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True Dough

(26,789 posts)
Sun Apr 5, 2026, 01:53 PM Sunday

What's your favorite foreign cuisine?


89 votes, 1 pass | Time left: Unlimited
Chinese food
9 (10%)
Indian
10 (11%)
Greek
3 (3%)
Italian
22 (25%)
Mexican
15 (17%)
Thai
12 (13%)
Japanese
3 (3%)
Spanish
0 (0%)
Turkish
1 (1%)
Other
14 (16%)
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Disclaimer: This is an Internet poll
47 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
What's your favorite foreign cuisine? (Original Post) True Dough Sunday OP
Hunter/gatherer. multigraincracker Sunday #1
You omitted French. no_hypocrisy Sunday #2
There's only 10 options available True Dough Sunday #4
I chose other. All of them. Lochloosa Sunday #3
Had To Pass ProfessorGAC Sunday #5
Interesting, but not surprising True Dough Sunday #7
We Can However, Rule Out Milano ProfessorGAC Sunday #11
that was kind of what I was thinking Kali Sunday #20
Lebanese walkingman Sunday #6
Fascinating choice, walkingman True Dough Sunday #8
Kibbeh (little footballs), grape-leaf and cabbage rolls, maamoul (date crescent-shaped cookies), walkingman Sunday #9
All of the above. mwmisses4289 Sunday #10
fish and chips with malt vinegar Skittles Sunday #12
With True Dough Sunday #13
I prefer spotted dick Skittles Sunday #14
It's True Dough Sunday #15
While planning a multi-family Thanksgiving, my British friend said she'd bring spotted dick. Attilatheblond Sunday #29
it is certainly not what my fussbudget English grandma called it Skittles Yesterday #37
My British friend is anything but fussy Attilatheblond Yesterday #39
my mum disliked 'bangs' Skittles 22 hrs ago #40
My friend and her Long Island native husband got into it re flashlight/torch Attilatheblond 14 hrs ago #43
I got one over on them when I was a kid in England Skittles 10 hrs ago #45
Sounds like a particularly unpleasant STD. Ocelot II 16 hrs ago #42
When in Rome! Floyd R. Turbo Sunday #16
Go True Dough Sunday #17
🤗 Floyd R. Turbo 11 hrs ago #44
Thai...but I can't partake any more. Tikki Sunday #18
Tikki True Dough Sunday #19
my nit picky question Kali Sunday #21
Of course, DUers can specify as you just did, Kali. True Dough Sunday #22
I dated someone from Taiwan when I was in college Wednesdays Sunday #28
Turkish food is excellent. We have two Turkish restaurants in a nearby town here in CT and it is a treat to go have CTyankee Sunday #23
Ital by Jamacians IbogaProject Sunday #24
I chose Italian, but Polish is a close second Wednesdays Sunday #25
Vietnamese. Ocelot II Sunday #26
Pho Le, is less then a mile from my house makes both of those irisblue 16 hrs ago #41
Of the choices given, Italian. greatauntoftriplets Sunday #27
I'll kill for ... littlemissmartypants Sunday #30
LMSP and the case of True Dough Sunday #31
I see them in my dreams, True. 🍴💭 🤓 littlemissmartypants Sunday #32
Korean jmowreader Sunday #33
Kimchi and Soju for breakfast? LudwigPastorius 13 min ago #46
French fries and English muffins........ Go deep into the culture. Norrrm Sunday #34
Off this list, Thai then Japanese Ilikepurple Sunday #35
Korean food FM123 Sunday #36
Vietnamese. Mike Niendorff Yesterday #38
Not really foreign, but Tex-Mex. LudwigPastorius 10 min ago #47

ProfessorGAC

(76,798 posts)
5. Had To Pass
Sun Apr 5, 2026, 02:02 PM
Sunday

Couldn't choose between Italian, Chinese, Japanese, Thai, & Mexican.
Interesting you included italian. Several years ago I read a magazine article talking about thus very topic.
People were surprised how few people chose Italian.
So, they did a little digging & concluded that many people no longer consider Italian as a foreign cuisine.
Pasta,, pizza, Italian beef & sausages have morphed into "American" food.
When some of those people were asked "What about pizza & pasta?" the replies were effectively "Oh, yeah. I forgot about that."
My guess is that Mexican cuisine is headed in that same direction.

True Dough

(26,789 posts)
7. Interesting, but not surprising
Sun Apr 5, 2026, 02:08 PM
Sunday

After generations have become accustomed to enjoying meals that originated from afar, some people naturally consider it native because they know nothing different.

In that same vein, some New Yorkers and some Chicagoans could probably spend forever debating which city has the best pizza and not even consider Naples (Napoli) in that conversation.

ProfessorGAC

(76,798 posts)
11. We Can However, Rule Out Milano
Sun Apr 5, 2026, 03:04 PM
Sunday

Pizza there is pretty much what we would call pizza bread!
I've been to Italy 40 something times but never south of the Napoli area. I don't know what pizza is like down south.
Funny thing is, my dad's side is from Sicily; my mom's from Calabria. So, I've never been down to where my familes were from.

