American Dining: Breakfast

[peacetraveler22]

Every weekend, I look forward to delicious breakfasts with my family. Sometimes I'm treated to a home cooked meal from my parents, but often the entire family goes to a restaurant for Sunday breakfast. This weekend, I decided to take a few pics with my iPhone to show you what we eat. I don't think American breakfast differs much from the Russian version. In many parts of the world, people are eating eggs and meat to start the day, and we do also. My favorite thing is pancakes! You can see based on this photo that the American version is much thicker than typical Russian pancakes. We have so many varieties of this dish, with various toppings. I always get chocolate chips baked into mine. Not the healthiest option, but tasty! Weekends are meant for indulgence. :)

1. Of course, you can eat the pancakes bare and plain, but most people pick a more decadent option. The most common are pancakes covered in various fruits like strawberries or blueberries, topped with jam and whipped cream. Personally, these options are too sweet for me first thing in the morning. You will see that the American theme of "red, white and blue" is even woven into part of the breakfast menu.



2. Other breakfast options. Prices are very cheap for a lot of food. A large portion of eggs, meat, potatoes and bread for under $8 USD. Easy to find cheap, good food almost everywhere in the States.



3. At this restaurant, known as "Bob Evans," I always get the same meal. "Farmer's Choice" breakfast which includes eggs, choice of ham, bacon or sausage, potatoes and either pancakes or French toast. Common for Americans to put cheese in almost everything, and I always get cheddar cheese and onions added to my eggs. In most places, it's easy to make menu adjustments to your liking by adding or subtracting ingredients. I'm very anal about my scrambled eggs, preferring them lightly scrambled with no hint of brown or burned pieces from the grill. On this day, the cook made them to perfection. :) Cost for this meal is around $8 USD.



4. My dad gets the same meal, but with French toast instead of pancakes. Do you eat this in Russia? It's thick slices of bread, dipped in egg yolk and then pan fried. Usually, we cover it with powdered sugar and cinnamon. I don't like it.



5. You can order breakfast at anytime, but lunch and dinner options are only available after 11 a.m. In the past few years, it's become common for American restaurants to offer package deals where you get salad or soup, meat, vegetable, potato and dessert for one price. At this restaurant, prices for the combo meals are between $11 - 13 USD. On this photo, you can see a baked sweet potato, covered with butter and cinnamon. It's a type of orange squash or yam.



6. My sister ordered the smokehouse chicken, with baked potato, broccoli soup, banana nut bread and a strawberry sundae for dessert. We often add a lot of toppings to baked potatoes like butter, sour cream, cheese, bacon, chives, etc., but this one is naked.



7. Other combo options. Turkey, fish, steak, burgers and chicken are all choices.



8. Almost all restaurants have separate kids menus, with a lot of options. Usually the menus are interactive, with games, puzzles and pictures for coloring. I didn't notice kids menus in any Russian restaurants, but I wasn't really looking for them.  A lot of places provide crayons for coloring and drawing on the menus. The meals are only $2.99 USD, and on Tuesdays kids eat free at this place. Typical kids food like chicken fingers, mac 'n' cheese and spaghetti. But also healthy options like grilled chicken, and fruit is a side option instead of fries. They always try to decorate the kids food with funny designs, making pancakes in the shape of Mickey Mouse or a pig.



9. I saw the most creative kids pasta in Latvia! How cute, to make the pasta meal into an insect. :)



10. Typical to have a counter for solo diners, where they can sit and enjoy a meal in silence or chat with neighbors if they're in a social mood. I have no problem going to a restaurant and sitting at a table or booth by myself, but some people find it strange and awkward.



11. Here's the bill for breakfast. Total cost for four adults and one child - $49.41.



12. If you're in America, look for this restaurant. They are located all over the States, and you will enjoy some good home-cooked food, with large portions - American style! Maybe some of you have already eaten here?



13. Restaurant decor and motto - "You won't go hungry around here!" I think the same can be said of any American restaurant.



It seems to me that Americans eat at restaurants more often than most Russians. We have a lot of options, can eat good food for cheap prices, and restaurants are woven into our social culture.

What's your favorite breakfast food? For those of you who have visited America, which restaurant did you enjoy most or least?

