Impressions of USA

[Uwinsc]

In Portland following a gluten free diet was the easiest it has ever been for me. Most restaurants (admittedly didn't do big chain fast food) had clearly labeled choices and even had excellent take out gluten free pizza from 2 different restaurants, something I have never had over here. My relatives brought a lot of gluten free stuff easily from several different health food shops for my stay.

All staff in restaurants were much more knowledgeable and helpful than here. 2 restaurants even had separate gluten free menus!!

 

[Uwinsc]

Some restaurants here already do this - the carvery at Lyons Farm in Worthing does and that's part of a chain (can't remember which) so presumably the same at all outlets.

Harvesters by the sealife centre do it.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Its just the culture. Bar workers are typically below minimum wage, but keep tips which are used to top up their beer. Not tipping is all well and good, but don't expect them not to say something, or totally ignore you.

Exactly. Personally I do not agree with it and I'd prefer staff to be paid a proper wage but at times you have to respect other people's culture.

 

[BensGrandad]

I think you're confusing Joe's Seafood Prime Steak and Stone Crab restaurant with Joe's Crab Shack. To my knowledge Joe's SPS and SC are only in Miami, Las Vegas and Chicago hardly a big restaurant chain.

Thank you arfer I did try to point that out that I wasn't talking about the Joes Crab shack which is a large chain and incidentally we had a lunch in one in Louisville and it was nothing to shout about.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

In Portland following a gluten free diet was the easiest it has ever been for me. Most restaurants (admittedly didn't do big chain fast food) had clearly labeled choices and even had excellent take out gluten free pizza from 2 different restaurants, something I have never had over here. My relatives brought a lot of gluten free stuff easily from several different health food shops for my stay.

Portland is a bit of an anomoly in the US though.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

In Portland following a gluten free diet was the easiest it has ever been for me. Most restaurants (admittedly didn't do big chain fast food) had clearly labeled choices and even had excellent take out gluten free pizza from 2 different restaurants, something I have never had over here. My relatives brought a lot of gluten free stuff easily from several different health food shops for my stay.

Portland is a bit of an anomoly in the US though.

 

[Uwinsc]

Portland is a bit of an anomoly in the US though.

True but I was replying to a poster from California and parts of that would be considered a food anomaly surely? I also know that subway in the US are trailing gluten free subs in several states which suggests even chain food has more gluten free options over there

 

[Uwinsc]

Portland is a bit of an anomoly in the US though.

The national resturant association in the US listed gluten free as among the top 5 culinary themes in 2011

 

[hart's shirt]

If you like Tex-Mex, look no further than Pappasito's in Houston.

 

[johnhammond]

Have got to agree with that.

We spent a few days in Milwaukee last December, and found some superb microbreweries. (One of them had the old bottling plant in it from Lavern and Shirley if anyone remembers that programme)

Oh, and jh - thanks for the reply re the weather in the Pacific North West. We really want to see the Orcas, and I understand that July-September is the best time?

Not a problem (I'm in grad school for weather-stuff so am well versed in it around here by this point). As for the orcas, I think anytime from June-September is supposed to be good, although you'll have less chances of it being cold & foggy out there in the 2nd half of July and through August. Though you'll need patience too (I've been up there a few times but haven't seen anything yet (aside from seals). There's plenty of breweries to pass the time in though!

 

[keithbeaky]

I have just returned from a fabulous holiday in the USA but was little surprised by a few things since my last visit some 10 yeas ago.

1. For a country that appears to be health conscious there are many, many obese people.
2. The food is generally of a very poor standard and consists of either steak KFC type Chicken and junk food and they have never heard of vegetables other than corn or broccoli
3. The big cars seem to have all but disappeared and replaced with European/Japanese

4. One of the very god things that our pubs and bars should follow if you buy a coke or sprite they continually refill the glass for as long as you are in the bar. At the minimal cost of post-mix syrup our pubs could easily follow suit but we are money grabbing It would certainly help to eradicate drink driving.

What has been highlighted by others while away on holiday good or bad.

This is for the whole of America right? Where did you go exactly, not LA or New York.

 

[Ⓩ-Ⓐ-Ⓜ-Ⓞ-Ⓡ-Ⓐ]

Some of the most atrocious food I've ever eaten was in Dallas, Texas. f***ing horrific. Euughhh!