Kali

(56,844 posts)
20. that was kind of what I was thinking
Sun Apr 5, 2026, 05:05 PM
Sunday

I would pick Mexican, but it isn't foreign to me, it is just normal, everyday eating around here.

walkingman

(10,898 posts)
9. Kibbeh (little footballs), grape-leaf and cabbage rolls, maamoul (date crescent-shaped cookies),
Sun Apr 5, 2026, 02:24 PM
Sunday

are a few that I remember but so many more....We had a neighbor who was a retired violinist from SF of Lebanese descent (mom and dad from Lebanon/Syrian) who family introduced us to their cuisine. They were amazing very cultured people all passed away. I miss them and their food.

mwmisses4289

(4,238 posts)
10. All of the above.
Sun Apr 5, 2026, 02:45 PM
Sunday

I would also add Korean. So many delicious food cultures, not enough time (or money!) to travel to them all and try their food.
May need to do another poll with more food from countries in the global south- think Argentina, Chile, Brazil, Indonesia, the Carribean (ok, i know they are still northern hemisphere, but still!), the Phillipines...oh, there are so many!

Attilatheblond

(8,931 posts)
29. While planning a multi-family Thanksgiving, my British friend said she'd bring spotted dick.
Sun Apr 5, 2026, 10:04 PM
Sunday

Two of the American gents at the planning session looked alarmed and one mumbled: "sounds like something you should see a doctor about"

Skittles

(171,831 posts)
37. it is certainly not what my fussbudget English grandma called it
Mon Apr 6, 2026, 12:15 AM
Yesterday

it was just plain pudding and custard

Attilatheblond

(8,931 posts)
39. My British friend is anything but fussy
Mon Apr 6, 2026, 01:28 AM
Yesterday

But DO NOT get into it with her regarding: Flashlight or Torch

Attilatheblond

(8,931 posts)
43. My friend and her Long Island native husband got into it re flashlight/torch
Mon Apr 6, 2026, 11:35 AM
14 hrs ago

He thought he had her with "We invented the flashlight!" but she smartly responded: "Yes, dear, but who invented the English language?"

Game over 'bloody colonist'.

Skittles

(171,831 posts)
45. I got one over on them when I was a kid in England
Mon Apr 6, 2026, 03:46 PM
10 hrs ago

WE LANDED ON THE MOOOOOOOON!

they could NOT top that

Kali

(56,844 posts)
21. my nit picky question
Sun Apr 5, 2026, 05:08 PM
Sunday

do you mean the actual cuisines in those places, or do you mean the American versions? because they are WAY different. I love old style American "Chinese" food, actual real food in China? (or in my case it was Taiwan) - eh not much of it, actually.

True Dough

(26,789 posts)
22. Of course, DUers can specify as you just did, Kali.
Sun Apr 5, 2026, 05:14 PM
Sunday

But your observation is valid in my experience. I only knew "Westernized" Chinese food until my 30s. Then my wife and I met up with a high school buddy of mine and his wife. Their parents came from China. My friend recommended a Chinese restaurant and we happily met them there.

Then we looked at the menu and I was shocked that there was no chicken balls, chow mein, egg rolls, fried rice, etc. It was primarily fish and shellfish dishes. I was hard-pressed to order because I knew so little about what I was seeing. It was quite an eye-opener.

Wednesdays

(22,658 posts)
28. I dated someone from Taiwan when I was in college
Sun Apr 5, 2026, 10:03 PM
Sunday

...who would fix me dinners in their homeland style.

It was VERY bland. Except for the dried fish snacks, which were VERY salty!

CTyankee

(68,235 posts)
23. Turkish food is excellent. We have two Turkish restaurants in a nearby town here in CT and it is a treat to go have
Sun Apr 5, 2026, 06:59 PM
Sunday

dinner there. Shish ka-bob excellence!

The only drawback is that they serve no alcohol so it's a BYOB.

Wednesdays

(22,658 posts)
25. I chose Italian, but Polish is a close second
Sun Apr 5, 2026, 09:56 PM
Sunday

Spouse and I are both part Polish, and grew up around Polish Americans.

Where we live now, there are not many Poles, though. So when we travel we try to go where there are Polish restaurants and bakeries. MmmMMMmm...chrusciki ("angel wings" cookies), REAL fresh kielbasa (not the stuff you can just pick up at Walmart), ziemniaczane (potato pancakes made from scratch!), and golabki (stuffed cabbage).

At Christmastime, we make a big pot of kapusta for the family. Spouse's family always made theirs with slices of polish sausage, while my family did it meatless. We serve that with pierogi (we prefer Alexandra's pierogi rather than Mrs. T's, although Alexandra's is hard to find around here).

Also, the week before Ash Wednesday, we make homemade paczki (Polish jelly-filled donuts). None of the bakeries around here make decent paczki.

jmowreader

(53,227 posts)
33. Korean
Sun Apr 5, 2026, 10:26 PM
Sunday

Maybe because the first international cuisine I ever ate in the country that invented it was Korean.

Norrrm

(5,119 posts)
34. French fries and English muffins........ Go deep into the culture.
Sun Apr 5, 2026, 10:28 PM
Sunday
???

Oh, yeah! Canadian bacon.

Ilikepurple

(699 posts)
35. Off this list, Thai then Japanese
Sun Apr 5, 2026, 10:46 PM
Sunday

If I get my favorite regional Thai dishes that are often not on American Thai menus. Although if I can claim the food of multiple regions perhaps Chinese. But, now I’m just hungry for Jamaican and Pakistani food. Maybe I’m just hungry.

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