# What would you serve in an American Restaurant? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 28, 2006, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-serve-in-an-american-restaurant/341983 "2006-01-28T13:51:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cc9497/32.png) [@Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt.Ridley_s_Shooting_Party)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2006, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-serve-in-an-american-restaurant/341983/21 "2006-01-28T19:21:21Z")
> [@](#): > > Coleslaw as a part of a sandwich. Is that American? One of my favourite sandwiches is cheese and coleslaw. ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2006, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-serve-in-an-american-restaurant/341983/22 "2006-01-28T20:22:18Z")
Roast turkey with cornbread stuffing. ---
**Author:** ![Cub\_Mistress](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea666f/32.png) [@Cub\_Mistress](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cub_Mistress)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2006, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-serve-in-an-american-restaurant/341983/23 "2006-01-28T20:34:01Z")
**fighting ignorant** , I don’t think **twickster** meant corn and pumpkin pie together, I think she meant “corn” and also, “pumpkin pie.” If I am wrong in my interpretation, my apologies to **twickster**. I saw my first Black-Eyed Pea Restaurant a few years ago, I think it’s a midwestern chain. I remember the menu as being all- American. I’ve always thought good ol’ Tennessee pit barbecue would be a great thing to export to Europe but I met the Swiss barbecue competition team this fall and realized I was way too late. Go Team Switzerland!!! ---
**Author:** ![Stentor\_2.5](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc8723/32.png) [@Stentor\_2.5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stentor_2.5)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2006, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-serve-in-an-american-restaurant/341983/24 "2006-01-28T20:40:24Z")
Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. I know, it would be difficult to have this as a menu item, but it is a very American food Also, I’ve been in Europe a while but I haven’t really seen any BLT’s here. They may be lurking on the menu in Estonian, but I haven’t noticed them. And Buffalo Wings. And now I’m getting hungry and missing home at the same time. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2006, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-serve-in-an-american-restaurant/341983/25 "2006-01-28T20:45:56Z")
> [@John Mace](#): > > It was invented by a chef who was born in Italy, lived in the US (San Diego) but was working at a restaurant in Tijuana at the time of its creation. Does that qualify it as an American invention? Doubtful… Tijuana? :dubious: Border towns like Tijuana don’t really count as part of Mexico. Whenever I tell a Mexican that I’ve been to Tijuana and Matamoros, they laugh and say, “Oh, that’s not Mexico, not really.” That’s like a Frenchman spending his vacation in Florida’s Disney World, and thinking he’s been to the United States. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2006, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-serve-in-an-american-restaurant/341983/26 "2006-01-28T21:13:40Z")
> [@Raguleader](#): > > So an immigrant from Southern Europe invented a dish in Mexico then brought it to the US? Doesn’t get more American than that without apple pie and a baseball game, my friend. 🙂 That’s certianly one way of looking at it! ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2006, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-serve-in-an-american-restaurant/341983/27 "2006-01-28T21:29:24Z")
> [@OslerKnew](#): > > How about soul food? Southern style stuff…collard greens, grits, fried pork chops, smoked ham. Does anyone outside of the US recognize those foods as American? I think you’d need to consider the way we’ve resolved Chinese in America into Mandarin, Sczechuan, Hunan, Mongolian… Just because we call ourselves a country doesn’t mean we’re necessarily the same…what…_ethnicity_? from region to region. ---
**Author:** ![Schnitte](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/schnitte/32/9033_2.png) [@Schnitte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Schnitte)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2006, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-serve-in-an-american-restaurant/341983/28 "2006-01-28T22:34:54Z")
> [@fighting ignorant](#): > > The following have been mentioned in this thread and yet I’ve never heard of any of them. > … Maybe “joghurt dressing” is just a mistranslation from German (where the sauce I referred to is actually called that way) into English. What I meant was salad dressing based on joghurt instead of vinegar or olive oil. ---
**Author:** ![Excalibre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@Excalibre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Excalibre)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2006, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-serve-in-an-american-restaurant/341983/29 "2006-01-28T22:38:55Z")
> [@Schnitte](#): > > Maybe “joghurt dressing” is just a mistranslation from German (where the sauce I referred to is actually called that way) into English. What I meant was salad dressing based on joghurt instead of vinegar or olive oil. While I had no trouble recognizing the name, it’s usually spelled “yogurt” or “yoghurt” in English. And I’m not familiar with many yogurt-based dressings, at least in American cooking. But they’re common in Middle Eastern cooking. ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2006, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-serve-in-an-american-restaurant/341983/30 "2006-01-28T22:55:16Z")