Tomorrow I'll show you another restaurant, where I frequently eat dinner. Nom Nom! :))

Comments

[mybathroom.livejournal.com]

Such a tasty post, Shannon!
What does "bottomless coffee" mean?

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

"Bottomless coffee" means endless coffee (free refills!). At this restaurant, and some others, if you order coffee the waitress brings your own carafe and sits it at the table. Like in this photo. So you can fill your cup whenever you like, and don't have to wait on the server to return. One thing that drives me crazy in Russian restaurants is how long it takes to get drinks!! Sometimes they weren't delivered until our meals arrived. In America, you get your drinks right after you place your order, and many waitresses bring you water as soon as you sit down.

[ambival.livejournal.com]

It seems to me that Russians eat at home more often than most Americans. We have many food markets or shops where you can buy whatever you want, and lots of special kitchen devices too ... so why not cook your breakfast by yourself? We can eat good and healthy food cooked by mom not by unknown stranger :-)))

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

Same markets are here in America, but sometimes it's nice to have others do the work. :)

[inescher.livejournal.com]

Thanks for your post. I'll try to find this restaurant in our area.
Just in case. :) I like to cook by myself for my family and friends.

American pancakes and Russian "pancakes" are different. Typical Russian "bliny" close to French crêpes not to pancakes. Also in Russia/Ukraine/Belorussia, and other countries people eat "oladushki" or "olad'i". That is kind of similar to American pancakes but not the same.

French toasts also have similar but not the same version. It called "grenki" and made from slice of bread dipped in egg (not just egg yolk) or mix egg and milk and then pan fried.
A lot of people eat "grenki" with meat or cheese, or even just as is but I've never seen somebody who ate them with powdered sugar. Usually this dish is not sweet at all.

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

Bob Evans is mostly on the East Coast. I checked the website and don't see any in Massachusetts. My aunt lives in California, and this is the first place she always wants to eat when she visits because they don't have them there. I've never seen this good "grenki," but I've eaten a lot of Russian bliny and crepes in Europe. :)

[sineglazzka2301.livejournal.com]

A good post to read at 23:20 by a person desperately fighting with late meals:)))) Now I'll have to grab all my will not to go hunting to the kitchen:)
What I can say for sure - Russians eat breakfast out much more seldom than Americans. Even on week-ends. Most Russians have breakfast at home. The menu differs a lot, depending on age, sex, working style, day of the week and who knows what else. Still, very popular are: various sandwiches (to be precise, typical Russian version of a sandwich is one-sided: bread and anything on it), omelette, fried eggs, sausages, corn flakes or muesli with milk, pancakes (on week-ends mostly), cottage cheese, or just tea or coffee with some pastry. French toasts do all right, though we don'call them so. Typical Russian breakfast dish is "kasha" (I'm not sure if porridge is the right translation), it's especially popular for children. It can be cooked of any cereal (oats, rice, wheat and some others I bet you never dreamt were edible:))
My favorite breakfast food is syrniki (small pankakes made of cottage cheese) with sour cream and black currant jam (homemade, btw). My Mom is an expert in cooking this, so we all look forward to Sundays when we have breakfast at my parents'). When we stay at home for the weekend, my husband usually cooks his authentic omelette (with cheese and ham, mmm:)), which is served with buttered toasts. And coffee afterwards, of course.
As for having meals out, it depends hugely on the size of the city. In Moscow it's quite common, while in some small towns can be almost unheard of. You know, in soviet times going to a cafe was a real GOING OUT. In big and middle-sized cities it's now very common to have lunch in a cafe (business-lunch we call it, the price is 6-10 USD for a meal of 2-3 dishes, and it's served only till 15 or 16.00)

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

We eat in kasha in the U.S. also. :) And we love omelettes! My dad makes the best ones, light and fluffy. You can also order omelettes at any American restaurant, all different styles with some odd ingredients. We like Mexican/Southwestern food here, so there are some omelettes with salsa, chicken, onions, jalepenos, covered with a lot of cheese and sour cream. Veggie omelettes are also very popular. The carnivores like to cover the dish with steak and other meats. Look at this monster, from another popular American restaurant. :))

[pin-gwin.livejournal.com]

American pan-cakes are not BLINY. They should be translated as Olad'yi( Оладьи). Блины are normally thin, but that is just related, but different meal. Some consider Оладьи to be less sophisticated to cook. That is why they are so industrialized in US

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

Hmm, I don't know this Russian dish "Оладьи," but it looks similar to our pancakes. I've eaten something like this in Russia, but it was made with sweet cheese. Delicious!

