Something I always research before heading to another country is what will the food be like. It is amazing to find so many American restaurants in international cities. We have been to the Hard Rock café in Beijing, Hong Kong, London and Paris.

 

Susan, Julie and Sara, Sizzler, Beijing, China

Amazingly Sizzler, TGIF, KFC and Pizza Hut are also easy to find. Pizza Hut is different then what we are familiar with in the states. The menu is much larger. You can normally find something for everyone at a Pizza Hut. I had a very good vegetable beef soup in Beijing. Yum.

Then there are people who can eat anything and are willing to try anything. Unfortunately that is not me. But I have become a little more venturesome, though I do try to stay with food I am more familiar with. This way I also don’t worry about getting sick from eating something new. Just in case be sure to pack medications that can help you if you do eat something that doesn’t agree with you.

One of the fun meals that we have had was in Paris. We bought a rotisserie chicken, then we bought French bread at the little place next store and sat on a park bench across the way and enjoyed our quick and very affordable lunch. This was a spur of the moment meal. It was delicious. It also was something I had read about, so when the pieces fell into place we took advantage of it. Definitely would do again.

When my sisters, niece and I went to Beijing together, I didn’t know that our niece was very picky about what she ate. Lucky for her the hotel we stayed at was right next store to a Pizza Hut. We ate there several times. You can see in the picture we did venture out, taking the subway to a shopping mall that had a Sizzler. The food was very good. So it all worked out.

We have been to Beijing twice and have enjoyed the Chinese food, but it is good to know there are alternatives if someone in your group needs to feel more like they are at home.

When you are selecting a hotel you should be sure of what is included. Many hotels now include full breakfast. We always stay at a hotel that does, because then we know we don’t have to “find” a place to eat and, for my husband, he can get his coffee ASAP. Breakfast vary greatly in quality and quantity, but always a good way to start your day.

Something unusual I want to quickly mention, is when we were in Prague we went to a restaurant that they ended up seating us at a table with another couple. Since I had read this was not unusual in Prague, we felt comfortable sharing their table.

So do your homework. Learn about the food, what are the traditional dishes and customs.