Why no English food restaurants in the USA?


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Profile Bob DeWoody
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Message 1299284 - Posted: 27 Oct 2012, 8:11:46 UTC

We have Chinese, Japanese, Indian, Thai, Italian, German, Mexican and other ethnic food style eateries in thr USA but I have never seen an English, Scottish, Welch or Irish restaurant. I think American style cooking and meal selections are not much like what is eaten in those places so I wonder why no one specializes, other than some fish & chips places, in English food? I also rule out Irish and Scottish Pubs as they are primarily drinking establishments.
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Message 1299289 - Posted: 27 Oct 2012, 8:29:54 UTC

I would have thought that a fish and chips outlet might have been popular, and maybe a traditional English meat & two veg one restaurant, but it appears not. Maybe they just wouldn't be economically viable?

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Message 1299293 - Posted: 27 Oct 2012, 8:43:04 UTC - in response to Message 1299289.

I would have thought that a fish and chips outlet might have been popular, and maybe a traditional English meat & two veg one restaurant, but it appears not. Maybe they just wouldn't be economically viable?

Maybe there are just US versions of the 'over the pond' thingys that have become more traditional here?

I must admit, I have never had a traditional version of 'fish and chips' I suspect.
Or few other thingys that you condsider culinary delights.

Like the 'bangers and mash' I have heard so much about.



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Message 1299296 - Posted: 27 Oct 2012, 8:52:17 UTC

Nothing special about bangers & mash just sausages and potatoes. Same as Bubble & Squeak, potato and cabbages. Oh and don't forget t'mushy peas!

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Message 1299297 - Posted: 27 Oct 2012, 9:02:52 UTC - in response to Message 1299296.

Nothing special about bangers & mash just sausages and potatoes. Same as Bubble & Squeak, potato and cabbages. Oh and don't forget t'mushy peas!


I think there is room here for a franchise......
Wanna go in on it?
We could be the next billionaires.....

Let's call it 'Kibbles and Bits'...
Whot ya think, mate?
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Message 1299313 - Posted: 27 Oct 2012, 9:53:09 UTC

Nice idea but I think Harry Ramsdens has beaten us to it!

Ramsdens

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Message 1299322 - Posted: 27 Oct 2012, 10:16:33 UTC - in response to Message 1299313.

Nice idea but I think Harry Ramsdens has beaten us to it!

Ramsdens

Always a beat behind, am I.


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Message 1299349 - Posted: 27 Oct 2012, 12:27:29 UTC

We don't have them over here either. Can't remember when I last ate English food. Probably during my last visit to London a few years ago...
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Message 1299359 - Posted: 27 Oct 2012, 12:56:44 UTC


Well, there are a few "Arthur Treacher's Fish & Chips" restaurants still around, though not nearly as many today as there was in the 80's (IIRC). I used to occasionally get lunch there on Chestnut St in Philly. That location closed before I left that area...but, surprisingly there are a couple locations still remaining here in the mid East Coast states.


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Message 1299362 - Posted: 27 Oct 2012, 13:15:49 UTC
Last modified: 27 Oct 2012, 13:18:11 UTC

We have one called the Tea Cozy


Down in Solvang there's the Mustard Seed and in Santa Barbara there is:
Dargan's more Irish, but the make a killer beef and mushroom pye,
Mark's, Fish and Chips, and
Renaud's a nuvo British steak house.

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Message 1299382 - Posted: 27 Oct 2012, 14:27:39 UTC

Lots of fish & chip shops in Canada, and I've seen a few in the US. Lots of little tea rooms here as well.

Basically, anyplace that sells boiled potatoes and overcooked vegetables is an English resteraunt, IMHO.
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Message 1299404 - Posted: 27 Oct 2012, 15:28:04 UTC
Last modified: 27 Oct 2012, 15:46:35 UTC

There is also the Firkin Pub chain, which, despite its name, was more a restaurant than a bar (at least the one here in Visalia was, although it closed last summer). And the Elephant and Castle group.

For fish & chips, there is the Long John Silver's chain (a part of YUM brands, who also own Pizza Hut, KFC, Taco Bell, and A&W Drive-ins). Not a match for the fish bars of Scotland, but still...

One place I spent a lot of time in during my last two tours in San Diego was the Princess of Wales pub on India Street - Sausage rolls, Steak & kidney pie, Shepherd's pie, etc... But of course a fine selection of British Ales and Lagers to wash it down with.
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Message 1299406 - Posted: 27 Oct 2012, 15:31:34 UTC

We have a Polish-style restaurant here in Illinois called Warsaw that has some really good tasting food. I don't visit there as often as I'd like though.

