A Fukuokan's Notes from Sapporo

So Generous!

I have finally backed from the United States of America.

Although on travel, I didn’t to do anything special to talk about. I just do what I do home: shopping for food, and walking around with my pedometer. So what I can talk about the USA is all about supermarket food and local walking routes.

One thing I always impressed by in the country is the American’s generosity. They seemed to think that coffee and potatoes should be served free (similar to our cabbage that comes with Tonkatsu?). At all hotels or motels I stayed, there were (though usually lukewarm) coffee pots in the lobby, and most of big dish called entrées come with mountains of mushed potato or chips. 

Here are some examples of their generosity.

USD 7.95 plus USD 1.99 for endlessly refilled coffee (excluding tax and tip)

Huge (probably around 20 centimetre-diameter) breakfast pancakes with potatoes (they called it American fries. I don’t know what point is the American), two eggs, and crispy bacons—exactly what I expected American breakfast to be! Needless to say, the waiting person in charge of our table kept coming to refill out coffee cups.

Cheese-ridden hamburgers with again liberal amount of French fries.

USD 9.99 at a supermarket delicatessen

USD 3.99 at McDonald’s

Can’t recall how much it was…probably USD 15 or so? at a hotel bar.

They call this “half and half”…I would rather rename as “mega and mega”…possibly USD 14 at the same hotel bar. (all prices exclude tax and tip)

Among those generously serving (American regular portion is our party size) restaurants, my husband’s favourite is The Cheesecake Factory, which we must go at least once while in the USA.

Every dish is of course massive. If we had a lunch here, we can stay full until lunch next day.

Pizza: USD 12.95

Salad: USD 9.95

Cake: USD 6.95 (I'm not 100% sure...)

Apart from the great portion size, their quick and seamless service operation and professional waiting staff (no “huh”, and no “one moment please. I will ask the manager”) are I think one of attractions in the USA. The only drawback of this charismatic (by mu standard) restaurant is that two of us can’t order more than two dishes (that will result in less tip than they expect), which makes us feeling very bad.

As the result of the calorically lavish meals, I am 3kg heavier and 5% fatter now.