Oi vey... :)

[gioarmani]

Traditional British fare can be amazing. Try a Chicken Tikka Massala or a decent Balti on your next UK visit.

Traditional "British" fare=Indian Massalas. Lol! After tasting most of the local "treats", I can understand why they ditched their own to make Indian the official national dish.

Actually, Lahore in London was phenomenal (Mrs. Helen Mirren was present). Of the restaurants along Brick St. in the London Indian community, I must say I was not at all impressed with the one we tried. However, there's an Indian place in the Cotswolds called "Rajdoot", that was unbelievable. Better than 95% of what I've had anywhere. I highly recommend it to any passing through.

Edited September 12, 2007 by gioarmani

[giorgio]

Traditional "British" fare=Indian Massalas. Lol! After tasting most of the local "treats", I can understand why they ditched their own to make Indian the official national dish.

I almost spewed coffee on my keyboard when I read that ('cause it's true).

This is probably my favourite "traditional" British food:

It's "Nature's SUPER food!"

[Pugwash]

Traditional "British" fare=Indian Massalas. Lol! After tasting most of the local "treats", I can understand why they ditched their own to make Indian the official national dish.

"Chicken tikka masala is now Britain's true national dish, not only because it is the most popular, but because it is a perfect illustration of the way Britain absorbs and adapts external influences." - Robin Cook, 1946-2005.

The problem is that traditional British foods, like Cornish Pasties, pies and Yorkshire Pudding, are not the most exciting fare, and I say that as a fan of my examples. We Brits, however, were fans of meat and gravy and when Indian (or in the case of CTM, Bangaladeshi) cooks started selling their wares, it didn't take long for a Glaswegian Bangaladeshi to make meat and gravy for his customers and lo, the Chicken Tikka Massala was born. It is so popular in the UK because it is traditional meat and gravy (with the side order of stodge being rice in this case as opposed to pastry crust or potato) with a hint of our multi-cultural roots.

I think it's as traditional as Fish and Chips, a dish no-one disputes as traditional, in spite of its recent age. If 1860s is traditional, so is 1950s.

Oh, and if you want the finest Curries in the world (yes, even more so than India for our westernised pallets) then I would recommend Glasgow first, Birmingham second and then the usual Bradford, Leicester, Nottingham, etc., options. London is nowhere near the finest.

[Victoria]

"Chicken tikka masala is now Britain's true national dish, not only because it is the most popular, but because it is a perfect illustration of the way Britain absorbs and adapts external influences." - Robin Cook, 1946-2005.

The problem is that traditional British foods, like Cornish Pasties, pies and Yorkshire Pudding, are not the most exciting fare, and I say that as a fan of my examples.

Oh thank God. We have something other than watches, and photography in common, Pugwash.

Gourmands scoff all you want. There is nothing more satisfying than Shepherd's Pie, except maybe mushy peas (and chips & gravy).

We Brits,

I've been using this phrase We Brits or British (normally which would make me cringe if back in the UK, don't know why) a lot recently.

however, were fans of meat and gravy and when Indian (or in the case of CTM, Bangaladeshi) cooks started selling their wares, it didn't take long for a Glaswegian Bangaladeshi to make meat and gravy for his customers and lo, the Chicken Tikka Massala was born. It is so popular in the UK because it is traditional meat and gravy (with the side order of stodge being rice in this case as opposed to pastry crust or potato) with a hint of our multi-cultural roots.

I prefer potato to rice, and never being a fan of curry (because I cannot stand spicey foods), I have rarely understood the pull of Indian food.

Pizza, oh God, yes. And "Chinese" food, too. Although I prefer Szechuan to Cantonese.

I think it's as traditional as Fish and Chips, a dish no-one disputes as traditional, in spite of its recent age. If 1860s is traditional, so is 1950s.

Yes.

But then the British cultural imagination is stuck in the 1860s. Just like the Italian is in the 1500s.

Oh, and if you want the finest Curries in the world (yes, even more so than India for our westernised pallets) then I would recommend Glasgow first, Birmingham second and then the usual Bradford, Leicester, Nottingham, etc., options. London is nowhere near the finest.

Bradford for me. And Wolverhampton, oddly enough.

[Pugwash]

and never being a fan of curry (because I cannot stand spicey foods), I have rarely understood the pull of Indian food.

I am a fan of spicy food. It's a shame the British Empire didn't invade Mexico and Thailand as our cuisine would be even better if it did.

I'm not saying that British Cuisine is the best in the world, but it's not as bad as it's made out to be. Yes, I miss the food in Paris.

[phaedo]

I almost spewed coffee on my keyboard when I read that ('cause it's true).

This is probably my favourite "traditional" British food:

It's "Nature's SUPER food!"

Except Watties is not a British company....

[KB]

The other point of course is that despite being the creation of an Indian cook there is nothing else even slightly Indian about Chicken Tikka Masala, a dish developed entirely to please the British palate.

It looks like you had a wonderful trip Gio, one I would love to do myself some day.

Ken

[Victoria]

The other point of course is that despite being the creation of an Indian cook there is nothing else even slightly Indian about Chicken Tikka Masala, a dish developed entirely to please the British palate.

A bit like "Chinese" food, or indeed "Italian" food here, much of which is a mix of old recipes joined to local foreign tastes, and don't exist like that in their countries of origin.

I give you Crab Rangoon.

And also, hey Gio, did you eat Chinese in Paris? They call Won Ton, Wan Wan soup. A freak-out.

[Pugwash]

And also, hey Gio, did you eat Chinese in Paris? They call Won Ton, Wan Wan soup. A freak-out.

... and most of the Chinese restaurants in Paris are owned by Vietnamese families, just like the Greek restaurants are owned by Turkish families. You go with what sells.

A friend of mine took me to a Japanese restaurant in Paris while he was visiting and ordered in Japanese (he'd just spent 2 years there) and the staff didn't understand him. They were Vietnamese as well.

It's all about what your colonies were, apparently. The British Empire had China and India whereas France had chunks of Africa and Vietnam.