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Message 1299421 - Posted: 27 Oct 2012, 16:17:29 UTC

I believe the term it falls under is "Continental Cuisine". It may be a combination of British, French, but we do have it.

Honestly the Fish N Chips go over better with me.
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Message 1299476 - Posted: 27 Oct 2012, 20:46:39 UTC - in response to Message 1299421.

I believe the term it falls under is "Continental Cuisine". It may be a combination of British, French, but we do have it.

Honestly the Fish N Chips go over better with me.


Careful there Soft, Brits get a little upset if you call them Continentals.

In Canada for many years right after the war a "continental" label on a restaurant or bakery or deli was a code word for "German".
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Message 1299496 - Posted: 27 Oct 2012, 21:32:56 UTC - in response to Message 1299476.
Last modified: 27 Oct 2012, 21:33:48 UTC

I believe the term it falls under is "Continental Cuisine". It may be a combination of British, French, but we do have it.

Honestly the Fish N Chips go over better with me.


Careful there Soft, Brits get a little upset if you call them Continentals.

In Canada for many years right after the war a "continental" label on a restaurant or bakery or deli was a code word for "German".

Yeah they like to think of themselves as living on an island off of Europe, problem is all of the UK without exception is but a part of the European landmass or Continent and this has been way for millions of years, the only reason England, Wales and Scotland aren't connected by land anymore is the end of the last ice age eroded away the land in the channels and the Thames was but a tributary of a river system whose mouth was out in the North Sea, which back then was land, so technically the Brits are Continentals like Soft said, like it or not that's the truth and yes I'm part Brit Myself, so I feel no shame in admitting that.
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Message 1299504 - Posted: 27 Oct 2012, 22:01:55 UTC - in response to Message 1299362.

At least half a dozen in the Los Angeles area. Perhaps it is a west coast thing. They kept going west until they ran out of land? :)

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Message 1299519 - Posted: 27 Oct 2012, 22:44:15 UTC - in response to Message 1299496.

I believe the term it falls under is "Continental Cuisine". It may be a combination of British, French, but we do have it.

Honestly the Fish N Chips go over better with me.


Careful there Soft, Brits get a little upset if you call them Continentals.

In Canada for many years right after the war a "continental" label on a restaurant or bakery or deli was a code word for "German".

Yeah they like to think of themselves as living on an island off of Europe, problem is all of the UK without exception is but a part of the European landmass or Continent and this has been way for millions of years, the only reason England, Wales and Scotland aren't connected by land anymore is the end of the last ice age eroded away the land in the channels and the Thames was but a tributary of a river system whose mouth was out in the North Sea, which back then was land, so technically the Brits are Continentals like Soft said, like it or not that's the truth and yes I'm part Brit Myself, so I feel no shame in admitting that.

However most of us Brits feel no connection to the European Continent. Our food and culture are completely different from our nearest European neighbors.

Nope I am British and proud of it. Call me European and I will sue!! :-)

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Message 1299578 - Posted: 28 Oct 2012, 0:29:01 UTC - in response to Message 1299519.

I believe the term it falls under is "Continental Cuisine". It may be a combination of British, French, but we do have it.

Honestly the Fish N Chips go over better with me.


Careful there Soft, Brits get a little upset if you call them Continentals.

In Canada for many years right after the war a "continental" label on a restaurant or bakery or deli was a code word for "German".

Yeah they like to think of themselves as living on an island off of Europe, problem is all of the UK without exception is but a part of the European landmass or Continent and this has been way for millions of years, the only reason England, Wales and Scotland aren't connected by land anymore is the end of the last ice age eroded away the land in the channels and the Thames was but a tributary of a river system whose mouth was out in the North Sea, which back then was land, so technically the Brits are Continentals like Soft said, like it or not that's the truth and yes I'm part Brit Myself, so I feel no shame in admitting that.

However most of us Brits feel no connection to the European Continent. Our food and culture are completely different from our nearest European neighbors.

Nope I am British and proud of it. Call me European and I will sue!! :-)

I'm part Irish, French and English, My English roots even include old branches of nobility... And yet I'm an American, although if My relatives had gone back to Canada after I was born I'd probably be Canadian and I share large parts of that culture, not to mention the language and I'm a Strawberry Blonde too(1-2% of the population)...
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Message 1299590 - Posted: 28 Oct 2012, 0:47:27 UTC

No "Fish 'an chips"? Oh dear :)
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Message boards : Cafe SETI : Why no English food restaurants in the USA?

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