First off, apologies to my vegetarian readers. 😉
This morning I had one of my rare moments of really missing something I can’t get here. Biscuitville. It’s the best hangover cure. Ever! For those not familiar with it — and that would sadly include a lot of Americans, as well — Biscuitville is a fast-food restaurant chain located in some of the southern states and they specialize in breakfast foods, specifically biscuits. You can get all sorts of variations of breakfast meat, egg, and/or cheese slapped between a fluffy buttermilk biscuit, along with sides such as grits, hashbrowns, home fries, gravy, honey buns, and pancakes. It’s not even remotely healthy, but it’s absolutely delicious.
I didn’t eat out all that often when I was living in the US. I liked to cook and figured I could make something just as nice, but for less money usually. When we did go out, it was usually to a smaller local restaurant, so I don’t really miss a lot of chain restaurants living here. In fact, today is the first time that I’ve really been craving Biscuitville, so I figure that’s not too bad after living here for close to two years. But this morning I woke up hungry and really wanting a fry-up with bacon, eggs, sausage, hashbrowns and grits. Then it struck me that I really wanted Biscuitville. They have a drive-thru, making it even easier to throw on some random clothes and have a quick fix for your craving. Sadly, that’s too big and wet of a drive for me now. I can’t even fly!
The Netherlands isn’t big on breakfast in the American and British fashion. They’re more like the French and Italians, I guess. I can’t think of any restaurants that I’ve seen here that would really even be open early in the morning, much less serving a full-on breakfast. Tell me if I’m wrong, because I’d be curious to know about any places in Utrecht.
So this morning I did the best I could with what I had on hand. I could have made some biscuits, but that was more work than I wanted. Fortunately, I had eggs, bacon, cheese and bread on hand, so I made myself a sandwich with a slice of gouda melted on toast with a fried egg and a couple slices of bacon. It was good, but it just wasn’t Biscuitville.
A Flamingo in Utrecht 
Aside from the meat, I definitely have occasional cravings for a breakfast like that! It *does* cure hangovers. I know what you mean about not missing chains- never went to them- but now and again I do want a big, fat Cinnabon ;0
8 years and I’ve yet to find a ‘breakfast place’. I do miss that. Back in Philly it became ritual to meet up with a few friends every Sunday morning between 830-1230 at a very cool little diner. First in brought the NYT (usually me, regardless of how much I drank the night before I was always up early…)
I got the same thing every week. Buttermilk pancakes with blueberries and one scrambled egg. Heaven.
Cinnabon was dangerous! I worked in a mall for a little while at The Body Shop and I think soon after I started working there, Cinnabon moved in just around the corner and right at the mall entrance that I used. I worked mornings, so walking past that smell was torture! Fortunately, they were big and overwhelming, so one person would get one and we’d all share it.
Sometimes I wonder if there’s be enough interest here in Utrecht for a good diner sort of restaurant — definitely one that did breakfast!
I have never heard of Biscuitville! Is it like Denny’s?
No, it’s definitely more a normal fast-food restaurant like McDonalds. Come to think of it, it’s probably fairly limited to North Carolina, although I think it has crept across the border into a few other states.
I really miss the big breakfast here sometime as well. When ever I have a big hang over I go to the closest Irish pub for a big fried breakfast.
Oh! That’s a good idea! I must check to see when our nearby Irish pub opens and if they do breakfasts.