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Food

Foreign food

(107 Posts)
Gingster Sun 24-Nov-24 20:10:33

The first time I ate anything foreign I was about 14.(1964). My older brother took me and his girlfriend to a Chinese Restaurant. It was so exotic and delicious, I really felt as though I was in the Orient.

The first time I had a pizza was around 1967 when I was working in London and met up for lunch with my friend.
She said a new restaurant had opened up in Cheapside , Italian! ๐Ÿ˜ณ. Woo! We ordered Pizza and it was amazing with an olive in the centre.

I also remember the first time I had yoghurt around the same time. Yuk! ๐Ÿ˜‚

sodapop Tue 29-Jul-25 12:44:44

Living in rural France there is not much haute cuisine around but an interesting mix of local dishes with the inevitable pizza. Burgers are now featured largely on restaurant menus. I know someone who has lived here for 20 years and never been to a french restaurant as they don't like French food - unbelievable.

bookwormbabe Wed 30-Jul-25 13:01:16

I remember the first time I had curry (made by my mother at home). For some reason I burst into tears! I can't remember how old I was but probably pre-teen. Funnily enough I love curry now.

Saltyspec Wed 06-Aug-25 12:22:19

Aged 14 I cooked my dear dad spaghetti bolognaise from the Stork cookery book. He ate one mouthful and decided on a boiled egg instead. His tastes changed in the sixties when we started going to Spain with Clarksons travel company, anyone remember their pink and yellow planes?

Frenchgalinspain Thu 07-Aug-25 14:33:42

The most common for me in France (1970s) were Italian, Moroccan and Vietnamese.

I am a grand fan of a wide variety of "foreign" cuisines. And my my favourites are Basque, Chinese, Greek, Iranian, Italiane, Japanese, Mediterranean in general, Moroccan & Turkish.

grumppa Thu 07-Aug-25 15:34:24

Veeraswamy's (Regent Street) for Indian, Le On for Chinese, Hellenique for Greek (both in Soho), all back in the 50's and before I was a teenager.

Labradora Thu 07-Aug-25 17:19:56

As teenage schoolgirls my friends and I ate out when we could afford it at a Greek restaurant and we prized bowls of Tahini sauce served with the meals.
Mother never served foreign food at home but served the normal British food of the time. I knew no different other than the "special" meals out so ate and enjoyed her cooking.
When I moved to London to work, living initially in hostels, Vesta curries were served at the hostel I stayed at and I loved them.
I later graduated to proper takeaway curries from Indian restaurants and Schezuan Chinese food at an excellent restaurant in Watford (then) where initially I lived.
Also I had Greek Cypriot friends and ate Greek food at the local restaurant and in their home.
It was my friends' father who first encouraged me to try Taramasalata which I had encountered but not fancied much. He called it "white caviar". 50 years later I love Taramasalata but have it as a treat only because it is so fattening !!!
Incidentally what little black caviar I have had I didn't like and don't understand the fuss.
My OH is Anglo-Indian and an excellent cook and I eat authentic curries now.
Only thing with the OH is he is difficult to eat out with because very critical of restaurant standards. A fair percentage of the time, frankly, even though we now live in France, he's justified.