. About an hour before they were scheduled to arrive, an unfamiliar pre-entertaining calm washed over me. Aside from picking up the weird line up of stuffed animals that Edith reigned over in the middle of the kitchen (seriously, it was a little creepy…), I did not have to do a damn thing to get ready for this dinner party. Bless you, UberEATS.

UberEATS-ing your dinner party:

• Order in waves: We ordered a charcuterie board ahead of time so our friends would have something to nibble on upon arrival. We ordered entrees over cocktails so that everyone could pick their preference.
• Order what you want: UberEATS delivers straight from the restaurant to your door, without other deliveries in between. (Ever wonder why the pizza place half a mile away takes 90 minutes to deliver?!) Our fried okra on date night was still crispy when it arrived, but if you’re worried, stick to items that travel well, like the braised short ribs from Brown Butter.
• Re-Plate: It’s so easy, and presentation is the difference between feeling like you’re dining in a 4-star restaurant and a flashback to your high school cafeteria. If a dish is plated vertically, remove each layer one by one until you reach the bottom. Then re-layer on your dinner plates.

Eating at a bustling restaurant with a stranger filling the water glasses as another party stares you down for your table just can’t compare to the intimacy of home. Follow these tips to turn your out-friends into house-friends and even save a little money on a babysitter.

UberEATS Parent Pro-Tips

• Track the driver: Track your driver on the app or ask for a text/call upon arrival so you can intercept the food before a doorbell or barking dog ends date night before it begins.
• Free delivery on orders of $50 or more: Throw a bigger dinner party and order from multiple restaurants to really take advantage of this. If your number of need-to-try restaurants is insurmountable, you can easily cross 2-4 off your list in one night.
• Save some cash: Just use promo-code NOLAVIE10 and receive $10 off your first order.