Restaurants

[jim mk2]

 

And not a patch on steak pudding, chips and mushy peas smothered in gravy from the local chippy.

Jambalaya muck by comparison. 

Meanwhile, the Westminster menu as grisly as ever: more Tory corruption.

https://evolvepolitics.com/tory-housing-secretary-admits-helping-billionaire-ex-tory-donor-save-40m-in-tax-with-unlawful-housing-decision/?fbclid=IwAR0Ozkabu9E6LNZwOxB120lbpF2f2Wb0D_xZ7n7t9FCfpnZXbQSXCJibRY0

[only2garners]

1 hour ago, chaddyrovers said:

I dont know where you been or how long you spend there but I find restaurants are better than buffets there. 

This is all well off-topic but....

I could play a one-upmanship card and say I think I've been to 45 out of the 50 states, which I have, but that would be giving a false impression - most of them I was passing through on a Greyhound bus in 1973. Since then I've spent a holiday or two and two conferences in Florida, quite a bit of time in California when my son was doing an internship there and recently spent a bit of time in New England and the Pacific North West. The best food I had whilst in San Diego was lunches we had by driving into Mexico.

The latter was where I had the best food but I don't think I've ever had a meal in the US which was as good as anything I've eaten at Northcote.

Outside breakfast I wouldn't go to a buffet restaurant anywhere.

[chaddyrovers]

7 minutes ago, only2garners said:

This is all well off-topic but....

I could play a one-upmanship card and say I think I've been to 45 out of the 50 states, which I have, but that would be giving a false impression - most of them I was passing through on a Greyhound bus in 1973. Since then I've spent a holiday or two and two conferences in Florida, quite a bit of time in California when my son was doing an internship there and recently spent a bit of time in New England and the Pacific North West. The best food I had whilst in San Diego was lunches we had by driving into Mexico.

The latter was where I had the best food but I don't think I've ever had a meal in the US which was as good as anything I've eaten at Northcote.

Outside breakfast I wouldn't go to a buffet restaurant anywhere.

Garners it wasn't a dig at all. 

I was going to book for California and New York next year so I could watch my 1st LA Lakers game live and go to various places in LA and New York. Could I DM to find out your experiences of California please?

You are right about the Buffet restaurants. Not a fan of Northcote food. 

[Inglorious basturk]

15 minutes ago, only2garners said:

This is all well off-topic but....

I could play a one-upmanship card and say I think I've been to 45 out of the 50 states, which I have, but that would be giving a false impression - most of them I was passing through on a Greyhound bus in 1973. Since then I've spent a holiday or two and two conferences in Florida, quite a bit of time in California when my son was doing an internship there and recently spent a bit of time in New England and the Pacific North West. The best food I had whilst in San Diego was lunches we had by driving into Mexico.

The latter was where I had the best food but I don't think I've ever had a meal in the US which was as good as anything I've eaten at Northcote.

Outside breakfast I wouldn't go to a buffet restaurant anywhere.

I’m similar in that I’ve been to a lot of states but not for long , I have however spent significant time in ny city / state , Chicago and Texas  and eaten very well . 
 

Northcote is very very good and I go fairly regularly but I’ve had superb meals at 

monofuku ko , le Bernardin, 11 Maddison park , contra , wildair and more in New York , the french laundry in the napa valley and Alinea in Chicago that are a level of two above 

[Inglorious basturk]

3 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

Garners it wasn't a dig at all. 

I was going to book for California and New York next year so I could watch my 1st LA Lakers game live and go to various places in LA and New York. Could I DM to find out your experiences of California please?

You are right about the Buffet restaurants. Not a fan of Northcote food. 

What’s not to like about it ? The good quality /service or skill?

[only2garners]

4 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

Garners it wasn't a dig at all. 

I was going to book for California and New York next year so I could watch my 1st LA Lakers game live and go to various places in LA and New York. Could I DM to find out your experiences of California please?

You are right about the Buffet restaurants. Not a fan of Northcote food. 

No offence taken Chaddy.

Feel free to dm me, although you might not like my views on LA and New York!

[Inglorious basturk]

1 minute ago, only2garners said:

No offence taken Chaddy.

Feel free to dm me, although you might not like my views on LA and New York!

