Authentic American or Special American Food?
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Yep, Pequods is what I'd recommend.
I think OP should collect NY recs now and then come back before the next trip for Chicago. People love giving recs for their areas.0 -
a
if you are going to be in Manhattan
http://www.nycbestbar.com/stumble/
order yourself a stuffed burger with onion rings
if you are trying to look for healthier less caloric dense food... our portions are pretty big. cut the dish in half and split it with another person OR between meals OH AND IF IT SAYS UNDER 500 CALORIES ITS A TRAP! paying extra money for half the dish >.> (cough applebees cough cough)
Hmm Applebee's light options don't come in bigger sizes. But yeah, the only reason I still go is because I do like their lighter dishes (except they all come with mushrooms or artichokes now, so that pretty much leaves one thing on the menu that I would eat, so I haven't been in months). The other stuff is mediocre.
About Cracker Barrel, I haven't been back since I got horribly sick from it...
I tend to agree about splitting dishes, but sometimes the portions really are not that huge... there's just a ton of sauce that makes the calories scary. It depends on where you go. I've found that non chain restaurants typically have better portion sizes (but it's impossible to track correctly).
Got to ask though - are portion sizes really that different in Canada?0 -
Hey, me and my family travel a lot to America but it's usually on an asian tour bus... I have yet to try some 'authentic' American food and I want to have the real deal! I hear that the food varies by state/area so feel free to list them! There's no need for the health factor either. I have heard of In N out burger but I've never tried it.
I've also seen American food on TV in Canada, looks so good!
What a good question. I've lived in about 8 different regions of the country and had close ties to a few others. There is such thing as authentic regional American cuisine but, you have to work a little to seek it out. Before going to a specific city or rural area, research it and find out exactly where locals say you have to go to get it.
I've been in Memphis Tennessee for twenty years and I'll just make 3 suggestions for Memphis. More than anything else, we're known for barbeque. But so is Texas, South Carolina, and Kansas City. It's not all the same though. Texas is beef, maybe brisket. South Carolinians seem to brag about their sauce. I don't about Kansas City because I can't get passed their insistence on putting cinnamon in spaghetti sauce.
But in Memphis barbeque is either slow smoked pulled pork shoulder, or slabs of pork ribs, either wet or dry.- Pulled pork shoulder should come from Central Barbeque. The meat should be piled on a hamburger bun with cole slaw on top of the meat, not on the side. Sweet tea or beer are the only acceptable beverages.
- Dry ribs have to come from The Rendezvous. You enter from an alley near Beale Street. The ribs are anything but dry. They are juicy and seriously addictive but they have a dry spice rub with sauce on the side. Have a side of beans too.
- Go to Corky's Barbeque for wet ribs. Wet means they're served with sauce on the ribs. It's in Memphis but not downtown and not as old school as The Rendezvous. Exactly 50% of Memphians say wet ribs are the only way to go and the only place get them is Corky's Barbeque.
When you get out of jail from your Beale Street adventures ask if The Cozy Corner restaurant has been rebuilt. It recently burned down and the local chefs took up collections and held benefits to pay for the rebuild. If somebody doesn't abscond with the money it might be open again by the time you get to Memphis. This was the kind of place that you knew had to be great or else why would that many cars be in this neighborhood.
The Cozy Corner burned down? That used to be one of my favorite lunch places when I was a sales rep calling on St Jude.
For wet ribs in Memphis I always liked Blues City Cafe on Beale Street.
Also I'm from KC, I'm not sure what you're talking about with cinnamon in spaghetti sauce? Is it from a restaurant? I've never seen that, and weren't you talking about BBQ?
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a
if you are going to be in Manhattan
http://www.nycbestbar.com/stumble/
order yourself a stuffed burger with onion rings
if you are trying to look for healthier less caloric dense food... our portions are pretty big. cut the dish in half and split it with another person OR between meals OH AND IF IT SAYS UNDER 500 CALORIES ITS A TRAP! paying extra money for half the dish >.> (cough applebees cough cough)
Hmm Applebee's light options don't come in bigger sizes. But yeah, the only reason I still go is because I do like their lighter dishes (except they all come with mushrooms or artichokes now, so that pretty much leaves one thing on the menu that I would eat, so I haven't been in months). The other stuff is mediocre.
