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When my guests come from Britain, they want American style pizza, an American restaurant breakfast, and American style ice cream in complicated flavors. (Also a huge shopping trip to Costco, Walmart, and the western wear store )
I love a good neighbourhood diner for simple tasty food. My kids love the bacon over there.
Usually the best kept secrets are at the neighborhood 'hole in the wall' type eateries (especially in Chicago neighborhoods and other major American cities), not always and of course the finer upscale restaurants abound as well.
So if you are truly a tourist with no locals to advise you, best to do your research online and take it from there. ('Best Hole in the Wall' restaurant searches for the major cities will get you started).
I can't speak to many neighborhood eateries throughout America but from experience I can say that Chicago can, for the most part, address any ethnic or 'homegrown' food that anyone from anywhere in the world would care to sample, as usual JMHO, of course.
We do this...at our home for occasions with family and friends.
What Is Whole Boiled Crawfish?
Louisiana isn’t the only state that celebrates the crawfish, however, and there are a number of festivals throughout the United States.
P.S. Most true "foodies" do not eat at the chain 'ethnic eateries, but there are some exceptions to that rule. I will say that (here at least) McDonald's is a fair place to grab on-the-go breakfast food.
Hungry? This Map Shows Best Ethnic Eats By Neighborhood
My kids just love cornbread when travelling in the U.S. I am sure there is somewhere they have that here in Canada but I have never seen it.
Also pancakes are the best in the U.S. They have them all over the place in Canada to but they never seem to be as good as in the States. (Though Quebec does do thin crêpes well but that's a different thing altogether.)
Cornbread may not be found easily in grocery stores...I don't think I've seen it, but it isn't hard to find. Heck just Googling Gatineau, Quebec or Montreal and " cornbread " brings up many places that serve it.
The Ottawa Citizen even has a " Canadian " twist version.
I've made cornbread. It is SO simple. Have your kids try and make the basic version.
Pancakes. Funny my experience is that it really depends on the place. There is no shortage of finding good pancake places here in Vancouver. The most awful pancakes I ever had were in Seattle.
The only food I go to when in the US ( California ) is Mexican and Tex Mex...also good Cuban in L.A.
It's a very regional thing, and I haven't eaten everywhere in the US, but overall, there really isn't anything I miss, probably because we have similar in Canada.
...oh and https://www.maggianos.com we don't have them in Canada. Only been twice, in Vegas, thought for a chain they did really well.
Yes pecan pies
Pineapple upside down cake
Hot fudge Brownie sundae
Cheesecake (NY style)
Fruit cobbler (more in the country areas considered "down home" but pretty widespread)
Some are more "seasonal" like pumpkin pies.
The US is the only place where you will also see Skillet cookies (giant cookies served warm in a skillet with ice cream on top). I would also say "Cookie cakes" but pretty sure I've seen those in Australia.
Some are really regional (whoopie pie...Bananas Foster...banana pudding...Gooey cake...)
Red velvet cake is now very widespread
Fruit cobbler, yes. Apple crisp, cheesecake too. I have never heard of skillet cookies--that must be another regionalism. Same with banana pudding.
Red velvet cake, yum.
Sounds like most visitors are most familiar with southern foods or foods from the SW. Those are the parts of the US they are most likely to visit, so it makes sense.
Pizza ( I like it better than in Europe.)
Clam chowder.
Tuna sandwich.
Cheese cake ( as long as it's not made with some "Graham crackers"
Hate that, along with Oreo cookies. They both reek with chemicals. )
What are typical desserts? Is pecan pie American? I like that.
Pecan pie is REALLY good, but some people think its too sweat. The best pecan pie is in the southern states of the U.S. but you can get it almost anywhere. Some people have it during the holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas. It has LOTS of calories and is not that good for you, but its probably my favorite pie....lol
Here in Quebec, crepes is something you make at home, it's everyday food. Our variety is thinner than pancakes, but not as thin as crepes bretonnes. My kids request crepes for breakfast every weekend. Served with maple syrup, of course.
But they do enjoy pancakes when we go to "the States".
Something else we all love when we go to New England are Fried Clams or Fried Clam Strips. On a picnic table, by the sea, at a clam shack, they taste even better!
Last edited by begratto; 04-19-2018 at 11:41 AM..
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