SCs : What ethnic food restaurants have you tried?

I'm always more than willing to try another kind of food. I love Greek food,Indian food and am surrounded by a wide variety of Mexican and other South American restaurants. My favorite remains good old fresh seafood places. Japanese,Chinese and Thai restaurants abound and you learn to pick out the best for the price. Great. Now I'm hungry and all I have is yogurt.

Chinese (China Buffet, Fast Wok, and Yen Ching), Japanese (Fujiama Steakhouse, Stir Crazy, and Tepinyaki), Indian (India Garden), Mexican (La Hacienda, Rio Colorado, and Elazabache), Italian (Italian Garden), and Thai (Fast Wok). I'm not sure there any strictly authentic ethnic restaurants in the US, but I do avoid the chains and get as close as I can to the real thing.

I like Olive Garden, but I don't kid myself that it's authentic Italian food. For that, I go to a little place called Italian Garden. It's owned and operated by an Italian family and has been in the same location for at least 35 years.

I cook ethnic foods, too, now that most of the necessary ingredients are readily available.

Chinese

Italian

Mexican

Cajun

Greek

Not many. I've tried Indian food, which was hot and spicy, and I loved it, but there are no such places around here. Never had Japanese at all, nor Vietnamese, nor Thai. There are some really good, authentic Mexican places here, run by Mexican-Americans. The only time I ever really experimented was many years ago, in Toronto, which has a wide variety of restaurants serving different cuisines. Your question the other day really stirred me up - I had never heard of Soup Plantation, but ever since your question I've seen it advertised on television, and it sounds right up my alley. Too bad I've never seen one in this area. Nobody around here serves hot soup during the summer, and I LOVE soup!

My husband has a good friend, former co-worker, who is Mexican-American and he taught his wife (who I also worked with) to make the best enchiladas and tamales. Delicious!

I have tried Mexican--which really, most Mexican restaurants serve Tex-Mex, not authentic Mexican food. I've also had Chinese, but the same rule applies.

Japanese, Indian, Ethiopian, Lebanese, 'Mediterranean'--whatever THAT means, & Thai.

That's all I can remember.

Oh yeah, I ate at a German restaurant once.

We have several Vietnamese restaurants near my home; some Pho, several diner style, and a couple of upscale ones. One of the better ones is more like a French Bistro with Vietnamese influences. I've tried all but the newest ones; most have been here for decades.

Like you, I enjoy most Asian restaurants. One of the Chinese restaurants has two menus; one more American style and the other authentic and served family style. Korean, Japanese, Thai....

I like most Mediterranean foods I've tried: Italian, Greek, Turkish, Moroccan.

Let's see.....authentic Mexican, Brazilian, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Jamaican (love Jerk spices).

Polish, German, French.....

and Indian.....

Here in Manchester, UK have had "Indian" (often run by Bengalis & Pakistanis) on our famous Curry Mile and Chinese in our China Town........ALSO had Italian, French, Greek, Turkish, Mongolian, Thai, Japanese, Spanish, Armenian, Lebanese, Russian/Ukrainian, Chilean, Nepalese & eaten at couple of Kosher places in the Jewish suburb....In Manchester soon to have THE LARGEST TGI-Fridays in the world....A dubious honour?

Recently saw the demise of a lovely Portuguese place in the centre...One of THE best is a Spanish place, been there for years...Is near the Spanish Language Institute and popular with Spanish & South Americans in the city. IS like stepping into Spain...Even Spanish on the TV in the corner......

LOVE Thai ,also Chinese,Japanese,Italian,Greek,Moroccan. Anything fresh and spicy ,oh and a nice hot Indian curry ! Maybe I've tried the wrong things, but 3 Mexican restaurants I have been to, to me the food ranged from mediocre to terrible ,maybe I just didn't order the right stuff.

Mexican, Greek, Italian, Chinese, Japanese, Hungarian, French, Thai, Vietnamese, American, German, Native American.

I have eaten at so many Chinese restaurants over my life time, I can't make a guess

at how many we've gone to and were repeat customers, in four states in the west.

We tried a Japanese restaurant once, and it was the only one in the city where we

lived.It is still there, and is the Bush Garden. I started eating Chinese foods when I

barely could walk. It was a Friday night special every other week.

I have tried Mexican food also as many times as Chinese food, in four states. And

then I learned to cook many Mexican dishes, so we didn't go for that kind of food

very often after that.

In Hollywood, California, we tried an East Indian fast food, with a great chicken

entree that included Humus. I think that has to be an acquired taste. I have eaten

at a German restaurant, called the Rhinelander, before it's owner died and it was sold.

And I have eaten my late German grandmothers' German cooking for so many years,

and it far exceeded the restaurant fare.

I also went to a Greek restaurant once, called Athens West. And I didn't like the

menthol and grape leaves. But the floor show was worth coming for, with the belly

dancers.

I once was invited for dinner at a friends, who was trying her luck at cooking a

Turkish meal. She liked to try different culture foods. I didn't care for what we were

served that night, and barely touched my food.

I have eaten at an Italian restaurant several times when I was much younger. They

really knew how to take care of a customer. You started with a huge metal bowl of

soup with a ladle to serve ourselves, Then came our entrees and garlic bread on

thick french bread with butter and garlic. It was just oozing the buttery spread. They

served large portions, and there was no way we could eat it all. It closed down years

ago when no one in the family wanted to carry on the business. I think it was called

"The Lido restaurant:".

We've also eaten at several Octoberfest celebrations. One was at a small town of

German families where their church earns money to use for school supplie for their school. And

they prepare and cook German food for sale inside the school in October every year.

So I've eaten my fair share of ethnic foods over the years. And by far, my favorite

wasn't in a restaurant but my grandma's kitchen. She cooked from scratch her German

delights, and each was more special than the last we'd had on another visit. Everyone

thought so, and I can't disagree.