Restaurant portions

Brian K wrote:

Is that just the American understanding of French Gourmet food,
or do they charge you a lot for hardly nothing in France as well?

A lot of "French" restaurants in the US are often
the chef's interpretation from the basics they had
learned. For 30 Euros, you get decent but not huge
portions of an appetizer/salad, main course, dessert.
Some have four courses with appetizer AND salad.

Once in a while, a beverage (could be wine or beer)
and coffee are included. The "formules" can vary.

gld

On Tue, 31 May 2005 06:22:34 GMT, Brian K
wrote:

Now, I've got nothing against small portions but if I'm
going to be paying $35.00 at least put something on my plate. After
dinner, I went next door to a Pizza Parlor and had 3 slices for a
fraction of the cost of my dinner at the Grenville.

This seems to be an appropriate spot to promote a couple of
other ngs I post in. Those interested may wish to note the
ng addresses:

alt.support.diabetes
misc.health.diabetes

Subject to genes, I noted a few people who may find that
info useful in future years.


Cheers, Alan, Australia

I find that "better" restaurants serve more manageable portions.
Cheaper restaurants, larger portions. That aside, I eat out often and
sometimes order only an appetizer or salad or what ever rather than the
entree. I eat what I want and no more. Just because something is in
front of you does not mean it is necessary to stuff yourself and eat it
all.

Gary L. Dare wrote:

Donna Evleth wrote:

We live in Europe. We just got back from a week in Florida.
Donna Evleth from Paris, France


Hi, Donna. Whenever I'm in France, I'm amazed
how smaller portions of wonderful food can keep
me quite satisfied.

As some people have suggested, order off of the
appetizers menu. In many great city restaurants
like in Chicago, 2-3 appetizers shared by two
people followed by dessert and coffee is the
way to go. Otherwise, order only a main course.

gld


I wonder if the folks complaining about US portions have ever tried to
eat a meal in Italy. The individual courses are minimally smaller than
in the US but the number of courses!

Does anyone here have any other suggestions for dealing with this
problem?

Early bird specials are usually smaller portions directed toward
seniors. My wife and I sometimes order 3 apetizers
as a main course and share 1.

It is worse in Germany. There, after a couple of days getting bloated,
we order the kinder teller {child's plate). Usually then
Herr Ober will ask "Sind Sie Krank?" (Are you sick?)

Try the Buffet restaurants.
Chinese Buffets
Old Town Buffets
Country Buffets
Golden Corral's
etc.


They're inexpensive. Take what, and as much as you
want.

Many restaurants now have salad bar only options including hot soup,
bread, pasta salad etc.

It's a problem for Americans, too.

Some of the suggestions that folks have discussed, ordering an appetiser,
splitting a portion with another, etc., is good. I just leave what I don't
want. It feels wierd, but I feel my health is worth maintaining.

Julie


Donna Evleth wrote:
We live in Europe. We just got back from a week in Florida. The trip was
wonderful, the food was, too, but there was just too much of it. After a
week of eating my way through those gigantic portions, I got sick. Colitis.
It always happens when I eat too much.

I have never figured out what to do about this problem. I know there are
Senior Menus for old folks like me, but they are so boring. I just never
want to see another chicken breast. I disliked white meat fowl even when I
was a child. The Senior Menu reminds me of the child's plate I disdained
then, because it didn't offer enough choice. Nor is the doggy bag a
solution for us. When you're in a motel, and are going to move on the next
day, how do you keep the food refrigerated? Or reheat it?

What I would like to suggest is "travelers' portions". Half the size, so
you can eat it all at once, and not overeat or feel guilty about having to
leave the food.

Does anyone here have any other suggestions for dealing with this problem?

Donna Evleth from Paris, France


--
Julie
**********
Check out the blog of my 9 week Germany adventure at www.blurty.com/users/jholm
Check out my Travel Pages (non-commercial) at
http://www.dragonsholm.org/travel.htm

We Americans take the leftover portion home, put it in the
fridge, and have it for lunch the next day. If you hae access to
a fridge at your hotel you can do likewise. Just ask the
waitperson for a "doggy bag".

Europeans seem to not have caught on to taking the leftovers home
and apparently consider it a bit gauche.

Not so much that we think its gauche as that the idea of using up leftovers
like this isnt very attractive. OK, SOME things are OK heated up or eaten
cold but I wouldnt want to choose my meal on that basis. And having had it
all squashed up in a bag and carried around with you for a while - I dont
think I'd fancy it at all the next day! Apart from pizza, and possibly roast
meat, what else works like this? how do you manage with vegetables? anything
with a sauce?

--
Rita Daggett

Rita Daggett wrote:
Not so much that we think its gauche as that the idea of using up leftovers
like this isnt very attractive. OK, SOME things are OK heated up or eaten
cold but I wouldnt want to choose my meal on that basis. And having had it
all squashed up in a bag and carried around with you for a while - I dont
think I'd fancy it at all the next day! Apart from pizza, and possibly roast
meat, what else works like this? how do you manage with vegetables? anything
with a sauce?

I love indian food; it works very well this way. So do many oriental cuisines,
German food, anything stewey. Leftover Burrito (one place I go makes huge
Burritos; I can reheat the leftover. Pasta, too.

However, if I won't reuse it I just don't eat it.

Julie



--
Julie
**********
Check out the blog of my 9 week Germany adventure at www.blurty.com/users/jholm
Check out my Travel Pages (non-commercial) at
http://www.dragonsholm.org/travel.htm

On Tue, 31 May 2005 16:19:37 +0100, "Rita Daggett"
wrote:


We Americans take the leftover portion home, put it in the
fridge, and have it for lunch the next day. If you hae access to
a fridge at your hotel you can do likewise. Just ask the
waitperson for a "doggy bag".

Europeans seem to not have caught on to taking the leftovers home
and apparently consider it a bit gauche.

Not so much that we think its gauche as that the idea of using up leftovers
like this isnt very attractive. OK, SOME things are OK heated up or eaten
cold but I wouldnt want to choose my meal on that basis.

Well, shucks. One is not obligated to take *everything* left
over.

And having had it
all squashed up in a bag and carried around with you for a while - I dont
think I'd fancy it at all the next day!

These days most restaurants give you clamshell boxes, not bags.

Apart from pizza, and possibly roast
meat, what else works like this? how do you manage with vegetables? anything
with a sauce?

I take Mexican, Chinese and Thai food home all the time. In the
clamshell boxes, not bags.

************* DAVE HATUNEN ) *************
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