Re ny good or bad ? I was in Ithaca for some time but I love the boroughs too

[only2garners]

I've resurrected this thread from 18 months ago to stop the politics thread being buried under food talk.

[only2garners]

I've been a number of times but not for a long time now ( more than 25 years). I just don't like spending much time in really big cities and I could also name quite a few US cities I prefer - Chicago, Boston, San Francisco, San Diego, Seattle and both Portlands, especially the Oregon one.

[Inglorious basturk]

I’ve got a lakes triple header booked in late aug fingers crossed , lake road kitchen , Aulis @ lenclume and the cottage in the woods 

[speeeeeeedie]

As a Brit living in America I have enjoyed reading the food tangent.

I'm not going to comment on how it's produced as I have no idea. The only place I've heard of a chlorinated chicken is on here. America's food production system is based on quick and cheap so I wouldn't doubt that corners are cut.

Tourists tend to want the American experience so go full blast on massive portions and unlimited coke. Buffet style places should be avoided at all costs. As well as "Chinese" restaurants. It's not Chinese food.

I've travelled the length and breath of America. There is some very good food if you look for it. American BBQ is probably the only food style that they can call their own. It's very very good if you go to a local place. Different regions have different types. In any largish city you'll be able to get a host of foods from different countries.

There are plenty of crap American foods, although I don't know if these are because I grew up on British food.

Generic mustard - It's just vinegar with yellow food colouring added. There are loads of different varieties available though, Colemans included, so you don't have to suffer it.

Chocolate/sweets - just doesn't taste right. Hershey's is awful. Mars isn't too bad.

Supermarket bread. It's made to last, not to taste. I don't buy it. Go to a baker.

Crisps - improving but still aren't UK quality.

Beer - when I first got to the US the choices were Budweiser, Bud Light, Miller Lite, and maybe Guinness. That was pretty much it. To me it explains the explosion of American full hop IPA's that are brewed by every single craft brewery. Americans were used to ale with no flavour so went with too much as soon as it was available.

They do like to put cheese on everything. It's hilarious.

 

[Dreams of 1995]

54 minutes ago, Sparks Rover said:

Not having that lah, my grandmas Roast Beef, proper roasters,  yorkshires and top gravy.??.

 

44 minutes ago, jim mk2 said:

 

And not a patch on steak pudding, chips and mushy peas smothered in gravy from the local chippy.

Jambalaya muck by comparison. 

Meanwhile, the Westminster menu as grisly as ever: more Tory corruption.

https://evolvepolitics.com/tory-housing-secretary-admits-helping-billionaire-ex-tory-donor-save-40m-in-tax-with-unlawful-housing-decision/?fbclid=IwAR0Ozkabu9E6LNZwOxB120lbpF2f2Wb0D_xZ7n7t9FCfpnZXbQSXCJibRY0

2 old fogeys 

[jim mk2]

47 minutes ago, speeeeeeedie said:

Crisps - improving but still aren't UK quality.

They do like to put cheese on everything. It's hilarious.

 

Crisps known as "chips" in the US?  Are chips are their fries.

And it's poor cheese too - gooey and of course adding alot of salt to the taste. . 

You haven't mentioned their tea making. Travelling round Pennsylvania a few years I must have had tea made 5 different ways - and none of them were the right way. They haven't got a clue. 

[speeeeeeedie]

1 hour ago, jim mk2 said:

Crisps known as "chips" in the US?  Are chips are their fries.

And it's poor cheese too - gooey and of course adding alot of salt to the taste. . 

You haven't mentioned their tea making. Travelling round Pennsylvania a few years I must have had tea made 5 different ways - and none of them were the right way. They haven't got a clue. 

I meant British crisps. Although Frito-Lays owns Walkers they haven't figured out how to replicate the flavours. Their salt and vinegar is so-so, and no cheese and onion in sight.

The common cheese added is the generic "cheddar" that tastes like rubber. Nasty stuff. I buy specialty cheese. Costs more but you know that it's real. I did a cheese board for Thanksgiving, one of the guests was fascinated as he'd never seen what different cheese could taste like.

