M - Today we're going to talk about RESTAURANTS ! M - Cindy, let’s give our listeners a general overview of what a restaurant experience could be like for them in America. C - Good idea. Well, in your average American restaurant there is a hostess that will greet you at the entrance and ask the question: ‘’How many in your party?’’ M - ...what? C - meaning: how many people are in your group? Sometimes there will be a long wait for a table. Some restaurants will give you a small electronic device to hold until your table is ready. It will flash or vibrate when a space opens up. Or they may just suggest you relax in the bar with a drink until your name is called. M - And then the hostess will walk you to your table. Sometimes they will tell you the name of your SERVER tonight, and that he or she will be right with you. C - And generally the server will ask you immediately what you would like to drink. You can ask for a moment to think it over. The usual drinks are coffee, sodas (regular & diet) large or small, milk, tea, and water. In some restaurants you can have alcohol like beer, wine or a cocktail along with your meal. M - and I noticed you're always refilling your drinks! Like water, sodas, even coffee. My glass was never empty. C – I know, we give FREE REFILLS, it's a great country, isn't it? M - yeah! C - Actually it's not true for all restaurants, but the free refill does happen quite often. M - And in my experience, the drinks are always filled to the top with ice! That may seem strange to foreign travelers. C - You’re right. It’s common, but you can politely ask for little or no ice in your drink. M - And not long after the drink order is placed, a basket of bread with butter arrives at your table. C - Avoid eating the bread, if you’re on a diet! Your server may ask you something confusing like ‘’What can I start you off with tonight?’’ M - ….what...? C - This means ‘’what would you like for your APPETIZER ?’’ That’s the STARTER, or the first course. M - You may want to even skip the appetizer because in The States, the ENTREE or MAIN COURSE often comes with a salad and side items. Not to mention the portions can be huge. C - True. But don't worry because you can always take the LEFTOVERS home in a DOGGY BAG. M - oh, Cindy, you know what was confusing to me ? The DRESSING ! The waiter asking me “how do you want it dressed?” and I was like “what do you mean?” C - Dressings are oil and vinegar based sauces poured over a salad to make it more flavorful. Some common salad dressings are Blue Cheese, Italian, French, Thousand Island and Ranch. I always keep it simple and ask for just oil & vinegar. M - And I remember hearing about specials. Could you explain them? C - Sure. HOUSE SPECIALS are featured meals for that evening. They may be REGIONAL SPECIALTIES, or meals available at a good price, or dishes showcasing what's IN SEASON at the moment. M - and in case you have specific dietary needs, make sure you know how to communicate this to your server. C - right, for example you may be INTOLERANT to certain food products, the three most common food ALLERGIES are : milk, nuts and gluten. M - what if you don't eat meat? C - you're called a VEGETARIAN; there are different levels of vegetarianism. If you don't eat any animal products you're called a VEGAN. M - And what if there’s a problem with my food? For instance my steak is not cooked to my preference, the food is cold, or it’s too spicy? C - No problem, you can politely send it back to the kitchen. Most restaurants will try hard to keep the customer happy and bring you something you will enjoy. M - Okay, so now we’ve had our bread, starter/appetizer, a salad, a main course, drink and now it’s time for... C - Dessert! Desserts are rich and delicious in The States, and again portions may be big so you may want to share a plate between two people. M - would you like to share one with me? C - Sure! M - I remember during my trip to Las Vegas, I saw a lot of restaurants offering ‘’All You Can Eat’’ buffets. C - Buffets are very common in America. You are encouraged to eat what you like, but not to waste food. And upon each trip to the buffet, you need to take a new clean plate from the buffet and not reuse the old dirty one. M - Dining in the States is a much shorter, faster experience than in Europe. C - True. We tend to eat and run. Many servers will leave the bill for the meal on the table while you are still eating dessert! M - The BILL for meal can also be called a ‘’TAB’’ or a ‘’CHECK’’, right? C - Right. And if you would like to ask for the bill, you can say ‘’May I have the check please?’’ M - This is where ‘’TIPPING’’ comes into play. We have already talked about tipping in our episode #1 about shopping, but, just in case you have missed it, what is tipping? C - ‘’Tipping’’ is extra money. It’s not mandatory. It’s a polite and unspoken agreement that acknowledges good service. Servers are paid a reduced wage because they earn tips from customers. A tip is generally %15 percent of your total cost of the meal. A good rule to figure how much you should leave for a tip is to look at your bill, double the tax and leave a bit more or less depending on the quality of service. It’s different for larger parties though. In these cases, the charge will be added directly to your bill. M - Well Cindy, thank you very much, now I really feel I could handle any conversation in a restaurant. C - oh, you do, uh? M - yep. Bring it on! C - all right, girl. Your table is ready. M - good, 'cause I'm hungry! C - Hi welcome to Cindy Family's Restaurant. How many in your party? M - (….how many in your party...) oh, just two. C - ok, will that be FOR HERE OR TO GO? M - I'm sorry? Could you repeat that? C - for here or to go? Are you eating here or is this a take away? M - for here. C - ok, would you like to eat at the bar or have a table? M - we'd like a table. C - ok, then I'll get you seated. What would you like to drink? M – could I have a minute to decide? Thank you. C - sure, here are the menus to look over and I'll be right back. M - (ok, I got a minute to think, she speaks fast but I can handle it, I've studied, I listen to my American friend every week.... I can do it, I can do it...) C - So what have you decided? What can I start you off with tonight? M - I'm sorry, could you speak more slowly? C - I'm sorry, what would you like for an appetizer? M - we'll just have an entree this evening. We'd like a steak. C - great, how do you like that cooked ? M - oh, I'm afraid I don't understand. C - do you prefer your steak cooked RARE, that's red in the middle, or medium or well done? M - medium is good for both of us. Does it come with a salad? C - sure it does! There is a salad and your choice of side item, would you like baked potato, fries or steamed vegetables? M - - baked potato, please. C - What kind of dressing would you like on your salad? M - (...dressing, yeah, I know that!) Ranch, please. And we'll have just water to drink. With just a little ice. C - all right, I'll place your order and it will be out in just a few, enjoy your meals everyone! M - wow, it ain't easy at all ! C - this is real life, baby! M - yep! C - But, seriously, don't feel embarrassed to ask people to repeat themselves or speak more slowly. And your experience will vary from place to place. There are generally three levels of dining in America: 1 Fast Food restaurants, 2 Family Restaurants and lastly Fine Dining establishments. Personally, I do most of my dining at the first two! M - and you can find any kind of ethnic cuisine C - because we're a melting pot! The immigrants coming to the States brought their own customs with them, a lot of different flavors from all over the world. M - and that's what we are going to discuss with a special guest today! C- our other American friend! M & C- Hi Christine! M- Christine, thank you so much for joining us today. Christine - Thank you ladies for having me. M - Christine, could you please introduce yourself to our listeners? Christine - Sure my name is Christine, and I’m an American, I grew up on the East coast of the United States in Washington DC. C - And I know we have something in common in that each of us has one parent who was not born in the US. My father was born in Sicily and my mother is of Eastern European descent. How about you? Christine - My father was born in the Democratic Republic of Congo and came to the U.S. as a graduate student. This is when he met and married my mom who is Italian-American. C - We ate pasta 5 nights a week! What did you eat when you were growing up? Christine - Our family table had both influences from the Congolese and the Italian-American side. We ate pasta as well as a chicken made with peanut sauce from the Congo. C - Delicious! America is really a melting pot. People have settled here from the four corners of the globe. So if you think that we’re all sitting around eating hamburgers & fries- you’re wrong, because America’s cuisine today is much more complex than that. That said, there’s nothing bad about the occasional burger and fries! Christine - In fact, many immigrants brought RECIPES from home and had to adapt to what foods they could find in America. M - So what can our listeners find to eat when they visit America? C - Well in large cities, like Los Angeles and New York, anything. You can literally find any kind of ethnic cuisine you desire. Christine - Authentic Mexican food is found virtually all