Themed dinner party ideas
A dinner party with close friends is the perfect way to unwind over the weekend. But if things are getting boring and repetitive after several such parties, we recommend hosting a themed dinner party.
French dinner party menu:
For appetisers, try baked and puffed Brie, caviar, onion soup or cheese puffs. For entrées, go for Chicken Cordon Bleu, onion pie, veggie terrine, Coq Au Vin and lots of baguettes. Choose desserts such as crème brûlée, raspberry sorbet, or almond clafouti.
Mexican dinner party menu:
You can’t go wrong with guacamole, beef and cheese quesadillas and, of course, nachos with beans and cheese for appetisers. For the main course, try tortillas stuffed with chunks of meat and cheese, and serve with rice and beans, or fajitas and mega loaded burritos. For dessert, our pick is flan, no contest!
Italian dinner party menu:
Opt for antipasto and sautéed escarole for appetisers. Risotto primavera, chicken marsala, beef lasagne, or simply pasta with meatballs and marinara sauce make for the perfect main course. It’s hard to pick a favourite from among Italian desserts but our top picks would have to be gelato, tiramisu and spumoni.
Indian dinner party menu:
Serve samosas or chicken pakoras with mint-coriander chutney or kebabs for starters. Follow up with some delectable lamb or shrimp curry served with basmati rice or vegetable biriyani. You could also opt for chicken tikka masala served with naan bread. Kulfi, gulab jamun or kheer are perfect for dessert.
Themed dinner party hosting tips
It’s perfectly okay to request guests to bring along one food item (entrée, dessert or wine) in keeping with your theme. That way, the entire burden of planning the menu won’t fall on you. However, we recommend arranging the appetisers yourself so you can set the mood right from the get go. Here are some additional dinner party hosting etiquette:
- Welcome and greet each guest at the door and thank them for any gifts or food that they bring with them.
- Spend time talking with each guest and also make sure everyone gets to mingle.
- Encourage guests to go for second (and third!) helpings.
Table setting guide
Make sure that the dinner table is big enough to seat all guests, unless the plan is to have an informal buffet-style dinner. Use a white tablecloth and stainless steel cutlery because they complement every possible theme. Add a colourful floral arrangement and coordinated napkins for a stylish finish.
A themed dinner party is a fun way to spend a weekend evening with friends. Don’t go overboard, keep things simple and enjoy your evening.
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