British Mexican food

It's true, I have yet to see an authentic looking Italian place in Inverness.  There are some great Indian restaurants, a good Thai and a nice Tapas place but no Italian.  But the pizza place that opened up in Culloden a couple of months ago does really, really good pizzas!

I second that question.    Given the way the waitress at Pizza Hut mispronounced jalapeno when I was there a few weeks ago, I'm dreading to think..... 

My (British) husband had a difficult time ordering pizza with jalapeños from Dominoes a couple of years ago.  I think he tried every conceivable pronunciation until he got his point across.   

"...and ha-le-payn-yos."

"What?"

"Ja-le-payn-yos."

"Huh?"

"Ja-la-pen-yos?"

"Sorry?"

"Ja-lap-pin-os?"

"I don't know what you mean."

"The green chilis."

"Oh, you mean those jay-loe-pee-no things!"

It's true, I have yet to see an authentic looking Italian place in Inverness.  There are some great Indian restaurants, a good Thai and a nice Tapas place but no Italian.  But the pizza place that opened up in Culloden a couple of months ago does really, really good pizzas!

Oooh i'll have to check that one out.  I love the Thai restaurant too.

The tapas place I used to love until I heard a rather unsavoury account of the state of the kitchens.   

Do you think the mangled pronunciations might originate from the differences between Spanish Spanish and Mexican Spanish? Like I would say I'd like a glass of Ree-oh-haa because I learned Mexican Spanish and the "j" is "ha". Or I would ask for Pie-ay-ya rather than Pie-el-la.

Still no excuse for mispronouncing Mexican words, but it MIGHT go some way toward explaining?

My (British) husband had a difficult time ordering pizza with jalapeños from Dominoes a couple of years ago.  I think he tried every conceivable pronunciation until he got his point across.   

"...and ha-le-payn-yos."

"What?"

"Ja-le-payn-yos."

"Huh?"

"Ja-la-pen-yos?"

"Sorry?"

"Ja-lap-pin-os?"

"I don't know what you mean."

"The green chilis."

"Oh, you mean those jay-loe-pee-no things!"

THAT'S hilarious!!! 

Gawkmole, LOLOLOLOLOLOLOL

When I first moved here, I was having lunch in a restaurant with a friend and she ordered something on the menu called a "cassidea".  Both my friend and the waitress pronounced it cassidy.  When her plate came, I about fell over from laughing;  it was a fricking quesadilla!!!!

When I first moved here, I was having lunch in a restaurant with a friend and she ordered something on the menu called a "cassidea".  Both my friend and the waitress pronounced it cassidy.  When her plate came, I about fell over from laughing;  it was a fricking quesadilla!!!!

I watched that show last night where she had to cook the meal better than the takeaway.. and, correct me if im wrong because i just watched while cooking my own dinner, wasnt the point of it that she had to cook the meal with what ingrediants were in the cupboards of this bachelor pad (which was pretty much nothing useful).  I think she did pretty well considering what she was given to work with....

The only mexican we have around here is Chiquitos.. which is a chain and with most of the meals they dont even serve you rice, they give you french fries.. quite sad... but yummy 

Do you think the mangled pronunciations might originate from the differences between Spanish Spanish and Mexican Spanish? Like I would say I'd like a glass of Ree-oh-haa because I learned Mexican Spanish and the "j" is "ha". Or I would ask for Pie-ay-ya rather than Pie-el-la.

As far as I know, Mexicans and Spaniards don't really differ much in the pronunciations of j's and ll's.  I don't think "pie-el-la" is correct in any variant of Spanish.

On the topic of Mexican food here -- eh.  I wasn't expecting much when I tried it, so it wasn't a let-down.  The thing that puzzles me the most about it is why they put so many freaking courgettes in every vegetarian dish they make.  It always makes the whole dish kinda gross and slimy.   

I really miss living north of California when it comes to buying avocados here.  More often than not the ones I get taste like avocado-textured water.

 i bet theres some brits living in the united States complaining they can't get a decent indian curry

"Take On the Takeaway" was on last night when I turned the TV on. They were doing burritos, and I watched with sick fascination and horror as they made pico de gallo with no chiles, cooked plain white rice, and worst of all, put Worcestershire sauce in the beef!  And don't even get me started on the way they pronounced "guacamole"!

If you're curious, here's the Michelin-starred chef's version of burritos:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/tv_and_radio/takeaway_recipe4.shtml

I was so outraged that I had to go make burritos for dinner, with chiles in the salsa, proper Spanish rice, and NO Worcestershire sauce. And they were yummy. 

you freak me out sometines!

i did exactly the same thing last night!

(but for different reasons--i just had a big-ass craving)

i bet theres some brits living in the united States complaining they can't get a decent indian curry

Ha ha!  Probably!  But, lucky for me (whose still in the states), there is an absolutely FAB Indian place down the street.  Hubby was super impressed and we went there once a week for the month he was here (homesick, you think?).  Didn't bother me as I love curry.  But the reverse is when I went to see him in Leicester, we both had the worst curry ever!

Now, New England and Mexican food don't mix.  So, a bit like the UK there.  And I am picky having been raised on proper Mexican food in San Antonio, Tejas ( ).  I generally just make it myself and the ingredients aren't always easy to find.  Good preparation for the UK, I think.  Now that I am moving, an amazing Mexican place opened within walking distance from my condo.  The staff barely speak English and it is owned by the Perez family whose son is first generation American.  In short, YUMMY!!!  But, alas, I am leaving....

i bet theres some brits living in the united States complaining they can't get a decent indian curry

They'd be wrong!  There's some great Indian restaurants in the States!

They'd be wrong!  There's some great Indian restaurants in the States!

There are, as well as a few Yanks you can make a pretty darn good curry, too!