# Unique versions of relatively ordinary dishes that you have encountered **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 27, 2015, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unique-versions-of-relatively-ordinary-dishes-that-you-have-encountered/713787 "2015-02-27T18:35:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Aspidistra](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspidistra/32/3894_2.png) [@Aspidistra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspidistra)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2015, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unique-versions-of-relatively-ordinary-dishes-that-you-have-encountered/713787/61 "2015-03-03T00:13:22Z")
> [@Baron\_Greenback](#): > > If I remember right (that’s my old uni) that was advertised as French Bread Pizza? This was … _ahem_ about 25 years ago, so I don’t recall. But if so, even worse - the French would be the last people on earth to perpetuate that kind of abomination! I also remember this was down in the Science Ghetto, where they probably figured we were all troglodytes who couldn’t tell the difference. Up the road on the main campus, were cafes that were all sophisticated and stuff, and might even serve cappucino, though they spelt it “cuppuchino” > [@](#): > > Chinese/Indian combo places are rare, but universally terrible ime. Turkish/Indian/pizza places, usually run by Cypriots, can be pretty good at all three though. Cuisine where you simmer spicy things gently for three hours, versus cuisine where you show generally unspicy food to a scalding surface for 60 seconds… admittedly the Chinese do know about soup, so they might be able to learn Indian food without drama, but I think it would take a lot of unlearning to go the other way. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2015, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unique-versions-of-relatively-ordinary-dishes-that-you-have-encountered/713787/62 "2015-03-03T00:18:34Z")
> [@Aspidistra](#): > > This was … _ahem_ about 25 years ago, so I don’t recall. But if so, even worse - the French would be the last people on earth to perpetuate that kind of abomination! > > I also remember this was down in the Science Ghetto, where they probably figured we were all troglodytes who couldn’t tell the difference. At KB? Err, if so I was there at the same time as you, me probably being a year ahead. The best thing the canteen did up there was a pie and beans and a pint for a pound. 😃 Potterow had much better food. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2015, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unique-versions-of-relatively-ordinary-dishes-that-you-have-encountered/713787/63 "2015-03-03T15:52:19Z")
> [@Tamex](#): > > Me either. Not saying they’re authentic Mexican food, but I they must have changed in 25 years, since I don’t remember ranch dressing on the tacos. Of course, that was back before ranch dressing was everywhere. You sure that’s not supposed to be sour cream? I assure you it is ranch. I’m not sure if they actually even carry sour cream - I don’t think it comes standard on any of their menu items, at least. > [@](#): > > thought they had a chimichanga way back when–I remember the slogan, “Gimme a chimi!” They do list a “chicken chili” on the menu. I have never ordered it and have no idea whether they’ve managed to screw that concept up or not. ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2015, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unique-versions-of-relatively-ordinary-dishes-that-you-have-encountered/713787/64 "2015-03-03T16:00:30Z")
Back in the very early 90s. I was on vacation in Poland. I had a hankering for pizza. apparently Poles have a hankering for using ketchup as tomato sauce ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2015, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unique-versions-of-relatively-ordinary-dishes-that-you-have-encountered/713787/65 "2015-03-03T17:01:52Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > They do list a “chicken chili” on the menu. Self-correction - I meant to say “chicken chimi” above and my autocorrect would have none of it. They _do_ also have chicken chili, and it’s not bad, although I can’t actually taste any chili peppers in it. I should note that I’m speaking specifically about Taco Time _Northwest_, which due to historical weirdness is actually a completely different company than the Taco Times outside WA, and looking at their websites there are some differences in their menu items (e.g. the non-NW Taco Times don’t put ranch on their soft tacos, whereas the NW ones do). ---
**Author:** ![Atomic\_Mama](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b5ac83/32.png) [@Atomic\_Mama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atomic_Mama)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2015, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unique-versions-of-relatively-ordinary-dishes-that-you-have-encountered/713787/66 "2015-03-04T21:58:32Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > You’ll have to come down to the Midway area, but it’s [this place here](http://www.yelp.com/biz/machetes-big-quesadillas-chicago-2). You’ll note the one- and two-star reviews are mostly about wait time. I’ve never had an issue there, but I usually go on Thursday night. I like the cochinita pibil, the tinga de res, the huitlacoche, and the chicharonnes prensado verde. You can get them with two different fillings, one on each half of the quesadilla. And their “muy picante” sauce is actually quite fiery, and has ground up peanuts in it (so far as I could tell. It’s quite nice.) Next trip to ChiTown – I’m going THERE. There is NO even quasi-Mexican food where I live now ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Tamex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ccd318/32.png) [@Tamex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamex)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2015, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unique-versions-of-relatively-ordinary-dishes-that-you-have-encountered/713787/67 "2015-03-05T02:50:28Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Self-correction - I meant to say “chicken chimi” above and my autocorrect would have none of it. > > They _do_ also have chicken chili, and it’s not bad, although I can’t actually taste any chili peppers in it. > > I should note that I’m speaking specifically about Taco Time _Northwest_, which due to historical weirdness is actually a completely different company than the Taco Times outside WA, and looking at their websites there are some differences in their menu items (e.g. the non-NW Taco Times don’t put ranch on their soft tacos, whereas the NW ones do). Oh, OK. The Taco Times I went to were in Montana, so they must have been the non-ranch ones. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2015, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unique-versions-of-relatively-ordinary-dishes-that-you-have-encountered/713787/68 "2015-03-05T03:48:24Z")
> [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](#): > > Back in the very early 90s. I was on vacation in Poland. I had a hankering for pizza. > > apparently Poles have a hankering for using ketchup as tomato sauce Oh. Oh, dear. Say, did you happen to be traveling in New Zealand in the early 70s? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2015, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unique-versions-of-relatively-ordinary-dishes-that-you-have-encountered/713787/69 "2015-03-05T18:14:03Z")
> [@Aspenglow](#): > > Oh. Oh, dear. > > Say, did you happen to be traveling in New Zealand in the early 70s? 😉 Once in San Francisco after a late night of clubbing (ah, my lost days of youth), we found a lunch counter open at 3 am. They sold pizza. Sort of. It was nasty pasty white bread crust slathered in ketchup and with some sort of commodity cheese on top. ---
**Author:** ![Aspidistra](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspidistra/32/3894_2.png) [@Aspidistra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspidistra)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2015, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unique-versions-of-relatively-ordinary-dishes-that-you-have-encountered/713787/70 "2015-03-05T19:44:10Z")
> [@Baron\_Greenback](#): > > At KB? Err, if so I was there at the same time as you, me probably being a year ahead. The best thing the canteen did up there was a pie and beans and a pint for a pound. 😃 Potterow had much better food. 😃 Ok, I have to do this now… Computer Science and Physics, '89 - '93. ? (rest of youse guys, just talk among yourselves, ok?) ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2015, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unique-versions-of-relatively-ordinary-dishes-that-you-have-encountered/713787/71 "2015-03-05T20:12:38Z")
> [@Aspidistra](#): > > 😃 > > Ok, I have to do this now… > > Computer Science and Physics, '89 - '93. > > ? > > (rest of youse guys, just talk among yourselves, ok?) Physics, graduated in 1990, so I’m even more of a grizzled veteran than you 😃 ---
**Author:** ![HazelNutCoffee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ac91a4/32.png) [@HazelNutCoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HazelNutCoffee)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2015, 11:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unique-versions-of-relatively-ordinary-dishes-that-you-have-encountered/713787/72 "2015-03-06T11:42:07Z")
Once our cafeteria was serving what looked like spaghetti and garlic bread. I took one bite of the bread and discovered someone had sprinkled sugar all over it. Gross. ---
**Author:** ![Ruken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f475e1/32.png) [@Ruken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruken)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2015, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unique-versions-of-relatively-ordinary-dishes-that-you-have-encountered/713787/73 "2015-03-06T12:44:49Z")
I have encountered quesadillas that were triangles of puff pastry folded around cheese. Also, “vegan quesadillas” filled with mashed potatoes. These were in primary- and secondary-school cafeterias, respectively, \>10 years ago. ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2015, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unique-versions-of-relatively-ordinary-dishes-that-you-have-encountered/713787/74 "2015-03-06T13:33:23Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > Once in San Francisco after a late night of clubbing (ah, my lost days of youth), we found a lunch counter open at 3 am. They sold pizza. Sort of. It was nasty pasty white bread crust slathered in ketchup and with some sort of commodity cheese on top. That’s horrible. And in San Francisco, unforgivable – no matter **how** long ago it was!! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unique-versions-of-relatively-ordinary-dishes-that-you-have-encountered/713787.md?page=3)