[notabler.livejournal.com]

We never have a breakfast in a restaurant. You definitely know about big English breakfast. I treat my husband sometimes with fried bacon, egg, slice of fried bread and mushrooms. It's the closest he can get to Big English. But mostly he has just a banana. My son eats only 2 frankfurters every morning. I started to follow Dr.Mercola advice and skip my breakfast, but at 11-12 we always have our lunch - the main meal in our house. I usually cook only 1 main course and totally abandoned Russian way to have a lunch or dinner - when soup is compulsory. Your meals looks very appealing to me, but it seems to have too many calories all of them :)

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

I usually don't eat breakfast during the week, only on weekends. My main meal is at dinner time, after a long work day. Yes, our meals are very tasty and a lot of calories! However, there are always healthy options for the people disciplined enough to order them. Most weekends, I eat whatever I want. These are my diet cheat days. :)

[demonfrost.livejournal.com]

Russians eat at home because home-made food is more tasty than at average Russian cafe' with affordable prices, and really good restaurants are too expensive (and even in that case their food is not always good).

I like to mix Russian+Mediterranean food for breakfasts, for example, black (rye) Russian bread covered with tomatoes, cheese, red onion and Mediterranean herbs (basil, thyme, oregano) plus a little of mayonnaise :)

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

This is my favorite bread - Russian rye! I've been eating it all week with my dinners. I wasn't impressed with the meals in most Russian restaurants, or the service, but I was eating at normal, roadside cafes not fancy places. It's not my style to spend $50 or more on a meal. :)

[skvorets1989.livejournal.com]

It looks like you have the same prices as we do. Probably even lower. I will never believe that our restraurants pay to their workers same salaries as American restaraunts do to theirs. So what is the reason? Rhetoric question.

We don't eat outside often. For most of us it must be some occasion. Most of the time most of us cook for themselves. My usual meals are shamefully simple and do not vary much. I put something into the boiling water or in the microwave oven and then when it is ready I put on it a lot of ketchup or mayo or ketchup and mayo and eat it with a cup of some cheap wine.

But of course if my girlfriend comes and I need to feed her I google something like "quick and easy meals for dummies" :)

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

You eat bachelor style! :) I also eat boring meals during the week because I live alone and it's difficult to make tasty dishes for only one person. So, I almost always make a turkey sandwich and eat canned soup. However, I really like to cook. You can become a good chef, it just takes practice. In America, waiters and waitresses mostly earn money from tips. It is is customary for Americans to tip 15 - 20% of the total bill. I know, I used to be a waitress at an Italian restaurant during university. :) I never understood tipping protocol in Russia. Is it common, how much tip do you usually leave for a waitress?

[takoynickzanyat.livejournal.com]

RazorviSraku meal

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

? я не понимаю. :(

[real-marsel.livejournal.com]

What means " I'm very anal about my scrambled eggs"? (anal)

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

It has nothing to do with sex! :)) In English, we have a phrase "anal retentive." It means you are very particular or fussy about something. In other words, you want it done a certain way or are overly obsessive about it. We use "anal" as a shortened form of this phrase. Does it make sense? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anal_retentiveness

[real-marsel.livejournal.com]

I cook French toasts cinnamon the same.

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

You are a good cook? This is a good trait for a bachelor. :)

[real-marsel.livejournal.com]

I can say really: there is no kids menus in any Russian restaurants.

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

It seems crazy for a young child to pay the same price or eat the same portion as an adult meal.

[real-marsel.livejournal.com]

Thank you for interesting article.

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

My pleasure! Good to learn new English words and phrases. :)

[onkel-hans.livejournal.com]

Pretty good pancakes I usually get at IKEA.

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

I only eat Swedish meatballs there. :) Which American restaurant chains do you like? Chilis, Olive Garden T.G.I.F., Outback, I.H.O.P...or you rarely eat out?