I can't believe I forgot tea. I guess I'm too far gone to even mention it. Americans really have no idea how to make it. In the southern states they drink iced tea - think cold stewed tea with loads of sugar and ice in it. "Hot tea" as you have to specify is made with lukewarm water and the weakest tea imaginable, served with sachet's of manufactured cream. It's like drinking dishwater. I don't leave home without my own tea. I also have a proper kettle.

I will say that Americans who have been to East Lancs with me laugh at the diet; kebabs, fish and chips, pies, beans on toast, sandwiches. It's a carbohydrate carnival.

I do miss proper chippy fish and chips. No place I've been to outside of A Salt and Battery in Greenwich Village/Chelsea can make them. However, that place is run by a Rovers fan from Darwen so it makes perfect sense.

[Gav]

I know this is a bit random, but whilst in Dallas a few years back I was craving a curry and found a small place near the Galleria Mall. I wasn't expecting to much but I have to say its possibly one of the best Indian meals I've had and I've had plenty!

I'd been in the states for 5wks at the time so maybe that played a part, very unassuming place but great.

http://mughlaidfw.com/

[Inglorious basturk]

2 hours ago, Gav said:

I know this is a bit random, but whilst in Dallas a few years back I was craving a curry and found a small place near the Galleria Mall. I wasn't expecting to much but I have to say its possibly one of the best Indian meals I've had and I've had plenty!

I'd been in the states for 5wks at the time so maybe that played a part, very unassuming place but great.

http://mughlaidfw.com/

That’s pretty strange as I’ve had superb curries in both Houston and Warsaw . The latter turned out to be a guy from Sydenham . I’ve had some shockers in The Indian sub continent . 
 

diners drive ins and dives is a good show , if you can see past the daft presenter there’s a lot of good every day immigrant food that America is built upon . It’s not all daft portions and with some stuff they are just as good as is and I include cheese now , everyone has their strong suits though and they just can’t do chocolate but we can’t do chicken or bbq 

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Given the population dynamics in Rochdale you'd think that there'd be a least one decent Asian restaurant.  I've yet to find it. The best around here used to be " Zook " just off Oxford Road in Manchester.

[Gav]

22 minutes ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

Given the population dynamics in Rochdale you'd think that there'd be a least one decent Asian restaurant.  I've yet to find it. The best around here used to be " Zook " just off Oxford Road in Manchester.

Outside of Birmingham its pretty poor for curry in my experience down here, my favourite curry place is Hen and Chickens near snowhill train station:

https://henandchickens.co.uk/

Not an extensive menu, but what you do get is superb, its a pub that serves Indian food, does it get much better?

Akbars is also superb, originated in Bradford and they have a place in Manchester also:

https://www.akbars.co.uk/birmingham-akbars

Edited May 28, 2020 by Gav

[Inglorious basturk]

Dishoom 

[Gav]

4 minutes ago, Inglorious basturk said:

Dishoom 

Loads of good ones IB, some really good street food places also.

Birmingham has really upped its game in the last 10/15yrs for me.

[Inglorious basturk]

2 minutes ago, Gav said:

Loads of good ones IB, some really good street food places also.

Birmingham has really upped its game in the last 10/15yrs for me.

Mughli was good for street food just past the academy but really went down hill 

[Gav]

I've always fancied going to Lasan, but not made it yet - https://lasan.co.uk/

I'm pretty traditional when it comes to curry, I like all varieties with a couple of beers, but fine dining? I'm not sure?

[Inglorious basturk]

5 hours ago, Gav said:

I've always fancied going to Lasan, but not made it yet - https://lasan.co.uk/

I'm pretty traditional when it comes to curry, I like all varieties with a couple of beers, but fine dining? I'm not sure?

I’ve been to an akhtar Islam obsession , the pairing involved wine beer and gin 

[gumboots]

Eaten at atul kochhar's Sindhu restaurant on Brittania. Was a bit underwhelmed first time but second time round was great

[RevidgeBlue]

Great news about being allowed to socialise outside with a small group as from Monday. I think something like this should have been brought in the last time the restrictions were reviewed but better late than never.

I think that by being thick, Cummings has unwittingly done us all the most massive favour imaginable as the Government seem to be throwing us bones in the form of easing of lockdown to cheer us up and divert attention away from the farcical handling of the Cummings issue.