A Day In Ukrainian Life- Part III

It makes sense to follow up the grocery shopping experience with the restaurant experience. So here goes Part III!

Restaurants are usually a luxury for locals. And so they are either used as a place to simply have tea and lounge for hours... or FEAST with friends for a special event.

There are a few things that have really stood out in my mind as being QUITE different from the restaurant experience in the States.

• There's rarely a person dedicated to greeting and escorting at the front. You usually walk in and sit down wherever you want.
• The wait staff will generally help you with your coat and hang it up for you and then provide you with menus.
• Waiters generally wear the garb depicting the restaurant genre... the music is often random though!
• There are NO pre-placed settings... nor is there silverware pre-wrapped in a napkin.
• There are usually TV's in restaurants- whether it's an upscale place or mid-range. And generally- it's playing either Russian MTV or Fashion TV (don't ask!)
• Depending on what you order- you get place-settings and silverware. This means that you do not get a spoon if you didn't order a soup. Arun and I often share and this tends to baffle the waiters! They don't know WHERE to put the soup spoon!
• Food arrives depending on whatever is ready first. We have sometimes been served a fried rice ... and then a soup.... and then an entree. Usually, you're pretty safe with salads coming out first- but everything else is a free-for-all.
• Your entree may arrive before your companions. And Ukrainian tradition dictates that if you're lucky enough to get your food first- you start!
• Service is generally aloof. There's no one that comes by every few minutes to 'check' on you and ask you if everything's ok. Getting a waiter's attention after the food gets delivered is often an ordeal! However- they are quick to remove napkins and empty plates. Arun has had to GRAB a plate back because he wasn't quite done MANY times! haha. They tend to leave him alone after the first time!
• At the closure of each entree- the entire place setting is replaced. This... I really like!
• Americans are usually pretty antsy to wrap up a meal. You want your check- you want to put down your credit card and you want to head out. Ending a meal in Ukraine is usually the longest part! People love to lounge around. So Arun and I usually struggle to try to mime for our check... and between that point and leaving.... usually 20 minutes!
• The check always comes in a nifty container- and with two pieces of gum! (They don't do mints here!)
• Whether or not a restaurant accepts credit-cards is hit-or-miss. And Arun's favorite thing? Tipping is entirely optional, and in fact, generally not expected.