[rider3099.livejournal.com]

I have to look for this restaurant! I like American food very much :)

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

I don't think they have them in California, at least not in my aunt's area of Orange County. But maybe you'll find one of them during your road journeys. :) Let me know if you try it and like it!

[yarowind.livejournal.com]

>>My favorite thing is pancakes!

Mine too!:)

>>You can see based on this photo that the American version is much thicker than typical Russian pancakes.

Simalar thick pancakes named olad'y (оладьи), not blyny (блины):)

>>My dad gets the same meal, but with French toast instead of pancakes. Do you eat this in Russia?

Sure!

>>My sister ordered the smokehouse chicken, with baked potato

This breakfast is too heavy for me.

>> Almost all restaurants have separate kids menus, with a lot of options. Usually the menus are interactive, with games, puzzles and pictures for coloring. I didn't notice kids menus in any Russian restaurants, but I wasn't really looking for them

We have the same. You come in Russian cafe without a child, and for you did not offer such a menu:)

>>Here's the bill for breakfast. Total cost for four adults and one child - $49.41

For many in Russia it is very expensive.

>>Maybe some of you have already eaten here?

Yes!:)

>>It seems to me that Americans eat at restaurants more often than most Russians

Yes. I don't like have breakfast in the restaurant. In home it's tastier, cheaper and do not need to go anywhere (I'm too lazy in the morning) :)))

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

Good morning! :) What do you usually eat for breakfast? It's cool that you visited Bob Evans!! :) Did you like it?

[general-denikin.livejournal.com]

I've never seen restaurant like this in NYC. Actually any way I won't go there. I eat only home cooked food.

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

NYC is not the typical American town. :) There are a lot of chain restaurants which aren't located there. You never eat out? Everyone prefers home cooked meals, but sometimes there are time constrictions and dining out is a nice option.

[mista-vint.livejournal.com]

I guess that will be a dispute on pancakes classification and here is it :)
In a matter of fact, the crepes came to US from French culture and thus named so. And there's a difference, because 'crepe' translated 'pancake' from French.

But I don't care about naming of the dishes. I love both Russian and US version of pancakes.

Talking about breakfast - I ever get a "hashbrown-bacon-eggs-pancakes" combo when I'm in US. Denny's and IHOP are my favorite spots to have it. As I remember, the IHOP have a breakfast combo option with steak. The nice t-bone steak. For breakfast. Crazy shit :)

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

Oh, IHOP is an American classic!! :)) I also love eating there, and they have a lot of breakfast options with steak as a side. It's always so crowded on weekends, and usually there's a long wait. They also have pretty good dinner and lunch options. But, of course, they are mostly known for pancakes. I used to go to Denny's in my hometown during university. It's open 24 hrs., and we would go there and drink coffee and study late at night. I also stumbled into Denny's many times in the middle of the night after a drunken evening to eat a big, greasy meal. :)

Жрать от пуза

[andrey-kaminsky.livejournal.com]

Progress of restaurant business in Russia is huge. The abundance of food semifinished products already caused many russian men feel the shaking of their breasts while walking. Undoubtedly, when a heterosexual man feels the need for a bra it could force him to reconsider his views on gays. Abundant food promotes tolerance;)

Re: Жрать от пуза

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

In larger towns there are a lot of options, but not in remote areas. I remember driving long stretches from Moscow to St. Petersburg and not seeing a roadside cafe for a few hours. Progress is good, especially if it is so rapid that it results in gender transformation. :))) How about you? You're a healthy eater or guilty of gluttony on a consistent basis?

[sau-rina.livejournal.com]

I eat porridge with raisins every day, but when I am bored of porridge then I eat 2 eggs or bread and butter and cheese all together with tea (I don't drink coffee). I cook pancakes as well but not for breakfast, but for afternoon tea. Small pancakes we usually call oladushki. I prefer homemade thin pancakes with jam or honey ))

Tried to attached a picture of pancakes but could not, so I will just post a link
http://onlinedating.russianlovematch.com/image.axd?picture=2010%2F2%2F169_400x300.jpg o

It is very easy to cook them) I can give you a recipe if you are interested =)

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

I do not like porridge, but it's a healthy breakfast option. Yes, please send me the recipe for oladushki. I will try to make them, and maybe write a post about it. :) They look tasty.

