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Ethnic foods you're supposed to like (but hate)

SField

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I have eaten a lot of food. I travel far and wide to try things, as it was once part of career. However there are two major ethnic foods I just don't get that excited about. The first is Mexican, and the other is Chinese (at least Szechuan and other mainlain food).

I have found most Mexican food to be horrifically bland. I don't understand the appeal. Every single time a Mexican person or someone tells me what to eat, I'm always dissapointed by the lack of interest and the gross heaviness of it. The only good Mexican food I've had is actually in Mexico where I ate what was actually very meditaranean in style, and even then, italians prepare fish and light fare far better. Still, most of the food in Mexico is bad. Most of it looks like it was made for a dog.

Chinese food is almost always a pile of slop swimming in oil and chilis to account for the lack of ability to season or pay any attention to ingredients. I despise how technique almost ceases to matter with most Chinese food. In Hong Kong there are incredible chinese restaurants, but they're using French technique. Any time I go to any China town and am taken by a Chinese person to eat Chinese food, they always tell me "nooo, but you haven't eaten HEEERE", as if they'll change my mind. Almost always dissapointing for me. For me, most of the Chinese food I've eaten is much less flavorful and exciting as Korean or Japanese. I also prefer other South Asian varieties, and in fact, have had the best Chinese food in Singapore (besides HK). For the most part I think it's revolting slop. Also, their take on offal is disgusting.

Anyone else not get certain ethnic cuisines that white people are supposed to love?
 

Connemara

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I refuse to eat Chinese food, mainly for the reasons you described. Sauces that are akin to a ******* glaze are not appetizing.
 

vaclava krishna

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I do not care so, for the boiled food of, CT.
 

SField

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Originally Posted by matadorpoeta
what do you mean by ethnic?

Since this forum is mainly white americans, anything that isn't American/Euro centric
 

matadorpoeta

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Originally Posted by SField
Since this forum is mainly white americans, anything that isn't American/Euro centric

i thought this forum was mainly east asians.

if you went to mexico for 6 months you would be able to eat something different everyday, breakfast lunch, and dinner. there is so much variety that it doesn't make sense to say you like or dislike mexican food. that would be like saying you like/dislike american/euro inspired food. there is too much variety to make a blanket statement one way or the other. i generally don't like chinese restaurants in l.a., but i know what i've tasted is likely .0001% of what they offer in china.
 

cheessus

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I'm not a huge fan of Japanese food.
 

SField

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Originally Posted by matadorpoeta
i thought this forum was mainly east asians.

if you went to mexico for 6 months you would be able to eat something different everyday, breakfast lunch, and dinner. there is so much variety that it doesn't make sense to say you like or dislike mexican food. that would be like saying you like/dislike american/euro inspired food. there is too much variety to make a blanket statement one way or the other. i generally don't like chinese restaurants in l.a., but i know what i've tasted is likely .0001% of what they offer in china.


This is true of many countries. I have been to Mexico more than ten times, which isn't a lot. However I have gotten to taste a lot of local things, and I'm quite sorry, but the amount of good peasant food is much less in comparison to impoverished parts of italy, greece, and provincial france. India, the phillippines and israel/lebannon are also like this. Mexicans do have good produce though. Mexican food in the united states is generally deplorable. Taco trucks get so much positive attention, and frankly I don't think any of it is better than McDonalds. The food might not be engineered, but it's usually a greasy, soppy mess. In general I don't always like the food of countries where heavy spice is the norm. Very spicy food usually occurs in societies where sophistication and good produce were scarce. I generally find the food to have no redeaming qualities save for the heat, and anyone can do that. There's no attention given to balance of flavors.
 

SField

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Originally Posted by tigerFormula
You don't like mexican food because you don't live in CA and probably have not had good mexican food.

You're absolutely right, I haven't had good mexican food.

In fact, can someone do me a huge favor and put the 10 best mexican spots in LA or San Fran here. Also, if anyone has cannot miss options in Chicago (besides Bayless), please let me know.
 

matadorpoeta

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Originally Posted by SField
This is true of many countries. I have been to Mexico more than ten times, which isn't a lot. However I have gotten to taste a lot of local things, and I'm quite sorry, but the amount of good peasant food is much less in comparison to impoverished parts of italy, greece, and provincial france. India, the phillippines and israel/lebannon are also like this. Mexicans do have good produce though. Mexican food in the united states is generally deplorable. Taco trucks get so much positive attention, and frankly I don't think any of it is better than McDonalds. The food might not be engineered, but it's usually a greasy, soppy mess.

you've been ten times and you only went to "impoverished" places? why?

why restrict your review of mexican food only to peasant food? not all mexicans are peasants. did you eat street food? cheap restaurants? expensive restaurants?

and i don't think mexican food in the u.s. should be discussed as though it were mexican food. the same is likely true for chinese, italian, etc...

are you counting italian as 'ethnic' food?
 

ulysses

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I don't have a top ten list, but one of my favorite mexican restaurants in LA is "Gardens of Taxco" in West Hollywood off I believe Sierra Bonita and Santa Monica blvd. Some of the dishes are heavy, but there is definitely lighter fare. Little pricey. It is supposed to be the kind of fare found in the well to do homes in Mexico city. Highly reccomend it.
 

SField

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Originally Posted by matadorpoeta
you've been ten times and you only went to "impoverished" places? why?

why restrict your review of mexican food only to peasant food? not all mexicans are peasants. did you eat street food? cheap restaurants? expensive restaurants?

and i don't think mexican food in the u.s. should be discussed as though it were mexican food. the same is likely true for chinese, italian, etc...

are you counting italian as 'ethnic' food?



No, I said that among the mexican food I've eaten, some of it has been 'impoverished'... I've also had 5 star resort food, street food (what the **** do you think that is? The ritz? That's peasant food dude), and many hole in the wall places.

No, I am not counting italian as ethnic. As I said before, I am saying anything that isn't american or euro centric.
 

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