My friend was Hispanic and spoke the language. I did not. So we wandered far afield out to the edge of city and farmland, and I got hungry and wanted papaya.

At a hotel bar I asked if they had papaya, and the fellow said "Si" and gave the order to some woman in the back.

When it was brought to me, it was definitely papaya, and beautiful looking, but when I tasted it, it tasted STRONGLY of some sort of chemical. I ate a couple of bites and felt my lips going numb and didn't eat the rest. I decided to get out of there and did.

Thinking about it, I'm pretty sure some angry worker in the back who hated Americans, and American sailors in particular, drenched my papaya with Raid before sending it out to me.

I've gotten sick from some restaurants, but that's the only time I'm aware of where somebody deliberately tried to poison me, which makes that the worst restaurant experience I ever had.

" What is the worst restaurant experience you ever had? "

Went to a corporate meeting down state. For lunch, I wanted to go to a steak or fish place. "Everybody" wanted to go to a " Mexican Restaurant ". They all thought they were a trendy bunch. Some sort of chain outfit, don't remember the name of it. I could not even understand the names of the crap on the menu. I asked the waiter if I could just get a cheeseburger with french fries. They said sure. I specified : Mustard, lettuce, tomato, pickle, onion, cheese. Ketsup for the fries. He said " No Problemo "

When they brought it out, that is what I got, but they covered the whole cheeseburger & french fries with some kind of mexican sauce, about an inch thick, dripping off the plate. Told the waiter to take it back. I went outside and smoked a couple cigs until everyone came out. On the way back to the office, I went through Burger King, and I ate at the table in the meeting. The guy conducting the meeting asked me about it, told him what happened. He laughed, said he didn't blame me. He said he did not like Mexican food either. Said his wife likes it. They went to the same place once. He said he told his wife that he would not shit in that place, and would never go again. Told the group that next time, I would pick the place to eat lunch. Next day, went to a good steak house !!! Good meal !!!

I don't like Chinese food either! If what is on the plate looks like it was scooped out of the " Edible Can " from a mess hall, I don't want it !!!

Yuck. Old yucky turkey with dressing that was old. Green beans that stunk like they were in the refrigerator for 2 weeks. There was something else on the plate that was also gross.

We left and went to McDonalds.

I don't like Chinese food either!

You've probably never had any really good Chinese food.

I'm from the SF bay area, and the best way to get the good stuff is to go where the Chinese go. - Try a crowded 'dim sum' place first, for lunch.

Some of the best food I've ever had is Chinese...

He got worried, and asked me if I am sure. I said yes and I insisted. So he brought pickled pigs ears, sliced that it looked like spaghetti. It was very, very chewy. Little tasteless but I ate it all. Unfortunately it was so chewy and hard that my jaws ached for an hour.

I asked the waiter if they have some delicacy out of menu only for the Chinese people.

At least they didn't bring you stir fried cat.

FifTy years ago

Up in The warm spring indian reservaTion

Oregon cascade MounTain area

Local highway resTauranT

Had a six piece chicken dinner

On the menu for one dollar

Just wing Tips

Mr april fools

Me

Love
boris

I don't like Chinese food either!

So you don't like Mexican and you don't like Chinese. That tells me you've only tried either cuisine made by shitty cooks who've never tasted the real thing either. Both are spectacular when prepared as they should be.

Where was this - Paducah?

Vegan is my idea of shit food; I've never set foot in a vegan restaurant (there are very few because they tend to go bankrupt quickly), but I'm certain that would be my worst experience. Funny how they make fake burgers out of beans, but you never see fake lettuce made from bacon.

Vegetarian is fine; I like almost all vegetables and a nice salad next to the pulled-pork sandwich is great.

And tpaine is right - eat where the Chinese eat; Jackson St. in San Francisco was a revelation 40 years ago, where I also needed to bring a Chinese friend along to order the good stuff. Most strip-mall 'Chinese' food is worse than Chun King out of a can.

But that's why Yelp and TripAdvisor exist; use 'em.

At least they didn't bring you stir fried cat.

They wouldn't. It is a delicacy sold only to the trusted customers. Like dogs and rats.

But don't worry, Americans will eat anything. In hot dogs.

" So you don't like Mexican and you don't like Chinese. "

No, sure don't. I do like Italian. I am basically a " Murican " food kind of guy. I like fish, and meat & potato's . I will take a good grilled steak over anything else.

Like I said earlier, I don't care for food that looks like it was scooped out of the " edible " can in a mess hall. To me, most Mexican & Chinese looks like that.