[qi-tronic.livejournal.com]

Noooo ... this all looks so heavy.
I'd be down for the rest of the day if I eat something like this.

For me it was hard to find decent food in American restaurants.
It was either too rough and fatty or otherwise too expensive.
Or some "healthy" options but I'm not a grass eater either.

What I like for dinner would be something grilled or fried on a pan in the most simple way (NOT deep fried).
And it should be served with a baked potato (NOT French fries) or some pasta or rice.

I hate when everything is heavily oiled, covered with cheese or sauce.
I just feel that I'm dying until I digest such things. Not a pleasant feeling.
And after such food I start to drink like a moose until I flush it down the stream.

So, based on that, my natural choice are quality steak houses, Chinese restaurants and some Mexican food.
And, of course, standard Soviet food as codified by Stalin-time books but it is rare in the US :)

For breakfast I usually eat a piece of quark cheese (tvorog) with a piece of bread.
Healthy and does not need any cooking.

Quark cheese is mistakenly named cottage-cheese by many but it is not the same because quark cheese is not aged and has no salt at all.

This product is one of the most basic things in Russia (and other Slavic countries and Germanic countries) but is almost not present in the US.

"Syrniki" are made from it.

More on this here:

en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Quark_%28dairy_product%29

So, for Russian guys, I'd recommend to live in the US only with your very own Russian wife so you can build your own ecosystem independent from what is around :))
I did not have one 10 years ago ...

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

You're a light eater! For me, it's the opposite. I found most meats in Russia to be very, very fatty. I will only eat lean meats. It's easy now to get healthy options in American restaurants - grilled chicken or fish, vegetables, etc. However, on weekends, I don't really watch what I eat. It's time for some indulgence after trying to be a good girl during the week. At Bob Evan's you can also get a breakfast of yogurt and granola w/bran muffin. But who wants that, when you can eat these delicious pancakes? :)) I've never heard of quark cheese!

[fesma94.livejournal.com]

What's your favorite breakfast food?
Kasha :-)
For those of you who have visited America, which restaurant did you enjoy most or least?

PO' Melvin's , 4070 N Belt Line Rd Irving, TX 75038

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

PO' Melvin's - this is a local restaurant. I looked it up online. Looks like a fun place. :)) Typical American diner.

[Алексей Петренко (from livejournal.com)]

My short experience with weekend breakfasts here in the States shows that network restaurants like IHOP are really crowded during the weekend morning. Probably because it's obvious place to go.
And looks like the right strategy here is to search for small local places. They can be better or not worse and less obvious for everyone.

So when we're lazy enough we're going to IHOP if it's weekday and to couple of small local places if it's weekend :)

BTW, everyone in SF Bay Area I'd recommend Sky Kitchen in San Carlos airport. Really great place right on the airfield.
http://www.yelp.com/biz/sky-kitchen-san-carlos

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

I love the solo owned restaurants and diners! I always search them out in every town. Great place to meet and chat with locals. Thanks for the Bay Area recommendations. I haven't been there in a few years, but this area is one of my favorites in the States.

[Алексей Петренко (from livejournal.com)]

BTW, speaking of why Russians go to the restaurants much less often then Americans I think the part of the answer is number of the restaurants.
Once I was in the States on business trip and bought fresh iPhone with newly introduced Siri. And I decided to test Siri by asking her "where to get breakfast?". It shown me more then 20 restaurants within 1 mile from me and open at 7am. The number is completely unbelievable in Russia.
Please note that is was small city between San Francisco and San Jose.

And, yes, obviously there are egg-chicken problem here.

From the other hand I never saw a line in front of restaurant in Russia waiting to get in. Ok, not speaking about first McDonalds in Moscow :)
And I regularly wait in the line in the States.

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

In Moscow and larger cities there are a lot of options, but forget about it outside main cities! I found the random, roadside cafes in provincial areas to be either good or horrible, nothing in between. :) I think most Americans eat out several times a week. It's convenient, and you can still eat healthy at most places if you're disciplined. I always have to wait at my local Outback Steakhouse. Have you tried this chain yet? Delicious. :))

[zavkafedroi.livejournal.com]

Looks delicious, however no sweets this month, huh? :)

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

After one day, already torture! No sweets for one month probably violates the U.S. Constitution, which prohibits cruel and unusual punishment. :)