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You sound a lot like I did before I moved here from Southern California.
Hopefully you have a great job lined up here or family in the area.
Eat as much Mexican food as you can before you get here. someone will come post after me and mention all the good Mexican places in town, but trust me, they are horrible. They don't sell carne asada or skirt steak around here and you should bring all of your spices with you for Mexican cooking. I travel West at least once a year and mail myself packages from the carnaceria.
There in one good Vietnamese place in town and one that does Bahn Mi only. You may find that the majority of food in town is Italian.
If you would like questions to specifics between the two cultures, feel free to PM me.
If you would like questions to specifics between the two cultures, feel free to PM me.
Would you mind posting that on the forum? There are definite differences, as evidenced by our friction on the board, but without any background and only "Syracuse isn't..." and "LA has... better", it's hard to understand where you're coming from.
So someone can clog the thread with every Googled fact and statistic about how awesome Syracuse is? It is less about Syracuse and more about lifestyle. It is pure opinion and experience and not worth listening to someone who doesn't have the same experience try to tell me that I am wrong. There is a difference between CA and NY. There is a difference between East Coast and West Coast. There is more than one culture shock to be had.
For example, yesterday I was out and wanted tacos SO Bad. So much effort has to be put into just finding the ingredients to make decent Mexican food. you can't just stop down the street and pick up food already made. I probably ate Mexican food 3-5 times a week. Now I only eat Mexican food once or twice a year unless I make it at home.
When you are planning a trip in CA, you base your travel time and schedule on traffic. Here, you base it on weather.
You can plan outdoor events in CA and it isn't a problem. In NY, they chance of getting a day with sun and no rain even during the summer are almost unheard of. Summer bbqs usually have to have some sort of covering because it will rain. People who grew up with that don't understand why I would think it is weird. I have been run off a lake on the West Coast because of lightening once. I have been on a boat four times here and twice we had to run back to shore because of a storm and once we were tied up and had to wait for a storm to pass in order to get back on the boat. In CA, that is called a bad day on the water. Here, it is a normal day on the water.
So someone can clog the thread with every Googled fact and statistic about how awesome Syracuse is? It is less about Syracuse and more about lifestyle. It is pure opinion and experience and not worth listening to someone who doesn't have the same experience try to tell me that I am wrong. There is a difference between CA and NY. There is a difference between East Coast and West Coast. There is more than one culture shock to be had.
For example, yesterday I was out and wanted tacos SO Bad. So much effort has to be put into just finding the ingredients to make decent Mexican food. you can't just stop down the street and pick up food already made. I probably ate Mexican food 3-5 times a week. Now I only eat Mexican food once or twice a year unless I make it at home.
When you are planning a trip in CA, you base your travel time and schedule on traffic. Here, you base it on weather.
You can plan outdoor events in CA and it isn't a problem. In NY, they chance of getting a day with sun and no rain even during the summer are almost unheard of. Summer bbqs usually have to have some sort of covering because it will rain. People who grew up with that don't understand why I would think it is weird. I have been run off a lake on the West Coast because of lightening once. I have been on a boat four times here and twice we had to run back to shore because of a storm and once we were tied up and had to wait for a storm to pass in order to get back on the boat. In CA, that is called a bad day on the water. Here, it is a normal day on the water.
Point taken. This post is enough... all true. My biggest issue with Latin American restaurants around here is cilantro-loading everything so I don't like it anyway. The enchiladas I've made at home - PITA mole making and all - are far better than the food from any Mexican restaurant I've had around here. Juanita's used to be huge and everyone wanted to eat there... to me, it tasted like steam-soaked tortillas, old cheese, and cilantro. I'm one of those people who think it tastes like soap.
We do have a variety of food spots from South Asian/Indian, Southeast Asian, Jamaican, Soul Food, Latin Caribbean and even Mexican(but most likely on the level you are use to), along with Euro ethnic foods.
Winter is not year around and the weather can vary even during that season.
Papa Gallo, Boom Boom Mex Mex and Alto Cinco, OP. Perhaps the Mission too.
Yes there are differences, but like it was mentioned, if you have an open mind and look at the differences as an opportunity to do something new, then you should be alright.
As for posting information, it isn't about anything one way or the other, it is just what it is, information. If one is their own person, they will use it how they want and make up their own mind. Research is key and can make a difference. Asking questions is key as well.
Last edited by ckhthankgod; 03-17-2013 at 12:03 PM..
I'm one of those people who think it tastes like soap.
Part of that could be because most of the cilantro here is hydroponic. I have tried growing it just to get some that taste right, but I don't have a green thumb.
Yes there are differences, but like it was mentioned, if you have an open mind and look at the differences as an opportunity to do something new, then you should be alright.
As for posting information, it isn't about anything one way or the other, it is just what it is, information. If one is their own person, they will use it how they want and make up their own mind. Research is key and can make a difference. Asking questions is key as well.
I have tried all of the Mexican food you mentioned. Boom Booms I have actually been to twice because it is so close to me and because people swear by it. I thought maybe I just ordered the wrong thing. No, it really is that bad.
I did plenty of research and had plenty of locals to answer my questions before moving here. I was excited and the difference was going to be exciting. It was for the first year and exploring new things. It has been about 6 years and I still try new things and check out the area, but for me, this is not a place I want to live and when I move, I doubt there would be anything I would want to come back and see on vacation.
I really liked Alto Cinco. Boom Boom Mex Mex is nothing spectacular - I really wasn't impressed. Keep in mind, I've never had Mexican food on the west coast so I don't have that to compare it to. There's that new place in the mall, but that's a chain restaurant and we all know how I feel about chain restaurants lol
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