I will eat chicken or beef chow mein. Occasional Taco is OK. That is it.

For her:

Mexican food:

Tortillas with plain refried beans. Nothing more.

Chicken:

Fast food chicken nuggets with ketchup. You can can offer her the best fried chicken anywhere, and she wants those impacted masses of who knows what chicken by-products. She also likes french fries with ketchup ( at least that makes sense).

Beef

none

Fish

She does love fish. I have to give her credit for that.

Chinese food

She likes the noodles.

Pizza

Plain cheese pizza

Soup

Simple Ramen soup. I wouldn't even eat that crap when I was starving in college.

But don't worry, Americans will eat anything. In hot dogs.

Maybe. But if you put a lot of yellow mustard on it and gulp it down, you probably don't notice.

Maybe. But if you put a lot of yellow mustard on it and gulp it down, you probably don't notice.

There is a lot of delicious dishes Americans miss by putting the key ingredients into hotdogs.

Kidney pie, tripe soup, brain mousse cake etc ...

There is a lot of delicious dishes Americans miss by putting the key ingredients into hotdogs.

Kidney pie, tripe soup, brain mousse cake etc ...

I've probably tasted just about all of of them. I grew up in Louisiana where all of the hog is used for food . And I mean ALL.

Kidneys, i am mixed on. They taste sort of like what they process. However, there are some good ways to cook it.

I love tripe. Evidently everyone does these days. It has become as expensive as ribeye steak.

Oh and squirrel brains are damn fine tasty.

I love tripe.

(You need vodka when meal is ready. Half pint per person.)

wash tripe, cut in 1/3in strips, no more than 3in long. in large soup pot, saute whole onion, celery and carrot until golden. add tripe, and 6-7c water, enough to cover.

add maggi (optional), salt, marjoram, nutmeg, paprika, bay leaf, pepper and allspice. I reccomend putting your whole pepper and allspice in either a tea ball, or in cheese cloth, otherwise this soup gets difficult to eat when you have to pick out the spices.

cook for 1-2 hours until trip is tender, not soft and mushy. make a roux. Fry 1/3c flour over high heat until it turns light brown. Take some liquid out of the soup, mix the roux into that liquid, and add the mixture back.

Serve with rye bread.

I have heard it is the most friendly place in Europe for Americans to visit.

Are you from Poland?

Yup.

I have heard it is the most friendly place in Europe for Americans to visit.

Could be. I would think also about Ireland, Italy, etc ...

" You sound almost as picky as my 11 year old daughter. "

Hardly, lot of differences:

For her:

Mexican food:

Tortillas with plain refried beans. Nothing more.

Me - Maybe a taco at Taco Bell, or Americanized chili

Chicken:

Fast food chicken nuggets with ketchup. You can can offer her the best fried chicken anywhere, and she wants those impacted masses of who knows what chicken by-products. She also likes french fries with ketchup ( at least that makes sense).

Me - ketchup with french fries, Fried Chicken, if not home cooked, I like KFC, PopEyes, Chic filet, Wendy's Chick Sandwich, etc. No ketchup on chicken, only salt & pepper

Beef

none

Me- about anyway. Best, grilled steak, med rare, hamburgers, BBQ w/coleslaw, roast, etc, etc. Nothing better than beef !!

Fish

She does love fish. I have to give her credit for that.

ME, about any way you can fix it. Love fried

Chinese food

She likes the noodles.

ME, look at my previous post

Pizza

Plain cheese

Me, I like pepperoni, sausage, ham, green peppers, mushrooms. Like req pizza, and pizza bread, same toppings. I like all Italian

Soup

Simple Ramen soup. I wouldn't even eat that crap when I was starving in college.

ME Like veg soup, potato soup, that is about it. Do not care for Ramen noodles. If it was a SHTF situation, if no other options, would eat it. I have eaten snake, raw.

Me, I love Turkey, mashed potato's, squirrel, rabbit, deer, Elk, etc.in fact, I like potatoes any way you can fix them. Love good veggies, fruits, etc.

No, I do not have much in common with your daughter's eating habits. She is missing out on a lot !!

I don't like Chinese food either!

Things I have eaten at Chinese restaurants that I thought were great:

Steamed green beans, cabbage with bacon, mussels, crawfish,fried shrimp, fried chicken, fried frog legs, octupus, squid, and fresh canataloupe.

That's just what comes to the top of my head.

" Things I have eaten at Chinese restaurants that I thought were great: "

Well, I am glad you like it. You can have my share!

You sound almost as picky as my 11 year old daughter.

