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Spaghetti and Meatballs
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Traditional Italian dish, with meatballs made of minced pork and beef, herbs and minced onion and garlic, and served in a rich thick tomato based ragu sauce. Can be served sometimes with shredded fresh basil or oregano and shavings of parmesan. As with carbonara, it tends to be served with garlic bread and side salad.
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Italian
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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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Chilli con Carne
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The staple dish served in Mexican restaurants. They normally ask you how hot you want it! The usual minced beef with tomatoes, chillies and kidney beans and served with rice and a side salad. Plenty of bread is also served in a basket to mop up the final bits of sauce.
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Mexican
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Quesadillas
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These are similar to burritos but the filling is wrapped inside the tortilla, cheese is grated over (and sometimes a white sauce) and then baked in the oven.The fillings differ – minced chilli beef is the most popular but they can be filled with spinach, peppers and jalapenos, with grated cheese. Usually served in an oval dish, bubbling from the oven, with a side salad. Mexican version of garlic bread with jalapenos is a must if you like lots of spice!
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Mexican
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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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Lamb cutlets with garlic and rosemary
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Usually on every Italian menu, small trimmed lamb chops or cutlets are served steeped in fresh rosemary and garlic and pan fried or grilled. Served with sauté potatoes and vegetables, it is a hearty plate of food and delicious flavours. Tender pink lamb is enhanced by the earthy rosemary and garlic.
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Italian
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Minestrone Soup
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The classic and renowned Italian soup, comprising small pasta shapes, a rich chicken stock and finely diced vegetables such as celery, onions, tomatoes, carrots beans and herbs. Created in Ancient Roman times this soup is now served in many different ways, some finely and others much more chunky and hearty. A sprinkling of parmesan and a good basket of bread makes this really filling.
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Italian
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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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Napoletana pasta sauce
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An amazing vegetarian italian option. Crushed tomato, onion, garlic, basil and parmesan. Sounds simple but bursting with lots of flavour.
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Italian
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Osso Buco
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A dish invented in Ancient Roman Times and perfected over the years to a more sophisticated Italian meal, consisting of cross-cut veal shanks, braised in red wine, onions, celery and carrots and served with a gremolata on the top (optional).
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Italian
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Bruschetta
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Delicious slices of bread, rubbed with garlic and tomato and seasoned before grilling. Various toppings are served, the most popular being diced tomatoes and red onion with finely chopped garlic and basil. Can also be served with a pesto topping, and sometimes with roasted aubergine and mushrooms. Usually a starter, but can be purchased as a main course.
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Italian
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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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Taco
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There are food trucks doing great tacos around the country. The Fish tacos are delicious with lime sauce and pickles. Our recommendation is to seek out the food trucks, grab some tacos and chill out in the sunshine.
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Mexican
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Burritos
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Another version of chilli but wrapped in a soft tortilla roll and served with sour cream, more diced chillis and onions. The tortilla is normally soft grilled or steamed to make it softer so that you can wrap the filling inside and eat with your hands if you want! Salad on the side will certainly cool your mouth down!
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Mexican
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Nachos
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Everyone loves nacho chips, particularly when they are smothered in salsa, jalapenos and grated cheese and when the cheese melts under the grill – delicious! Can be served with a side order of guacamole and sour cream, its almost a meal in itself, but usually a sharing bowl on the table as a starter or with drinks.
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Mexican
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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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Mango Lassi
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Served in most Asian restaurants, it is probably a ‘signature smoothie’ type of drink. Fresh mangoes with yoghurt and light spices poured over ice – absolutely delicious and refreshing to the palate and takes away any heat from spicy food still burning your tongue!
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Asian
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Chianti
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In rustic Italian restaurants, you can still see empty bottles of Chianti grouped together and hanging around the bar or ceiling! Old Chianti bottles used to be covered in a basket weave, and often used to house a candle on your table, so that the wax dripped down the outside of the bottle! The wine itself is red and relatively light in comparison to heavier Italian wines such as Barolo. Chianti is produced primarily in the beautiful region of Tuscany, and is eminently drinkable!
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Italian
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Soave
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Another popular wine, this white wine is produced in the Veneto region of Italy, around the city of Verona, home to many Shakespeare plays! It is comparatively dry and was once the ‘in’ drink in the 1970’s but was overtaken by Pinot Grigiot towards the 1980’s
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Italian
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Peroni
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The most popular of beers served in Italian restaurants, it is not the cheapest one around but still sells more than any other. 5% alcohol, a slightly ‘hoppy’ taste but very refreshing when served in iced cold frosted glasses.
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Italian
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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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Beer
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There are some great ‘Mexican’ beers, which can also originate from Spain! Bottled beers are served such as Sol and Mexicana, usually served with a wedge of lime in the neck of the bottle.
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Mexican
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Tequila
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Tequila has become popular drunk as a shot, and followed down by an ice cold Mexican beer! Very strong spirit, served with wedges of lime and salt to eat off the back of your hand! Definitely a drink originating from Mexico and drunk in pubs and bars as well as restaurants. Can also be drank as a long drink such as a Tequila Slammer, which is made using a fizzy drink such as lemonade or ginger ale. Slammer Royale is a serious drink for the ‘professional’ – Tequila is mixed with champagne!
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Mexican
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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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