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

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

You're a serious beer connoisseur! I like watered down, light, and girly beers. :) Not dark, heavy ones.

[onkel-hans.livejournal.com]

I grew up on milk and beer!
And you like the canoeing, too? ;)

I dare think this American attitude to beers is because of the years of the Prohibition. On the other hand, the same is right about coffee. I only drink the espresso. My old chairman, of the German origin, spitefully called the coffee made by the secretaries, the brew.
I've just recalled a story from the radio, as an American diplomat returned home after many years of service in Japan. He went to a coffee shop and ordered coffee. The girl asked him: What flavor, Sir? Hazelnut, vanilla, ...
The diplomat, in his surprise, responded: What flavor? The coffee flavor!
Another story, a writer Connie Willis wrote a wonderful book about fads, "Bellwether". She also mentions strange habits in serving coffee. Do you know this book? It's so insightful and funny!

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

"The coffee flavor." :)) I used to drink all those sugary, flavored drinks at Starbucks but stopped a few years ago. Now I brew my own coffee every morning and drink it on the way to work, but of course it's not as strong as espresso. I've never heard of this book "Bellwether." I don't know how you have time for anything else, with all the book recommendations you give me! Seems like you must spend every waking hour with a book in hand. :)

[onkel-hans.livejournal.com]

Mornings, I do not have energy to brew coffee. I take a cup with two spoons of instant Nescafe. Never sugar nor milk. Then a grilled chicken breast size AA with instant Trader Joe rice. Occasionally mixed with the black beans.

The other day I heard on the NPR a discussion regarding commercial meals, how badly they are formulated: too much sugar and too much fat - these ingredients make food feel (what else do we need when eating?) more pleasant. This is why I prefer steaks for dinner. 20 minutes with a Hungarian spice rub, two minutes on a strong fire one side, flip, two more minutes, then low fire and turn over for 4 minutes, 3 minutes to mature - and enjoy.

You surely know that this expression "enjoy" is not English?
I have another wonderful book "The Joy of Yinglish". Muah! It is full of Jewish jokes showing the penetration of Yiddish in the regular New-Yorkese.

Books, yes, I love to read them.