Now, you can get a high quality omakase in Portland, ME or Charleston, SC or Houston, TX or Milwaukee, WI or basically anywhere with a sufficiently large population. Indian food is ubiquitous and although some cuisines are still quite regional — like Filipino — that's changing too. (4/4)
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Buy agree overall not enough broad regional representation.
Also, East Village wasn’t quite what it’s like now in the ‘80s…
My wife is from the Monroe area and was limited to the “Chinese” buffet experience growing up, too.
Now, we have a French creperie, three sushi options, two Chinese restaurants, one Italian, three Mexican...
I remember Bloomington being an outlier--when I first visited in '92, they had one of only two Tibetan restaurants in the country at the time, as I recall. Even that has grown more varied since then.
So yes, definitely a broader range of cuisine out here.
Immm on Broadway for best Northern Thai style.
Beograd cafe on Irving Pk for v close to home Serbian.
LPatron for the handmade masa Gringo and Gringa
https://biryanikitchen.us/
Bomy's Authentic Indian Food and Groceries. When we walked in my girls were like "mom it smells like home".
(We are from Kenya with lots of really informal Indian places. He had orange Eno.)
Variety is starting to show up everywhere.
That said, by 1994 I knew the difference between from vindaloo and pulao, and cabrito in Columbia SC, and in Spartanburg SC I had Thai, and got Singapore chow mei fun instead of chop suey
Cheap, filling, & fast.
1) increase in cooking-related programs that spread awareness of cusines
2) increase in demand of delivery/takeout has led to increase in desire of variety cause people just dont want burger/pizza always
3) access to ingredients is higher
4) suburbs want it closer to them
Possibly most Easterners?
Stuff showing up at the local Foodtown that I used to have to make a trip for to an Asian specialty mart in Manhattan.
I spend a week or two a year in Taos and pretty much eat green chile exclusively while there.
Gourmet Mexican is very good, but you had to go to Mexico City or Guadalajara for it. I'd love to see more here.
There are multiple Nigerian and Ethiopian options tight inside the Atlanta metro area, and they're worth the hour+ drive
still the odd "melted cheddar like cheese on a pile of fried hamburger" places, but more and more good stuff.
trucks, stands and tamale ladies all over (complimentary)
Yeah, that was the scene of one of the larger mistakes of my junior year of high school.....
By sophomore year of college their 2 was quite enjoyable and their 3 was only a modestly questionable decision instead of a near fatal mistake.
Had a very intense reaction to those sliced pickles I popped in my mouth
They were sliced jalapeños
Learned this: El Chicos wasn’t authentic Mexican food and jalapeños ain’t pickles!
Editor’s note: this has not been good for my waistline.
Best Ethiopian restaurant I’ve ever tried is there and is widely loved. Probably the first time a lot of the residents have tasted flavor.
I feel like every cuisine has those hidden gems that are still to be uncovered. I can't wait.
Houston has the best ethnic food options I've seen anywhere. Tons of options, great quality, great value. Find a local to river guide you to the best spots. Totally worth it. Even in summer.
:: blinks :: where? I would love that but the sushi places I’ve been to here don’t offer it.
(Agree completely with the overall point, BTW! This is curiosity about any places I may not have tried yet, not a call-out of any kind. Hard to keep up with the restaurant scene here unless you're out constantly. )
Often, instead of locals telling you about their favorite cheesesteak/poboy/chowder/BBQ spot, they rave about a new hand-pulled noodle or Peruvian restaurant in town.
I can get that stuff at home. I want iconic local dishes, and locals seem a bit ashamed of them.
Mom always says my first solid food (1982) was either Mexican or Chinese.