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

[bramiro]

Japanese food. I guess sushi sealed the deal for me and that some of their food are raw as well.

 

[SField]

Originally Posted by globetrotter

?

hadera? hebron?

No the one with a z in it, really long... has a lot of expensive gaudy hotels.

 

[Flambeur]

Hmm, interesting thread.

Originally Posted by globetrotter

yup, never had a good borscht or blini. but my judgement is clouded by travel to russia, it is always a real pain ********** to eat well in russia

Originally Posted by Milhouse

My family was from an area that ate a lot of borscht. Even my mother knows how to make the stuff. I can't stand it. I don't like beets. On occasion, I can eat them when they are served with a salad, but that is all. I usually avoid them.

Originally Posted by Milhouse

I've walked into the breakroom and heard coworkers talking about hummus at some restaurant before. I ask, sincerely, why it is so good. They usually ramble on using wine like terminology for the hummus. Then I say that it is just mashed up garbanzos and some sesame seeds, maybe some lemon, olive oil, and paprika. . . pretty simple, pretty cheap. They look at me with disgust and say "well, you've just never had GOOD hummus then". There is a level of pretentiousness surrounding hummus that I can't honestly explain. Don't get me wrong, hummus is fine, I don't hate it, but to me, it is like refried beans, or lentils, or whatnot. . . cheap, poor food that is filling, not something to get all worked up about.

Originally Posted by em36

Borscht recipes vary in Russia. Stuff in Volgograd yummy, carrots and what-not. In Moscow, not so much. There is a good Armenian restaurant in the Hyatt. Cafe Pushkin okay, but Muscovites say its more for Americans/W Euros. There are some great seafood places that haul huge crab from the Russian Far East. No horse salami. No thank you. On the whole, not so good. Turkey is also hit-and-miss. Beef or seafood overcooked. Raki and cigarettes consumed while eating. Topped off with piping hot coffee or tea. It is a shame because the ingredients start out great. You must be referring to food in Quito. Ecuadorean food on the coast is terrific.

Originally Posted by globetrotter

I love turkish food, sure it is possible to get a bad meal, but not easy, and you can get some of the best food in the world, too. yeah, that may be the case - I was very dissapointed in quito.
A few points: -Borscht. Love that stuff. Of course that depends on whether you developed some kind of a taste for it and if you've had good stuff. But I love borscht and beets in general - actually just had about a pound of boiled shredded beets with olive oil and salt with my roast beef. Yum. -Following up on borscht - Russian food. Hit or miss, but some can be very good. Pierogis/Pelmeni, etc. Not to mention that russian cuisine includes a lot of cool borrowed stuff - from beef stroganoff to good kebabs and so on. And slavic stuff in general can be surprising - some interesting fish, duck, etc. I do dislike some of the very heavy polish/baltic potato/sour cream/bacon stuff. -Turkish food. Love it. The good authentic stuff form Istanbul - mezes, seafood, etc. Good mediterranean stuff. -Hummus. I do think that if people talk too much about how great it is, it does get annoying. It's a good staple, but nothing spectacular. Never get a craving for it like I do for a good kebab. -Mexican - I was going to say that I don't particlarly like it, but it would be a lie - I do get cravings for tacos and (gasp) greasy steak burritos from local joints. And I've had some amazing mexican food in mexico city at some of the more upscale foodie places. -English/Irish - like it. Good comfort pub food. Love a good pie even though it's sometimes tough to find. -Indian - one of my favorite "exotic" cuisines. More so than thai or vietnamese. -Chinese - MEH. Upscale stuff can be ok. -Japanese - love sushi, everything else is meh. At the end, I love flavors, and I love meat. Mediterranean and Indian are favorites with a lot of interesting spices and lots of grilled meats and veggies. edit: Although I love stuff like caviar, liver, etc. - I still can't get into the gross things you find in some cuisines - tongue, organs other than liver, and so on.

 

[Petyot]

Originally Posted by Nananine

I'm happy to say that I don't really hate any ethnic cuisine. I can dislike individual dishes, but not the food on a whole.
I am on the same boat.

 

[otc]

Originally Posted by SField

Holy **** are you serious? I know some people really love hummus but I didn't know it was that bad.

It's just pureed chickpeas with tahini, sesame, bit of lemon/paprika (in israel they use za'tar sometimes) and finished with olive oil and cilantro...

forgetting the salt? I think that is what is wrong with the last batch I made...it is good but it isnt super good (I went all the way from dry beans). The problem appeared to be my not using a liberal enough dumping of salt

 

[SField]

Originally Posted by otc

forgetting the salt? I think that is what is wrong with the last batch I made...it is good but it isnt super good (I went all the way from dry beans). The problem appeared to be my not using a liberal enough dumping of salt

Well, that's kind of obvious...

 

[Alter]

Originally Posted by SField

No the one with a z in it, really long... has a lot of expensive gaudy hotels.

Herzliya? Near Tel Aviv?

 

[odoreater]

Originally Posted by whacked

What happened to being open minded?

Well it's not like I walked out or anything. I just think it's a gimmick to get the marigans all excited. As for the Ethiopian food thing - it was a joke. You know, like "how does a chicken commit suicide?". "it runs across Ethiopia." or "what do you call an ethiopian with an afro?" "a microphone."

 

[globetrotter]

Originally Posted by SField

No the one with a z in it, really long... has a lot of expensive gaudy hotels.

herzalia pituah. gottcha

 

[acidboy]

Originally Posted by odoreater

Well it's not like I walked out or anything. I just think it's a gimmick to get the marigans all excited. As for the Ethiopian food thing - it was a joke. You know, like "how does a chicken commit suicide?". "it runs across Ethiopia." or "what do you call an ethiopian with an afro?" "a microphone."

or how do you start an Ethiopian marathon? "release the chicken"

 

[Kempt]

Originally Posted by Flambeur

Hmm, interesting thread.

At the end, I love flavors, and I love meat. Mediterranean and Indian are favorites with a lot of interesting spices and lots of grilled meats and veggies.
.

Ever tried Argentinian food? They have some extremely delicious (and very meat heavy) dishes.

 

[Flambeur]

Originally Posted by Kempt

Ever tried Argentinian food? They have some extremely delicious (and very meat heavy) dishes.

I've been to a few argentinian steakhouses, like them a lot, but haven't actually been to Argentine so I can't comment on the authenticity.

But yeah, Malbec + Steak = my idea of good time.

 

[SField]

Originally Posted by Flambeur

I've been to a few argentinian steakhouses, like them a lot, but haven't actually been to Argentine so I can't comment on the authenticity.

But yeah, Malbec + Steak = my idea of good time.

Yes for me this kind of food is along the lines of Korean BBQ... not a fine dining experience but quite serviceable and enjoyable if you just want to shovel food into your mouth.

 

[robertorex]

Originally Posted by acidicboy

or how do you start an Ethiopian marathon? "release the chicken"

Who are the rich ethiopians? they're wearing rolexes... as belts

 

[Hombre Secreto]

How can ANYONE not like Tacos??? What a freak...