"Goodbye USA" Menu help needed

Right kind of beef, but damned if anyone knows how to prepare it properly!  (Except me, of course)   

I don't think I've eaten a steak out over here anywhere!  I didn't much in the US either though.  But hubby does a good steak, and makes his own special steakey sauce to go with.  Mmmmmmmm.

I have to say, to me soured cream doesn't taste like sour cream in the US.  And, some have suggested creme fraiche, which doesn't to me either and the consistency is much thinner.  Maybe I"m just fussy when it comes to my sour cream, but I don't find it at all the same as in the US. 

I have to say, to me soured cream doesn't taste like sour cream in the US.  And, some have suggested creme fraiche, which doesn't to me either and the consistency is much thinner. 

Are you certain it was creme fraiche that you bought?

The creme fraiche that i buy is thick and spoonable.  It's not thin or runny, or pourable.   It's almost as thick as Philadelphia cream cheese... that sort of texture.

I miss Rubios Baja Grill so much.  You could get a buffet of cali-mex.  Everything else, you could pretty much recreate on your own, but good mexican, salsas etc..  are hard to find.  (hot dogs here are gross, however sausages are good)

I've found creme fraiche varies from brand to brand and definitley varies if you buy low fat versus full fat. Usually we buy low fat which tends to be runnier. I'm fine with it but we did splurge (calorically that is) the other day and bought Sainsbury's really good full fat stuff. It was so thick, you could stand a spoon it it. Really nice.

I haven't found steaks to be all that well cooked here but it's probably the luck of the draw. This Saturday DH and I have reservations at what is *supposed* to be one of the top 5 Mexican restaurants in the UK (http://www.casamexicana.co.uk/). I'll let you know how it is!

Yes, the creme fraiche that DH bought once had nearly a Philadelphia cream cheese thickness but I don't think creme fraiche has the same sour taste as sour cream.  As for sour cream, in the US -- I always bought natural sour cream (Daisy brand usually) and it would be a bit thinner than the sour creams that have additives like gelatin in them.   The sour cream I buy here seems to be the same (natural sour cream), but I will check the 'ingredients' on the pack next time I buy it.

I always bring back meat tenderizer with me, or have my mom send it to me in the post, because the beef here really needs it! Whenever we have guests over and I cook steak or a roast they always make such a big deal about how wonderful and tender it is!

I have also found that paying a lot of money for steak while eating out doesn't guarantee tender beef either...

but, those could just be my experiences up here in Geordieland! (Plus, we eat out very seldom)

I did find a wonderful Mexican restaurant here in Newcastle a while ago...well they serve delicious frozen margaritas and have loads of mexican dishes on the menu (along with regular restaurant fare.)

We have a great China town here...and a great Thai restaurant I love. The thing I miss from chinese restaurants are crab rangoons (I know, they're not good for me anyway!) and my twins really miss ''chicken on a stick!" (chicken teriyaki.)

So...cook some burgers on the grill and also have a smorgasboard of mexican bites/chinese bites/Lays ruffle sour cream and cheddar chips!

So... the sour cream here doesnt taste 'normal' and the steaks aren't cooked properly here?   I havent found that to be true, speaking only for myself, of course.

But... i totally agree about the Mexican fiesta.   It's easy to find Mexican food here, but very difficult to find really *good* Mexican food here, made to authentic recipes.
 
You might consider going out for a Chinese one last time too... the Chinese food here is different... not as spicy and you might have trouble finding some of your favourite dishes (they might be called something different here).   Pot Stickers!!   That's something i have never seen here!    I have tried various types of Chinese dumplings, but so far (Im still searching!) they're not the same as the pot stickers i used to know and love back in California.


_{edited to adjust unsupportive and non-warm/fuzzy attitude}

love that last line!    Did Brandy Ho's have pot stickers??!?!?!?!?!??
I might have to give it a run when home in May!!!

I haven't found steaks to be all that well cooked here but it's probably the luck of the draw. This Saturday DH and I have reservations at what is *supposed* to be one of the top 5 Mexican restaurants in the UK (http://www.casamexicana.co.uk/). I'll let you know how it is!

Oh...I am sooo jealous! Hope you two have a great time and stuff yourself properly!

...crab rangoons...  

Ooooo yeah!  I miss those.  I don't think they're authentically Chinese, but rather some kind of weird American incarnation of Chinese...but I love crab rangoons!

This place is a chain restaurant with locations in Bath, Birmingham, Brighton, Bristol, Cardiff, Leeds, Leicester, Nottingham, and Sheffield.  I've had a yummy chimichanga, nachos, etc there -- and fab happy hour too!

http://www.iguanas.co.uk/

There's a Chilis at Canary Wharf in London....that's the closest I've ever had to real Mexican food over here!  (I went to college in a city with a large Mexican/hispanic population with TONS of good authentic places to choose from.  I'd kill for a proper burrito!)

Ooooo yeah!  I miss those.  I don't think they're authentically Chinese, but rather some kind of weird American incarnation of Chinese...but I love crab rangoons!

LOL...is any food in a typical chinese restaurant authentic?! LOL!!! Usually you see the owners and staff sitting together eating boiled rice and stir fried veggies...none of these deep-fried tasty things!!!

There's a Chilis at Canary Wharf in London....that's the closest I've ever had to real Mexican food over here!  (I went to college in a city with a large Mexican/hispanic population with TONS of good authentic places to choose from.  I'd kill for a proper burrito!)

I hear ya, I lived near the Mission district in San Francisco, best burritos hands down!

LOL...is any food in a typical chinese restaurant authentic?! LOL!!! Usually you see the owners and staff sitting together eating boiled rice and stir fried veggies...none of these deep-fried tasty things!!!

Exactly!  My nephew was dating this gal for awhile whose parents were both Chinese immigrants to the US.  Her parents invited my brother & his wife (nephew's parents) over for a real Chinese homecooked dinner.  They were having something called 'hot pot' which was essentially a broth with all kinds of interesting things floating in it (offal etc).  My brother & his wife were like 'Rice! Rice! We love rice! Pass the rice! More rice!'