For her:

Mexican food: Tortillas with plain refried beans. Nothing more.

I love good Mexican food (went to lunch last year with my Dad when visiting L.A., to a place called Leo's, which made the best carnitas I've ever had in my life - just orgasmic, and I'm going back over Christmas) but not much of a fan of Taco Bell or Chipotle (which is basically just an overpriced Taco Bell that poisons its customers).

However, I've always had a fetish for the plain ol' Taco Bell bean burrito - I don't know what it is, but I love those damn things.

So earlier this year I set out to clone those, since I live in the woods and the nearest TB is about 40 miles away. After a lot of online research and testing various ingredient ratios in my kitchen, I nailed it.

Now I can make up a batch of TB bean burritos anytime I want, and I'm pretty damn proud of myself. I made up a big-batch jar of all the dry ingredients to make sauce-creation easy (their sauce added internally is NOT the same as what they put in the little packets), and figured out just the right prep for the beans and few ingredients added to them.

Next up: I need to develop my own chorizo and carnitas.

Next up: I need to develop my own chorizo and carnitas.

http://lpoli.50webs.com/Sausage%20recipes.htm

http://www.gourmetcookingonline.com/title.php?id=2

Between the website and the book it should give you plenty of ideas for chorizo. Instead of doing it their way with the intestines I just use good lean ground pork/beef instead.

However, I've always had a fetish for the plain ol' Taco Bell bean burrito - I don't know what it is, but I love those damn things.

LOL. My daughter only likes the plain refried bean burritos there. No salsa, No cheese; just the plain bean burrito.

That's also what she likes at home a lot.

Between the website and the book it should give you plenty of ideas for chorizo.

I've eaten chorizo several times, but I guess i just never tasted any good chorizo. It has has mostly just tasted like meat flavored sawdust with some spices added.

I've eaten chorizo several times, but I guess i just never tasted any good chorizo. It has has mostly just tasted like meat flavored sawdust with some spices added.

I'm sure that's the case - there is a LOT of shit 'chorizo' out there excreted by factories that don't know the difference.

Ask around to see if you can find some of the real thing - done right, it's amazing. Cook it up in a skillet until cooked (it should be fairly greasy; that's the deal), then crack an egg or two into it and scramble the whole thing up - absorbs the grease and flavors everything up nicely. Optionally wrap inside a burrito-size tortilla.

I can't find good chorizo out here in the woods, so have been researching recipes and the spices are all over the map; seems every family has 'the worlds best' combination, heh. It's not complicated; just a matter of which spices and what proportions. I have no idea of what was in the best I've had, so I just have to assemble a bunch of pork and spices and start making variations until I'm happy with it.

http://lpoli.50webs.com/Sausage%20recipes.htm

http://www.gourmetcookingonline.com/title.php?id=2

Between the website and the book it should give you plenty of ideas for chorizo. Instead of doing it their way with the intestines I just use good lean ground pork/beef instead.

Thanks for those links! I'll add them to my list of recipes to research - there's a lot of them out there; everybody has their own way to do it.

My daughter only likes the plain refried bean burritos there. No salsa, No cheese; just the plain bean burrito.

That's also what she likes at home a lot.

I think a big part of that is the sauce inside - otherwise it's just refried beans (I make them from scratch because they're far better than Rosarita in a can and results vary depending on recipe and methods, but you MUST use lard and not vegetable oil to get authentic taste), a little shredded Mexican cheese blend, a little chopped onion, the sauce and the tortilla.

The sauce is what gives it Taco Bell's flavor; I found a recipe online claiming to clone it, and with just a tiny bit of adjustment I got it. Now I make a large batch of the spice combo and keep vacuum-sealed in a jar, so making the sauce takes about 75% less prep time.

there's a lot of them out there; everybody has their own way to do it.

I know what you mean I have the habit of substituting other peppers (fresh/ground) when the recipes call for Ancho (am tired of that flavor) I will use Guajillo and Red New Mexico's instead, you would be surprised how much it can change the flavor by doing that.

https://www.caciqueinc.com/products/crema-salvadorena/

Have you ever tried the Salvadorian Sour Cream? It lasts a long time in the fridge and has a milder flavor.

Never even heard of it, and no way will the stores out here in the woods have it. Maybe on my next semi-annual trip to the Big City.........

And I like variety in chile powders. Have Ancho, but also Guajillo, Hatch and a couple others in the cupboard.

Just got a big 120k BTU outdoor burner for wok cooking and recently added a 22" discada for carnitas and other smoky goodies. And now it's winter in the northwest, so have to do it under an umbrella..............