About Cracker Barrel, I haven't been back since I got horribly sick from it...
I tend to agree about splitting dishes, but sometimes the portions really are not that huge... there's just a ton of sauce that makes the calories scary. It depends on where you go. I've found that non chain restaurants typically have better portion sizes (but it's impossible to track correctly).
Got to ask though - are portion sizes really that different in Canada?
Well kind of , but not as extreme as people say. I think our drink sizes are catching up but I think our main difference is our dish size. You'd have to go to a more fancy or big restaurant to find an American sized dish. I've seen pictures of american dish sizes and depending where you go in Canada it will be half, two thirds, three quarters or same size as an American dish. Also many dishes are many to be shared (well in my city for HK style restaurants) but you could eat that as one dish if you'd like0 -
In defence of the random, unknown British poster mentioned, I doubt they actually knew Applebees was a chain - I didn't for ages, same with Olive Garden, and I'm a relatively regular visitor to the US. From my American food adventures, I'd recommend getting things that are near impossible to get this side of the Atlantic, and are (to me) authentically American, rather than derivations of other national cuisines:
American diner breakfasts - pancakes, waffles, hash browns, eggs any way you want!, maple syrup (always have the maple syrup!), nothing beats them for calorific amazement, and great, old-fashioned diners can be found in most places!
Southern soul food - cornbread, grits, collard greens, biscuits and gravy, ribs and pulled pork. Often found in a BBQ place, I've found.
New England seafood - clam chowder, lobster rolls etc
Cajun and Creole food (not entirely sure of the difference), especially in New Orleans French quarter - jambalaya, gumbo, boudin (aka the best sausages I've eaten outside of the great British banger!!)
Any BBQ place that has a queue to get in, and a great smell coming from out back!
And then find whatever place the locals tell you has the best burgers! Never gone wrong yet, in any location I've visited!
Things I can totally go without on a visit -
Chicago deep pan pizzas - I am in love with the authentic Italian super thin bases, found in Naples and all over Italy. Just can't get along with that amount of dough to topping ratio!
Philly Cheese Steak - personal thing. Tried one and simply didn't enjoy the sheer greasiness of the sandwich.
Hot dogs - sausages should be pork, IMO, just don't like the all-beef versions found in American dogs. But again, highly personal to my taste.
However, feel free to try any and all of these and form your own opinions! Absolutely none of this is low cal in any way, but that ain't the American way, after all! It's all highly delicious though.0 -
If you go to the southern US, eat at the most run-down, hole-in-the-wall soul food restaurant you can find. Order EVERYTHING. They will have THE BEST EVERYTHING you have EVER put in your mouth.0
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Chicago? You gotta eat deep dish pizza!
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dizzieblondeuk wrote: »In defence of the random, unknown British poster mentioned, I doubt they actually knew Applebees was a chain - I didn't for ages, same with Olive Garden, and I'm a relatively regular visitor to the US.
If I were eating in the UK, I'd look up the place I was going to or ask for recs from locals or the like, but my issue here is thinking Applebee's was representative of dining in NYC.
Also, the deal with Olive Garden and Applebee's isn't just that they are chains (some chains may be okay--Lou Malnati's here is now a chain and while it's not my top favorite I might recommend it to some visitors and expect them to have a fine experience), but that they are mediocre, uninteresting chains. For example, there's a ton of good Italian restaurants where I live. If someone asked me for a good recommendation, I'd never send them to Olive Garden. NYC has an embarrassment of wonderful restaurants of all kinds, so I was just sad that this poster was telling others in the UK about food in NYC based on such an unfair and non-representative sample.0 -
arditarose wrote: »What American food have you seen on tv? Our food is such a hodge podge influenced by many cultures. I don't even know what to truly recommend as American.
This was my thought too. All I could think of that was "authenic American" was fried chicken, biscuits and gravy, Philly cheesesteak and hot dogs (though the toppings vary greatly by region). And I'm not even really sure about those.
OMG it's sad to think that fast food is what is thought of as authenic American.0 -
Soul food in Harlem.0
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For me, being from the UK, "American food" is summed up by the food shown on Man vs Food and Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.
