PORTIONS In Usa verses Portions in Spain

[Harters (John Hartley - a culinary patriot, cooking and eating in northwest England)]

I wanted to vailidate the comments I’d made earlier about the similarities in presentation of restaurant meals between America and the two European countries I know best (UK and Spain). So, I’ve had a read of recentish meals I’ve eaten in the three countries and I link to the HO reviews I wrote below. These three places are all mid-range neighbourhood bistro type restaurants. And, yes, I’ve validated my comments - these meals are presented in very similar ways, IMO. There’s lightish starters, followed by a main course plate generally involving protein, carb and veg and a dessert (something we often don’t order). No cultural difference of significance - probably just as you’d expect.

[West Didsbury, Manchester] Lime Tree

The Lime Tree has always been a particularly hospitable restaurant and we were a bit concerned some of that might have been lost with the post-lockdown restrictions. We needn’t have worried. Essentially, things were no different. Yes, there were changes. A couple fewer tables to allow for social distancing. Staff wearing masks or visors – they seemed to have this right with the two staff who had most engagement with customers wearing the more “people friendly” visors. Menus now in a plastic hold…

[Playa de las Americas, Tenerife, Spain] Las Lanzas

Until the last couple of years, it was a bit of a rarity if you heard a voice that wasn’t Spanish in Las Lanzas. It was very much a local place for local people but, increasingly, other tourists have discovered it. The shortish menu remains unchanged – basically fish and steak fried in various ways without too much cheffing about with the food. They serve some of the best croquettes we know in Spain. A thickish béchamel sauce binding ham or, in this case, prawns before forming it into balls, br…

[Portsmouth, NH] Black Trumpet

Back in the 1980s, when we first started to visit America, finding good food was difficult. You’d have checked in to your hotel and only knew of the restaurants you could see or had driven past. You never got to know of the great little places, just round the corner, that the locals raved about. The internet now means there’s no excuse if you have a poor dinner. Whilst the likes of Tripadvisor can be helpful, I still turn to foody discussion forums to find the real gems. Which is how we came to …