Weddingbee boards

When I booked my venue, they said that I could arrange for a food tasting when I finalized my menu closer to the wedding date.  But I found out now that they don't offer food tastings. Any suggestions as to what I should do?  We've already put about 50% of the overall cost into the venue so we can't pull out now, but I'm afraid to finalize my menu without first tasting the food.  Have any of you decided on your menu without tasting it?  How did it go? Any suggestions would be appreciated!  I feel my bridezilla side coming on!  Help Beehive!

Believe it or not, I booked a caterer and never tasted the food.  We were trying to work out a tasting, but b/c she doesn't have her own kitchen (she's one of those businesses who rent a kitchen and share it with others, so they can't really let you come on down to try anything), it was going to have to be at an event, and she had to find one where 1) the food would be similar and 2) they wouldn't mind us coming and snooping around the back.  Well, the only time this would work -- we were on a trip!

We felt very very very nervous, but we stuck with it. My hubs was able to try some of her work at an event he went to, and she came so highly recommended by people I trust that I was willing to go ahead.

Do you have word-of-mouth recommendations you can trust?  What kind of venue is it -- is it a hotel or somewhere like that where you could try eating in one of their establishments?  If all else fails, go snoop around and loiter near someone else's event and see how it looks!  (I'm half kidding on that one...) 

Update:

Thanks ladies for your input, but apparently being a "nice" bridezilla, if there is such a thing, actually works.  After speaking with the the catering manager and informing her of the details prior to us signing the contract a year ago (which I was stupid for not getting in writing), she spoke with the banquet manager my FI and I had booked with who luckily remembered me as the hyperactive bride to be that was way too perky and cheerful for a dreary October day. (I'm pretty sure that was a run on sentence, but I don't care cuz I'm so darn happy to get my way!)

 In the end, I got my way.  The tasting is set for after I finalize my menu but I will have the option to make changes after the fact within a reasonable timeframe.  So the lesson I have learned is sometimes it doesn't hurt to be nice, but you must be firm in what you want otherwise you will be taken advantage of!  I'm so excited for my tasting, I'm bursting at the seams!  =)  Thanks again ladies for your help!