When I visit the US these are the types of places I seek out.0 -
I agree they're mediocre (never been to them), but the simple fact is, unless you do careful research, ending up cold and hungry near Times Square could end up with an Olive Garden meal, simply because the other options there are pure fast food and mostly awful! Without pre-planning, and local knowledge of the places you are visiting, it's a mistake anyone can make. I've seen far too many American visitors visiting the UK and eating mediocre rubbish, because they haven't researched the amazing restaurants and bistros that now exist all over the country. You just have to know where to find them. But Americans will leave the UK thinking that the meals they ate at their big chain hotel or the nearby Wetherspoons pub are an accurate representation of what is available in the UK. Goes both ways!lemurcat12 wrote: »dizzieblondeuk wrote: »In defence of the random, unknown British poster mentioned, I doubt they actually knew Applebees was a chain - I didn't for ages, same with Olive Garden, and I'm a relatively regular visitor to the US.
If I were eating in the UK, I'd look up the place I was going to or ask for recs from locals or the like, but my issue here is thinking Applebee's was representative of dining in NYC.
Also, the deal with Olive Garden and Applebee's isn't just that they are chains (some chains may be okay--Lou Malnati's here is now a chain and while it's not my top favorite I might recommend it to some visitors and expect them to have a fine experience), but that they are mediocre, uninteresting chains. For example, there's a ton of good Italian restaurants where I live. If someone asked me for a good recommendation, I'd never send them to Olive Garden. NYC has an embarrassment of wonderful restaurants of all kinds, so I was just sad that this poster was telling others in the UK about food in NYC based on such an unfair and non-representative sample.
Finding truly local cuisine, well prepared and presented, and in a great atmosphere is an exercise in good detective work - and I've found this to be the case in nearly every country I've visited. I've had as many ill-advised meals in Paris as I've had in New York - and every single time, it's because I was hungry and hadn't planned in advance. Always, ALWAYS do your research, and understand what the local cuisine really is - especially because getting good a plate of, say, haggis in Cornwall is as precarious as getting great jambalaya in New England! There may be good versions, but it's much better eating a pasty in Cornwall, and chowder in New England! But equally, there are poor versions in those places of origin - but then, locals will know the difference. Knowledge is key!0 -
If you go to the southern US, eat at the most run-down, hole-in-the-wall soul food restaurant you can find. Order EVERYTHING. They will have THE BEST EVERYTHING you have EVER put in your mouth.
This. Go to a place where the cook looks like a fresh parolee and there is no grade from the health department because the trailer keeps moving one step ahead. You will never have better barbecue and you will never be able to find it again.
In NYC, get a bagel. Not the sad prebagged kind they have at the hotel breakfast, go to a real place.
If you go to Chicago, have a deep-dish pizza just to compare it to NY. They're almost two different dishes.
And if you ever come to Florida, get some pizza here too. All those New York Italian restaurant families have sent us their black sheep cousins.0 -
For me, being from the UK, "American food" is summed up by the food shown on Man vs Food and Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.
When I visit the US these are the types of places I seek out.
Since I live in the U.S. your advice is spot on. I've eaten at some of these places Guy Fieri has had on his shows. He knows his food.
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For me, being from the UK, "American food" is summed up by the food shown on Man vs Food and Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.
When I visit the US these are the types of places I seek out.
That's actually not a bad way to do it. You'll certainly get the large portions we are famous for.
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Must have a good Club Sandwich! I believe they are authentically American and can be found about anywhere!0
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Best way to go is find a Mom and Pop joint or a greasy spoon type place. That is going to be the most authentic American style cooking you're going to find for an area.0
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WinoGelato wrote: »Hey, me and my family travel a lot to America but it's usually on an asian tour bus... I have yet to try some 'authentic' American food and I want to have the real deal! I hear that the food varies by state/area so feel free to list them! There's no need for the health factor either. I have heard of In N out burger but I've never tried it.
I've also seen American food on TV in Canada, looks so good!
What a good question. I've lived in about 8 different regions of the country and had close ties to a few others. There is such thing as authentic regional American cuisine but, you have to work a little to seek it out. Before going to a specific city or rural area, research it and find out exactly where locals say you have to go to get it.
I've been in Memphis Tennessee for twenty years and I'll just make 3 suggestions for Memphis. More than anything else, we're known for barbeque. But so is Texas, South Carolina, and Kansas City. It's not all the same though. Texas is beef, maybe brisket. South Carolinians seem to brag about their sauce. I don't about Kansas City because I can't get passed their insistence on putting cinnamon in spaghetti sauce.
