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That's an old myth. Scottish Smoked Salmon, arguably the best in the world. Cornish pasties, Scotch Eggs, Clotted Cream, scones, dairy products, Full English Breakfast, Marks and Spencers' food dept - just knockout. etc. You can also throw in Indian food - almost home grown - probably better than anywhere - the 'sub-continent' included.
Absolutely! While I didn't like certain "ethnic" foods when I was in London (the attempt at Mexican wasn't the best), I find British food to be pretty darn good!
As far as Indian food in the UK being better than anywhere in the world, this is where we'd disagree I traveled for three weeks in India and was in culinary heaven!
Would love to know where you actually went that you didn't see lamb or beef on the menu. Might have had something to do with going on a tour which in the UK are usually catered towards the older generation. Personally I've had some of the best meals of my life in the UK (I do come from there, mum was a brilliant cook) You mention that you enjoyed desserts, this is most likely because they are sweet and the American palate is more trained towards sweet foods.
Next time you visit go do yourself a favour, go it alone, leave the tour bus and go out and find some real food !
Yes, I agree. DH and I are both glad we got this overview, but of course we know that it wasn’t a true picture. If we go again we will stay in just a few spots and order off the menu. About the desserts though...we are not dessert eaters at home, but the desserts we encountered there were so impressive and beautiful that we had quite a few. I really think folks eat more desserts there because the main courses are not so good.
We had a few very lovely meals there, but the bad ones were consistent in that they could have been greatly improved very easily with just a little effort. Put something in the canned baked beans, don’t call instant mashed potatoes Colcannon, don’t serve sausages breakfast, lunch and dinner, don’t put 2 strands of cabbage in a vat of mayo, and call it cole slaw. Just sayin.
I really think folks eat more desserts there because the main courses are not so good.
We had a few very lovely meals there, but the bad ones were consistent in that they could have been greatly improved very easily with just a little effort. Put something in the canned baked beans, don’t call instant mashed potatoes Colcannon, don’t serve sausages breakfast, lunch and dinner, don’t put 2 strands of cabbage in a vat of mayo, and call it cole slaw. Just sayin.
I was sorely tempted to come out, guns blazing at this, but my good manners preclude me from that, I think that it may fall under the heading of; “Forgive them, for they know what not they do.” or perhaps, “not what they’re talking about.”
I live in central London, and my wife and I go out to dinner at least once per week, to good restaurants, and we occasionally go for lunch as well.
A lot of these restaurants do specials, e.g. two courses £21.95, three courses, £25.95, usually I’ll opt for an entrée, (appetiser in the U.S.), and a main, (entree in the U.S.).
My wife likes desserts, so often goes for a main and a dessert, neither of us can recall a time when we had a main course that we weren't happy with.
I’m unsure what you mean, when you say, “put something in the baked beans”, they come in tomato sauce, what were you thinking should be added?
The only time I’ve seen Colcannon on a menu in London is in places like Mulligans in Cork Street, or Nuala, in Old Street, if I ordered it elsewhere, and it was just mashed potato, no kale or cabbage, I’d be asking questions in a very slightly raised voice.
If a restaurant has sausages on its lunch or dinner menus, and you don’t want them, don’t order them.
I only like a little slaw, but my wife loves it, if she got what you described, and I’ve never seen, she’d go nuts.
If you come back again, try The Ivy, at Tower Bridge, or Le Pont de la Tour, at Butlers Wharf, not cheap, but consistently good.
About the beans... I was thrilled to see baked beans are a staple at the English breakfast buffets, because in New England, baked beans are traditionally served on Saturday, and then the leftovers are served with bacon and eggs for breakfast. My family was of English descent, so I guess that’s why we had them for breakfast.
The pale tomatoey things they served in England bear no resemblance to the baked beans here. If they are only going to dump a can of watery beans out of the can, without stirring in any love, at least they could dump a can of good brown sugary, bacony baked beans.
Good lord. You're an American and don't know Chicken Fried Steak? How is that even possible?
But you know biscuits and gravy right?
And you know that Sausage/White gravy ain't gravy. It's a sauce, but not gravy.
Did you not see her name is "NewEngland"?
Chicken fried steak is a southern American thing. I only knew of it because I visited a friend in Texas and her SIL made it for me. I loved it, but it's not something you're going to find on a diner menu in New Jersey and probably not where someone named "NewEngland" is, either.
Bet you don't eat Taylor ham, egg, and cheese on a hard roll, either.
Chicken fried steak is a southern American thing. I only knew of it because I visited a friend in Texas and her SIL made it for me. I loved it, but it's not something you're going to find on a diner menu in New Jersey and probably not where someone named "NewEngland", either.
Bet you don't eat Taylor ham, egg, and cheese on a hard roll, either.
And to be fair, I am of distinctly southern heritage and have spent most of my life in the American south, and I had never heard of chicken fried steak till I moved to Texas.
I had also never had a margarita till then.
I much prefer a good margarita over a chicken fried steak any day, for the record!
And to be fair, I am of distinctly southern heritage and have spent most of my life in the American south, and I had never heard of chicken fried steak till I moved to Texas.
I had also never had a margarita till then.
I much prefer a good margarita over a chicken fried steak any day, for the record!
When I first went to a Cracker Barrel restaurant in Florida (although there are a few up north now) I was excited to see chicken fried steak on the menu, and that's all I would order when I went there.
That was years ago, and I only occasionally eat meat now and I am more concerned about healthful eating, so chicken fried steak is a thing of the past.
As for margaritas...I first had one in Pennsylvania, lol, but I'm not a fruity-mixed-drink person. Beer, wine, Scotch, or whiskey, please.
Interestingly, we received a gift of an Omaha steak package once, and it included 2 chicken fried steaks. They were really good. Had it not been for that, I’d never in a million years do that to a piece of meat.
When I first went to a Cracker Barrel restaurant in Florida (although there are a few up north now) I was excited to see chicken fried steak on the menu, and that's all I would order when I went there.
That was years ago, and I only occasionally eat meat now and I am more concerned about healthful eating, so chicken fried steak is a thing of the past.
As for margaritas...I first had one in Pennsylvania, lol, but I'm not a fruity-mixed-drink person. Beer, wine, Scotch, or whiskey, please.
Well, I'm gluten intolerant so beer is out, which is a pity. Love me some wine, but about the only hard likker I can drink is tequila in a margarita, or vodka (preferably in a Bloody Mary or a martini). Can't drink gin at all, one drink and I'm on the floor. But oddly, I can drink tequila all night long - go figgur. I can't drink frozen drinks though - they give me the eyeball headache. I prefer margaritas on the rocks, very tart, with plenty of salt!
Anyway, when we were in the UK I said to heck with it and drank dark beer anyway - I do love me a big tall glass of dark beer with some fish n chips in an English pub. That's the life!
Interestingly, we received a gift of an Omaha steak package once, and it included 2 chicken fried steaks. They were really good. Had it not been for that, I’d never in a million years do that to a piece of meat.
Chicken fried steaks are generally made with cheap cuts of meat that basically benefits from a good beating. I don't care for the dish myself, it's much too heavy. But oddly, my thin elderly mother LOVES chicken fried steak! I just sit there and watch her chow down and I shake my head.
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I traveled for three weeks in India and was in culinary heaven!
