Skinny in Moscow

Obesity is a US epidemic.  Over eating is a common explanation of the expanding US waist size.  Thanks to the agriculture miracles in the past 40 years, a 2,000+ calorie meal can be had for less than $5.  Things are a bit different here.

I experimented with KFC (called Rostik's KFC locally) and paid $12 for what would have been a $3 meal in the US.  I also tried grilled Australian steak with potatoes at a nicer place called Coffee Mania (pronounced cafe-monya).  This dish costs 1,300 rubles, or approximately $45.  The meat was good, but not exceptional. $45 bought 3 ounces of meat and some potato slivers.  By way of comparison, a 16 ounce Ribeye steak at the Black Angus Restaurant in Albuquerque costs less than $23.  Oh, for that price, Black Angus also throws in "warm, sweet molasses bread and partnered with any of two of our 16 craveable sidekicks."

Basically, in Moscow you pay 200% more for 20% of what you can get in Albuquerque for restaurants that are in the same league (Coffee Mania is a nicer joint).  That is a 10X difference, and that is one way Moscow keeps skinny.  Just some food for thought.