over the United States. And we also have sushi from Japan. You can easily find a sushi restaurant...or buy small takeaway trays of sushi in large supermarkets. C - Italy, mainly southern Italy has had a huge influence on the north east of America. We have many people of Sicilian or Neapolitan descent living there, and as a result you can find excellent pizza & pasta dishes. And if you happen to find an Italian delicatessen, stop in and buy a takeaway. You won’t be disappointed! Christine - The Germans have had a big influence too! They brought sausages, hot dogs, sauerkraut made of cabbage, potato salad and even pretzels! What would an American picnic be without hotdogs and potato salad? C - You’re right! Thank you Germany! Ok, what else? What about Caribbean food? There are lots of Puerto Ricans living in New York and Cubans in Miami. Marta, you had wonderful Cuban food in Miami last year, didn’t you? M - Yeah, for example I had fried yuca sticks and salads with tropical fruits and avocado. And also the Lechon Asado, that is roast pork marinated in tasty tropical spices. Christine - wow! there are so many delicious influences to talk about! We need to discuss the Native American influences as well. M - You’re right. Christine will you come back next time so we can discuss this topic a little more in depth? We’ve left out so much. And besides...our listeners may be hungry now? Christine - I’d love to. C - That’s settled then. Thank you so much for taking the time out of your busy schedule today. We’ll see you again soon? Christine - Ok, great. C - Bye Christine! Christine - Bye! M - that's all for now, now you're ready for a great dinner, so ENJOY YOUR MEAL ! C - Can I have SECONDS ? M - No, Cindy, it's over, I'm sorry. C - ok, but if you listeners would like to have seconds, you can find us on podomatic.com, on iTunes, on martainnocenti.com, and on our Facebook page, just do a web search for 'my American friend podcast', we're everywhere! M - bye bye! ************************************** SERVER : a waiter or a waitress. Person who serves food and drink. FREE REFILLS : Beverages that can be filled up again and again at no cost. Note: you will have to pay full price for the first glass, but each refilling after that is without cost for the duration of you meal. STARTER/APPETIZER : A small course of food served before the main meal. Usually salty, starchy or sweet in flavor and intended to entice your appetite. MAIN COURSE / ENTREE : Your main plate of the entire dinner, usually consisting of a protein (meat), a starch (potato or bread) and a vegetable. LEFTOVERS: Food you haven't finished DOGGY BAG :The bag or box used to bring leftover food home. DRESSING : The ''sauce'' poured over a salad to make it more appetizing. Usually oil & vinegar based with additional mustard, mayonnaise or spices added. HOUSE SPECIALS : Featured meals for the evening, sometimes at a discounted price. REGIONAL SPECIALTIES: Foods typical of a region, state or city. TO BE IN SEASON: Foods at their peak of perfection. For Example: Watermelon is in season during the summer months. TO BE INTOLERANT TO / TO BE ALLERGIC TO : Foods that are an irritant to your body in some way causing you to become ill. VEGETARIAN : A person that eats no meat, but maybe eggs, cheese or butter. VEGAN : A person who eats no animal derived products at all. BILL / TAB / CHECK : The total cost of your meal, written or printed on a piece of paper. TIPPING : Extra money given in appreciation of good service. Some restaurants will allow you to add the ''tip'' to your credit card. Most people leave it directly on the table in cash or coins at the end of the meal when they leave. A ''tip'' is usually 15% of the total bill. Less or more depending on the quality of service. FOR HERE OR TO GO : Meaning ''will you be eating your meal inside the restaurant? or taking it boxed up to go (a take away)? RARE / MEDIUM / WELL DONE STEAK : Duration of cooking applied to the steak. RARE: brown on the outside, but still bloody and red inside. MEDIUM: Brown on the outside, but still pink and juicy on the inside. WELL DONE: Steak lovers feel this is overcooked meat. The steak is brown throughout, has lost much of its moisture and can be quite tough. RECIPE : the instructions and ingredient list for preparing a specific dish.? ENJOY YOUR MEAL ! : Bon Appetit! (French) Buon Appetito! (Italian). Phrase said at the beginning of the meal wishing the diner a pleasant experience. ? TO HAVE SECONDS : To have a second serving of a specific food or dish. For Example: teenage boys eat a lot when they are growing up, and they will often have seconds.. or even third helpings of food!
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