> [@AskNott](#): > > Tijuana? :dubious: Border towns like Tijuana don’t really count as part of Mexico. Whenever I tell a Mexican that I’ve been to Tijuana and Matamoros, they laugh and say, “Oh, that’s not Mexico, not really.” Well as someone who’s travelled extensively (and basically lived) all over Mexico, as well as Tijuana, I’ll say this. Tijuana is certainly a bit Americanized in the sense that there are a number of clubs, restaurants etc. geared toward American tourists. And more people speak English there than throughout most of Mexico. But all in all it’s more like Mexico than it is like the U.S. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2006, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-serve-in-an-american-restaurant/341983/31 "2006-01-29T00:31:07Z")
How about pork & beans, or baked beans with chunks of hot dogs in it? And (bring) pie. Apple pie, cherry, pecan, shoe-fly, apple pan dowdy, etc. And huge ice cream cones (the size will make them American). You can also go in a whole different direction, and include things like Spam and Velveeta. ---
**Author:** ![Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cc9497/32.png) [@Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt.Ridley_s_Shooting_Party)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2006, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-serve-in-an-american-restaurant/341983/32 "2006-01-29T00:34:36Z")
> [@](#): > > Also, I’ve been in Europe a while but I haven’t really seen any BLT’s here. I don’t think any sandwich shop in the UK is without a BLT. ---
**Author:** ![Rufus\_Xavier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@Rufus\_Xavier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rufus_Xavier)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2006, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-serve-in-an-american-restaurant/341983/33 "2006-01-29T00:41:07Z")
It doesn’t matter, as long as it’s all fried in bacon grease. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2006, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-serve-in-an-american-restaurant/341983/34 "2006-01-29T01:17:13Z")
Cornbread and biscuits (as items on the menu, not necessarily together); I live in the UK and I keep hearing about these things from my American friends, but they just don’t seem to be available outside of the US. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2006, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-serve-in-an-american-restaurant/341983/35 "2006-01-29T01:37:29Z")
Personally, I wouldn’t attempt an American Restaurant with a menu of huge variety touching on every American culinary experience. I would specialize, and choose an American delicacy-- do one thing really well. If I had it to do, I’d open an American style wing joint in Tokyo, Bangkok, and Beijing. An American style Steakhouse in Sydney (get’em outback), and London. And a chain of Americana, BBQ Smokehouses throughout Europe. ---
**Author:** ![BlakeTyner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@BlakeTyner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlakeTyner)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2006, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-serve-in-an-american-restaurant/341983/36 "2006-01-29T01:57:38Z")
> [@Excalibre](#): > > While I had no trouble recognizing the name, it’s usually spelled “yogurt” or “yoghurt” in English. And I’m not familiar with many yogurt-based dressings, at least in American cooking. But they’re common in Middle Eastern cooking. Could we be talking about Ranch dressing, maybe? It isn’t yogurt, but it is a rather odd concoction of sour cream/milk, mayo, onion, etc. Plus, it’s about the most “American” dressing I can think of…with the Big Mac secret sauce coming close, too! ---
**Author:** ![fighting\_ignorant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ac8455/32.png) [@fighting\_ignorant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fighting_ignorant)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2006, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-serve-in-an-american-restaurant/341983/37 "2006-01-29T02:12:12Z")
> [@Schnitte](#): > > Maybe “joghurt dressing” is just a mistranslation from German (where the sauce I referred to is actually called that way) into English. What I meant was salad dressing based on joghurt instead of vinegar or olive oil. Yes, I figured that part (and I see someone else below has also). Nonetheless even considering “yogurt” as I assume you mean, I haven’t seen salad dressing based on it. I _have_ seen things like greek cucumber salad or certain Indian condiments, but of course, they would not be considered prototypical American cuisine. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2006, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-serve-in-an-american-restaurant/341983/38 "2006-01-29T03:10:12Z")
> [@Cub Mistress](#): > > **fighting ignorant** , I don’t think **twickster** meant corn and pumpkin pie together, I think she meant “corn” and also, “pumpkin pie.” If I am wrong in my interpretation, my apologies to **twickster**. No apologies needed – you are correct. ---
**Author:** ![EvilGhandi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@EvilGhandi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EvilGhandi)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2006, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-serve-in-an-american-restaurant/341983/39 "2006-01-29T07:13:42Z")
Jambalaya, crawfish pie, fili gumbo. Cant go wrong there. ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2006, 9:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-serve-in-an-american-restaurant/341983/40 "2006-01-29T09:20:52Z")
•Milk. Cool, tall, glasses of cow’s milk. (Probably not a big deal in some markets, repulsive and horrifying in others, and possibly a health hazard in others.) •American-style Chinese food. (With a fortune cookie.) •Succotash and Pemmican. •Coca-Cola, a Hershey bar, and a C-Ration pack. 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-serve-in-an-american-restaurant/341983.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-you-serve-in-an-american-restaurant/341983.md?page=3)