Et Voila! The reason why we have smaller helpings is because it's quite a bit more expensive to eat out over here. I think you guys probably eat out far more often than we. It would break us if we did!

And the size of steaks over there (that's what gets me drooling) compared to here. I swear I once had one where I could saa both where the horn and the tail had been attached! :-)

>We go to an Asian buffet probably once every couple weeks. The ones we go to are about $10/person and sound very similar. But there are bad ones, that we learn to avoid too. Also have a couple Indian buffets that I like. Some will debate this, but the Golden Corral buffet is now very, very good. It's mostly a Southern restaurant, but the food is very good. It didn't used to be, but they totally overhauled it. Good steaks, ribs, potatoes, salads, desserts, Mexican, Italian, Asian, etc. I love to go to good restaurants, but I also like to stay within some sort of budget, so the buffets work pretty well as a default. Oh, and very good Southern food too...
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>>CL
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>>Not really being defensive, or attacking the US for that matter (I certainly, like I said, look forward to filling my boots when I visit the continent), it's just that it's not we with the mingy portions, but you with the BIG HELPINGS. Though I can't understand why a perported English establishment in the US would still stint on size - like committing corporate suicide, I'd say.
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>>BTW. Take an all-you-can-eat Chinese buffet rest. over there - how much would you expect to pay? There's one near me that's £11-odd for adults and £7-odd for kids. THAT is food to die for - all your faves, and as much crispy aromatic duck, plum sauce and pancakes as you can shake a shooting stick at, king prawns grilled "au mongolian" while you wait.
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>>As for your capote - I suppose there is Branston pickle, picklelilly and chutneys that would fit that bill. The chutneys mainly stem from India and go with Indian scran. You should try lime pickle, so tangy it'll make your ears spin
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>>>Ah, Terry, you're getting all defensive, I think. It's just my limited experience with the restaurants here and some in urban areas up north. The capote may have been somewhat incorrect. More like pieces of fruit and jam put with the meat. Like I said, maybe it's not authentic. The blandness has more to do with a lack of spice, not the culture origins of the dish. The US can't help that we come from a multitude of cultures, that is what we are. The food reflects that also. We probably have as diverse a menu here in the States than the countries Europe. You can go 500 miles in any direction and find entirely different regional tastes. I don't disagree about the portions, but I was just commenting on that because of what my friend had said. For good or bad, he was impressed.
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>>The point I was making on US cuisine was thatr there appears to be very little home-spun - all being from other countries. Take you jambolay, cod-fish pie and philly gumbo. Aren't these all creole in origin and quite localised. Then there's your blackened Cajun food - French-Canadian.
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>>Mind you, Boston clam chowder - now THERE's something to crow about! :-)
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>>Last time in Toronto I went twice to an all-you-can-eat breakfast rest. Every kind of brekky you coulfd think of, and waht does this canuck idiot do? - heaps his plate up with home fries and bacon. Unless he'd the appetite of a post-hibernation bear I doubt he got his money's worth :-)
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