 

[Ⓩ-Ⓐ-Ⓜ-Ⓞ-Ⓡ-Ⓐ]

This is for the whole of America right? Where did you go exactly, not LA or New York.

Kansas?

 

[omgitsjames]

In Portland following a gluten free diet was the easiest it has ever been for me. Most restaurants (admittedly didn't do big chain fast food) had clearly labeled choices and even had excellent take out gluten free pizza from 2 different restaurants, something I have never had over here. My relatives brought a lot of gluten free stuff easily from several different health food shops for my stay.

Yeah, my reference point is mostly from CA. Being one of the more progressive states, I assumed other states would be less progressive about this topic. Makes sense Portland is pretty good about it. Most of my friends in CA who follow gluten free diets pretty much lose most of their social lives unless they like hanging out at restaurants or pubs with their friends and be the only one not eating (this among other horror stories is why I say going gluten free in the US is very difficult). All I know is, most US restaurants don't follow a unified labeling convention like in the UK which I assume is a UK/EU legal requirement. Most people in the US also aren't as aware about gluten allergies as in the UK

 

[matthew]

Anyway i want to go to the US next year, where would you all say are the best places to go?

 

[martyn20]

Anyway i want to go to the US next year, where would you all say are the best places to go?

Very much depends on what you want to see, theme parks, big cities, amazing scenery, historical buildings, do you want to ski, or boat or tour in an RV or by train, the US has just about everything.

 

[Captain Sensible]

USA Jesus!
I go to various cities in the US about 20-30 times a year due to my job. From Atlanta to San Francisco.
Without getting too complex, I've come to the conclusion that the Americans have proportionaly around 2 or 3 times more binner, scuzzer, waster types than here in the UK. That is a large amount considering we have a large number of brain dead ourselves.
The Middle American loves god, lives his country but hasn't got a f***ing clue about anything! Nothing! Health, Social behaviour, social awareness, global issues, climate change, nothing.

It's got to the point now where I just give up. That country is eventually gonna f*** us all up and the joke is Asia is following them down this road.
Goodnight.

 

[Sussex Nomad]

I lived in South Carolina from 2001-2002, pretty much exactly a year, well out of tourist area. I had mixed feelings about them. Hugely welcoming, very friendly. But you did get to realise that their education was a notch or two down and they were indoctronated by American history, which is fair enough, we are by British history. But THEY won WW2 not us and they don't even see us as a partner in defeating the Reich, they don't get taught 1812 (look it up), their independence was not 1777 as they see it, it was a declaration but it took a war to get independence around 1782 and not July 4 either, again that was the declaration and not the victory, they are still racist as f***, at least in the southern states. They are extremely religious, never seen it as much as I have in the US. And they think we are Australian when we talk! Bastards! Apart from all that and a lot, lot more, it was the best year I have had in my life to date... go figure.

 

[Ⓩ-Ⓐ-Ⓜ-Ⓞ-Ⓡ-Ⓐ]

I lived in South Carolina from 2001-2002, pretty much exactly a year, well out of tourist area. I had mixed feelings about them. Hugely welcoming, very friendly. But you did get to realise that their education was a notch or two down and they were indoctronated by American history, which is fair enough, we are by British history. But THEY won WW2 not us and they don't even see us as a partner in defeating the Reich, they don't get taught 1812 (look it up), their independence was not 1777 as they see it, it was a declaration but it took a war to get independence around 1782 and not July 4 either, again that was the declaration and not the victory, they are still racist as f***, at least in the southern states. They are extremely religious, never seen it as much as I have in the US. And they think we are Australian when we talk! Bastards! Apart from all that and a lot, lot more, it was the best year I have had in my life to date... go figure.

Where abouts in SC did you live? I visited Charleston for a few days and absolutely loved it. Big University town with loads of young people, nice clean beaches and had a real "Amercian vibe" about it, parts of the city reminded me of New Orleans. I love NY and San Francisco, but they do feel rather European, Charleston felt different and exciting. Sometimes people ask me where I'd like to live in the US, and apart from Hawaii (which I have connections to), I always say Charleston and it seems to confuse the f*** out of people!

 

[Cesar Chavez]

Celebrating craft beer, it's DC Beer Week

DC Beer Week 2012

Shit beer, eh?