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Chicken Wings
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Chicken wings – barbecue marinade, spicy chilli marinade and even southern fried coating are predominant in American restaurants. Small wings and even tiny drumsticks are served, skin on with a delicate marinade and a selection of dips, such as barbecue, chilli, blue cheese and lime and pepper. Sometimes chargrilled and other times cooked in the oven and oozing in sauce. Starter portions are usually quite large!
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American
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Meat Loaf
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A staple dish in the USA, meatloaf is usually cooked in the oven and consists of a combination of meats such as minced beef, pork or chicken, laden with onions, herbs and spices and usually served with a gravy or spicy tomato sauce. Sometimes served with fries and salad or even coleslaw or roasted vegetables and even mashed potato, a classic meal eaten in households all over the US.
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American
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Burgers
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What is an American restaurant without burgers? Every US café and restaurant in Australia will serve burgers and plenty of different varieties and toppings. Usually come with bacon, cheese, barbeque sauce, jalapenos, lettuce and tomatoes inside a seeded bun. Other varieties include chilli burgers (served with minced beef) ranch burgers served with blue cheese and Italian burgers served with crisped up pancetta and mozzarella. Side dishes are usually fries and salads.
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American
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Caesar Salad
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Originating in New York, way back in the early 1900’s this salad is served in every restaurant in the US. Crisp Romaine lettuce is served with a parmesan and garlic mayonnaise, anchovies and croutons, with more grated fresh parmesan on the top. Some restaurants also serve this dish with a boiled egg, or serve as a Chicken Caesar Salad.
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American
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Fries or Chips
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Still predominant on menus, chips or fries are served in so many different ways now. Fat chips or skinny fries, curly fries, straight cut or skin-on wedges are all served with various meals or on their own. Some of the fries are served just salted, but others are seasoned with spices such as Cajun, to make them that little bit hotter. Usually served with dips or sauces such as barbecue sauce, ranch dressing or just plain tomato sauce.
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American
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Grilled Vegetables with Dips
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A very easy but delicious dish of grilled or chargilled vegetables, cooked with herbs, spices and garlic are served with a selection of dips on a large platter, put in the centre of the table for everyone to enjoy. A selection of eggplant, zucchini, red onions and round squash and turnips would be a usual combination, but also grilled baby corn and capsicum. Plenty of different dips are included as well as yoghurt and sauces.
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Vegetarian
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Lasagne Primavera
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A delicious vegetarian lasagne usually made with spinach pasta and a selected of sliced vegetables such as eggplant, courgette, tomatoes, mushrooms and onions and covered in a béchamel sauce. Served with garlic bread and salad, this is a lovely dish for non-meat eaters.
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Vegetarian
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Noodles with Coconut Vegetable Curry
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A lovely dish even for meat eaters! Delicate soft cooked noodles are served with a mixture of vegetables steeped in a coconut curry sauce full of herbs and spices. A good selection of vegetables such as potatoes, squash, onions, carrots, peas and green beans all cooked to perfection. Served with flatbreads or chapattis and usually a side tray of dips and yoghurt with cucumber. Tofu can be added if required.
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Vegetarian
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Pancakes
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Served as part of a breakfast or as a dessert, you cannot escape pancakes in all forms and fashions in an American restaurant. For breakfast, which tends to be all day in American restaurants in Sydney, they are served with thin and crispy rashers of bacon and maple syrup. For dessert, they can be served with fruit and syrup, ice cream and even extra cream. Banana pancakes are one of the most popular served.
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American
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Mushroom Burger
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No bread involved in this burger – the filling is full of vegetables and herbs, and the ‘bun’ is comprised of two large grilled Portobello mushrooms. Quite a lot of garlic is usually included in this dish to give it oodles of flavour. Can be served with chips or salad as an accompaniment, and a selection of dips and sauces.
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Vegetarian
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Pumpkin and Feta Ravioli
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A very popular pasta dish in vegetarian restaurants with delicate but lightly spiced pumpkin and rich feta cheese. The pasta is normally served with either a burnt butter sauce, including garlic, or with a spinach and finely chopped tomato sauce with herbs. A sprinkling of pine nuts usually completes the dish.
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Vegetarian
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Tomato Risotto
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A simple but effective dish of Arborio rice and tomatoes, garlic and basil as the accompanying herb. The rice is cooked in a pan with white wine, seasoning and garlic with the finely chopped tomatoes being added towards the end. A touch of cream and a scattering of basil completes the dish with some parmesan cheese also added towards the end. Plenty of French or Italian bread to wipe your bowl with is a good idea!
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Vegetarian
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American Beers
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Some of the larger American restaurants serve all types of beer including stouts, ales, lagers, wheat beers and special brews, sometimes up to 40 different types. The bigger restaurants will also tend to have custom brews, which are usually smooth and wheaty. Cider has also become popular, even though in the US it is not so prevalent. Bottled beers are also readily available and will almost always be American.
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American
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Manhattan
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One of the most famous American cocktails, this is normally promoted in most American-style restaurants. Cocktail list is usually pretty comprehensive, but the Manhattan is probably the most asked for. A mixture of whisky (usually rye whisky), sweet vermouth and bitters, it is stirred or shaken with great gusto and then strained into a cocktail glass. Sometimes it is served as a longer drink over ice in a highball glass. Decorated with a cherry or a slice of lemon, most restaurants will serve variations of this cocktail with other elements.
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American
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Juices
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A large selection of fresh juices are normally available, being made at the counter. Varieties of vegetable and fruit, some with the addition of spices. A spicy carrot and tomato juice is fantastic as it will contain ginger and cumin but classics such as fresh berry juice with strawberries, blackberries and blueberries are also very popular
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Vegetarian
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