But in Memphis barbeque is either slow smoked pulled pork shoulder, or slabs of pork ribs, either wet or dry.- Pulled pork shoulder should come from Central Barbeque. The meat should be piled on a hamburger bun with cole slaw on top of the meat, not on the side. Sweet tea or beer are the only acceptable beverages.
- Dry ribs have to come from The Rendezvous. You enter from an alley near Beale Street. The ribs are anything but dry. They are juicy and seriously addictive but they have a dry spice rub with sauce on the side. Have a side of beans too.
- Go to Corky's Barbeque for wet ribs. Wet means they're served with sauce on the ribs. It's in Memphis but not downtown and not as old school as The Rendezvous. Exactly 50% of Memphians say wet ribs are the only way to go and the only place get them is Corky's Barbeque.
When you get out of jail from your Beale Street adventures ask if The Cozy Corner restaurant has been rebuilt. It recently burned down and the local chefs took up collections and held benefits to pay for the rebuild. If somebody doesn't abscond with the money it might be open again by the time you get to Memphis. This was the kind of place that you knew had to be great or else why would that many cars be in this neighborhood.
The Cozy Corner burned down? That used to be one of my favorite lunch places when I was a sales rep calling on St Jude.
For wet ribs in Memphis I always liked Blues City Cafe on Beale Street.
Also I'm from KC, I'm not sure what you're talking about with cinnamon in spaghetti sauce? Is it from a restaurant? I've never seen that, and weren't you talking about BBQ?
Could be similar to Cincinnati Chili, which is a Midwestern chili that includes cinnamon and cocoa powder, and is served over pasta:
I use ATK's recipe, for which you need a subscription to see the whole thing. http://www.americastestkitchen.com/recipes/1816-cincinnati-chili?incode=MASAZ00L0&ref=search_results_2
This Midwestern diner specialty is an unusual marriage of American chili and Middle Eastern spices. For an easy weeknight meal, we wanted to pare the list of ingredients down to the essentials without compromising the distinctive character of the dish. The beef in Cincinnati Chili isn’t sautéed like the beef in other chilis, so there is no way to remove the fat. To avoid greasiness, we blanched ground chuck for half a minute, which got rid of most of the fat but still left plenty of flavor.
The spices used in this chili vary from recipe to recipe. We settled on a limited palette starring chile powder, oregano, cinnamon, and cocoa powder, which we bloomed in hot oil for more depth of flavor. Water and tomato sauce are the traditional base for the sauce; we added chicken broth for balance. Vinegar and brown sugar livened things up. After a long simmer, the chili was ready to be served, and we couldn’t think of a better way to do it than “five-way”—over spaghetti, topped with cheddar cheese, chopped onions, and kidney beans.
This is close: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Cincinnati-Style-Chili/Detail.aspx?event8=1&prop24=SR_Title&e11=cincinnati chili&e8=Quick Search&event10=1&e7=Home Page&soid=sr_results_p1i3
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My first meal in Memphis was at the Blues City Cafe. Cozy corner burned last year. Here's a recent blurb about it.WinoGelato wrote: »The Cozy Corner burned down? That used to be one of my favorite lunch places when I was a sales rep calling on St Jude.
For wet ribs in Memphis I always liked Blues City Cafe on Beale Street.
Also I'm from KC, I'm not sure what you're talking about with cinnamon in spaghetti sauce? Is it from a restaurant? I've never seen that, and weren't you talking about BBQ?
Re. cinnamon in the spaghetti: By bad. Kshama's right. I was thinking of Cincinnati spaghetti. When I was writing the first post I couldn't remember exactly what Kansas City barbeque was noted for but I incorrectly remembered the '82 Super Bowl when the 49er's beat Kansas City Cincinnati. I worked for a company a little south of San Francisco that also had a plant in Kansas City Cincinnati and both plants had cafeterias. We bet them a serving of iconic regional food on the game. Of course the Chiefs Bengals lost and they sent our cafeteria the ingredients and instructions to make genuine world famous Cincinnati spaghetti. I didn't much care for it then. I don't dislike it as much anymore. If I remember correctly, we hinted that we'd send Napa wine, but really intended to send sourdough bread.
Sorry for the confusion.0
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